The Cha-Cha Dance of American Democracy

July 4th is nationally recognized as a day to celebrate American independence from British rule. And while this is definitely a day to celebrate and be thankful, it is also an opportunity to take a step back and give our current situation serious thought.

The preamble of the Declaration of Independence states, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security."

Inspiring words, written by many equally inspiring individuals. While the Declaration of Independence is not a legally binding document, it does state the premises that America was founded upon, and under current political conditions, it brings to mind the question of whether or not our current government is upholding those premises.

"All men are created equal." While technically at the time this was written, they didn't exactly mean every human being in the country - women were considered inferior and anyone of color was given the asinine designation of 3/5 of a person (which is stupid - how is that even evolutionarily possible?!) - thanks to the 13th and 14th Amendments that issue was legally rectified.

Unfortunately, hundreds of years later, we are still experiencing some of the same biased, unenlightened rhetoric that existed back then. If everyone is equal and entitled to the same rights and due process then why are people of color subjected to harsher judicial punishments, rampant profiling, and far higher instances of death during an arrest than their caucasian counterparts?

One of the current arguments at hand is the existence of the American police force. Many groups are claiming that the origins of the police as we know it in the U.S. are slave patrols. The reality is, that fact is only true in the south or what would have been the confederacy during the American Civil War.

The earliest examples of policing were night watchmen in the 1600s created to protect colonial shipping interests (what would now be considered corporate interests). Many of the colonial night watchmen were actually criminals given the duty as a punishment - which speaks even more broadly to corruption in the police force that dates back to its origins - but the point I'm making here is that not all police forces in America date back to slave patrols. However, since according to the preamble "when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security" changes MUST be made to our country's current outdated policing, judicial, and legal system tactics. If everyone is now truly equal under Constitutional protections, then policing efforts should reflect that fact and not randomly backslide into colonial-era mentality.

In a truly interesting article entitled "The Stylistic Artistry of the Declaration" written by Stephen E. Lucas, it is noted that the Declaration of Independence actually contains a series of five propositions each building upon the other. First, "all men are created equal," which leads to "they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights," which then leads to "among these (rights) are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." 

Those first three propositions lend themselves directly to the final two "to secure these rights governments are instituted among men" and the final and what I think is the most important "whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends (meaning the aforementioned rights of everyone) it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it."

Now obviously the American forefathers were referring to unreasonable royal rule by King George from an ocean away, but our current political situation isn't honestly that much different. America has a presidency and federal government that may technically be considered 'elected', but between the electoral college that seems to override the popular vote (which should be considered the true "will of the people") and proven foreign government interference in the electoral process, our country is largely being governed by a group of narcissistic, money-grubbing nihilists that are far more concerned with personal lobbyist payouts than the needs of the populations whom they're supposed to represent. 

This fact is especially true at the leadership level - the presidency in particular. When Donald J. Trump originally took office, there were many that labored under the delusion that putting in place someone to run the country with the strategy of a corporate business would alleviate many of the perceived economic issues. In theory, that may have sounded like a good idea, but in reality, when you put a corrupt corporate leader who bankrupts his own companies, prefers to shoot first and ask questions later when it comes to policy dealings, finds the company of totalitarians and dictators preferable to that of reasonable democratic leaders, and seems to think that all White House staff and advisors should be treated like contestants in his former reality show (complete with weekly firings and social media bashings), you've literally created a situation that sends America straight down the road of tyranny that our forefathers fought so hard to eradicate.

So what can we do? First and foremost, Speak Up. No matter whether it's phone calls and letters, opinion editorials, news interviews, taking part in peaceful protests, testifying at your local and state hearings, or (especially!) the simple act of voting - the only way we are going to turn this governmental travesty around is by making the people's voices heard. 

That last point, VOTING, is incredibly important. 

Vote to end the electoral college (which was created in the late 1700s when this country was widespread and vastly undeveloped to ensure that those who did not have access to information about the presidential candidates were properly represented in the voting process - which is obviously now a moot point and has been for a long time). 

Vote to ensure term limits. It's far more likely that someone who only is allowed to hold an office for a few terms will put forth and enact legislation in the best interests of the people that they represent instead of the interests of the highest paying lobbyist that approaches them.

Vote to remove blatant corruption from elected office. The cast of players that currently hold power looks a lot like a Shakespearean tragedy. Thieves (example: Richard Burr - NC), villains (example: Mitch McConnell - KY), and groups of despots (prime example: Donald Trump, et al) abound.

Change happens one small step at a time, and even though sometimes it feels like for every step forward there are two steps back, it's all worth the effort when that perceived cha-cha of effort ultimately gets us where we need to be. 

So on this national day of thankfulness and remembrance let's be thankful for the sacrifices of those long before us that gave their lives to ensure our freedom - and let's also think and move forward to make sure their sacrifices did not go to waste!


~ The Girl In The Little Black Dress

Lessons From The Atrocities of The Past

I'd like to start by saying that I am a firm believer in justice being served, a staunch supporter of the BLM movement, and think that civil rights are inalienable for ALL people regardless of beliefs, ethnicity, religion, or partner preference. Come to think of it, much of that is common sense and portions of it are nobody's business except for the person that holds the belief. Seriously, when you meet someone in a personal or business setting do you require their ID and a breakdown of how they live their life? I'd wager that to be a "no".

Regardless, currently America is suffering under the thumb of a delusional, wannabe totalitarian that incites hate with every word from his mouth (or keyboard stroke!). Would the riots and police-driven hate crimes have come to the forefront if the COVID-19 pandemic had not happened or if someone actually capable was in office? Maybe not now, but they would have eventually. America is governed under a rigged system that touts "The American Dream" but despite equality laws, leans toward those who already have the privilege.

I recently began watching Game of Thrones. (Yes, I know I'm a couple years late to the party - don't judge!) I'm only in season 2 and it constantly astounds me how much our political system reminds me of this show. Immature, blood-thirsty despot takes theoretical leadership of the country - check. Riots and widespread attempts to oust the idiot from power occur - check. Other regions that think he's a worthless idiot call for his head - check.

Don't get me wrong - Game of Thrones is far more blood-thirsty than current-day politics, but the premises appear to still be the same. Act like a marauding moron only concerned with your own greedy, narcissistic ideals and you will (eventually) lose your position of power.

Did I mention I'm also a total history nerd?

In the realm of history, I believe George Santayana said it best "Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it." We can absolutely see an example of that when Hitler attempted to invade Russia during the winter - the same fatal mistake that was made by Napoleon 100 years before. Not to say we didn't want them to fail - Both were egotistical dictators and both would have been the downfall of humanity as we know it. (Both would have also probably also been issued presidential pardons for their atrocities by Trump, but that's a different discussion) That being said, attempting to erase American history is not the answer.

There have been many calls recently to rename and remove everything from military bases to statues of the American founding fathers. I absolutely support removal of confederacy-based names and statues from everywhere in this country. We fought a civil war against slavery. They lost. Losers do not get statues. Furthermore, (for those of you that labor under this delusion) the south will not be "rising again" - unless we're discussing summer temperatures.

The confederate flag is to American citizens of color as the nazi swastica is to those of Jewish descent. It is not a symbol of power or nationality - it is a symbol of hate. Get rid of it.

Robert E. Lee may have eventually come to his senses, but point and case he was a leader of the confederate army in the American civil war - you know, the one his side lost. There should not be schools or military bases named for him. There should not be statues in his honor. Things like these are an affront to over half the citizens in this country and there is no amount of "oops, we goofed" that will make that right. Remove and rename!

With regards to the founding fathers and many other American Presidents post-Civil War, we need to remember that while it may not be right or fair, in their time they thought they were doing the best possible job for the nation as a whole. George Washington founded this country under the principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness and freed his slaves - and while they were his slaves (because that's just how those times were - same as the serfs in the Middle Ages) treated them as trusted family members.

Harry Truman ascended the presidency into the enormous shoes that were the FDR legacy and he did positive things like expanding Social Security and implementing the 'Fair Deal' which included a full-employment program and a permanent Fair Employment Practices Act that was the groundwork for passage of the Equal Rights Amendment and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which included the creation of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Simply attempting to remove these people and others like them from our history is not how to fix our future. LEARNING from all of their mistakes will bring us much farther into the complete equality that should be our future than attempting to erase them from our past.

If it's confederate, make it leave. If it's a symbol of hate, there is no place for it in our country. If it was corrupt, remove it. But, if it's a part of our American history that holds value and paved the road for stronger, more positive change - leave it alone. Our country's history is a tumultuous one and we should strive to learn from the mistakes and atrocities of our past - not unintentionally bring them forward to repeat in the present.

Just my two cents.

~ The Girl In The Little Black Dress

Primary School Lessons from the Cohen Hearings

After watching the first part of the Cohen hearing today, I felt the need to turn it off and do a negativity cleanse throughout my house. Seriously. It wasn't Cohen's testimony that caused me to react that way, although his testimony did cause me to have quite a few moments of thinking "oh holy crap!" It was the methods of posturing questioning by the House Representatives that really made it sickening. They, for the most part, conducted themselves like overly verbose primary school bullies desperately intent on taking a classmate's lunch money. The entire spectacle brought to mind the book "All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten", mainly because I felt like everyone involved could benefit from reading it! On second thought, that book and a refresher course in basic manners!

If You Don't Listen You Won't Learn.

The constant interrupting and lack of ability to allow Cohen to answer any question that had just been asked was a tactic utilized by the majority of the representatives that was annoying, disheartening, and frankly, just rude. Why bother asking a question if you don't intend to listen to the answer? Furthermore, if anyone plans to get to the bottom of this quagmire, the ability to listen to the answers given to those questions is absolutely necessary. Cohen may have a questionably horrible reputation when it comes to being trustworthy in testimony, but he has more long term inside information on the situation than every other person in that room. Everyone might just learn something helpful if they all simply shut up and listened.

Don't Take Things That Aren't Yours. / Keep Your Hands to Yourself

This goes for Congress, Michael Cohen, the President's son, and most importantly, President Trump himself. No matter whether it's money, pictures, or documents, turns, words, ideas, or actions. If it isn't yours, do not touch it. Not only don't touch it, don't gossip about it, don't pretend untruthful involvement with it; just leave whatever it is that is not yours completely alone and quietly move away from it. Period. Most of the problems that brought about this hearing, in addition to the ones that occurred during the debacle of the hearing itself, could have been avoided if those simple rules had been adhered to in the first place.

Don't Be a Bully

Really don't know how much I need to elaborate here as politics seems to be the biggest bullying ring of all, especially since the supreme leader of bullying, Donald Trump, is currently the ultimate bully king! It's the worst version of trickle down effect ever known. Do these people go home and instruct their children on how to behave respectfully? If so, the hypocrisy is unequivocal. A little kindness and respect towards others goes a long way towards achieving any goal. Every person involved in this hearing in any way should try it sometime.

These are basic lessons that we attempt to instill in our children, yet put adults in a televised hearing circumstance and those same lessons seem to fly out the window. It's unfortunate, disheartening, and quite honestly, pathetic. The truth will never come out if posturing for the cameras is more important than actually discovering the truth. If a mulligan was ever needed, this is it.  One thing is for certain, if the lack of respect towards procedure and each other is any indication of how these people are attempting to represent the citizens of the country, our future is anything but secure.

~ The Girl In The Little Black Dress

Once Upon A Time, There Was A Wall

Once upon a time there was a wall. It divided the areas of East Berlin from West Berlin in an effort to stem the population of communist East Germany from migrating to the democratic capitalist side of West Germany. When it was erected it divided not only political sides, but also friends, families, and world attitudes. It was the ultimate barrier to the overall peace and unity of a single country .. until it was torn down. That wall itself was the epitome of a symbol of the Cold War. The act of tearing it down was one of the most shining moments of world peace and solidarity that any nation has ever accomplished. Are we doomed to repeat history?

Donald Trump has taken the U.S. Presidency to a new level of demented millennialism. The first president to have zero political background, the first president to consistently tweet his personal Twitter account without thought for repercussions or his administration. In some ways it could be viewed as awkwardly admirable. This man took office with a mindset to treat the country like a corporation and right the U.S. economy as such. His tactics, however, are some of the most abysmal the world has seen since Hitler promised Germany jobs and economic fixes after the Great Depression.

Hitler blamed economic downfall and socioeconomic issues on the Jewish population. At that time in history, the world had just come out of the hell of WWI, and was on the tail end of a worldwide economic depression. It wasn't difficult for someone with a semblance of oratory skill to convince a terrified country's population that there were a specific group of people that were to blame for their financial woes, no matter how misguided the accusations. The terrified, the scared, the misguided; those were the people who voted Hitler into office and blindly followed his directives which ultimately resulted in the most horrific wartime atrocities the world has ever seen.

Fast forward to the internet age. What do you get when you place a silver spoon kid turned real estate mogul and egotistical narcissist into the White House? You get a similar result. A population on the tail end of recession desperate for relief, despite the efforts of previous administrations. A glimmer of light opening for a wide variety of right wing fringe sects to actively espouse their beliefs; their flames fanned by the incinerating rhetoric of a man who has never known a day of hunger or basic need in his entire life.

The wall that Trump wants to build, that he is essentially holding the U.S. hostage to build, is the same type of symptomatic governmental narcissism as the wall the post WWII Germany built. Not only are his tactics holding the U.S. hostage in the realm of government, but they're putting the entire world at risk in multiple areas like aviation safety, agriculture, military assistance, and even the borders that he claims to hold so dear. Those who count on government assistance or government based jobs to feed their families can kiss that goodbye.  Apparently this wall, that makes the United States appear more like a scene from "A Handmaiden's Tale," is far more important than the needs of anything else in the nation.

It is incredibly unfortunate when world leaders take their own personal egos and views, and make them more important on the political and humanitarian front than the needs of the population. It's even more unfortunate when those same leaders actively espouse rhetoric that inflames views and actions of bias, bullying, and racism.

So where to go from here? In a utopian universe, the aberrant leader is ousted by a shining knight on a white horse and the kingdom becomes whole and peaceful. However, just because I started this blog in fairytale form does not mean that the shining knight theory is one that is applicable, or will actually happen. Here's where I get to say what I actually think (it's a blog, so I get to do so).

What this country needs is people working and taking care of their families. This country needs common courtesy, empathetic citizens, and common sense. It does not need egotistical leaders, hateful rhetoric, and unintelligent accusations from those in positions of power that are supposed to be working for the greater good of its population.

I hate to use a movie line here here, but there's a line from "The American President" that this situation that keeps bringing to mind. "America isn't easy. America is advanced citizenship. You've gotta want it bad, cause it's gonna put up a fight. It's gonna say 'You want free speech? Let's see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil, and who's standing center stage and advocating at the top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours."  America is a nation of free speech, of tolerance, of open-mindedness, and of the dream that if you work hard enough it will happen. It is not a nation of close-minded idiots, closed borders, biased rhetoric, and bullying of its citizens. Not saying that the onset of Nazi Germany is akin to Donald Trump's America, but .......... #justsaying!!

Let's finish the fairy tale, since we began it that way .... and the knights on their speckled horses shattered the wall with their mighty swords, then rode off into the sunset with their multi-nationality brides .. all of whom had jobs that were highly paid, well fed children, and a nation that they believed in!


~ The Girl In The Little Black Dress

"Wrinkles" In Politics and Humanity

Recently, I finally got the chance to watch A Wrinkle In Time.  Don't judge.  It was one of my favorite books when I was a pre-teen.  I remember sitting in the school library, immersed in that book, thinking to myself, 'if Meg can do it, so can I!'  That book gave me confidence, courage, and hope during an extremely difficult time in my childhood.  Watching that movie brought back memories .. not all of them wonderful.  However, it also brought to light parts of the story that I had forgotten, or maybe just not understood due to my youth. Parts of the story that, I feel, are truly relevant to life and the current political climate.

For those of you unfamiliar with the basis of the story, Meg is the preteen, self-doubting heroine that travels through space and time with her genius preschool brother, and their neighborhood friend, to save their scientist father who has been missing for many years.  The pretense is that travel between far areas of the universe is, in fact, able to be done by tesseract (which is a sort of bending of time by specific vibration).  Meg's father had discovered this and accidentally gotten trapped on a dark planet, created by an evil force called 'The IT', from whence there was no seemable escape ... until his children come to save him.  Obviously, there are many more intricacies that are too numerous to go into in this blog .. (go watch the movie!) .. however, the manner in which the screenplay depicted the three muses, and their assistance tactics within the children's quest was wonderfully hopeful and enlightening for our current world.

I find it intrinsically fascinating that the name of the 'planet' created by 'The IT', is 'Camazotz'.  The planet Camazotz initially appears in the movie with a menacing growl and the far off appearance of a cancerous tumor spreading its tentacles. Interestingly enough, the name 'Camazotz' is the name of the Mayan bat god associated with darkness, death, and sacrifice.  How apropos that the core of the evil force in this tale should be named after that. 
One of the muses in A Wrinkle In Time, Mrs. Which, counsels Meg that "The only thing in the universe that travels faster than light is darkness.  It invades the place inside of us where hope and joy lives and replaces it with jealousy, judgement, pain and despair."  Additionally, she notes that, "The IT does this one person at a time .. fear takes over, fear leads to rage, then rage leads to violence."  So jealousy, judgement, pain, and despair lead to fear, which then lead to rage, which then lead to violence.  Somehow I can only think of the current political climate.  A state where currently, we have a U.S. President that espouses fear and hatred far more than empathy and understanding.  As one BBC article recently put it "Donald Trump does politics with one crucial psychological insight. Rage is an emotion that sticks around a lot longer than hope." (https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-46099744)  How is this a positive thing for the U.S. or the world in general?  Day after day, we fight against the rage and hatred of religious sects and fringe groups that espouse nothing but bigoted disgust and disdain for those different from them. We fight them in the hope that the positive, shining light of democracy will win out. Yet the U.S. President takes joy in rallying the evil troops?

The henchman for 'The IT' in A Wrinkle In Time, is ultimately shown to be a marionette of the entity.  Prior to revealing this, he tells the children "Everything is taken care of in total without options or alternatives."  What a chilling statement.  Almost as chilling as the scene where all the houses on the cul-de-sac are exactly the same, with a single child in each driveway bouncing a ball in absolute unison.  It's a visual statement that leans towards the mindless flock of sheep mentality, which currently seems to be permeating the nation.  However, there are rays of hope.  Not everyone views the world through the same hue of glasses.  Once Meg puts on the prism glasses given to her by the muses when they leave the children on Camazotz, she is able to see that things are not as they seem.  The area is not enclosed, her father is actually held captive there, and she can, in fact, reach him.  I suppose our world is a lot like that.  Sometimes you just need to look through a different set of glasses to find the real answers.

I think that the most poignant moment for me in this movie, stems from another quote from Mrs. Which, "Do you realize how many events and choices had to occur, since the birth of the universe, to lead to the making of you, just exactly as you are?"  

There are times in life when we all feel down, feel depressed, doubt our choices, even doubt ourselves and question our own self-worth.  It happens to everyone.  It's human nature.  It's also a natural part of growing up.  Having those feelings and thoughts, however, does not make them a true reflection of who we are.  Our lives are essentially mirrors.  Mirrors of our thoughts, mirrors of our actions, and most importantly, mirrors of those surrounding us.  Whom we choose to closely surround ourselves with has the ability to, many times, show us the clearest reflection of ourselves, but only if we are willing to look. 

It is easy to get bogged down in the minutiae of societal expectations, political rhetoric, and judgement, but, if we allow ourselves to truly see what those closest to us see in our hearts and minds, we can then begin to embrace and live up to the amazing people we actually have the potential to be, regardless of society's chain gang mentality.  As we learned in Wrinkle, love is the only force that can destroy the darkness of 'The IT'.  Love ultimately destroys jealousy, love destroys judgement, love destroys pain and despair.  How we treat others, how we speak to others, how we respect those who think differently than us, is the truest measure of humanity. That's definitely something that the President, and all of those running for office, should remember every time they open their mouths.


~ The Girl In The Little Black Dress

Any Unsilenced Voice

Its been a long time since I've posted, and for that I apologize. You see, I allowed others to silence my voice. This is not anyone's fault but my own. While going through the healing process from a violent breakup of an abusive relationship, I acquiesced to requests that, I'm sure, were for my safety at the time. I love and respect those voices, but the national situation at hand is a ripple effect that should no longer, and Never be held silent.

As a parent, I cannot pretend to know what the surviving parents and families of school shootings are going through. Nor do I want to. However, this type of tragedy is, unfortunately, becoming a harsh, terrifying reality on a daily basis. You only have to turn on the news, and the vast majority of information revolves around someone getting shot, or murdered, or killing themselves and others in places that we all once thought of as safe havens. I watched the #ListeningSession with President Trump on YouTube tonight.  Tears rolled down my face as I listened to the parents and kids speak.  As I listened I realized that, while I was ensconced in my own little world of issues, these teenagers who had firsthand experienced terrifying tragedy beyond comprehension were able to get out of bed and spur on an entire nation to change the world ... who was I to cowardly sit silent in fear?!  No. More.

When My generation was in middle and high school (yep, I'm going to date myself here), the biggest worry was brass knuckles and fights with that kind of thing after school.  We did have suicides, but the vast majority of them were not due to guns.  Now, in this age of 3D printers that can produce firearms, where does the "line in the sand" that protects our kids, and the innocent in general, lie??? I wholeheartedly agree with one of the Sandy Hook moms that spoke at the listening session with the President  .. "How many more deaths can we take as a country?? How many more times must this happen again??" Is the answer in x-ray machines and metal detectors that turn every institute of learning into a Homeland Security guarded zone?  Is it in educating the population in mental wellness, and creating a society that does not view mental illness such as depression, bipolar, and schizophrenia as taboo incurable subjects?  Is it in honest, non-political discussion and implementation of adjustments to gun rights laws that respect the 2nd Amendment, but police and deter those who do not have the empathetic capability for humanity, and/or are not old enough to completely grasp the consequences of using guns responsibly?  In my mind, all of these are viable reasons to revisit the gun laws, to amend the 2nd amendment, and to go all the way to the Supreme Court and demand that Nationally Something Must Change so that the innocent in our population are safe on a daily basis!

One of the Sandy Hook fathers who pioneered the non-profit group Rachel's Challenge commented during the session, "If we focus too much on diversity, we create division, and if we focus too much on unity, we create compromise.  However, if we focus on Relatedness, and how we can relate with one another, we can celebrate diversity and we can see the unity take place.  The focus needs to be on how we connect."  When it comes to mental wellness I can only agree completely. The lack of knowledge and understanding by the general population of anything that falls under the heading of "mental illness" or any other stigma that is not considered "normal" in our society is abysmal.  This needs to change.  Regardless, anyone who attempts to end their life, or puts live wishes to do so on social media, at the very least, should not be legally allowed to own or utilize a firearm of any kind, much less an assault weapon.  Quite honestly, I cannot image why the NRA would not back a platform of this nature.  No one is saying not to own a gun.  They are simply saying that those who are mentally unstable and more likely to cause harm to themselves or others should not be able to purchase one. The NRA has always put forth the mantra that it is people that kill people, not the gun  ....  in that vein of belief I can only assume that they would Fully back an amendment that is not a rights violation, but a safeguard for those who need safety! Suicide is currently the number 2 killer of our kids in the USA.  Knowledge is definitely prevention.

To my way of thinking, all of this is a ripple effect.  The #MeToo movement was due to forms of abuse that grew to refuse to be silent.  Abuse takes many forms, including violent ones, in every area of all our lives.  From school shootings, to adolescent and teen suicide, to domestic violence (of which I know too well), to drive by shootings of innocent bystanders, a change in all gun laws to protect the innocent and derail the ability of those not worthy or capable of respecting the weapon is crucial!  Changes in background checks & age limitations, changes in state laws, awareness, and, not just responsibility but Accountability, all are key in proactively creating a world where this type of tragedy Never Happens Again. 

#PresidentTrump, you campaigned on "Make America Great Again" ... here's your chance.  Proactively do it!

~ The Girl In The Little Black Dress

#parklandstudentsspeak  #enoughisenough  #itsnotaboutpolitics  #studentsstandup #stoptheviolence

American Dream, or Nightmare?

Relationships. Webster defines a relationship as "the way in which two or more people or organizations regard and behave toward each other." That certainly leaves much to interpretation. Good or bad, positive or negative, caring or rude .... everyone we come in contact with is a form of "relationship" according to Webster! What about the relationships that mean the most to us? Our spouses or significant others, our family, our close friends ... how does that definition apply?

Theoretically we all strive to do right by those people in our lives we care about. It doesn't matter if it's a friend, family member, or coworker, I believe that if you see the good in someone else it brings out the good in yourself. We all have our "dark days". We all have our moments where we aren't at our best, but the Golden Rule of treating others as you would treat yourself absolutely applies. Essentially, if you truly care about someone, slips of attitude can always be forgiven in time. But what about the relationships that are without immediate human interaction? Dealings with landlords, banks, the decision makers in companies that one may never actually meet ... how do we keep those relationships positive when we have little to no interaction with anything but a slip of paper?

I recently watched a documentary entitled "American Winter". If you haven't seen it, you should. It pointed out the absolute obvious in our current economic climate. Over the past few years, the majority of us have gone through some form of economic hardship, but the major corporations have seen increased profits. Regardless of efforts by those people who are working multiple jobs and returning to school in an effort to better their opportunities, the companies who "hold the cards" like mortgage companies, landlords, and utilities providers, generally seem to refuse to give a benefit of the doubt and allow for a bit of altruism so that those people making an effort can get caught up from hardships and back on track. It would seem that they (the companies) are more interested in the short term rather than the benefits of what the long term will bring if only they treated clients with compassion and respect, instead of hard lining the immediate where money is concerned. It's no wonder the homeless rate has risen to ridiculous proportions and charitable organizations like food banks can no longer keep up with demand. While America is nowhere near the tragedies of the Great Depression, it would seem that FDR's New Deal enacted in the 1930's that got companies to raise the minimum wage while keeping costs of goods and services at the lowest possible rate should be seriously revisited if we are going to get the average American back on their feet without the need for federal or state assistance on a weekly and monthly basis. To quote from "American Winter", 'Right now, the American dream is to make it through tomorrow, and next week'. It's a sad state of affairs for a country that's supposed to be one of the richest in the world. To compound the issue, we seem to have reverted back to the days of Tammany Hall on a congressional level where there's more consideration for those who already hold wealth and power at the corporation level, than those who are desperately attempting to make ends meet at the family nucleus level. How many more lives will be destroyed before empathy is extended so that those who make the effort can get ahead without repercussions that only set them back again?

My hope for this new year is awareness that leads to empathy, that leads to action for the betterment of others. No one is entitled to a hand out without putting forth an honest effort, but those who put forth an honest effort should be allowed to not be knocked back down by the greed of others every time they do.

~ The Girl In The Little Black Dress

Independence from ....... ?

Independence Day. The phrase conjures thoughts of freedom from tyranny,  freedom from unfair rule, freedom to be exactly yourself without persecution. The American forefathers had that idea in mind when they drafted the Declaration of Independence. Is that what is really true in our country now?

The small world of the legal system community makes deals unknown to those governed behind closed doors. Taxes are levied in accordance to who has the most money to donate to the "appropriate" political fund. American troops fight wars that they don't understand, but because they believe in the strength of our country, they go into battle anyway. Judges are friends with lawyers and do "favors" which can hardly be deemed impartial. Politicians make deals with the highest bidder, as opposed to doing what's in the best interests of those who voted them into office. Are we truly "independent"? Or are we governed by those who only have their own personal best interests at heart?

The Declaration of Independence states that "Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security." In layman's terms, when the government goes stupid, it is up to the citizens of said government to set them on the right path. Are we on the right path?

Personally, I'm considered politically "unaffiliated" because I have agreements and disagreements with every political party out there. However, when the laws of the courts are pre-defined in favor of those who have clout, I have an issue. When the proof of those accused lies in proving they shouldn't have been accused, I have an issue. When those who have no means or money are treated as subhuman without the ability for recourse in the American legal system, I have an issue. When soldiers die on foreign land and their families are not given information or acknowledged, I have an issue.

On this, the celebration day of American Independence, let us remember what is important and crucial ... Truth, Justice, and Liberty For All.

~ The Girl In The Little Black Dress

"Common Sense" .. still true in modern day?

I find the current, pointless, sophomoric government shutdown situation annoying at best, and ridiculously pathetic at worst.  Recently, I read Thomas Paine's "Common Sense" and realized that, while we are definitely not struggling with secession from a government on another continent,  under current conditions our government seems almost equally as far removed and unaware as the colonists felt about the British Crown. Below are my thoughts on the document itself and my subsequent thoughts on its application to the current political climate.

Thomas Paine makes many valid points in his document "Common Sense" that can still be applied and deemed true in today's government debacle.  He begins by citing a theoretical example of a society that is forged in a new land though common community needs in which all members equally share and assist each other. He furthers this idea with the notion that as the community grows larger that representatives from each area of the community should be chosen by their peers to represent each area's interests for the good of the whole, and that logically, these representatives should be re-chosen on a regular basis so that all represntatives are active, aware members of their individual communities and its needs. He even goes so far to say that this group of elected representatives should choose a leader, but that it should be via a process that rotates throughout each community,  or in this case, colony, so no one area or person has the ability to become too egotistically filled with power and/or detached from the real daily needs and issues of the society as a whole that they represent the interests of.   He contines his logic by likening the English monarchy, its rules of aristocracy and hereditary succession,  as well as the supposed checks and balances that are in theory, only to the Papacy and the ancient Egyptian Pharaohs.  He points out that God should be the only true governing Lord and that the idea of government rulers as heads of both church and state are the same as the practices of heathen religions of ancient times. He further points out that under the colonies' current conditions with the English monarchy, aristocracy,  and House of Commons, that their money is simply going to a government that wants to keep them in check to the point of slavery to the Crown.  He continues to note that much of the population of the colonies is not of British descent, and seeing as the British government has no affiliation to or understanding of the burgeoning society of America, that being considered British subjects only sets them up to be at odds with any government Britain is at odds with, instead of working with, trading with, and at peace with all other nations which are truthfully represented in the population of the colonies.   Paine then makes valid points about the continuation of a government simply because it is what people are accustomed to and not because it is what is appropriate or best for the populace. I particularly liked his point "We may as well assert that because a child has thrived upon milk, that it is never to have meat, or that the first twenty years of our lives is to become a precedent for the next twenty. But even this is admitting more than is true; for I answer roundly that America would have flourished as much, and probably much more, had no European power taken any notice of her. The commerce by which she hath enriched herself are the necessaries of life, and will always have a market while eating is the custom of Europe." He also points out the various industries and agriculural ventures in which the colonies have the ability to be self-sufficient, including the building and maintaining of their own naval fleet, and ultimately gives us an initial breakdown of what a Constitution, a Continental Congress, and subsequent American President would be structured like in the best interests of the Colonies and the Colonists themselves.  

In my opinion, many of the points made in "Common Sense" are valid and should be readdressed by the American population today.  We live under a government that tends to be so far removed from the real, daily lives and issues of most of the citizens in our society, that they appear to spend their time consorting only with those that will line their pockets, keep them in positions of power via buying out the politcal process, and currently, find it okay to argue so much among themselves that the government is in a shutdown period because internal bullheaded quabbling about their own interests and needs has caused an inability to reach any sort of agreement. While the original precepts of our Constitution are still valid, they are being abused and misquoted by this group of narcissist individuals who claim to be looking out for the best interests of the population. As Paine pointed out, force and revolution are only a final, last case option, but under current conditions it would seem that we as citizens need a modern day Thomas Paine figure to bring our government back to its basic senses, back to the roots of those whom they represent, and quite possibly, quietly and logically remove from power those who have made a career of basking in it.

Simply my opinion. I realize that it may ruffle the feathers of some who read it, but theoretically our democracy allows for opinionated freedom of speech, so we are all entitled to our own.

~ The Girl In The Little Black Dress

Ego versus Empathy

"Everybody's got the right to be, happy. Everybody's got the right to feel free! Rich man, poor man, black or white, grab the apple, take a bite! Everybody's got the right to their dreams!"

Lyrics. I'm currently choreographing a musical theater show titled "Assassins". It's a poignant dark comedy, but those lyrics seem to hit home in so many other areas.

Why is it that some people feel it is their right to attempt to take away the rights & dreams & happiness of others?  From something global like the former Apartheid or the current Middle East jihad unrest, to something national like Gay Marriage Rights, or something more personal like nasty divorces or custody battles. In every single case, it ultimately boils down to the views & values & beliefs of one person versus that of another. While basic laws must be in place for a civilized society to exist, who is anyone of us on this planet to judge what makes another happy or what their dreams & path in life should be?  Who among those of us that walk this earth are so perfect, They should be given the right to pass that judgment? 

Civil wars throughout the world, opposing political party viewpoints, children being denied one parent simply due to the views of another ..... all of these are tragedies that occur when one human takes it upon themselves to stand on a soapbox & proclaim that their way of doing things is the only one that is correct.  It's sad.  It's egotistical.  It's just plain demented.

Last I checked, no matter what your theological beliefs or moral value systems are, the Constitution of the United States of America proclaims that All are Equal. If that truly is the case, then who is any of us to judge the thoughts, feelings, belief systems, & lifestyle choices of anyone except holding our own selves accountable?

So you're religious? Why can someone else's religious beliefs not be as equally valuable to them as yours are to you? 

So you're straight? Why can someone else's gender preferences not be as equally viable to them as yours are to you? 

So you're divorced? Well you obviously had differences of opinion to begin with or you wouldn't be divorced.  Why then must your children suffer because you personally disagree with lifestyle choices your ex is making, as long as the children are loved & cared for by both sides?

Unfortunately, thanks to the overinflated egos of many humans out there, a utopian society of true empathy, compassion, & understanding will never truly exist.  However, if my thoughts cause you to take a tiny step back & reassess what the overarching good of a possibly tumultuous situation might be the next time you encounter such a thing ...... Just saying ......

~ The Girl In The Little Black Dress

The Ripple Effect of Focus

Negativity is defined by Webster as the following: a : lacking positive qualities; especially : disagreeable  b : marked by features of hostility, withdrawal, or pessimism that hinder or oppose constructive treatment or development .  Doesn't sound that great, does it?  Synonyms for the word are adversarial, antagonistic, inhospitable, hostile, unfriendly, & unsympathetic.  None of these sound, or are, pleasant or happy or like anything we would actively want to align ourselves with in any way.  Yet, all of this seems to exist as a main focus in our attitudes and the world around us on a regular basis.  The media tends to focus on anything that will raise a ruckus or cause people to go up in arms, politics are a major offender with every moment filled by partisanship and pointing fingers, many people seem to use social media, such as Facebook & Twitter, as their constant personal venting diary ... why is it that the negative occurrences, the hostile actions, the pessimistic attitudes, and the unsympathetic thoughts are focused on so much more than the positive, kind, friendly ones?

If the media took even one day and focused on only the good deeds of random strangers, the daily positive actions of educators and first responders, the happy dreams realized of anyone who achieves them, instead of giving validity through sensationalism to criminals and the corrupt, what would we think throughout that day?  How might we act and react in daily situations or occurrences?  What might we be inspired to do that day?

If politicians took one week to do nothing but get face to face with those who they represent, and regardless of party affiliation or income level, sat down and truly listened to what's occurring and what's needed in those areas by the people who voted them into office, if they completely ignored party lines or anything driven by monetary gain and simply talked with their constituents and each other, how much would be accomplished?  No campaigning, no promises, just listening and honest conversation.  Would better goals be set that would be more reflective of what's actually needed in our communities?  Would the intention to follow through with those goals be more concrete and the results of those intentions be more effective due to the open, honest communication that only focused on the needs of those represented, and not partisanship or finger pointing?

If everyone who uses social media of any form made a pact to only post positive thoughts, happy occurrences, and non-judgmental opinions for even a day or two, what would we learn about those around us?  What attributes might we glean about others that we'd never realized before?  Would it inspire us?  Make us laugh?  Allow us to feel a bit of happiness with regards to the good fortune of someone else?

The thing about it is this, most of us tend to focus so constantly on that which is wrong, or stressful, or irritating, or depressing, that we can't see, and many times forget, that around us which is Good.  The moment of calming silence after a long tiring day, the sheerly happy smile of a baby or small child, the stranger that immediately assists with picking up the papers someone accidentally dropped, or the phone call from a friend that occurs at the exact moment you needed a friendly voice.  The hug from someone who loves you, the frenzied thrilled greeting from a pet upon your arrival home, the beautiful flower that somehow grew in a not beautiful place, or the feel of your favorite fuzzy blanket wrapped around you on a chilly day.  Happy conversations with friends, a compliment from a coworker, a gesture of goodwill given without thought of returning the favor.  These are the things that our days are made up of.  Even in the middle of stressful situations surrounding work, or school, or homelife, these things exist.  If we focused mainly on them, as opposed to that which upsets or brings us down, would our relationships change?  Would our outlooks and attitudes change?  What about our communities as a whole?

Just thoughts.  It may sound a bit Utopian, but as I sit here this morning, with sleet coming down outside & my entire day annoyingly rerouted and rearranged due to the weather, I think that I shall focus on the fact that the cinnamon spice coffee I'm brewing makes my place smell yummy, and there's a list of things I've been procrastinating about that I can now get done instead of having to rush out, and that an evening snuggled in front of the fireplace watching movies that make me laugh is a splendid thing to look forward to.  Life.  It really can be so much happier if we simply do a bit of adjusting from concentrating on the negative moments, to focusing on the positive ones.

~ The Girl In The Little Black Dress

The Gaff of an Unrepentant Bully

http://www.npr.org/2012/11/05/164342230/a-special-olympian-on-pundits-use-of-the-r-word

I listened to the above piece on NPR today, and had to share it. John Franklin Stephens is an intelligent individual, that has accomplished more thus far in his life than many so-called "normal" people I know, regardless of the fact that he happens to have Down syndrome. 
 
Ann Coulter should be ashamed of herself. I'd like to see her overcome half of what many people with special needs overcome and successfully accomplish every day.  The additional fact that she feels she has no need to apologize for her gaff is inexcusable.  The use of harsh, ugly, discriminatory language, when there are a variety of other words and phrases she could have utilized to get her point across, only makes Ms. Coulter appear to be a horrible form of cyber-bully, and points to her own lack of intelligence.  Freedom of speech does not warrant a blantant lack of manners and empathy.


~ The Girl In The Little Black Dress

Debating the Annoyance of Political Posturing

So I was watching the presidential debate last night, and a number of thoughts occured to me.  Let me preface my thoughts with the fact that I am a registered INDEPENDENT, meaning that I agree and disagree with entirely too many points on all sides to officially affiliate myself with any one political party.  Personally, I think all of them are rhetoric spouting hypocritical con artists.  That being said, I shall begin .....

Historically speaking, many presidents who are viewed as achieving great things, were opposed, fought against, and ridiculed during their terms as president.  George Washington (Federalist), Abraham Lincoln (Republican), FDR (Democrat), George H.W. Bush (Republican), Bill Clinton (Democrat), are just a few of our past presidents that achieved great things but were opposed by various factions of Congress and other political ideologists while in office.  Under the current economic landscape, I cannot imagine anyone taking office that will not have opposition of some form.  There will be agreements, disagreements, arguments, self-righteous congratulations, and water cooler grumbling gossip on every single issue addressed as we go forward into this next presidential term, no matter who is sitting in the Oval Office.  Additionally, our economy tends to be a "trickle down effect" in itself.  The true effects of changes made to policy and programs put in place aren't actually seen until those changes and programs have run their course for a couple of years at the least.  If you look at it logically, FDR, with his unprecedented 3 consecutive terms, was really the only president that was able to truly see and reap the benefits of his decisions while in office.  While other presidents are credited with certain economic gains or stability, a good portion of what occured while they were in power should actually be, at least in part, credited to their immediate predecessors.

One of the major points that I noticed, and that was pointed out by both candidates, is that both are striving for many of the same ultimate goals.  The lowering of rates for middle income families and small businesses, avoiding adding to the deficit, improvement to healthcare options for everyone ... they both agree that these things should be achieved.  The differences lie in how they each think we should go about achieving these things.  Again, it should be pointed out that the issues in the current economic landscape, and the gains that have been and will be made going forward over the next 4 years, should be, in part, attributed to those who were in office before them and the policies and decisions that were made during their term(s).  As far as I could tell from last night's debate, bipartisan effort is going to be extraordinarily important to whomever takes office, unless we're looking for 4 years of stalemate.  Regardless of whose policies and programs are better or more effective or logical, if all sides do not quit the posturing rhetoric and bury the hatchet to work towards the common goal of improving our economy at both a national and international level, our situation is only going to go from bad to worse.  Whether the person sitting in that fabled office is black or white, Mormon or Protestant, privledged childhood or poor, does not matter.  What matters is that all parties rally behind whomever is there so that positive steps can be achieved instead of just talked about.  If we could get all candidates to list out specifically their plans for growth in the aforementioned areas, then have a impartial group assimilate those plans into an excel spreadsheet comparison, that would be most informative and ideal, as the lack of specificity on how each side plans to achieve said goals was, and is, annoying at best.

I'm still undecided, and sticking with my Independent registry.

~ The Girl In The Little Black Dress

The Protections Of An Actual Democracy

There are some people who need to take a good, long, difficult look at themselves and their own lives, before they open their mouths to speak. 

The catalyst behind this particular post is a certain Republican spout-off, whom I shall not name (except for in the tags).  Let's start with a fact that I've stated before, we live in a country where everyone is absolutely entitled to their own opinion and may vocalize it without fear of repercussion.  That applies to you, to me, to this particular person of whom I speak.  However, to throw out opinions as facts, into the media, when no research into the issue other than one's own side has obviously been explored, is ... overstepping at best.  In this particular case, someone who has spent his career accusing and ostracizing others, while, in many cases, doing the exact same thing that he speaks out against himself .... Seriously, those who live in glass houses...

The following are my thoughts on the subject.  Again, they're My Thoughts, which I'm allowed to voice and am afforded that right under the same Constitution that allows the human I speak of to voice his!

If you're going to declare hard-line right wing family values and call someone a "slut" for using birth control, don't have 3 divorces, cheat on your wives, & live in seperate houses while you're married.

If you're going to talk about the "poverty line" as something you understand, you probably shouldn't have grown up in a well-off politically-endowed midwestern family, and make $45M per year.

If you're going to spout un-ending hardline support for the military through a voice that's emphatically against anything non-military, you shouldn't have used a loophole to stay out of the draft when your number came up during the Vietnam War.

If you're going to damn anyone who suffers with an addiction, you shouldn't have been addicted to prescription drugs and busted for illegally purchasing them yourself.

Basically it boils down to this, everyone is absolutely, unequivocably entitled to voice their own opinion, but if you're going to voice it, then it's better to be able to back it up with your own life, or at least be sensitive to the other side (that you may have been on). 
Actions  Speak  Louder  Than  Words.


~ The Girl In The Little Black Dress

Societal Facets and Differing Viewpoints

I'm scrolling through the news of the day on Google, and after reading a number of articles two things occur to me ... 1. we are incredibly lucky to live in a society that allows and publishes voices of every opinion, and 2. there are alot of people, companies, and causes out there that allow politics and gossip to permeate their existence when they shouldn't.

Take the current situation of the Susan G. Komen foundation.  Here is this organization whose focus is supposed to be about ultimately eradicating breast cancer through research, prevention & treatment.  Unfortunately they appear to have allowed the voices of the right-wing pro-life AND the left-wing pro-choice to cause them to waive on their ultimate goal.  You can align yourself with either side of the pro-life/pro-choice equation, but everyone agrees that breast cancer is a disease that should be fought on every front.  Many organizations that do great things via providing needed prevention screening, treatment, and even research, have other areas of women's health that they also support that may be more controversial.  That does not mean that the Komen foundation should focus on anything but the area that they're providing the funding for ... the prevention of breast cancer for all women.  Politics was not the reason they began this organization, and it shouldn't now become a part of their decision making process for any reason as it causes the mission of their organization to become blurred.  Stay the course, people!

Example number two: the Obama Administration's fight to have all companies and organizations that offer health insurance to their employees cover contraception, regardless of their religious backing.  Before anyone gets up in arms over this one, let's look at the logical facts.  The First Amendment of the US Constitution states "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."  Granted, there's quite a bit of room for interpretation in the wording, but ultimately it boils down to a simple point: government needs to not attempt to control religion, and religion needs to not attempt to control government.  Besides, the government controlled healthcare plan that is open to everyone will be covering contraception.  Why should a religious organization be forced to go against their beliefs by the government, if that same government will ultimately be handling the part that makes them so uncomfortable in the first place?  Seriously, live and let live, and stay out of each others' sh*t!

Another example ... the group One Million Moms getting fired up over J.C.Penny's continued backing of Ellen DeGeneres as their national spokeswoman.  To be honest, I don't really understand how an acclaimed comedian/actress/talk show host would be able to sway or change someone's family values by representing a store that sells clothing, cosmetics and household goods .......... seems a ridiculous waste of perfectly good energy that could be used towards actual issues like the treatement and prevention of juvenile diabetes, or bettering the level of education in this country, or combatting human trafficking.  This is a woman who brings laughter to millions, and supports countless charities and worthwhile causes with not only donations but by giving her voice and time as well, and, while there are some who have issues with same-sex relationships, it should be pointed out that she and her partner are married, committed and monogamous, and have been so for far longer than many heterosexual relationships last in this day and age.  Still don't see what any of this has to do with clothing ....

Back to the original point ... it's truly a wonderful thing to live in a society where, no matter what your opinion, you can be heard.  It should also be remembered that the variety of opinions and viewpoints are what makes all of this worthwhile.  The world would be an awfully boring, flat, uninteresting, unintelligent place if everyone thought, looked and acted exactly the same as everyone else.  There would be no original ideas, no creativity, no passion for anything as it would all be the same as everywhere else.  Just because someone else's voice is different than your own, or their politics are different than your own, doesn't mean that their voice and thoughts aren't valid points that should be respected for the added societal facets they bring to the table.

~ The Girl In The Little Black Dress

We Elected What?!

http://advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2011/09/12/NC_Lawmakers_to_Consider_Anti_Gay_Marriage_Amendment/

Something about this just makes my blood boil.  There are all of these people who claim to be proponents for the "betterment of society", but in reality, they're simply fighting against that which they have zero understanding and therefore it creates fear in their lives.  Fear that things will be different.  Fear that they will not be able to quantify their own self worth against something that, while it may be a new concept, may turn out to be a positive thing regardless of their lack of comprehension.  Family values are a lifelong commitment to a relationship, the absolute commitment to one's children, and the commitment to the betterment of society via one's example.  Key word here is COMMITMENT. 

I dare these idiots in politics to prove that they're Not just lukewarm with that concept.  In fact, the majority of people I've come across over the years in basic corporate america can't even say it without their noses growing.  And those who choose to spout Bible verses on this subject (not attempting to piss off my Christian friends here, but I am going to tell it as it is), well, the Constitution specifically calls for a "Separation of Church and State".  Religion of any form has zero place in politics in our country ... or so the founding fathers specified. 

Quit throwing stones and being judgemental, politicians.  That glass house that you shatter just might be your own.


~ The Girl In The Little Black Dress

Politics .. Are They? Or Aren't They?

Politics are everywhere ... even if you don't think they're involved,  rest assured,  in some form they are.  From managing how we respond to the mundane daily nonsense with the hierarchy of the office, to schools, to church groups, even to some conversations with friends, politics in some form come into play.  Think about it.  When is the last time any of us stopped short of saying what we originally wanted to say because we were in the middle of the office cubicles where the boss / a manager / HR / the gossipy co-worker might overhear?  Or because we were in that same situation at a party or in a restaurant or at a group gathering where the gossipy acquaintance or the wrong set of ears might hear it, misunderstand, and tell a dear friend and twist the meaning?  What about when we get news or information from a friend that, in their defense, is only attempting to be a good friend by giving us said information, but we knee jerk react with our response and afterwards wish we'd been more "politically correct" and thought through to "edit" our response?  What about the times we overhear a bit of information out of context and make a snide remark to ourselves without regard for who's in hearing distance, or, repeat what we heard while drawing our own conclusions?  In most areas, we edit those responses, those thoughts, those words emitting from our beings in an effort to fit in, or to avoid angering or offending those in our midst, or, wish we could take back or alter how or what we said at the time.  In the latter, hindsight becomes 20/20.

Ergo, politics are everywhere.  From the basic nepotism that gets someone a job because they "know" the right people to get them in the door for the coveted interview, to the aforementioned examples.  None of us appreciate it, many of us downright dislike it, the majority of us participate in it.  Most of the examples would make a superb sequel to the book Everything I Need To Know, I Learned In Kindergarten, entitiled Everything I Need To Know, I Learned In High School. 

Personally, it makes me wonder why we're surprised that Congress can't get anything completely accomplished without a bunch of subterfuge!  Seriously, we've got a bunch of people in office that have made what's supposed to be a position that's representative of their area neighbors' wants and needs, a position that's reprsentative of the highest bidder in their area.  You combine that with any President, who, we would hope goes into vying for the job with the nation's best interests at heart, but inevitably ends up playing The Political Game with everybody and their brother just to get a 24 pack of toilet paper onto the operating budget .... well, you get the picture.

That's not saying that many people from every walk of life don't actively attempt to greet every day with a positive output.  There are those who strive to make the world around them a better place on a daily basis.  To treat others how they would wish to be treated themselves.  Even these enlightened individuals engage in some form of politics on some level at some point.

What if the world were without all the politics?  What if, every single waking moment of every single day was without judgement, without subterfuge, without an ultimate agenda?  What if everytime everyone opened their mouths it was completely and totally honest without regard for repercussions?  That'd be a heck of a different world ....

Hmmmmmm .............

Yeah, right.  Like that's gonna happen!  Human nature is, by nature, human nature after all, and a Pollyanna view of society only gets you hurt in the end unless the person you're dealing with is the Dahli Lama or Mother Teresa.  Even Elle Woods had an agenda at heart.  I guess the question then becomes, "Do the ENDS justify the MEANS"?  Things to think about ... in every situation.

~The Girl In The Little Black Dress