Dillards 41: Chocolate, Cheese, and Other Things More Interesting

[Drala]

By framing the protest of black athletes kneeling at the anthem as dissing the flag and vets, Trump's throwing red meat to his base.  It's no accident he started this rant in a speech he made in Alabama, one of the deepest red states in the union.

The fact that D'wreck gobbled up that red meat and regurgitated it so quickly tells me he's part of Trump's base, and by base, I mean the true believers who wouldn't waver in their support if he stood in the middle of 5th avenue and shot someone.  These folks, imo, are followers in a personality cult.  As odious as Trump's personality may be to many of us, he does have charisma and a certain appeal if your values run toward macho types with fame and lots of money.  (Sounds kind of like JB the prayer partner, doesn't it?)  Of course, I think Trump's powerful, decisive businessman persona is a total fraud, but I know people who buy that bill of goods and eat up his nationalistic politics of grievance.

Given D'wreck's support (adulation?) of Trump, I can see a family context for Ben's tweet about not supporting Trump during the election.  One of the biggest sell-outs of the christian right's stated 'biblical' principles and values was their embrace of Trump.  It exposed them for the hypocrites and morally bankrupt, power hungry pharisees they are.  Chew on that, Mike Pence of the 30-Silver-Pieces. 

[Carm_88]

The flag issue is different for me because Canada doesn't really the same love for the flag that the US does. Our flag as it stands now, only came into existence in 1965. So, in the scheme of things we haven't had it that long and it wasn't in existence for the World Wars. And I'm from an island that still has, at times, the mindset that we are our own country.

[MamaJunebug]

6 hours ago, victoriasponge said:

But then I am the girl who sat there wondering what kind of dystopia I was in when I had to say the pledge every morning after flag raising for three months and also stand respectfully while it's lowered. I only ever see the Union Jack when it's World Cup time. I did learn your anthem though, we were told we had to know it.

There are those who think the pledge is ritual that substitutes for the all-purpose civic-religion prayer that used to start off the school day,  way back when. I only attended parochial schools so can't say. A teacher-friend says the pledge is code for "settle down, students, let's start our day."

I've wondered for a while, why we sing The SSB before games played by paid athletes of for-profit sports teams competing between themselves. I could see it at an international competition; and it makes some sense when a taxes- and government-supported pair of public schools or universities square off. 

But to conflate my [sic] financial support for,  and "loyalty" to the St  Louis Cardinals with the theme of patriotism and support for the government just gets toward jingoism.

Again, if there needs to be a ritual to settle the stadium crowd down for the beginning of the games, compose team songs! Heck, the St  Louis team's fandom already calls itself "Cardinal Nation."

Oh & just putting it out there: free Jana! 

[SapphireSlytherin]

23 minutes ago, Carm_88 said:

The flag issue is different for me because Canada doesn't really the same love for the flag that the US does.

Yet virtually EVERY Canadian I saw on my last trip to the UK had that flag on their backpack/hat/jacket/luggage. It's to let the world know they're not Americans. I know because I asked why... lol

20 minutes ago, MamaJunebug said:

Heck, the St  Louis team's fandom already calls itself "Cardinal Nation."

I am Cardinal Nation.

[Henk12]

Derick reminds me of that kid in fourth grade who cheated during freeze tag to get as many people as possible but then would call a time out right before you tagged him or pretend to be hurt so he wouldn't lose. 

[SapphireSlytherin]

@Henk12 - How, exactly, does one cheat at freeze tag???? lol

[sunshine]

When Jill said that she wanted to be a missionary, I never imagine her complaining about being a missionary. I assumed she knew what it is expected; hence, her attraction to Derick. Now, it seems that her midwifery "training," only seems to help with herself and her family.

[Carm_88]

When Jill said that she wanted to be a missionary, I never imagine her complaining about being a missionary. I assumed she knew what it is expected;
*snip*

To be fair to Jill I think that she thought, she knew what was expected of her. I don't think that she realized that Derick would want to go and stay for a long time. She assumed that they would have a baby, stay in Arkansas, and go on the Christmas missioncations with her family.
Derick wanted something different; that's the problem with not being comfortable talking about everything prior to marriage. In other words, you may be shocked, the way fundies roll doesn't work. [emoji6]

[Eternalbluepearl]

21 minutes ago, sunshine said:

 Now, it seems that her midwifery "training," only seems to help with herself and her family.

I don't think helping the general public was ever in the plan. The Duggars and their servant's hearts are here to help themselves. And they feel great about it! 

[Timetraveler]

About Jill and friends; I remember a rather recent video fragment in which she gives Joy (but I am not sure) some 'advice'. She tells her something like "Once you start courting your friendships will change, many girls won't understand, but your husband is all that matters". Bla bla bla. Let's see if I can find it somewhere.

[apandaaries]

I hope this posts..but it's one of the best and most succinct summaries of the protests that I've seen.

The US has a long and complicated history of treating the labor of people of color as worthless while ensuring white people enrich themselves off that labor.  DWreck is exactly the kind of guy whose head is so far up his ass that he will never be able to see his unconscious but very real racism.  He's clearly the kind of guy who can think that others can be racist towards HIM, a white guy who swears he doesn't "see" color.  

Jill may have been the first girl to marry, but she definitely got the worst.

Feel sorry for those poor boys of theirs, being raised by such an ignorant douche.  

ETA: thanks to @lomo6 for bringing up the money brought into the NFL anthem-time.  Our government brought politics to the game, not the other way around.

 

[candygirl200413]

It is why the outrage is so fake, taxes pay for this paid patriotism. Like it was never about the water fountains, never about the bathrooms and definitely not about the kneel. I"m also really surprised that Derwreck hasn't said "If you hate America then leave" or anything like that.

[louisa05]

2 hours ago, MamaJunebug said:

 A teacher-friend says the pledge is code for "settle down, students, let's start our day."

I sub in two school districts in 9 buildings, preK-12. Only one middle school does the pledge immediately to start the day. The K-2, 3-5 and K-5 schools do it later in the morning--at calendar time for the preK-1 in both districts and after some settle in/ warm up activities and MMF in 2-5 (Memorizing Math Facts--daily timed math quizzes, the kind the internet tells me they do not do as it is apparently really important for people on social media to believe kids are not actually memorizing math facts at all). Many elementary teachers have gone to a self starting routine of sorts, where kids come in, check in by indicating their lunch in whatever way works for the system, then do independent work that is laid out in some manner (at tables or for them to pick up in a certain place). That lasts 10-20 minutes, depending on grade level, in the K-5 rooms I work in. In one middle school, the pledge over the intercom starts the day; in the other it is not done until homeroom time which is three periods into the day. At both high schools, it is also at homeroom time later in the day. That is how it was done in the high schools I taught in as well.  

[Georgiana]

39 minutes ago, candygirl200413 said:

It is why the outrage is so fake, taxes pay for this paid patriotism. Like it was never about the water fountains, never about the bathrooms and definitely not about the kneel. I"m also really surprised that Derwreck hasn't said "If you hate America then leave" or anything like that.

It's also a distraction technique.  They are (and actually have succeeded in) shifting the narrative.  It's no longer about WHY these athletes are kneeling, which is to bring attention to serious issues in this country.  The right doesn't want to tackle that topic.  So instead, they have shifted the focus to the ACT OF KNEELING itself.  This trick is so old, Don Draper expounds on it in Mad Men to create a cigarette campaign.  Because it WORKS. 

So now, no one (not even us here) is discussing the REAL issue and the REAL REASONS behind the protest.  Instead, we are now discussing the right to kneel, freedom of speech, etc.  

Don't forget.  Resist.  This ISN'T about freedom of speech, it's about the fact that unarmed Black individuals are killed at 5x the rate of unarmed White individuals.  It is about the fact that racism in America is taking the lives of people who did nothing wrong, some of whom were innocent children.  This is about SYSTEMATIC OPPRESSION, and no surprise, the people who run the system are looking for ANY way to distract from this attack on their power.

THIS IS ABOUT RACISM.  THIS IS ABOUT A PROBLEM IN AMERICA THAT IS KILLING CHILDREN AND INNOCENT PEOPLE.  Don't let them change the discourse on you.  

[SapphireSlytherin]

What irritates me most, though, is the media insisting that Americans take a "side" on this issue, when some of our own people are literally starving to death in Puerto Rico after the hurricane, people are dying because they can't afford healthcare, and 20% of our schoolchildren go to bed hungry.

[VelociRapture]

9 minutes ago, SapphireSlytherin said:

What irritates me most, though, is the media insisting that Americans take a "side" on this issue, when some of our own people are literally starving to death in Puerto Rico after the hurricane, people are dying because they can't afford healthcare, and 20% of our schoolchildren go to bed hungry.

The kneeling debate is fairly stupid. I'd much rather the media have us "pick a side" on whether you support or oppose systematic racism and the killings of unarmed black peoples. It'd make it much harder for racists to hide who they are and we may actually start solving some real problems. 

And I find it absolutely deplorable that Trump spent all that time tweeting about nonsense this weekend, rather than looking for wats to help American citizens in Puerto Rico. Maybe I'm giving him too much credit in knowing they're US citizens though. I was honestly surprised by how many people appear to genuinely not understand that.

[seraaa]

6 hours ago, victoriasponge said:

On a somewhat related note, here is my proof that racism-imbued stupidity is not just an American quality. As you can see here lots of Brits are worried the Labour Party are supporting Islam (god forbid) by holding their conference in front of a mosque.

It's actually a palace... From my home city... That was used as a royal brothel... but racists will be racists and this has made me giggle quite a lot. I suggest we get all of them and all of the Dericks of the world together in one place and let them duel it out. (and yes, anyone who makes it to the UK should visit the Pavilion, it's stunning inside and out)

lolol the Brighton Pavilion strikes again! 

(It's because we went to India, guys. And colonised it.And as you say, Its a palace in the Indian style, built for British monarchs to live in. How's that for symbolism).

[Georgiana]

41 minutes ago, VelociRapture said:

I was honestly surprised by how many people appear to genuinely not understand that.

There are two types of Americans in this country:

White people (aka natural Americans) and Immigrants (and their descendants).  

How often do you hear "We're ALL immigrants" or "We're a nation of immigrants" or "Everyone is an immigrant"?  A lot, right?  Because REAL Americans are WHITE PEOPLE.  COLONISTS.  And once White People were immigrants too, but sometimes we forget because like white people have just BEEN here so much longer (fake news).  So we have to remind people that EVERYONE is an immigrant or descended from one, even the REAL Americans (white people).  Look how progressive that position is!  It groups everyone together and leaves no one out!  We're all the same!  

What's that? You're saying there are native born Americans who are both NOT WHITE and are NOT THE CHILDREN OF IMMIGRANTS?  You get out of here!  That's not REAL!  

Basically what I am saying is that as a Native person, I am NOT shocked.  People (subtly) forget we even exist alllllllll the time, and we even factor into a major holiday!  Non-White, non-Immigrant Americans don't fit the narrative, so we get erased from the social consciousness.  And an island of non-Immigrant Latinx peoples is about as far outside the current narrative as you can get. 

If you don't fit the narrative, they try to erase you.  They don't teach about you in schools, no one thinks about you, and everyone is just sort of hoping you'll go...away somehow.  But here we are.  

[Greendoor]

4 hours ago, Carm_88 said:

The flag issue is different for me because Canada doesn't really the same love for the flag that the US does. Our flag as it stands now, only came into existence in 1965. So, in the scheme of things we haven't had it that long and it wasn't in existence for the World Wars. And I'm from an island that still has, at times, the mindset that we are our own country.

I think it is also helpful that we were formed peacefully as a nation.  No revolution, no angst.  We had the ensign(s) then a Canadian Flag.  We sang both the anthem and God Save the Queen at school assemblies.

When you have a Revolution and base your anthem on a flag that flew through the battle, there's a lot of emoting attached.  And you can appeal to peoples sense of being American through it.  

Rather than growing up pledging allegience to a flag in school, I participated in Brownies saying, I promise on my honour to serve God, the Queen and my country, and to help  other people, everyday, especially those at home.   

Peace.

[Drala]

One more irony about claims that black athletes are disrespecting the flag by kneeling for the anthem, a hymn to the 'star spangled banner':  The national anthem has a racist history, and the unsung and largely unknown third verse celebrates the defeat of  slaves who fought with the Brits against the colonists.   According to Francis Scott Keys (author of the anthem), those were unpatriotic slaves deserving the "gloom of the grave"!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore,
That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion
A home and a Country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wash’d out their foul footstep’s pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave,
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

http://www.theroot.com/star-spangled-bigotry-the-hidden-racist-history-of-the-1790855893

[VelociRapture]

@GeorgianaExcellent points!!!

I find it really sad and disappointing just how often the First Peoples (I think that's a correct term?) are overlooked and pushed to the side. There are so many tribes and nations throughout the Americas and they have (or, unfortunately, had) such rich and varied cultures, histories, and languages. I feel like we're missing out on so much by not incorporating your histories into the classroom and curriculum beyond the normal Thanksgiving pageant stuff.

[onekidanddone]

1 hour ago, Georgiana said:

If you don't fit the narrative, they try to erase you.  They don't teach about you in schools, no one thinks about you, and everyone is just sort of hoping you'll go...away somehow.  But here we are.  

I was at my daughter's 8th grade back to school night the other week and listening to the history teacher go over this year's curriculum.  When he got to manifest destiny and how America thought it was so great I started to raise my hand.  I wanted to point out that no, it was not all that great for the people who were already.  He did say he would be e teaching teaching the truth about manifest destiny really was for the Native peoples.

I'm hoping her school teaches it for what it was.  Straight out genocide, germ warfare (small pox blankets anyone?) all of it.  I'm 54 years old never learned it in school at least not that I remember. However, I never remember not knowing. My dad's brother married my aunt, a member of the Navajo Nation. I grew up with my aunt and my cousins. I knew.

That Trump loves Andrew Jackson is disgusting. Not surprising, but disgusting non the less.

[Bad Wolf]

I remember back to school night in my son's US high school. Someone asked if they would be studying WWII in world history. The teacher said no, because it was really more of an American war. I'm English. Wolf Boy had to restrain me. He remembers it clearly. 

Obviously not the same as the examples above, but shows how narrow minded we can become.

And why is my Kindle trying to capitalize the first Letter Of Every Word? It's Making Me Crazy!

[JordynDarby5]

6 minutes ago, onekidanddone said:

I was at my daughter's 8th grade back to school night the other week and listening to the history teacher go over this year's curriculum.  When he got to manifest destiny and how America thought it was so great I started to raise my hand.  I wanted to point out that no, it was not all that great for the people who were already.  He did say he would be e teaching teaching the truth about manifest destiny really was for the Native peoples.

I'm hoping her school teaches it for what it was.  Straight out genocide, germ warfare (small pox blankets anyone?) all of it.  I'm 54 years old never learned it in school at least not that I remember. However, I never remember not knowing. My dad's brother married my aunt, a member of the Navajo Nation. I grew up with my aunt and my cousins. I knew.

That Trump loves Andrew Jackson is disgusting. Not surprising, but disgusting non the less.

I hope her school teaches that too. Educate the students about what really happened in history. My history teacher a couple decades ago did a good job teaching about what it was really like for the Native people. Trail of Tears, how would you feel if that was you on that trail? He didn't sugarcoat the crappy things the military, and/or government did. However, my best friend was in a different history class in the same school with a different teacher who sugarcoated or would live big parts of what happened out.  Like the Battle of Little Bighorn she focused completely on the slaughtered soldiers and the horrible way Custer died. Her teacher left out everything else including what a horrible person Custer was. When we met up for lunch she told us what her teacher had just told them. We told her what really happened and she was pissed of at being taught lies.  Same school, two different teachers one was teaching the students the real history and while another was whitewashing it.  

[VelociRapture]

3 minutes ago, Bad Wolf said:

I remember back to school night in my son's US high school. Someone asked if they would be studying WWII in world history. The teacher said no, because it was really more of an American war. I'm English. Wolf Boy had to restrain me. He remembers it clearly. 

 ... uh... did this teacher ever hear about the Battle of Britain? Or about Enigma? Project Mincemeat or Agent Zigzag? How about Winston Fucking Churchill? They heard about him, right? What about the Queen Mother's badass reaction to part of the palace being bombed? 

I just can't. I mean, it's great knowing that stupid happens in other countries too, but come on. Some people just should not be responsible for educating others (or, to be fair, designing the curriculum actual educators have to use to educate others.)