44 :: author, visual artist, writer, editor, community evangelist, advocate, journalist, memorist, poet, plagiarist of life :: perfect girlfriend; good friend & daughter :: hedgewitch, creatrix, emerging crone :: gimpy, cranky, unfeigned, indomitable; snarky, funny, generous, pert, talented, stubborn, reclusive :: powered by creative urges, diet coke and popsicles :: co-staff to a passel of fuzzy beasts :: encouraged & supported by the love of a wonk called manthing & a modest but cherished circle of loved ones.
This began as a reply to a comment to my post about Free Speech the other day. It stretched out so long, I decided to make a post of it.
What is meant by saying "we pay for our TV". The content and commentary provided by any of the networks is free to the public and paid for by advertisers, I thought. I do pay a provider to unscramble the code so I can see it, though. Maybe I am wrong. Wouldn't be the first time.. ;)
Secondly, I just watched the video again and I still don't see how what Gifford said was bashing Pagans. In what way was it bashing or prejudicial against Pagans?
Clearly, it was a ignorant, ridiculous statement. Clearly the writers who wrote that particular segment believe Pagans are in the past tense (i.e. "Pagans believed..") If she had said "the nasty, bad Huns" would she have been bashing the Huns? What about the Vikings? Both groups of people had a reputation of being particularly nasty and bad folks if you came up against them in battle. As were the Celts and Turks.
Thirdly, you have the right to exercise your right to free speech with "your little petition", your words not mine. However, I really don't know how a petition that seeks to force someone to apologize for something they said because you don't like it achieves anything.
She said something you don't like. Okay. She has the right to say stuff you don't like. Is it discriminatory because you don't like it or discriminatory because it actually hurt Pagans as a whole? In recent years there has emerged this nasty, knee-jerk reaction by people to automatically cry discrimination or prejudice when anyone makes an off color remark or a negative statement about a certain group of people. There is a particularly nasty and repugnant double standard in this country about what is and is not okay to say in this country and by which groups.
For example, I have witnessed the accepted blanket generalizations made in feminist AND pagan womens' spirituality groups that all men are abusive, ignorant and disgusting sacks of poo. If you disagree with that line of thought, you are then discriminated against and ostracized by those very same women who say they welcome all women, with all points of view. You become someone who is against them and for those kind of men. It's complete and utter bullshit. It doesn't fly with me.
It's free speech against free speech. It's a wash. Gifford still doesn't get why what she said was wrong and the petition still hasn't really changed a damn thing. Except that everyone has even more animosity toward one another, Pagans (as a group) are further away from their goals and the networks still see Pagans as a bunch of uppity nutballs. And in the grand scheme of things, it's just not that important. I suppose I believed a large number of people actually paid attention to Gifford, I might get a little more hyper on the subject.
*I* won't sign a petition like that because they seeks to censor and infringe on someone else's right to free speech and for me, that is "nasty and bad".
I am a pagan and I believe that everyone has a right to free speech as outlined in our Constitution, TV personality or not. I also believe that just because someone says something derogatory, inflammatory or ignorant doesn't mean they are discriminating against me or a group I identify with. And even if they are? So what?
American individuals have a right to free speech, free thought and yes, discrimination. If you are the government or a business, it's against the law but you have to prove it because yes, here in in America you are supposed to be innocent until proven guilty by a jury of your peers. That the media and the populace at large already decide who is guilty and innocent, doesn't make it so.
...why I don't read a lot of governmental and politically correct sites about disability. I overdose on the antonyms and euphemisms and the bullshit. George Carlin called it soft language so I looked and found the bit that popped into my head more than once today.
"I don’t like words that hide the truth. I don’t like words that conceal reality. I don’t like euphemisms, or euphemistic language. And American English is loaded with euphemisms. Cause Americans have a lot of trouble dealing with reality. Americans have trouble facing the truth, so they invent the kind of a soft language to protect themselves from it, and it gets worse with every generation.
For some reason, it just keeps getting worse".
Okay, people. Can we please ease up on the political correctness here?
First, there was the outcry this week over Don Imus again:
I noticed it this week only because hearing about it vaguely annoyed me. But I was pre-occupied with more pressing matters so I didn't linger on it.
This morning, I checked my morning e-mail and found an e-mail asking me to sign a petition to let Kathy Lee Gifford her latest dumb ass crap had pissed off a bunch of pagans.
Oy Vai.
Here's what Kathy Lee Gifford did and said:
Now, because I identify as a pagan, I am automatically supposed to get my bloomers bunched up over this?
FIRST: I say bullshit. So you don't like what Kathy Lee Gifford said. Big deal. That doesn't mean you get to shut her up. Sorry. You can bitch about she said. You can start petitions to make her apologize for what she says. But that doesn't mean she will shut up or her employers will censor her or force her to apologize.
Last time I checked, I live in America and you know what? I can say whatever the hell I want about anyone I want because we have a little thing here called Free Speech. I may not like what people say but they have the right to say them without fear of losing their jobs or harassment or censorship.
SECOND: So Kathy Lee referred to pagans as "bad and nasty". Does anyone in this country not know what an ignorant, vapid, dunder-headed ancient bag of dusty wind Kathy Lee Gifford actually is? Hello? Is KATHY LEE GIFFORD'S uneducated, narrow-minded stupid ass OPINION really that big of a deal?
THIRD: As a pagan-type person, I want to know who the bad guys are. I want to know who doesn't like me. I don't want them hiding off in the shadows making idiotic, insipid dumbass comments where I can't see or hear them. I want them front and center for all the world to see.
"Well", said someone today as we were discussing this, "with that logic I guess it would be fine with you if a pedophile moved into your neighborhood because they have a right to live, right?"
Would I be "fine" with it? No. I wouldn't care to have a pedo in my neighborhood, especially if I had kids. BUT, the pedo has a right to live anywhere he wants as long as he follows the rules, goes to therapy AND DOESN'T DO ANY KID TOUCHING OR RAPING OF ANY KIND. We live in a free society and because it's free, all kinds of people get to live wherever they want.
What about what happened to that guy in California, recently? He only
said he was obsessed with kids and thought about touching them and they
ran him out of the fucking state. True enough, he was wacko-
certifiable. True enough, he got put in the pokey because he wouldn't
keep away from the grade school after the court order forbid him to be
within 400 yards or something of it. But chasing him out of his home
because of what he might do? That was wrong. Better safe than sorry you
might think but I think we tread on dangerous ground when we begin
participating in mob mentality. Very dangerous ground.
So I may not like it and it may worry me but the pedo still has the right to live wherever he wants to live. Once he violates the rules and touches ANY kid, I'll sign every damn petition that comes down the pike and do whatever I can to get him and keep him out of my neighborhood. Get the fuck out and don't come back. Have a terrific, incarcerated life, you piece of shit rat bastard.
"You'd feel differently if you had kids. You'd want to know your kids are safe".
Uhm, wouldn't that be my responsibility? As a parent it'd be up to me to protect my kid, right? I'll tell you, I'd have ZERO FUCKING PROBLEM telling my kid:
"See that person who lives in the green house on the corner"?
"Yes, Mommy."
"Well, stay way from them. You have my permission to ignore that person. You don't have to say hello or be polite to them. If they touch you or come near you, scream your head off and run away from them as fast as you can. That's a bad, sick person and they hurt children so stay away from them".
And if they didn't stay away from the weirdo on the corner, we'd be having some chats and some grounding going on at my house. Sometimes, a little healthy fear is good for a kid.
So, do I like what Don Imus or Kathy Lee said? Not particularly. I also consider the source.
Kathy Lee Gifford is an ignorant sack of aging wind and Don Imus is a dinosaur. I'd tell my kid to run away from them screaming too.
Well, just to show me... Dear Doctor's office returned my call about 4PM.
I still did not speak to the doctor directly.
NURSE 1: I got a message here that you called Dear Doctor for a referral for a new doctor?
ME: Yes.
NURSE 1: Well, Dear Doctor cannot automatically refer you to a new doctor. Can you SEND US A LIST (emphasis mine) of the physicians in your network and if he knows any of them, he will be happy to recommend them.
ME: I need to provide you with a list? Are you telling me Dear Doctor doesn't have the name of a doctor who can provide me with the level of care he can without looking at a list *I* send him?
NURSE 1: Yes.
Motherfucker. I even have to provide a name for my own fucking recommendation.
ME: Well, you know, I really don't think I care to go to all the trouble to do that. You guys have already inconvenienced and insulted my intelligence enough for one day. But, perhaps he knows of the new physician I intend to visit. Her name is Hopefully Competent, MD and she works of the Hospital Dear Doctor left to be a part of your retarded three-ring circus family practice.
NURSE 1: Well, I'll pass this information on to Dear Doctor and give you a jingle back.
ME: I'll wait with baited breath.
About 10 minutes later, another nurse from Dear Doctor's office called me.
NURSE 2: This is Perky Unhelpful Nurse 2 at Dear Doctor's office. Unfortunately, Dear Doctor doesn't know Hopefully Competent MD.
What a fucking surprise.
NURSE 2: I am sorry this has happened. Unfortunately this does happen sometimes when you switch insurance. My husband had to go through this very thing last year so I know it is devastating. Uh, hello ? You fuckers STILL aren't listening to me and if it's so "devastating" why the fuck do you do it?
ME: Wait a minute! Just hold it! this has nothing to do with MY insurance company. My insurance company called YOUR business office and wanted to make it so I could continue to see Dear Doctor. YOUR BUSINESS OFFICE has refused to accept my insurance. It has ZERO to do with my insurance and everything to do with YOUR business office.
NURSE 2: Oh. So this has to do with our policies and not your insurance?
"CLICK" goes the lightbulb.
ME: That would be correct.
(long pause)
NURSE 2: Oh. Well. I'm very sorry we cannot help you.
ME: Well, a few hours ago I might agree with you. But I don't now because even if Jesus came down and visited your business office and made them see the light, I would still need to take a big pass on ever being treated in that office again.
What is too bad is that Dear Doctor is a good doctor and I was very pleased with his medical expertise and attention; it's your business office that sucks big time. I have had to see a lot of doctors in the last 10 years regarding my spinal cord injury and I have NEVER been treated so poorly or not been allowed to speak with to my doctor when I specifically asked to do so. And as long as Dear Doctor is hooked up with your outfit, I'll seek medical treatment elsewhere. I have enough going on without being treated like an inconvenient commodity.
(long pause)
NURSE 2: Well, I wish we could help but apparently we can't. Oh and the doctor says your prescriptions will need to be refilled by your new physician. No surprise there, either.
ME: I figured as much.
And that was the end of that.
So, once I have calmed down enough to write a decent letter, I will once again write to Dear Doctor because I am not at all sure he ever received the first one. And to make sure he will receive it, Manthing said he will have a chat with him at his next appointment and hand deliver a copy of the letter to him, in case Dear Doctor never receives the second one.
Because as Eden has pointed out in the past, there's a chance he doesn't know what is going on. Still, it seems to me that he'd want to make it his business to know. I'll post a copy here once it's done.
...the most direct route between two points; most often used to differentiate distance along this route from a less direct route, such as a road or railway...
