Speaking As…

Warrior Queen once had a supervisor at an agency (that will remain nameless) who always prefaced everything she said with the words, “Well, speaking as a Jewish woman…”.  The supervisor would go on about the topic at hand, confidant that she was indeed giving the wisdom of her accumulated cultural experiences.

As if.

 

I have been a white male all of my 58 years, and I’m not about to pretend to know everything about “white maleness” at this point in my life.  I do know that historically the white male has dominated most western cultures.  This is not altogether a comforting heritage with which to live.  For example, it appears that this dominance over cultures thing goes hand-in-hand with other non-desirable (at least to me) traits like intolerance and its inevitable end product, genocide.

Go figure.

Apparently, I’m also supposed to possess some type of privilege or entitlement to coincide with my skin color and gender.  This feeling among white males probably goes a long way toward explaining the intolerance for other cultures idea.  I don’t know if it is another part of my DNA, or my upbringing in a (good) Christian household, but I am glad I missed the boat of intolerance.

Recently, America concluded eight years of progressive cultural steps forward.  It was nice…while it lasted.  Sad to say, and mind you I am speaking as a white male, I find that my fellow pale men recent movements to reverse all of these steps and thereby regress society as a whole, disturbing.  Oh, let’s add appalling and deplorable while I’m at it.

There!  I said it!

That said, allow me to further elaborate on a few current ideas in America, speaking as a slightly-left-of-center politically, 21st century cultural progressive, Christian (although not a jump-down-your-throat-believe-as-I-believe-or-else Christian):

This whole idea of “Make America Great Again” may sell 20th century Mad Men Post-World War II style of dominant attitudes over other cultures, and makes a spiffy logo on made-in-China baseball caps (retailing for a very elite baseball cap price of $40 a pop), but the whole idea is based on a false notion.  Let me make this very clear: AMERICA NEVER STOPPED BEING GREAT.   PERIOD!

Our uniquely American brand of democracy may be under attack, but it is (as of this morning at least) still INTACT.   Our Putter-in-Chief may act like he has more use for the Second Amendment and its accompanying idiosyncrasies of violence then the First Amendment, but fortunately our constitutional priorities are still straight.  The Founding Fathers had the foresight to put freedom of expression before the guarantee to arm local militias (BTW the CORRECT interpretation of Amendment #2).  With any luck and, okay, a fair amount of liberal resistance, we will still have the First Amendment in place for the next Presidential election.

And furthermore…

Speaking as a liberal white male, I must say that the vast community of evangelical Christians have given us reason to distrust them more than ever before the rise of Jerry Falwell’s Moral Majority.  Okay, so you latched onto the abortion issue as the only issue worth caring about.  So you got your pro-life Supreme Court justice confirmed and your backing the most despicable candidates for public office (yes, I mean Roy Moore) just because they are also pro-life.  Congratulations, but now for a news flash: you sold your souls to the devil for Supreme Court seat!

I hope you think it was worth it.

You do realize that along with this Justice there also came a movement to deregulate laws which has guaranteed that all Americans can live safely in this country.  It has happened in all facets of American governance, but let’s just look at one example: the environment.

The EPA has seen some of its progress under President Obama reversed by the Executive Orders by the current Hole-In-None-Commander-In-Chief.  Now we should ask ourselves: what’s the point in bringing more children into the world where (theoretically) they are all wanted if we can’t guarantee that they can breathe clean oxygen and drink pure water? 

  

Seriously, what’s the point?

We white males should pause and wonder why so many other cultures in the world have a chip on their shoulder when it comes to our attitudes.   Actually, I can only blame their chips on our historical arrogance.

Then again, what do I know?   I’m just a white male.  No, make that an angry white male.

(Thank you for reading.  And in conclusion: “Grrrrrr!”)

Thanksgiving 2017

I apologize for not posting during the last four weeks, but my ongoing back issues have prevented me from spending much time sitting at the computer to compose something of interest in the blogosphere.   Mind you, I always strive to be witty and clever.  Something of interest…well, sometimes that can be a challenge.

Then there is the inspiration factor: in the last four weeks I have not had any inspiration to write anything noteworthy.  This is not for lack of material floating around in the social media.

Dear God!  The current administration in Washington is generating so much material ripe for satire and general overall WTF derision that it would certainly keep such immortal satirists as Will Rogers busy for a hundred years.  On the other hand, if Will Rogers were alive today he could just as easily vomit if he had the chance to watch the shenanigans in Washington too closely.

So, I will default to the general mood of today’s holiday where all Americans will (or should) give their thanks for the blessings in their lives.  It’s not all turkey feast and (in our house at least) lasagna.  Football doesn’t enter our lives at all on this day.  If we watch anything, it may be the annual Mystery Science Theater 3000 Turkey Day Marathon streaming on a variety of channels and YouTube. 

So, onto my all too short list of things I am thankful for:

I am thankful for the memories I have of a loving mother and father who always prepared a feast for us on Thanksgiving pasts.  I miss those days terribly, but the memories keep my emotions warm and comfortable inside.

I am thankful that I was able to afford a good health plan this year which enabled me to seek the medical attention I needed to get me through what has been the worst year (health-wise) for me in over a decade.  The plan helped me through my cardiac problems in May, my prostate surgery in August, and more recently, my back ailment.  True, it’s not the best plan I ever had, but I am grateful I had one this year

I am thankful for my co-workers at Health Advocate who have been very supportive to help me with my recent back problems.   This issue has necessitated my hobbling around on a cane as I get around the office to perform my duties.   To them they may be performing simple courtesies of holding doors open for me or offering to get something from our office café.  To me it has been a godsend.  I hope I won’t have to rely on their generosity much longer.  I also hope I get the chance to repay their favors when I am feeling better.

I am thankful that we still live in a great country, popular thinking notwithstanding.  (Memo to the loathsome orange creature occupying the Oval Office at this time: America never stopped being great!)  We still have many of our freedoms intact, but we are watching events very closely to make sure they stay that way.  Fortunately, the Founding Fathers had the foresight to install a number of safeguards to prevent our great country from descending into anarchy.  Things look bad now, but the resistance has just begun!

And finally, I am grateful that Warrior Queen is in my life.  The last few months have been a challenge for both of us.  I really don’t know where I would be without her.  

So, as the scent of the baking turkey fills our house I will close with a simple wish for happiness and prosperity to all who read these words today.

Happy Thanksgiving and “Much obliged, lord!” *

*The Egg and I” (1947)

(Thank you for reading…with gratitude.)