I say YES. YOU say NO....Numero Tre! Enjoy!

Miriandra

IllinoisLady, We have several of those signs around our neighborhood. They always comfort me.

Sandy, I liked your essay on "woke". I especially appreciated this part: "... and the pattern of words & conduct that demonstrates whether or not that person has since acknowledged the wrongfulness of their prior words & deeds and has sincerely rejected them. (Or, conversely, tries to justify or defend their prior insensitivity or even worse, continues to stand by it)."

This was what made Kavanaugh's (and Anita Hill's testimony against Thomas) hearings so odious. Bill Maher aired a rant against people being held accountable today for acts done ages ago and how we should just let it go as the past. He offered Al Franken as an example, but also Kavanaugh's high school "hijinks". But the big difference was that Franken owned his mistake, recognized he was wrong, and gave every indication he regretted it and would never do something like that again. Kavanaugh, however, put on a big show to deny everything and discredit Ford. And his "defense" was so obviously contrived and bogus. Yes, high school and college were a long time ago for him. But the message he delivered to today's high school and college boys was, "You can do whatever you want to girls in school, with no consequences or negative impacts on your adult career. Just deny it all, and you'll be fine! We got you, bro." The message sent to today's high school and college girls was, "You are just fodder for boys to inflict their hormones and penises on. You can go on to a successful career later if you want, but your sexual safety in school is way low on our priorities. You just don't matter as a real person."

If Kavanaugh (and Thomas, before him) had turned the story, - "I'm so sorry. I was a real idiot in school. I was a spoiled, privileged rich kid who thought everything and everyone was at my disposal. I was steeped in a frat-boy culture that objectified women and deviously tried to set them up to be accessible and available for sex - conscious or otherwise. Now, as a mature adult, I look back on my early behavior with disgust and shame. I hope the Committee will see and accept my sincere regret and contrition. Dr. Ford, I am so sorry for what I did to you in school. I was wrong. My message to young men today - do not behave as I did. Do not harass or assault your fellow female classmates, or any woman for that matter. She is there to take classes and enjoy campus life, just like you. She is not there for you to trick, coerce, or force into sex. So don't do it. Otherwise, you risk long-reaching consequences that could cost you the successes you think you might deserve. And if you casually harm someone to impress your friends, use someone for sex without their consent, or use sex to flaunt your power over someone - well, maybe you don't really deserve those successes after all." - they might have mollified a lot of their opponents.

DivineMrsM

Spookiesmom

IllinoisLady

Sandy and Mirianda -- good entries ladies.

IllinoisLady

I move through my day-to-day life with a sense of appreciation and gratitude that comes from knowing how fortunate I truly am and how unearned all that I am thankful for really is. To have this perspective in my everyday consciousness is in itself a gift, for it leads to feeling "graced," or blessed, each time. . . . Every time I see beauty around me I appreciate what I am seeing, and simultaneously I have this sense of appreciation—for being alive to have this particular moment. -Jean Shinoda Bolen

IllinoisLady

Heard a bit abut the GA rally Felonious put on. He is and will continue to be one of the biggest liars EVER. Those who go to those rallies remain happy to swallow his every pronouncement w/o question. I am still of the thought ( and I read it on Palmer ) that he will never run in 2024. I do believe this. I do think a great portion of the party certainly don't want him. Yet, we hear ( for the ratings etc. ) all the time that he will. That any time he will announce. Well, I would not bs surprised if he did -- grifter that he is. He is going to likely have a BIG need for funds if for no other reason than millions in loans coming due.

It is his contention, no matter what anyone, Reps. or Democrat heard or saw about the AZ audit/fraudit, that he won and that the numbers were something other than what was admitted by the Cyber people and some Reps. rt. news shows. He also uses the rallies to cry and try and exact retribution from those he thinks weren't good enough. In truth, he has nothing in common with those at a rally. They are just willing props to him. They all stand there like they mean something. Well, mostly what a see is a con-man/stupid orator and a bunch of really stupid followers who will never be recognized. The woodwork awaits them which is where I hope they end up.

IllinoisLady

Clinical psychologist wonders if Trump fans will ever realize he actually hates them

President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump disembark Air Force One Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019, at El Paso International Airport greeted by Texas Governor Greg Abbott, Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, and El Paso Mayor Dee Margo. (Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead) Alan D. Blotcky and

Salon

September 27, 2021

In May of this year, Donald Trump began telling associates that he plans to run for president in 2024 if he is healthy enough. In July, he told dinner pals that he is running. Just this month, he reiterated that he is likely to run again. The twice-impeached ex-president is increasing his media appearances and planning campaign-style rallies in Georgia and Iowa.

Trump's humiliating defeat to Joe Biden — which he refuses to acknowledge even occurred — has fomented a yearning for redemption. Whether he actually runs again remains uncertain, but he wants his supporters to be ready, willing and primed.

As Trump keeps his millions of supporters in suspense, they must answer one difficult question: Do they really want to continue to support a man who despises them and hurts them?

Donald Trump has always abhorred his supporters. He does not feel an ounce of empathy or affection for those who profess their devotion to him. He sees his supporters as weak, stupid and inferior. They are losers to him. He hates his supporters as much as he wants to destroy his detractors.

Actions speak louder than words. Just look at Trump's actions toward his supporters.

The best example is his detached, irresponsible and inept handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hundreds of thousands of Americans died on his watch. He relied on conspiracy theories, magical thinking, blatant lies and distractions to fool the American public. Trump followers in red states have died in huge numbers because they erroneously and foolishly believed he was the benevolent master of their fate. Nothing could be further from the truth. He was, in fact, an accessory to murder. His supporters' lives meant nothing to him.

Another example is Trump's incitement of the insurrection of the Capitol on Jan. 6. He was willing to overthrow democracy in order to remain in power. So he fabricated the Big Lie, knowing full well that his cult followers would carry out his anti-democratic mission. Was he on the front line with his supporters? Of course not — because he is a coward. He watched it all unfold on television as he cheered them on from the protected and comfortable surroundings of the White House. Trump wanted the election undermined and demanded that followers accomplish that goal. The result was failure, destruction, deaths, arrests and widespread condemnation. Trump has left his followers dangling in defeat. He has taken no responsibility for his incitement and has demonstrated no concern or remorse for his loyalists who face damaging legal consequences. He has thrown them under the bus because he detests them.

Millions of aggrieved Americans have tethered themselves to Trump's fake persona of superiority and strength. They think he is the answer to their prayers. They think he cares about their lot in life. They think he will remedy their grievances. But nothing could be further from the truth.

Trump is a shameless opportunist. He manipulates people to achieve his personal goals, then discards them. He does not care if his supporters are racists, felons, crooks or murderers. He does not care if they are xenophobes or misogynists. He will accept the support of anyone who will blindly follow his lead and put him on a pedestal — after all, exalted status is what he longs for. He desperately wants to be a dictator so that his grifting and corrupt impulses can run wild. And, remember, dictators only care about themselves and loathe people who expect anything from them.

Trump scorns those who are weak or foolish enough to need him. He does not want to be needed — he wants others to serve and satiate his needs. He thrives on their praise, adulation and unconditional loyalty. The whole concept of public service is foreign to him because he perceives every interaction is a transactional game that must be won. And winning, for him, inevitably means defeat and humiliation of the other person. In Trump's psyche, even his supporters need to be humiliated and defeated.

It is puzzling that Trump supporters have not realized that he does not give a damn about their grievances or station in life. His Republican Party literally has no platform or set of guiding principles — all that was abandoned during the 2020 campaign. Nor does the Republican Party have a single substantive policy initiative on the table. Other than conservative judicial appointments, Trump did absolutely nothing for his supporters during his miserable presidential term. Except, of course, to let them be killed by a virus and incite them to a failed overthrow of democracy.

Until Trump is gone and the Republican Party reinvents itself, Trump supporters are all alone to fend for themselves. Their cult leader is an illusion. He is a pied piper leading them only to destruction. He has brought them only pain and suffering and sold them a bill of goods consisting of lies and conspiracy theories.

All because he despises his supporters. That's the best reason why they should dump him now, before he harms them even more.

IllinoisLady

I hope this is right. I do recall McConnell trying to do the same to Obama, but if memory serves caved early, just in time. Not sure then, could this be a bluff or does he want to see a Dem/Biden failure. I don't feel it will work but I do hate the amt. of chaos the Reps. routinely cause. Much of this might have been avoided if so many games hadn't been played ( and still going in some places ) with the filibuster. Reps. just don't play fair and they are it seems worse about it now/last four yrs as well, than ever. So, I do hope this is correct and McConnell ( which he should know ) may sink his own boat.

Mitch McConnell Just Doomed Senate Republicans By Leading Them Off The Default Cliff

On Monday, Senate Minority Leader McConnell said that there will be no Senate Republicans voting to raise the debt limit.
Read on »

IllinoisLady

Screwing themselves so they can screw you, as one party said. Sounds about right.

AliceBastable

Print as many as you need for any anti-vaxxers in your life. I don't want to post it in the Covid thread because we're supposed to pretend to play nice there.

DivineMrsM

Alice, I got hooked on Mad Libs when I was in elementary school and find the Maga Libs really hit the nail on the…..well, coffin! Complete with a GoFundMe ask.

DivineMrsM

ruthbru

What a great article! And I adore Mad Libs. When I was teaching, I'd make them up for Halloween (and other occasions, but Halloween was best) and we'd work on parts of speech that way. It made it so much fun.

Betrayal

Love the Leonard Pitts, Jr. article. I have admired his articles for a number of years and if you send an email to him about one of his articles, you will get a response.

Alice, you would most likely be crucified if you posted that on the Covid forum but it is a great form to share with anti-vaxxers.

IllinoisLady

Every great loss demands that we choose life again. We need to grieve in order to do this. The pain we have not grieved over will always stand between us and life. When we don't grieve, a part of us becomes caught in the past like Lot's wife who, because she looked back, was turned into a pillar of salt.
Grieving is not about forgetting. Grieving allows us to heal, to remember with love rather than pain. It is a sorting process. One by one you let go of the things that are gone and you mourn for them. One by one you take hold of the things that have become a part of who you are and build again. -Rachel Naomi Remen

IllinoisLady

Yes to all. I loved Maga Libs as well as Pitts. He said it all and just covered everything said here. Thanks Divine. I may make a copy of that. The other as well to share with non-computer friends who would appreciate it as well.

Divine -- great avatar. You and Ruth do it so well. I'd do one only it would look like me.

IllinoisLady

IllinoisLady

A little cheer:

IllinoisLady

IllinoisLady

IllinoisLady

ruthbru

Illinois, I try to get a picture that does NOT look that much like me!😄

MinusTwo

I still take a daily newspaper in print and always turn to Leonard Pitt first. Thanks for copying this article Devine.

AliceBastable

What's going on? I've tried twice to post a cartoon, which is pretty mild compared to many on here, and this pops up. When I hit yes, the option to post the picture disappears.

DivineMrsM

Alice, I used to occasionally get that kind of screen when I used an old iPad mini. It doesn't have anything to do with this forum trying to prevent you from posting something. It is more likely some programming error caused by the device you're using. It corrects itself after awhile, and you should be able to post.

AliceBastable

Okay, thanks. My phone isn't too old, but it starts having fits when it's tired. I'll give it a nap while we have supper.

DivineMrsM

Alice, I recently got a new iPad and at the same time upgraded my internet to much faster speed plus added more iCloud storage. Since then, I haven't got the true screen. So I have to say, I always thought the true screen was caused by my iPad but not sure if slow internet or low iCloud storage contributed to the cause.

ruthbru

I sometimes get that when I try to post on my phone.....sometimes not, so who knows??? (Not me!)

AliceBastable

Here it is!

IllinoisLady

Worth the wait, Alice and so true.