FCC has "Little" problem

Joan Rivers has always been hysterically offensive and will poke fun at herself as much as she does others. Donald Trump is just offensive and everyone makes fun of him. I even risked insulting a dog when poking fun at Trump.

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Together, Rivers and Trump have managed to upset a small - make that "little" - segment of the population by using the word "midget" on "Celebrity Apprentice." As a result, there has been an uprising a subversive move towards having the word banned from television.
As a writer, I know how important word choices can be. I also recognize that verbiage is only 10 percent of spoken communication. Intonation, intent, content, and body language all contribute to nuances of messages. Being politically correct is getting tiresome and this isn't the first time I've addressed the issue.
Banning a word from television doesn't make it any less or more offensive. In fact, such a ban is the technological equivalent of burning books. Instead of prohibiting language, discussion should be encouraged in order to educate the masses. Avoiding a word doesn't make it go away. The government, in this case the FCC, is not the authority that I want dictating public verbiage.
Certain words, in certain circumstances, uttered by certain people can make a word bad, funny, or just awkward.
I've heard the "n" word --WAIT --Trying to be politically correct here is an oxymoron!
Correction: I've heard the word "nigger" used by racists and felt disgusted at hearing it. I've laughed hearing the word spoken by black comedians in jokes or scripts. I've also rolled my eyes when hearing my own grandfather use the word, not as an epithet, but only because he was born at the cusp of the 20th century and it defined his culture. Sure I scolded him, was embarrassed for him, but I also recognized he meant no harm.
Sometimes efforts to be politically correct can backfire, such as the case when Houston's director of affirmative action called a councilman a midget instead of a dwarf and the public official took offense. The employee giggled when she made the mistake, which seemed to add insult to injury. Perhaps, the giggle was a natural reaction to an embarrassing mistake. Immature maybe, but not derogatory.
At other times, political correctness can move the harm from one set of toes, and cause someone else's to fall victim. A "little person" in El Paso was interviewed regarding the proposed ban. Daniel "Tiny Titi" Moreno finds the term "midget" offensive. He doesn't mind being called tiny but endorses the ban. He also has the nickname "Titi." At first glance, I was personally offended at what I thought was one of the seven words banned on television, made famous by George Carlin. Titi is actually pronounced TEE-tee, which I am not sure is any better than my first impression.
I was a young child when I learned that midgets and dwarfs were not the same. Dwarfism is actually a condition causing disproportion in a person's body. Generally the head is average in size but the body is smaller, with specific attributes. A midget is a miniature version - proportionate, just smaller. A pygmy is even smaller than a midget. These are real terms with genuine definitions. They didn't develop from slang and the term "little people" has emerged within the current generation as the preferred terminology.
I've heard people stumble over the words in an effort to be polite in describing a little person, ultimately shrugging or nodding, indicating no harm, no foul.
It is hard enough to get people to play by the rules, but when the rules are changed mid-game, we have to offer some sort of allowance. When I was a kid, I was called "crippled" because I walked with crutches. I knew people didn't mean harm, but the word made me cringe. Handicapped became the choice word until "disabled" became the norm; and now, the term has graduated to "physically challenged." A person is no longer mentally retarded, nor do they have "Downs Syndrome," or any other brain injury. Instead, they are now "mentally challenged."
Increasing vocabulary and expanding our ability to describe our fellow humans is a plus. However, the most mundane word can be twisted to invoke hatred.
1) What is that? - an innocent question about an object
2) Did you see that? - an accusation of something inappropriate
3) She thinks she's all that! - a derogatory comment
The issue is not words, but what people are actually saying. We must stop "hearing" and start "listening."

Nicole "Zamboni" Bobek

Nicole Bobek has been arrested and charged with being part of a drug ring. The former figure skating champion has homes in New Jersey and Florida and is believed to be involved in the distribution of methamphetamine.
Hmmm ... Imagine that - a figure skater in a ring, manufacturing and distributing "ice" ... Let's call her "Zamboni"!!
If she gets caught in the "snow" or starts "speed" skating, does that mean she's an all-around winter sports champ? Does living in Florida and maintaining a NJ home make her a "snow bird"? Unfortunately, the evidence is piling up, and this gal may end up a caged bird.

Anti-Abortion Terrorists

The murder of Dr. George Tiller and subsequent discussions have me recalling incidents where my own ob/gyn has feared for his life.
Dr. Tiller was in the foyer of his church when a 51-year-old man shot and killed Tiller for performing abortions. A radical pro-lifer felt justified in killing a physician - a grown, well-educated man that was meeting a medical need in a legal and safe manner. Such vigilantism is pious and sacrilegious, going against the very nature of pro-life mantras. Members of pro-life organizations speak of perpetuating life, yet they have no concern for quality of life. Jim Buie addresses the issue using a very personal example, with his recent article in Newsweek.
When I first met my gynecologist, I was impressed with the questions he asked. He wanted to know about me, what I wanted for the future and whether I had concerns. It wasn't the usual rubber stamp process and he looked me directly in the eyes. When I became pregnant with my second child, he became well-informed about my first pregnancy and considered me high-risk. While I knew he deeply cared about my baby, I also knew he focused on me as the patient. I did not become a mere host, secondary to the potential developing person.
I never felt rushed in his presence. During one visit, when I had questions, he put down the pen and file, sat down, looked at me squarely and said - "okay - what's on your mind." He was paged three times for a phone call and never flinched, never took his eyes off of me. The nurse poked her head in the room, and said, "Dr. X is on the phone for you!" My doctor calmly said, "Tell him I will call him back." Complete focus - what every patient dreams of - was mine.
His care and concern stayed with me and when I found out a local group of anti-abortionists were harassing my doctor (one of only two physicians performing abortions in the area at that time) and his family, I was livid. I cheered when the local paper reported he was filing a law suit and called his answering service to leave a message of support. Even the operator seemed pleasantly surprised at my message of goodwill, indicating she had been fielding a majority of hate calls.
Because of the intrusions he has suffered at the hands of zealots, I have respected his privacy and avoided asking direct questions about his experience. Still, I learned that protesters gathered regularly at his home, blocking the driveway, following his children, and presenting in a threatening manner. He finally moved to a gated community where all visitors are screened.
In an interesting twist, my mother recently moved to a retirement community and her next door neighbor happens to be one of the protesters sued by my physician. I haven't dared inform the neighbor of the odd connection. I know her as a wonderful woman who has a heart of gold, yet mom has held witness to this neighbor's piousness when she gets on her anti-abortion soapbox. She believes innocent children are being taken to slaughter by the millions and lets her opinion be known whenever possible.
In her mind, the protesters quietly pray for divine intervention. Yet, medical professionals have died at the hands of zealots justifying their actions in God's name with the belief that abortion is wrong. Instinct has us learn to avoid danger by avoiding those who could potentially cause harm. To stalk someone and then gaze in disbelief when accused of harassment and threatening behaviors is incredulous.
Regardless of individual beliefs, we can not begin to understand the decision that is made by each woman pursuing an abortion. To further compound the issue by interfering with a woman's right to quality medical care is barbaric. Most of all, doctors should not have to fear for their lives to provide those rights.

Vortex of violence

Bob Sweeney: There was a moment... when I used to blame everything and everyone... for all the pain and suffering and vile things that happened to me, that I saw happen to my people. Used to blame everybody. Blamed white people, blamed society, blamed God. I didn't get no answers 'cause I was asking the wrong questions. You have to ask the right questions.
Derek Vinyard: Like what?
Bob Sweeney: Has anything you've done made your life better?

- from American History X

Today concludes a week filled with irony in actions that merged history with present day. An 88-year-old white supremacist (allegedly shot and) killed an African-American guard at the entrance of the Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC two days before what would have been Anne Frank's 80th birthday. The play "Anne and Emmitt" - an imagined dialogue between Anne Frank and Emmitt Till - was to open at the museum the same evening of the shooting, but of course was postponed.
Whether coincidence or deliberately planned, FX network ran "American History X" several times this weekend. If you haven't seen the movie, find it, buy it, rent it - but be prepared to be shocked. Breaking all taboos, the movie lays racism, supremacy and hatred on the line and adds on heavy violence and language.
The message is strong - if only it could be required for all high school students. Then again, maybe it takes a certain level of intelligence to understand the movie's message - an intelligence that von Brunn lacks.
The main character's younger brother writes a paper, concluding with a quote from Abraham Lincoln:

Danny Vinyard: So I guess this is where I tell you what I learned - my conclusion, right? Well, my conclusion is: Hate is baggage. Life's too short to be pissed off all the time. It's just not worth it. Derek says it's always good to end a paper with a quote.
He says someone else has already said it best. So if you can't top it, steal from them and go out strong. So I picked a guy I thought you'd like. 'We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory will swell when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.'

A turning point in the film, Derek Vineyard (Edward Norton) symbolically sheds his negativity, with flashbacks of himself and his younger brother at the beach. The swastika remains, perhaps as a scar of his internal battle that led to his hatred.

Fire department focus of flaming

An article in today's News & Record reports that the City of Greensboro's hiring practices may be discriminating against minorities seeking jobs with the fire and police departments. Judging by readers' commentary, I'd say a diverse population has come to a consensus: the article is itself is lacking fair representation.
Casting a shadow over the ceremony for 19 graduates of the fire department's training program, the reporter spouts statistics proving the diversity of the department is not reflective of the city's population. While the writer focuses on race, she fails to note the lacking diversity of women and that more than 16 percent of the population is over the age of 60. Do we want older firefighters, too? The "right" people can not be forced to apply for specific jobs.
One possible reason given for the imbalance is the fact that minorities are not passing the entrance exams. Applicants are required to answer half the questions correctly. Only 50 percent, folks! Most schools consider a grade below 60 as failing. I doubt the city is issuing SATs but if tests go beyond the scope of job needs, then revision may be appropriate. However, keep in mind that mathematical reasoning coincides with critical thinking skills. Firefighting is not just spraying water on flames. Precise science and related aptitudes are required.
Greensboro's fire department maintains excellent Accreditation and ISO ratings because of their operational standards, which includes hiring policies. I, along with a majority of other article commentators, want the best of the best coming to the rescue when flames are lapping at our heels and consuming our homes.
When someone is willing to fight for lives and property; when he (or she) puts his body and mind through extensive training; when he takes an oath and graduates with a class of others who comparably excel - that firefighter deserves recognition that goes beyond any demographic label.

EditingMySpace.com -

Playing for Change

Music. Sometimes the sounds are so powerful there are no words to describe them; the player's energy makes contact with the listener, ripping through to his very soul. Even the most hard-hearted can be moved to tears with no explanation. Playing for Change has managed to create a grassroots movement with musicians that have created this auditory strength, and I dare anyone to stand in its way.
Starting in Santa Monica, California, a street musician was recorded while playing "Stand by Me." The recording has literally gone around the world, and, at various stops, other musicians have added tracks.
The music alone is great, but when punctuated by the realization that these people have never met, are not famous, and simply displayed their talents on the street in an effort to create a single, harmonic tune to prove the world can work together in a way that is pleasing to everyone, the glass ceiling is shattered.
A number of songs have been created, and celebrities like Bono and Norman Lear are putting their efforts behind the movement, but the promotion is being fueled by social media. I'm adding a log to the fire and extending a torch. Visit the website, watch the video, and pass the flame.

State employees face wage cut

I've been a bit discombobulated lately with trying to develop my personal marketing plan for potential job leads, teaching part-time at a community college, and resisting the urge to dive under my sheets and wish the world away. Still, I keep plugging away, fueled by the rewards of seeing students in my classes progress and grow in their quest for knowledge. It is in this endeavor where my current post has sprouted.

The issue
North Carolina Governor Beverly Perdue has taken drastic action to help restore the state's ailing budget. Making a profound and obviously difficult decision, Perdue is recalling 0.5 percent of state employees' annual salaries. Every person employed by the state is affected, including school teachers, college professors, staff, faculty, and employees with various state agencies. Considering this half-percent cut totals $65 million, it's a small sacrifice on the part of state employees, yet a drop in the bucket when one considers the state is facing a $3 billion deficit.

Individual sacrifice
Theoretically, someone earning $40,000 a year, (certainly not me)would have $200 deducted from their paycheck(s) between now and June 30. The logistics have not been finalized, but this could mean $100 out of each paycheck in May and June or a one-time deduction from either check. If I were fortunate enough to make $40K annually, I probably wouldn't notice the deduction. However, for many people living paycheck to paycheck, the cut is going to bleed. In my case, the cut is only a few dollars and going from broke to broker isn't much of a stretch!

Hoo-rah!
I like Perdue, and her solution is innovative. Not since World War II have citizens of this country been encouraged to share the burden for an altruistic cause. Americans used to do without nylons, sugar, and meat and felt they were contributing to the cause by doing so. The pay cut, just like war rations, is not voluntary, but, with the right PR, Perdue could actually raise the spirits of state employees who are sacrificing individually for the benefit of the whole. (Insert "Old North State" music here).

NC vs. Feds
On the other hand, there are some problems with the enforced recall.
The federal government has issued incentives and stimuli - literally free money - for improving the economy, yet the state feels it is necessary to revoke hard-earned salaries. (Ok, it's not free, but it's immediate cash flow vs. Perdue's revocation of cash). Some might even consider Perdue's actions seccessional: the proverbial state spittle shot towards the federal eye.

Contract? What contract?
Many, if not all, educators, have contracts that specify their salaries. My contract, signed by the college's representative, states how much money I am to be paid per hour and the specific amount I will be paid each month. In turn, I signed the contract in agreement. Is it legal for Perdue to break the legally binding contracts made in good faith between schools and employees? If it is legal, should all contracted workers be leary of signing future contracts? The state solicits bids on various jobs such as highway paving and building projects. Through contractual agreement, the business is guaranteed the money; the state is guaranteed the work. If the governor can step in at any time and break the contract, what recourse is available? I can't imagine a paving contractor conceding to a post-contractual reduction! In no way am I suggesting a class-action lawsuit - the state has enough troubles. Yet, Perdue is, in essence, stealing from her employees which is not a way to win their loyalty.

Lottery fund - Kah-Ching!
Somewhere among the state's budget line items, are lottery receipts. Against focused protests, but to the delight of the residential majority, the state lottery was passed just a few years ago. Net profits are designated to benefit North Carolina's educational system. Like the lottery, the state's food tax was initiated in the '60s by former Gov. Terry Sanford, in an effort to raise money for education. Unfortunately, the additional tax dollars were quickly absorbed by the general budget and the designation long forgotten. Have our lottery funds gone the way of the food tax? What happened to the millions intended for additional educational funds? Perhaps, instead of providing additional educational dollars, the lottery proceeds are merely replacing the original educational budget which now may be diverted to other budget lines. Has the educational system really seen an increase? Shouldn't the lottery help prevent already under-paid teachers from suffering Perdue's sweeping salary recall?

Money comes and goes so quickly!
In recent months I lost a job at a municipally-funded non-profit agency. We saw years where no pay raise was available to us, yet the city employees whined because they only received a four or five percent raise. The most recent pay raise for this particular agency was a one-half percent annual pay increase, which would be administered as a one-percent increase over six months. Perdue's cut doesn't affect this agency, but if it did, these employees would see their meager raises taken away.

Accountability
Drastic times call for drastic measures, and it is time for Americans to pull together in a call to action. The rich are suffering while the poor are gouged to the bone. Over the years, I have paid numerous visits to state and municipal agencies and have dealt with a multitude of employees. I can name very few employees that have shown exemplary customer service, much less acted as though they appreciated their jobs. I also know that I am not the only one to complain about poor teacher performance or bad service from state employees. Perhaps these are the ones that should have holes cut in their pockets, or better yet, let the public vote on the ones who get to keep their cushy state jobs! If a can were placed next to every state employee, and the public were able to put votes into those cans, state employees would actually be held accountable to the tax payers that provide their salaries, Perdue would be off the hook, and state residents would have cause to rally together!

Fodder for Ewe
Unfortuately there are no simple solutions. If there were, we wouldn't be in this mess. The bottom line is written in red. We all are suffering financial woes and the economy is in baaaaaad shape. Still, there is hope, and, one-by-one, the flock can jump the hurdles ahead. As we shear our wool and head to market, remember the give and take required for a circular economy. We caaaan't be afraaaaid to spend, we must never hoaaaard, yet we should always, always, keep our eye out for the wolves dressed like ewe!