Rainbow appearing on the western horizon.As we headed toward the Texas hill country Sunday morning a rainbow appeared in the western sky. Could it be a good omen; I hoped the clouds would drift away and the sky would turn a gorgeous blue. As it is the gray matched my mood and my mood needed uplifting.
I have begun to feel discouraged by American civility. What has happened to our happiness? Why are we so angry? Why can't we be civil to one another even if we disagree on politics, religion, education, etc.?
Someone recently posted about a group on FaceBook who is "praying for our president to die". It is written almost as a joke, but not a funny one. The last time I looked over 600,000 people are asking FB to remove this from its pages (that over 1 million people have "liked"), but I don't know if FB can remove it. Would it go against free speech, but what a horrible speech.
When I marked that I would like for it to be removed & visited the site, I saw where someone I grew up with had "liked" this page. How could this person feel this way? I was so shocked & disappointed. I wrote and asked for a reconsideration, but the photo & "liked" is still there so I decided to "un-befriend" this person. Now I wonder if that was the right move. I don't think anything I put up on FB would change a person's mind who is dead set to hate. The thing that distressed me the most is this person professes to be a Christian and this is not a Christian way to act... it is not a human way to act.
One lone cloud...Later in the morning (by 10 AM) the sun came out and there was one lone cloud drifting in the sky. It lifted my mood. I was positively elated! The wonderful westerly breeze blew all day, the temperature was very pleasant, there was no humidity and the day was glorious.
The G-man played golf, Gertie & I walked and sat in the shade looking at the beautiful surroundings, and I meditated my way out of a funk. That rainbow was a wonderful omen.
Magnificent Scissor-tail FlycatcherAnd speaking of good omens, the G-man took this photo of the Magnificent Scissor-tail Flycatcher sitting on a barbed-wire fence. These birds live here in the spring and summer and are very beautiful. On the golf course there was a pair of these flycatchers tending a nest of babies. They zoomed off before I could photograph them, but this one sat & posed for this shot. They have a pale orange near their wings and a rose color underneath the wing. Beautiful birds.
Today is another beautiful day. We have workers coming this afternoon to replace doors on our patio. This 20-year old house is in need of an up-lift. Now I try to put aside my worries about civility and concentrate on my little world. Sometimes I feel like I need to become a hermit, but that would not help solve any problems... not that I can imagine how I can contribute to solving problems. What are your solutions to our nation's problems with civility? Do you have any to share?
Today is another beautiful day. We have workers coming this afternoon to replace doors on our patio. This 20-year old house is in need of an up-lift. Now I try to put aside my worries about civility and concentrate on my little world. Sometimes I feel like I need to become a hermit, but that would not help solve any problems... not that I can imagine how I can contribute to solving problems. What are your solutions to our nation's problems with civility? Do you have any to share?
11 comments:
The UK has huge problems with civility too, there is so much hatred and anger here. People do too much and feel too pressured and don't spend enough time just enjoying the simple things. There's a lot of pressure on us to join in with a consumerist aggressive society. I don't have any solutions overall though, but enjoying nature helps, your photos are lovely...
lizzy - i try not to associate with political opinion. it describes a world i can't connect to. for my part i try to bring whatever goodness i can into the world. that is what i can do. i can't stop hundreds of thousands of people from making a choice that runs contrary to common decency but i can be who i wish myself to be and hope that in some way that makes this amazing place even better for someone. steven
FB is violating its own rules of the road by permitting hate speech. I agree with you that civility is on a death march.
Beautiful, uplifting pictures.
I know exactly what you mean. Our culture is so rude, hatefulness so rampant. No one stops to think how they would feel if they were the target of stuff like that. Instead of 'do unto others', it's 'do it to them first'.
I have moved away from the city, do not waste my time on hateful people. I don't think you were wrong to take them off your friend list. what good could they bring to your life no matter what they call themselves. And as long as no one calls them down for their behavior, it will continue.
Hi Lizzy: I joined the group to ban that as well. Free speech is a slippery item--for instance, people aren't "free" to speak in a conspiracy to commit terrorist acts--tho the way the tea baggers are going, one almost wonders about that--but you know what I mean. I do believe that had such a page gone up when GW Bush was president, it would have been taken down. I was traveling today & passed a pawnshop. It had a stuffed wolf in front with a hideous caricature of President Obama as the face. Frankly, to me there is a lot of racism behind all this--& also a lot of money from big interests who would like to see Obama fail.
But your pix are beautiful--at least we have that!
Poet... and I thought it was an ugly American thing. I'm sorry to find the problem in Europe as well.
Steven, you are uplifting. It is so good to read your words because I can see the immense decency in you and feel sure that you help to spread a better way.
tnlib & ellen, you see it all too. I'm saddened by what I see around me. Even in a small town I have angry people who send politically incorrect emails to anyone on their mailing list.
John, I saw your name and Ellen's and our TnLib opposing the FB page. I think Reya was there too, can't remember, but there were several people I know through blog land. Thank goodness for networking through our blogs... it gives me hope.
I forgot to mention that I had a friend on FB who took issue with my leftist leanings, especially my postings and comments on misspelled words and my classifying the Tea Party as racist.
Until my blogging buddies came on board I really didn't spend a lot of time on FB (a social wasteland) and I hadn't put up a lot of political posts because before then it was mostly my southern kin.
Ahem.
So, when I was joined by like minded souls I decided to open up full blast. After several failed attempts to get me to agree with her, my friend removed herself from the friend's list, which I guess means we're no longer friends.
It also occurred to me that this is so typical of these right-wingers. They scream about freedom of speech but only if it supports their beliefs. They don't understand that it's okay to agree to disagree.
Thanks for sharing the rainbow.
It is easy for me to become discouraged with the actions of others. Unfortunately, I am apt to overlook my own misgivings as I look to point at someone else's fault. I am a work in progress.
I would venture to say those aren't prayers, but curses. Shameful.
Slam... yes, I always remind myself that there are other viewpoints and many are valid; however, it has always been my position that there should be room for compromise. This is not to say I waffle on an issue; it's just that I try to see the other point of view. Saying all that it is difficult if not impossible to find anything redeeming in propagating hate.
Yes, Willow, it does sound like a curse.
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