It's All Our Fault!

It seems like after every tragic shooting, no matter who did it or who the victims were, the whiners come out in droves to blame the other team. Before you get your feathers all in a ruffle thinking I am pointing a finger at one specific group, here this: IT’S EVERYONE’S FAULT!!!!! We stigmatize race, culture, guns, religion, and each other!! We placidly move through life thinking “hey, if it doesn’t affect me, I don’t want to hear about it!  I can’t do anything anyway!!” Is that responsible thought? We all judge and let ourselves get caught up in the rhetoric of those with whom we align ourselves without giving one thought or care that there may be another side to each and every story. Most of the time those we align ourselves are making money off their tweets or posts or websites that we so religiously follow and blindly believe.  How often do you stop to explore or research an opposing view? I guess it’s easier to read a meme or a quick post on the internet rather than educate ourselves or our children of the fact that we are all human, we all make mistakes, misunderstand each other and that there are often other sides to all stories. We fail to educate our children on the evils of the world and to think critically.  We allow our children to view violent, obscene and vulgar images on television; we give a child a cell phone and never monitor their activity on it, (I have seen kids as young as 9 or 10 with Facebook accounts or watching YouTube videos with violent content). And we as adults are often poor role models with our posts, images, blaming, and actions in our own lives. We the public have become lazy in our thinking. It’s ok to disagree, or to point out faulty thinking or wrongs when we see them. But lets do it intelligently and with the thoughtful consideration of those we may offend when we form our words.  We have lost our ability to respectfully disagree, and to debate with a sense of honor. We align ourselves on one side and refuse to budge. And this friend, is what encourages the radical behavior seen in so many troubled people today.  We are loosing our heart and soul to the Internet and media giants. We are forgetting who we are and what it means to love and feel compassion for each other regardless of our personal views. I once read a quote: “We are all born crying; some just learn how to stop”  Lets all stop crying around and start reaching out to each other before it is too late. Let’s find a way to reach out to each other in love and compassion, and forgiveness, lest we find a tragedy like today’s or yesterdays or all the days before in our own back yard!

Reminder: Puppets are Not People

Let me say right off I mean no disrespect to my beloved friends who are gay.   But while thousands of people are starving to death in Africa, and millions more suffer all around the world, horrors we can only imagine, Americans are fretting over Ernie and Bert. 

Yep. 

Let that sink in for a moment.

Americans are talking about the Sesame Street puppets Ernie and Bert being gay. 

Seriously? ( Or as my Danish grandmother would say ”OOF-TA!”)

Photo Source: Sesame Street Inc. 

The New Yorker magazine published an article stating the beloved and well known Sesame Street chareacters were gay, with a photo of them snuggling and watching TV. 

A statement put out by Sesame Street officials said they were not gay. 

Oh who to believe!!

 I have a few thoughts:

1. Who cares about their sex life?  Wait, They are puppets for goodness sake they don't have a sex life because they are not real!

2. This is silly; does everything, even inanimate objects need to come out slinging the sword of someone's agenda?  Does everything have to be a teachable moment for children?

3.  I think we endanger out children when we try to hurry them into adulthood by pushing ideas about sexuality too early. (Especially when it comes to pieces of cloth with buggy eyes and wild hair) In this day and age, children are growing up flooded with messages about sex and sexuality through the media and elsewhere! Is that necessary? Why don’t we make it more of a priority to protect a small child’s innocence? Why not let them discover things about themselves and their place in life gradually and naturally under the care of loving, rational adults?

I find it all a little strange myself.  

 If Ernie and Bert live together that is their business! Are they best friends or gay? Are they citizens of the US? I wonder if they are Jewish? Who cares!! Let them live in peace and privacy and don’t taint the good work they do for children by prying into their sex life.  Better yet, remember they are puppets. Lets grow up and realize everything doesn’t need to be about an agenda!! Some things in life are just meant to be enjoyed, and some questions are just not meant to be answered! Don’t discriminate!! Accept Ernie and Bert for who they are: puppets; who wish to live their lives like any other puppet, free from the stigma of gender labels and political agendas!