I get premonitions. You're either going to believe that last statement, or not, but if you really know me you will know that I get premonitions.
I dreamed about the H1N1 virus. I had a strong urge to get my kids in to be vaccinated.
I'm not an alarmist, I just had a premonition.
Turns out, I was right.
(there was a large section of this post that has been deleted by the author. I'll spare you most of my personal comments and summarize the rant by saying, "get your freaking kids vaccinated and quit watching the 'experts' on YouTube." Seriously, if you are a REAL doctor you will not be posting your latest research on YouTube.)
deep breath.
The deletion was brought about by the fact that I've had the opportunity to read the Op-Ed section of the Trib all week. Man, people are losing their minds left and right because they just can't let things go! I know that people love gays, hate gays, want to ride their bikes on the freeway, saw too many inappropriate movies with their kids, want access to porn in a public library, think that the end of the world is coming because General Conference said so... BUT do we need to get so riled up about it that we publish 4000 letters to the editor trying to convince every other person to feel the exact same way??
Honestly, the worst paper in the world for this is our local liar. After this past week, I would have told you that every lunatic west of the Mississippi lives in our town (okay, maybe we could even narrow it down to just Smithfield and Hyrum)--these people will never be pedophiles, drunk drivers or even F-bomb droppers, but I'm quite confident that they are more angry, more filled with hate and discontent than any doped up, formerly abused, son-of-a-bitch saying neonazi ever will be!
Truthfully, the emotion that comes creeping up in my throat (along with the bile) most oft is embarrassment. Why? Because I'm living in Utah, that's why. You can pretty much hang your hat on the fact that the worst offenders are "Sunday go-to-meetin'" kinda folk. AND that puts us together in the majority of the rest. AND that is embarrassing. If I lived somewhere else, you could push it off as just 'crazy talk', but here, it's just the talk.
And I am sick of it. I'm embarrassed by it. I'm appalled by it.
And I'm asking all of you letter-writing angry people to just calm down.
Hit the delete button.
Turn down the volume on Fox News, Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh.
Let's turn up the volume on civility. Sing a few hymns.
I don't know, maybe a few of you just need a little more exercise or something...
or just a good case of the swine flu to get you to think about the big picture.
6 comments:
Rose, you've hit the nail on the head, as usual. I am always amused by the folk who have clearly thought to themselves, "Maybe if I write a venomous, hate-filled tirade THAT will change someone's mind..."
And by "amused" I guess what I actually mean is "embarrassed to be joint parties in the human race."
Whatever happened to "You live your life and I'll live mine."? If I ever were to write a letter to the editor, it would probably just say that.
Rose, it happens everywhere. Here in STL, the "city" people bash on the "county" people -- and then they drag the race and crime issues into it every time. Doesn't matter how the discourse started. Could be something entirely innocent, but it will end up being a race/crime/hatred diatribe before its over.
I completely agree with your "Sunday go-to-meetin" statement, same here only it encompasses all Christianity...and that sentiment if often displayed in some very un-Christian behavior.
I usually read the title of the letter to the editor, and then the author to see if it's even worth reading. Those Herald Journal regulars? Yeah, skip 'em. And then there are the rantings of fear-fed people who should be, as you pointed out, maybe out for a walk to enjoy the autumn leaves instead of watching youtube to get their information about how our government is leading us to hell.
Sometimes I want to rant the other way, and I have been known to let loose on FB a time or two. I could use your advice to sing a few hymns, get some more exercise... let it go. People (myself included) do indeed have a hard time letting things go, and it is frustrating to be lumped into a group and have people assume you feel a certain way because of that. For example, one thing I'm having a hard time letting go is the Glenn Beck displays up in every LDS bookstore. What??? What kind of spirit is that promoting? (Incidentally, my Dad is far more fired up about this than me... he is going to take matters to the General Authority who oversees Deseret Book if he must.)
Oh, look at me. Ranting on your comments page. Well, suffice it to say, your post struck a chord with me. What the world needs now is love, sweet love. That's the only thing that there's just too little of.
I'm glad you're better. Glad your kids got the shot. Glad you blogged.
Rose, I am an old friend of Jeff's from the college days. He gave me a link to your family blog via FB. I have to say that I wish you were around back in the old college days because I think we would have gotten along swell. Here, Here, my cyberspace friend.
Rose just tell Jeff its time to move out of Utah...there's a house down the street for sale. You'd love DC and your political views were fit in perfect here.
I think everyone needs to just move to San Francisco for a few years of their lives . . .
(rant deleted by author)
. . . one you see a homeless woman use your front doorstep as her toilet, it makes you realize how good your situation in life actually is, and that it's just not worth it to be mean and angry all the time.
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