Luna Bliss

Well I called my doctor but she's a heavily medicated resident of our local psychiatric ward atm...

I think this lack of trust in institutions, such as the journalism you point to, has a fundamental cause. Think of America as it has increasingly become in recent years, where the health of its citizens is not seen as a human right, and higher education has become unaffordable for most. When a society doesn't care if its poor citizens live or die how can there be trust in any of its institutions! At least in many other countries these important needs in a truly civilized society (health care and education) are seen as a public good, as a right, and they are afforded all, even the poor. This engenders a greater trust in society overall. I think most poorer folks don't begrudge the greater wealth of the elites as long as they aren't being relegated to death if they get ill, or forced into permanent poverty due to not being able to rise above poverty via an affordable education! How different this scenario is in America, where it's acceptable to have this bottom level of society (growing larger by the day) locked out of civilization at its most basic level. What caused America to feel it's okay to have this bottom, impoverished level, composed disproportionately of people of color? Enter racism, where a far greater percentage of white people (mostly older ones) voted for Trump in this election, perpetuating this racism we've been plagued with for centuries...it's a disgrace!

.....it was only by hitching my wagon to something larger than myself that I was ultimately able to locate a community and purpose for my life. Barak Obama

A message of hope from Obama: "I recognize that there are those who believe that it’s time to discard the myth—that an examination of America’s past and an even cursory glance at today’s headlines show that this nation’s ideals have always been secondary to conquest and subjugation, a racial caste system and rapacious capitalism, and that to pretend otherwise is to be complicit in a game that was rigged from the start. And I confess that there have been times during the course of writing my book, as I’ve reflected on my presidency and all that’s happened since, when I’ve had to ask myself whether I was too tempered in speaking the truth as I saw it, too cautious in either word or deed, convinced as I was that by appealing to what Lincoln called the better angels of our nature I stood a greater chance of leading us in the direction of the America we’ve been promised. I don’t know. What I can say for certain is that I’m not yet ready to abandon the possibility of America—not just for the sake of future generations of Americans but for all of humankind. I’m convinced that the pandemic we’re currently living through is both a manifestation of and a mere interruption in the relentless march toward an interconnected world, one in which peoples and cultures can’t help but collide. In that world—of global supply chains, instantaneous capital transfers, social media, transnational terrorist networks, climate change, mass migration, and ever-increasing complexity—we will learn to live together, cooperate with one another, and recognize the dignity of others, or we will perish. And so the world watches America—the only great power in history made up of people from every corner of the planet, comprising every race and faith and cultural practice—to see if our experiment in democracy can work. To see if we can do what no other nation has ever done. To see if we can actually live up to the meaning of our creed. The jury’s still out. I’m encouraged by the record-setting number of Americans who turned out to vote in last week’s election, and have an abiding trust in Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, in their character and capacity to do what is right. But I also know that no single election will settle the matter. Our divisions run deep; our challenges are daunting. If I remain hopeful about the future, it’s in large part because I’ve learned to place my faith in my fellow citizens, especially those of the next generation, whose conviction in the equal worth of all people seems to come as second nature, and who insist on making real those principles that their parents and teachers told them were true but that they perhaps never fully believed themselves. More than anyone else, my book is for those young people—an invitation to once again remake the world, and to bring about, through hard work, determination, and a big dose of imagination, an America that finally aligns with all that is best in us." This article is excerpted from Obama’s forthcoming book, A Promised Land. Barack Obama was the 44th president of the United States. https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/11/barack-obama-i-still-believe-america/617073/

I make them all no-mod just in case a Trumpie gets ahold of it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You know one of things that makes me smile the most is the support I'm seeing from all around the world, welcoming us back and not blaming us for the mess the US is in..

Black women were a major force for getting Biden elected and keeping us from the orange authoritarian. I just hope Biden will attend to their requests as he's saying he will. https://time.com/5909002/kamala-harris-black-women/ (article speaks to how we can do them right) It's so discouraging that older white voters went much more for Trumpie though, but the younger white voters did not....so there is hope for a future that is more inclusive and not autocratic.

Indeed, likewise, and you are blocked along with about six others. You're blocked because you can't respond to my feelings when I say you offended me by calling me a name -- passive-aggressive. All you'd have needed to do was apologize for calling me an unwarranted name, but instead you chose to empower yourself via getting on the "let's gang up on Luna" scapegoating train. Adios

Regardless of whether your comment was covertly aggressive or overtly aggressive, it doesn't change the fact you do insult people - a lot. And, it was insulting, and I knew you were going to make excuses about your insults all-in-all no matter what and probably will continue to do so. But, I'd ask that you please not do it. I have never once called anyone a "Trumpie" and yes, did find that insulting among other things you've said as I do have friends who are Democrats, Republicans, Ex-pats, or none of the above. As you proclaim yourself a social worker, you should try doing the same. My father was a social worker, he never would have insulted anyone ever, not ever. He was truly an open-minded, loving person. Learn some grace towards others. Fairre, after Janet said she felt a special bond with me, Beth, and someone else due to what we experienced on the BLM thread I responded to Janet by saying: "I remember that time fondly -- you, me, Beth, and lets not forget Pussycat, fighting for the BLM cause against the world" ~~~~ And then you responded to my expression of special bonding I felt with Janet, Beth, and Pussycat on that thread by saying: "Wha? There were a lot of other people making strong suggestions on ways to fight. I'm the one who looked into it and found out qualified immunity could very well be unconstitutional and suggested started propositions which were met with a lot "it won't help" answers; nothing will ever change attitudes. Scylla started the thread and deserves a great deal of credit. The one who posted about us needing to over-turn the qualified immunity was a very brave person for informing us of that, plus other things....I can't quite remember who now. But, it wasn't just 'you four'. There were many people in the thread who were quite helpful too who were involved in inworld events. Plus, more...so, I am like what...?" ~~~~~~~~~~ And then you subsequently defended the above position as well as what "fight" meant to you by declaring to Molly I was passive-aggressive to people. Anybody on these forums has a right to feel special bonds with any other person on any thread. Just because you were left out of this mentioned bonding does not mean I am doing anything passive-aggressive to you. Like I said, to be passive aggressive is when you express negative feelings indirectly instead of openly talking about them, but I had no negative feelings for you however and was only expressing a special bond with others in that thread. This bonding I felt doesn't mean any other person's contribution was not important (like your contribution with 'special immunity') -- it only means there were reasons I felt especially connected with others during that time. Your bringing up the fact that I sometimes call people Trumpies has nothing to do with what I'm confronting you about. It doesn't matter if I call people Trumpies, or even if I flipped out and started noxiously insulting after every person's post on the forum -- this is not what we're discussing here but you can certainly start another post to address it. The issue I raised, and that I feel offended by, was you saying I was doing something aggressive by not including you in the people I felt most connected with in the BLM thread. But I can't help who I feel close to, plus not including you within those people is not aggressive. So stop calling me aggressive because I felt more connected with others during that time -- it's insulting to do so.

I feel insulted by your accusation of passive-aggressiveness via not mentioning you as a contributor in the BLM thread. Just because I didn't include you in mentioning those who contributed to the BLM thread doesn't mean I did so deliberately or with the ill-will that passive-aggressiveness implies. Passive-aggressive behavior is when you express negative feelings indirectly instead of openly talking about them. But I had no negative feelings against you. If you don't get your way with someone do you usually assume they are being negative or hostile and deliberately directing that hostility toward you? Did it occur to you that I simply forgot about any contributions to the thread you made, or that I might have thought you didn't contribute as much as the primary contributors in the thread and only feel it necessary to mention the key players? None of these reasons would mean I was deliberately excluding you, or that I was directing aggression (passive or not), or anything of a negative nature, against you.

And that's why I dance!!!

It is hard to redo flubs when one is live and Biden does seem prone to them whereas when Kamala starts getting wound up emotionally, she seems to also say things better left unsaid in public. I don't think this is why Biden went virtual though, if that's what you're implying. They have been preaching and portraying safety. There were a few live events in public though, done in a safer way...just not to the degree and size Trump did. * And don't forget, the virtual events were actually live.

yeah I read that might have added a few more votes for Trump. He did the live rallies that energized voters whereas Biden played it more safe and went virtual.

hey girl

@Janet Voxel I get a sense, Janet, that you're pretty sick of all this conflict -- hence the "see you in January" message to the forum. I am too -- 2020 has been one crisis after another, and sometimes the election does feel like the last straw. It's only been 3 days since we got the results though, and for me it's still time to rejoice and sometimes insult the side that almost ruined our country! God knows you've insulted the Trumpies enough -- I just read back and you have numerous posts making fun of them too. A lot of this is a matter of timing -- it was a short time ago that we learned we had a chance of escaping one of the biggest disasters this country has ever known. It's a time of rejoicing these creeps didn't take over our world -- not a time to sympathize with them for God's sake. People should be allowed to express their pain and anger, yet here we had people coming in and pointing out some virtues of Trump and putting down Biden....what the??? Was I seeing a version of Stockholm syndrome where people get cozy with the captor in order to cope with the total insanity our world had turned into?? lol I still want to celebrate, post photos of Kamala, and tell those creeps we beat them and they don't get to turn America into a fascist country!

I remember that time fondly -- you, me, Beth, and lets not forget Pussycat, fighting for the BLM cause against the world, and it created a strong bond with all of you. Though it was very stressful and I would not want to repeat it! I don't remember ever saying that "conservatives lack critical thinking skills", although as per our recent discussion I do believe they lack them more than liberals do. There's a reason for that, and it's because scientific tests demonstrate it via measuring fear responses (when we don't manage fear as well we tend to lose our logic more easily because we think in black & white in an effort to simplify an overwhelming reality, dig in our heels during problem solving, and more easily deny logic). Basically we try to simplify problems in a search for safety. Once again, not saying liberals don't do that, and not saying I never do -- I'm only saying that conservatives are more prone to this type of thinking. There are real Psychological differences between liberals and conservatives, though of course all characteristics don't reside exclusively on either side. All this has been scientifically measured, and I do trust scientific studies. 'Empathy' is another measured characteristic, and conservatives have less of it -- they have trouble putting themselves in other peoples places.

I agree I'm not too good at insulting, but I thought I did pretty good and it helped my anger -- I should at least get a B+ don't you think? But I never said this particular group you reference (people around PA who lost their jobs) lacked critical thinking skills that I remember (it was kinda crazy during the election so I don't have complete certainty and only know how I truly feel about this). I've only said my former friend, Freddie, lacked critical thinking skills, and only regarding his conception of religion. I guess we'll just have to disagree about using the term 'critical thinking' because I don't think when discussing a pattern from more of a distance it's wrong to describe what the problem is -- call a space a spade -- when someone is not being logical they are lacking critical thinking skills. Now telling that to someone, to their face, calling them a name, is insulting yes. Better to just point out what is not logical if whatever is illogical is preventing problem solving. However, I won't deny that SOME of these Trumpies appear to be bat****crazy!

I don't hold it against you (your inability to respond to my pain about the ending of my friendship with Freddie and instead chastising me for what you perceived as an insult toward him), and my anger leaves quickly once expressed. It appears this is something that has been building up in you, and when you saw me 'do it again' you felt compelled to comment. What I don't understand is that I've seen many people being insulting toward the Trumpies, even you, so why is this chastisement directed at me? Everybody made jokes painting the Trumpies as foolish -- please, go back and look, it wasn't just me. Why do you only criticize me for it? Even Maddie used the term. Did you see that Maddie used the term 'critical thinking' when describing how some farmers were unable to be logical. She said: "I've had several conversations over the last few years with neighbors whose support of Trump actually surpasses the sort of religious fervor I've learned to avoid. I know that farmers and factory workers feel disenfranchised, but fear and anger seem to have shunted aside critical thinking." I just want you to know that it's BECAUSE I recognized Freddie's inability to think logically regarding Eastern religions that I didn't express anger toward Freddie or even challenge him. I never said to him he wasn't thinking critically, but knowing this about him helped me accept it -- it gave me empathy. So my understanding of Psychological dynamics serves me well, and I had hoped on the forum by mentioning 'critical thinking' we could discuss the Psychological dynamics which underlie those Trump supporters who are so attached to their religion that they hurt others, or those who feel so challenged by the changes in society that they feel a need to punch down at POC and harm them in an attempt to make themselves feel better and higher in status, or those who actually feel a hierarchical society is the natural way a society should be ordered and thereby justify the suffering poor at the bottom (like Jordan Peterson, or some wealthy conservatives). In other words, the words were descriptive and not meant to be insulting. Not denying ever making fun of conservatives for sure! And I certainly did that before we started discussing the 70 million Trump supporters and how we might fix the problem.

So true. I was just reading a book about the beginnings of Christianity and how truly loving it was. Then those who follow totally turn it around to where it's a caricature of what it should be -- kind of like these evangelical dominionists taking power in our government. * Sends a healing cocoon to surround Biden and keep him safe * Reading the book i referenced earlier, but there's long talks on Youtube too: The End of the Megamachine: A Brief History of a Failing Civilization "The End of the Megamachine provides a uniquely comprehensive picture of the roots of the destructive forces that are threatening the future of humankind today. Spanning 5000 years of history, the book shows how the three tyrannies of militarized states, capital accumulation and ideological power have been steering both ecosystems and societies to the brink of collapse. With the growing instability of the Megamachine in the 21st century, new dangers open up as well as new possibilities for systemic change, to which everyone can contribute."

Supreme Court live....ACA: