Thursday, November 10, 2016

My Message to Mean People

Stop it. This is getting ridiculous and you're showing you asses.

The election is over (thank God!) and that's the best news that I've heard. This is not a post about my opinion about the results (some of you already know that anyway and the rest of you don't need to) this post is about what I find more disgusting than the election: the aftermath of hatred.

I have not 'unfriended' one single person during the campaign (though, in all honesty, I have chosen to 'see less' from a few). We all have our own opinions and, while I do not feel that social media is a place to spout those opinions and many friends do, I do not see the logic in 'unfriending' someone over an opinion. You don't have to agree with me to be my friend. I believe that having only friends who share my opinions would be lacking in thought-provoking conversations to say the least. Not to mention I appreciate and enjoy a good debate between friends as long as it's a real debate not a slathering of insults. Sharing thoughts and ideas is healthy, thought provoking and, I think, a learning experience. It can expose you to how others see the world allowing you to be empathetic. It can remind you that people from different walks of life and those who have had different life experiences see things differently from you. It can foster an appreciation and respect for the perspective of other people. I have always appreciated new ideas and sharing thoughts with others. I'm not sure where having differing opinions took a very wrong, very sad, very frightening turn. But it did.

And here we are.

I've heard and read things in just a couple of days that are making my skin crawl. And some of these things have come out of the minds of people I know PERSONALLY. I'm not sure how the spreading of fear and hatred is going to help anyone with anything. I've never seen either of those things help anyone or a situation. I've seen fear and hatred to just the opposite. Is this really the way people want to be? Besides, how can people be this crazy over an election and not have the slightest upset over the course the campaigns took? But that's another post altogether.

Just yesterday I saw a post that referred to the people who said they would leave the US if Trump won and the person who posted told those people, emphatically, to "start packing we don't need you here in this country." And that's one of the mildest posts. I'm not even going to tell y'all about a comment (that was based on an assumption) a teacher friend got. Then there's my friend who commented on a post showing youth protesting (this is what they do, they protest and that's better than sitting down not being heard at all) and my friend commented that these were the people who voted for her and how they were not Americans that she wanted to be associated with. Listen, friend, that's just like me saying that the Americans who voted for Trump are uneducated, white males...white supremacists...and the like. I take offense to anyone who lumps all who voted for one candidate or the other into one category of 'types' of Americans. Get over yourself.

These people are not speaking for me. I want you all here in this country. The people are what make this country great and we are still, because we've never stopped being, great.

Spouting comments like the ones above is a form of bullying. It's like telling someone who has fallen into such despair they feel like suicide is their only way out to go ahead and do it. That's not the way, y'all. That's what bullies do.

So today, I am considering 'unfriending' a few people who are posting bully-like remarks. I'm not going to support that behavior no matter who you are. Spreading hate is a good way to set us back decades and that's awful especially since we aren't there yet. We have a long, hard road to travel but I think it would be easier with the love and support of our fellow human beings.

This is not the first time an election has left people either upset or gloating. I'm pretty sure it happens about every four years. Not everyone gets their way every time there's an election. But this is the first time I recall everyone being so hateful about it. Let's not be sore 'losers' or worse 'winners.' Regardless of whether or not your candidate won, we're in this together so, take the high road.

I do not mean to sit there and let things happen to you. It is of the utmost importance that we pay close attention to what is going on in the form of FACTS. What I am talking about is not dragging others down. Our words carry a lot of weight. Choose them to lift people up instead of trying to destroy them.

My question: What in the actual hell is wrong with people?

It's day 10 of NaBloPoMo and I'm still alive. :)


Links to my first 9 days of NaBloPoMo in case y'all missed them (because they're so dang interesting and all...Ha!):
  1. TWIGS AND ROOTS! Where I introduced y'all to Deanie's new business. 
  2. THE BRAVE SIDE OF ME Where I shared my nonexistent bravery with y'all. 
  3. BABY M'S NURSERY Where I finally show off the pictures of the nursery!
  4. KEEPERS: FALL TELEVISION SHORT LIST Where I shared the few fall shows I watch.
  5. SINGING ALONG WITH BABY M Where I shared some songs Baby M and I enjoy.
  6. BABY M GOES TO CLEMSON where I shared a gazillion pix and commentary on Baby M's first ever college football game!
  7. THANKSGIVING FAILS where I shared that I cannot make holiday meals as good as my grandmother did. 
  8. IT'STHAT TIME! where I slacked off and just posted a voting clip art. Don't judge. This is hard. 
  9. HOW TO ENTERTAIN A 4 MONTH OLD where I share what I'm doing with Baby M and asking for more ideas. 



10 comments:

  1. Excellent post, Pam. I agree with you!!

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  2. I don't want to upset you but I agree with you!!! Gotcha. This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen. The system has been around a few hundred years...

    I had a soldier tell me the sitting person was his Commander In Chief but he was not His President. I liked that. The ability to follow the rules, the system, serve your country with loyalty and be brave enough to say that. I was proud to shake his hand.

    The best bumper sticker was "Vote Trump (you don't have to tell).

    Now, you can tell me, in secret, who you were for...just curious.

    Fantastic post.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you! Yes, the system has been around quite some time everyone should have this thing figured out by now. The time to change it is not after an election. We need to work on the changes consistently. Not just when something upsets us. Anyway, here you go: I'm with Hillz for many reasons. :) Have a great weekend, now that it's finally here! :)

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    2. I voted Trump and see I didn't unfollow you! That's the great part about America. We have the RIGHT to free speech and differing opinion. In the case of rioting though I don't remember STUPIDITY being one of our unalienable rights.

      Have a fantastic weekend.

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    3. I didn't unfollow you either! It would take way more than this to get me to unfollow someone. But these MEAN people? I don't need that negativity. I have enough already! :) I've pretty much stopped watching the news or reading the news alerts. My concern right now is that my cousin (remember the cabin we go to sometimes in the mountains?) owns cabins and lives in Lake Lure, NC and there is a HUGE fire there causing loads of folks to evacuate. I care more about that than I do any political nonsense. Wouldn't the world be boring if we all thought, acted, voted...the same way?

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  3. I have tried to be nice. Sheesh, It really does make you wonder. I am just hoping it will snow soon and all of this people can go back in the house.
    I haven't unfriended anyone, nor do I really know any mean people.
    Here in my town, everything is nice and normal. :) Great thoughts and article.
    I have sort of stayed off my computer though. :)

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    Replies
    1. Snow???? YES, please!!! And you just gave me another reason to love it- it sends people back inside. LOL All of the people I know personally who are being mean are Trump supporters. But I realize there's immaturity on both sides. I'm staying out of it but felt I had to say something about the meanness. I have turned off the news until further notice and if I see something on social media about the election, I scroll right past it. You're lucky to live in a nice, quiet town. :)

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  4. Great post. I couldn't agree more.

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Thank you so much for taking the time to comment! It makes me feel connected to everyone even though we may live far apart! Have a wonderful day!

 
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