Close Encounters with the Bullying Kind

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Friday May 18, 2012 · 4:09 PM PDT

2012/05/18 · 16:09

Yesterday, I liked a photo from President Obama’s instagram. Just like 6,000 others did. Innocent enough, right? Apparently not.

As the night went on, I somehow found myself in a kinda-sorta debate with someone who wrote to me (on instagram) that I am brainwashed. Why I ever responded to this person is now beyond me, but I did and this is how the conversation went down...

Person #1: "Haha, it is clear you too have been brainwashed... just let the government run every aspect of our life... if Obama could find a way to tax every breath he would... the key is lowering taxes and getting the government off our backs... we need a real leader not someone that is a professional embezzler."
Me: "I haven’t been brainwashed, we obviously just have two different views of what our government should look like. Good thing we are a democracy and are allowed to have those views. I think it’s distasteful to tell others they are brainwashed or to go on someone’s social media and tell them to suck it" (a comment from earlier, directed at Obama). "We can have political discourse without being nasty to each other."

Person #1: "How can you say we are moving forward? What has happened that would prove any of that... if you looked at America’s bank account you would not say we are moving forward that’s when more money is going in than coming out. Not even close..."

Me: "Since 2009 to the present, there has been a net growth of 3.5 million jobs, 4 million of which have been created in the private sector. The public sector has seen layoffs, which, if Obama wanted big government, it would be the other way around. Unemployment overall has decreased from 10% to 8.1%. The auto industry has gained 75,000 jobs since Jan. 2009 and is up by nearly 140,000 jobs since June 2009. Romney said back then he wanted the industry to go bankrupt. He is now saying he supported Obama’s decision to save the industry now that he sees it was a successful effort. Obama has enacted $1 trillion in spending cuts to reduce the deficit. I call these numbers moving forward. Romney made his money off of loading companies with debt, paying himself with borrowed money, and when these companies failed, laying off workers while still making money on the backs of the tax payers. I really don’t understand how anyone could think this is a good guy to put in charge of our nation. The trickle down economics he is backing are what led us to the recession, which we will continue to pay for." (Yes, in case anyone recognizes these numbers and phrases, I did grab most of my info off this site as I was at work and needed to have quick access to the numbers without going through all the various sources.) :)

Person #1: "I suggest you watch “I want your money” may change your perspective on things...." (Now I don’t know what this is, but I’m assuming it’s some right wing propaganda video)

Then, a lovely Person #2 jumped in...

Person #2: ' “Forward” ? Cuz no need to correct past mistakes just make more... Sad. This lady looks like stage five sheep lol"

Again, Person #2: "You’re soooo dumb.. unemployment went down overall? Bullshit it’s at a all time high. And Obama’s debt is worse than Bush’s even. He had broken all his promises anyways, do you even know how to read the economy? Obviously not. Debt has went up considerably and the value of the dollar has gone DOWN. Mitt is no good either both are pro establishment and bought and paid for by the same interest. Idk what books you been reading but they are bull. moving forward without realizing what caused the recession is rediculous you are ignorant and your numbers are incorrect, those come from CNN?. He has broke every promise either way." (He then goes on to say that the person who wrote that “obama can suck it” is right.) (And yes, the spelling and punctuation are correctly copied.)

Needless to say, that’s where I stopped responding and I have gone through a lot of emotions since I first saw these responses. First, I was a little hurt at being called brainwashed and soooo dumb, I don’t know why I was, but I was. However, after letting these two strangers ruin my night, I woke up this morning feeling angry, disappointed, and quite honestly, flabbergasted.

As I was walking to work this morning, the scary realization dawned on me that these people are most likely voters. They will vote. Without any regard for facts or reality. They are voting based on right-wing propaganda and most likely, just what they hear their parents say. They are not doing any research, reading any political blogs of substance, or taking the time to find out anything about their candidates. And they will vote.

My next thought as I sat down at my desk was that I am truly disappointed in humankind. These people are bullies, plain and simple. Nowhere in my comments did I make attacks on anyone. I wanted to speak strictly about the facts and the reasons why I support our President. However, these two individuals personally attacked me multiple times. There was no political discussion really, no facts, no numbers, just personal attacks on my intelligence with the accompaniment of some horrible English skills. Apparently these two were just trolling around instagram, looking for someone to pick on. By listing facts and explaining my beliefs, I was called “brainwashed”, “stage five sheep”, “soooo dumb”, “ignorant”, and my personal favorite, I also don’t know how to “read the economy”. These people are bullies, with apparently nothing better to do. I wonder, if they are this unpleasant on the internet, what are they like in real life? I really hope that the internet is an outlet for them to get out their bullying tendencies, and that they are nice to the people in their real lives. One can only hope.

I am now taking my lunch break to write this because I have a final thought. To the commenters, Is this all you got?! Is this really all you got, those of you who don’t support Obama? Is this really all you got, the right wing? Is this really all you got, Romney supporters? Is this really all you got, bullies? For the right wing, are bullies their only weapon? Is this election going to be bullies vs. decent people? Is this your secret plan, to bully everyone into submission? Because based on your responses to my coherent argument, you don’t have a leg to stand on. You apparently have absolutely no idea of what’s going on in the U.S. today. You have no facts and no substance. You have no idea what caused the recession (hint: not Obama), where our economy stands, or what each candidate wants in the grand scheme of things. You don’t even know what you’re defending, or attacking. All you got is to call me ignorant, soooo dumb (I really love this one for some reason), and brainwashed. That is all you really got.

Junkyard Prophet = So Much Fail

Elisabetha

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Tuesday March 13, 2012 · 8:12 PM PDT

2012/03/13 · 20:12

There was a story reported in the LaCrosse Tribune and also on Yahoo that caught my eye and continued to completely horrify me as I kept on reading. A band called Junkyard Prophet was supposed to give a presentation about bullying and making good choices to students at Dunkerton High School. However, over the next three hours, this is what ensued:

The band started out innocently enough with a musical performance (although they are a Christian band, and their lyrics clearly state some of their views). After the performance, the group split the school into boys, girls, and teachers and divided them into different areas of the school.

The boys then listened to the groups views on the U.S. Constitution and what one Prophet referred to as the "10 Commandments." The leader of this section of the group showed images of musicians who have died from drug overdoses.

Meanwhile, over in the girls' camp, the students were told to save themselves for their husbands and to assume a submissive role in the household. They were also informed that there would be mud on their wedding dresses if they were not virgins at their wedding. The girls were then forced to chant some sort of mantra about remaining pure. At some point in there, the students were also informed that anyone who was gay was going to die at age 42. Those students who tried to walk out or attempted to confront the speakers were shouted down and ridiculed for being disrespectful. Oh, and they were also shown pictures of aborted fetuses. Charming. This three hour circus understandably brought many students to hysterics.

There is so much fail in this entire situation that it's hard to know where to start. I feel as if the best way to describe how this makes me feel is just to ask questions. First of all, shouldn't a school communicate with someone they invite (and pay) to be a speaker to their students about things like the groups views, what they're going to talk about, what they are allowed to comment on and what they are not allowed to comment on? Second, why would the faculty and coordinators at a school allow the students to be divided up without any faculty present? Third, once students started trying to walk out and were becoming visibly upset and calling their parents, why didn't the faculty put a stop to the presentation? Fourth, why did Superintendent Jim Stanton state that overall the group offered "a very strong anti-violence, anti-drug, anti-alcohol message"? Fifth, is the school going to seek out protections for their students now that the damage is done (counseling, a real anti-bullying message, assemblies on acceptance, etc.)? And sixth, what the fuck ever happened to separation of church and state?

Sign the petition to tell Dunkerton High School and Superintendent Jim Stanton to stop inviting homophobic and anti-women extremists into the school(s).

Did I Miss the Memo on Freedom?

Elisabetha

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Monday February 20, 2012 · 9:44 PM PST

2012/02/20 · 21:44

I'm sure by now that everyone has heard about the proposed Virginia law that would require women seeking an abortion to be forced to have a "transvaginal ultrasound." (AKA we're going to stick this probe up your vagina in hopes that you become too traumatized to have an abortion.) And I'm also sure by now that we are all up to speed on the big "birth control controversy," which we all know is actually not a controversy at all, more like a few Catholic bishops are upset and the conservative pundits have decided to run with it. I've decided to examine the two side by side.

The issue that has been presented about the birth control coverage is that it supposedly violates certain "religious freedoms." These freedoms being that an employer (which is no longer true, it's now the insurer who would have to cover it) would be required to cover birth control for any employee who elects to have it, even if that went against the employers' personal beliefs on birth control. Ok, that's what you're rolling with, bishops and conservatives, let's look at that more closely.

In general, I think we can all agree that two main points of religious freedom are 1) that you, as an individual, have the right to practice your personal religious beliefs as you see fit in your personal life. (Barring that you don't hurt people and don't step on others' rights to do the same.) 2) The state cannot force a certain religion upon you.

Great. Got it.

Now let's look at what this conservative "religious freedom" agenda seems to be saying. 1) Christianity is right, so everyone follow us into the light. 2) An employer should be able to determine what health care an employee can receive, based on his/her personal religious beliefs. (Hmmm... that's already violating the whole 'not stepping on others' rights' thing mentioned in #1 above.) 3) The state better support us raping women's bodies for the good of all un-born fetuses. (This one violates... well, everything.)

I'm just wondering, did I miss the memo on freedom? Did I miss where it says that an employers' religious beliefs trumps the well-being and/or religious beliefs of their employees? Did I miss where it says that religious freedoms are more important and hold more weight than personal freedoms, the freedom to choose your health care, and the freedom to not be penetrated by the state? Am I missing something here, or is this just as it appears, twisted, illogical, and coming at an interesting time during an election year when Obama's ratings are up, the DOW and NASDAQ are high, GM is reporting excellent numbers, the economy is improving, and unemployment is getting lower? Let's recap to find out.

Under the new birth control coverage, women have the freedom to use birth control if they need it, or not use birth control if they don't need it or disagree with it. Employers have the freedom to still abide by their personal religious beliefs, because it is now up to the insurers to cover it. Under the proposed Virginia law, women do not have the freedom to opt out of having an unnecessary probe stuck up their vaginas.

So you tell me, which plan offers more freedom?

Republicans' Motto on Abortion

Elisabetha

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Thursday December 15, 2011 · 7:28 PM PST

2011/12/15 · 19:28

I originally wrote out a long diary explaining my history with this issue, how I've been trying for a while to figure out why the Republican party seems to be so obsessed with abortion, and my thoughts and observations from every angle, but then I decided to scrap it. Because when it comes down to it, the Republican parties' reasoning behind their seemingly never ending anti-abortion crusade can't be figured out, but it can be summed it with this motto:

Save the unborn children at all costs!!! But they sure as hell ain't gettin a piece of my pie once they're here.

Women for Herman Cain- Old News, but Still Infuriating

Elisabetha

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Friday December 09, 2011 · 9:01 PM PST

2011/12/09 · 21:01

So I know this is old news, but I just can't stop thinking about it. Back when Herman Cain was pathetically attempting to save himself by creating the frightening website Women For Herman Cain, I decided to take a gander for kicks. What I saw was horrific. There was the expected... the mention of God in every post, for example, but as I read down the list of entries women posted, I noticed one that particularly caught my eye. One woman from Kansas City wrote

I am so turned off by these women who get their five minutes of fame- they set women back a century. They are an insult to successful working women. I have been successfully self employed in a male dominated industry, commercial real estate, and never once did I have a problem with any male counterpart.

Now, this might seem like your typical post you expect to see on a site like this, and it is, but the more I thought about it, the more dangerous it became. It's truly as if she's saying, Congratulations!!! Great news to all women! I have never been sexually harassed at work, therefore no women have! Now go and be free!

Let's just ignore the fact that she mentioned she is self employed in the industry (meaning while she might have male colleagues, she doesn't even have a boss who would/could sexually harass her, which brings up a completely different power issue than if it was an equal colleague), but focus instead on the fact that she is sick of these women who are receiving their five minutes of fame... by being victims of sexual harassment. I don't know about you, but disclosing that I was sexually harassed to the very critical public eye wouldn't exactly be my idea of fame. Especially when there are sites out there like this one whose sole purpose is apparently to bash these brave women.

When thinking about this mind numbing post over the last week and going over every analytical detail in my mind, only one conclusion comes to mind. The only person in this case who sets women back a century and is an insult to working women everywhere is... Herman Cain.

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