Daily Archives: 2020/12/14

Bullies Everywhere

Civics, General, ,

What the devil is wrong with a certain set of spineless politicians who will do most anything to overturn a national election because they can’t handle a loss?

Whose party leader inspires his followers to threaten and bully even their own party politicians who decide they have their own brains to follow the law?

Who are, in essence, behaving like schoolyard bullies, expecting everyone to kowtow to their wishes.

Sore losers!

I despise bullying.

I’m no psychologist, but I feel there has to be something sorely lacking in these people’s lives that they would willingly subvert the will of their fellow citizens who voted for another candidate.

Don’t we have enough sickness with the pandemic going on, with thousands dying daily, and new cases of people getting infected daily?

Yes, sickness.

I think you have to be sick both head and heart to want to waste people’s time (and money) trying to overturn an election that has repeatedly been shown to have no evidence of fraud. Repeatedly.

Denied by the judges! Lack of solid evidence.

Even more deeply sickening is that these “leaders” rarely condemn the violence perpetrated against others, be it politicians, poll workers, or peaceful protestors. And violence includes threatening phone calls to secretaries of state and encircling their homes in person, carrying guns.

WTF?!

I’d venture to say there’s probably a bully in every school and workplace.

But not everyone who’s experienced abuse, neglect, grief, or any kind of hardship resorts to bullying others – using someone else as a convenient punching bag to cope with their inadequacies.

Who hasn’t had at least one bully encounter in their lives? It’s painful, to say the least. It’s mean and it’s cruel.

 

To bullies, I want to say:

You like threatening to harm others because it’s soothing to your fragile ego? You can’t stand it if you don’t feel you have power over others?

What ails you?!

There’s a fucking pandemic going on, for goodness sakes! Our country can do without more meanness and cruelty from you.

Go take a walk in the park or the woods and contemplate the beauty of nature…absorb some positivity instead of infecting others with your toxic negativity!

“I would rather be a little nobody, then [sic] to be a [sic] evil somebody.” ― attributed to Abraham Lincoln

Libraries: An Antidote to Baseless Negativity

Civics, General, Libraries

“I couldn’t live a week without a private library – indeed, I’d part with all my furniture and squat and sleep on the floor before I’d let go of the 1500 or so books I possess.” ~H. P. Lovecraft

 

I can empathize with H.P. Lovecraft…I value my books more than my furniture. I’ve put a lot of thought into much of my private library over the years! If a stranger walked into my home and noticed my many books, which are not as numerous as Mr. Lovecraft’s was, she or he would definitely know where my interests lie. I can’t imagine not having (most of) my books around!

Books have been part of my life since I was little. Taking me to the public library throughout my school years was one of the best things my father did for me. My big sister picked out my books for me at the library when I was little and learning to read. The public library has always been THE FIRST place I look for whenever I have moved to a new locale because I know I will be going there A LOT!

I’ve even joined the local university library as a public patron for free so I can get more mind-y, hard-to-access books (though only limited to three at a time).

I will be a library advocate til my last breath!

The public library is the  great equalizer. It is for EVERYONE.

So why wouldn’t anyone use their local public library? It’s free!

Some excuses I’ve heard from friends, loved ones, and co-workers over the years:

“It’s the government.” (a conspiracy?)

“I won’t remember to return the books.” (how do you know?)

“I thought it was just for kids?” (nah!)

“Aren’t the books dirty (esp. during the pandemic!)?”

As to the last comment, I’ll say that my local library quarantines returned items for a week. And by the way, isn’t money dirtier? Money passes through the hands of untold numbers of people daily, more than books.

I confess I am wary of those hostile to libraries. Totally can NOT relate to them on that level. The politicians  hostile to funding libraries and  the corporate types who would be in 7th heaven if public libraries didn’t exist at all? I’ve no sympathy for them. I think: Whatsa matter with you?! You’re not curious? You have an issue with people wanting to learn, to read? Get outta here!

Same thoughts with those who want to censor what others should read because they don’t like the content of a novel, usually due to sex, violence or blasphemy. Too bad for the censors; why deprive others of the opportunity to think and explore just because something offends you greatly? Don’t read it then. Well, that’s another topic for another day that I feel strongly about.

It’s not just books you can borrow; there’s audiobooks, cds, dvds (do I sound old school now?), magazines. You can use their computers; do research with access–or limited access to various journals that cost money; join in computer classes, resume writing, cooking/language/exercise/arts and crafts classes. That’s just the tip of the iceberg.  Granted, I’m only referring to my local public library, but you get the idea.

Or  join a book discussion group in which you can meet monthly and meet new people who may share your interests.

You might say: “Hey! There’s a pandemic going on! What are you talking about?!”

To which I respond: Have you checked out your local library yet? They might be going virtual with their programs. They might have “curbside pickup” whereby you can request your materials online and then you pick up your stuff when notified by email that it’s ready to go, retrieving them in a designated area like the lobby, so there’s no person contact.

FREE your mind! Explore! Save your hard-earned $$ on books, magazines, and audio-visual materials…check out your local public library. It’s meant for everybody. For the whole community. Even during a pandemic.

The pandemic has fostered much fear, uncertainty, and misinformation. Consider your local public library as an antidote to baseless negativity. A refuge that promotes freedom of your mind.

As for my own private library, I tend to buy used books…and ONLY if I cannot find a wanted title in the local or state public library system (my state has an awesome inter-library loan system) or local uni library, unless I feel I HAVE TO HAVE it.  If you’re thinking to buy a book for someone and not sure about it, why not check it out at the library first? That’s how I bought all the books I bought for my nieces and nephews when they were young. At least you won’t piss off a bookstore person for having spent time hemming and hawing about it for god knows how long and walking out the doors undecided, not having bought something. ??

Library staff won’t lay a guilt trip on you. They’re some of the coolest, most helpful people I’ve known throughout my life.

Yeah, I love my libraries! I can’t live without them.

Get thee to your library!