I say yes, you say no, OR People are Strange

But, Moderators, friends get together to share their opinions, moans and groans, outrage and joy. Politics is personal, they affects all aspects of who we are and how we move through this world. They shape the social, cultural and economic dimensions of health and we HAVE to talk about them. Kay edited to add, Blue you were posting while I was writing. Same response, different words.
/p>

Mods...I am a newcomer to these parts, so I don't pretend to speak for everyone here, and I speak up with a little reserve.  However, I have to say that breastcancer.org is crucial for so many because it is a place where we can get support and give support related to breast cancer.  I continue to return in the hopes that I can pass on my own experiences this past year to other newcomers...just in line with the vision of bco, I believe.  To be able to continue to return, I have to feel connected to the community and I imagine that is true for most.  Politics is an integral part of many women.  How could someone feel connected if they have to leave an integral part of themselves behind?

I imagine that the role of mods in these situations is tricky, but please don't see it in black and white.  This is all in the shades of grey and deserves a light touch, imho.

Mods: Agreed. And the conversation here as far as I can see has been both respectful and convivial.

I am an atheist. I don't go on any of the religion threads to disrupt conversations there because I respect that they aren't for or about me. I don't go on the palliative care forum because I am fortunate not to have an issue pertaining to that topic.

IMO, important to clarify some things:

--This is a "growing our friendships" after treeatment thread. Friendships are by nature a matter of individual choice. Anyone can certainly post on this thread, but she/they cannot expect to change those of us who come here often.

We are who we are.

Accept us and let us be. We've been taken off Active Topics, what more do the harassers want?

Don't all of a sudden log in after months or days of absence to disrupt.

There is infinite room in cyberspace for people of different stripes to form their own threads.

Finally, mods, there is a BCO rule you don't mention, which is:

You agree that if you find yourself at odds with another member, you will (i) use the "ignore" button, (ii) not respond to an offending communication or (iii) report the communication to a moderator via e-mail or the "Report This Post" feature (but will use this feature only to report communications that are truly offensive, not those which simply reflect a view different from your own).

And a reminder to all of us here to use our settings and repect each others' silencer mufflers. :-)

Indigo bunting back in my jerusalem artichoke garden.  If you haven't seen one of these glorious creatures, google it, really, just amazing. 

Also, remember when Bren reported her fabulous weight loss - YEAH, my inspiration, and I can say I'm 20 lbs less than I was in May.  Secret, not really a secret, of course.  Went from gluten free, dairy free, to almost NO Carbs, except for veggies, fruit.  Even going to less Quinoa.  A friend visiting in June, who is remarkably naturally lean ( so I thought, I"ve known her for almost 30 years!) spent a few days with me.  I LEARNED, her style of eating, some call it "grazing" - a little bit, always including protein, several times a day.  NO "big" meals - we went out to dinner ( vegetarian) , and both took home portions of food (lunch the next day) - by the time she left, I SWEAR, I had my "appetite" so under control, it felt weird.

SO...besides feeling GREAT, lighter, ok, not lean, I mean let's not talk miracles until we find a cure for BC, but so much better.  Bitter Melon is still the main factor keeping my blood glucose level low enough so I don't have to take meds.  A friend who DOES take meds ( pills, Type II diabetes) did a "test" of a week using just Bitter Melon, and said I was right, it WAS equal to his meds - think it's "metaformin" but not sure, still went back to taking the meds.  But it was an interesting ( tho definitely NOT scientific!!) test.   I also now take my thyroid meds at night - so I can start the day immediately with a protein breakfast.

What Athena said!  And I would add that we are not controversial on this thread UNTIL people with opposite viewpoints get on here periodically to harrass US!

I concur with all that has been said.  I'm not usually political but I have the same health care fears that most everyone here does and I need very much to get information, help and understanding of these views and ideas from my BC sisters and especially from the feminine viewpoint since I am in a family of mostly men.  Probably shouldn't say which side they are on.....thank goodness hubby isn't, so there is some sanity in our household. I need this forum/thread...just the way it is.  Thanks.

Jackie

here here!!!!

Oh, those lips...those lips.....

Rhetorical - don't even think of answering, but maybe ya'll wanna think about who could be SO UPSET about this thread, and how HAPPY and supportive we are of each other....

Back to listening, and watching those lips, those lips...

HUGS to Blue, gentle hugs, hope your back is feeling better?  YES?

And Alexandris, what's with your hand/wrist???? wiggle, wiggle, wiggle?  In a cast???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PojXf-spKKM

 A fitting theme for the conventions.

Joe South "Games People Play"

Oh the games people play now
Every night and every day now
Never meaning what they say now
Never saying what they mean

And they wile away the hours
In their ivory towers
Till they're covered up with flowers
In the back of a black limousine

[Chorus:]
La-da da da da da da da
La-da da da da da de
Talking 'bout you and me
And the games people play

Oh we make one another cry
Break a heart then we say goodbye
Cross our hearts and we hope to die
That the other was to blame

Neither one will give in
So we gaze at our eight by ten
Thinking 'bout the things that might have been
It's a dirty rotten shame

[Chorus]

People walking up to you
Singing glory hallelulia
And they're tryin to sock it to you
In the name of the Lord

They're gonna teach you how to meditate
Read your horoscope, cheat your faith
And further more to hell with hate
Come on and get on board

[Chorus]

Look around tell me what you see
What's happening to you and me
God grant me the serenity
To remember who I am

Cause you've given up your sanity
For your pride and your vanity
Turns you sad on humanity
And you don't give a da da da da da

good morning, greetings and salutations!

also happy friday.....

i confess I did not watch the convention which I actually find a wierd position for me.  I was always VERY into politics, always knew what was going on, poly sci major etc.  But in conjunction with my diagnosis, i was told by my onco to avoid stress and I have come to realize that really paying attention to national politics (in the manner of my youth) is simply too stressful.  So much shear meanness and the lies ---I thought we were all supposed to learn not throw things (peanuts even) or engage in name calling way back in kindergarten.  So much hate against anyone who has a different view--I just can't handle it and so I practice the fine art of avoidance.

And yet it creeps in during the morning shot of NPR. Can we as a nation really be rearguing the propriety of abortion so many years after legalization?  Why can't I get that image from Handmaiden's Tale out of my mind?  Listened to Bill Nye's video asking parents to support science and not to teach their children that the world is only 6000 years old ala creationism.  At one point in an interview he says how in a couple hundred years the creationist view will no longer be around--can he really be sure?  this morning I am not too optimistic.

I have heard from a reliable source that the new strategy to try to scoop up the undecided/undeclared is to say well he tried but he didn't do it so we've been patient and now we need to try something different.  Part of the strategy is to avoid name calling (like declaring the President to be a socialist) and similar heavy handed stuff. 

Mods Your repeated cautions puzzle me.  I have read nothing here that was disrepectful or out of line.  I'm sure if you read all the postings you would agree.  But then I do adhere to the advice in the rules about ignoring people you just never agree with so maybe I have not read everything.

We continue to encourage members to NOT read (ignore) those members and threads with which they disagree. We hope that all members can do that, especially during the political season in the US. 

Sorry, mods, i was composing my epistle when you posted. I had to re-do twice because the damn iPad has an "undo" button that UNDOES YOUR TYPING. So every time DH said something and I paused to look up, I inadvertently hit the damn UNDO. And REDO doesn't seem to. redo, that is.

Happy Healthy teeth, HL.  Inside out clothes are good luck, at least underwear was supposed to be.  Shirts apply.

Thanks Blue, maybe the Moderators could also use the Ignore Button, and stop "cautioning" us.  Seems to be placating those NOT obeying the Don't Like, Don't Look rule.

I didn't think anything could be more frightening than breast cancer, until I heard what some people think about sharing the resources to provide health care for all....