Keeping the meanies off my lawn ! ! Errr, sorry, make that my Facebook Page ! !

Sometimes it's really lovely to just slowly meander along and muse about life.

But sometimes a girl just needs to forget the meanderings and philosophical musing and do a little hard trottin' rambling along with some first class ranting. 

Rantin' loud and rantin' proud.

Let me just say - I love Facebook.

I love being able to hang out there with friends who are widely scattered here, there and yonder.  It's the perfect spot to have far ranging conversations - from the very interesting to the most mundane, to share news - good or bad, to discuss books and movies, children, spouses and pets.  To ask for a prayer for a sick loved one.  Share photos and post posters.   Talk about your garden or your mother in law.  Squeal about the concert or play you went to the night before.  To laugh loudly over the ridiculous.  And just see what's up in this world of your very own choosing. 

But - as in so many other aspects of life these days, there's always going to be some negative people who can step in and mess it up.  I gotta say.  I am bored to tears with bitterness and negativity.  I've mentioned here more than once how I spent a great deal of time a year or two back pondering how to weed my life of these types of people.  The quest continues, apparently.  Now on Facebook.

Yesterday was a day that could have been reason for this country to celebrate.  Could have been. 

But.  Because this country has become so divided, rather than choosing to join energies, we're busy slapping down any hint of progress for the country as a whole.  God forbid the teeniest step forward might happen to come from the group across the aisle, or from our president.  We're not a country of two parties any more.  We're a country of middle class citizens moving fairly rapidly into becoming a country of poor, homeless, unemployed, uninsured people.  All this while watching our elected officials engage in a pissing contest more immature than those taking place in most fraternity houses around the country.  But what do they care?  By the time most of them have served a term or two, they've made a pocket full of money thanks to special interest groups (Just my humble opinion, of course), their retirement is a sure thing, as is their health care.

This while the rest of us live in fear of facing a catastrophic illness in our golden years, which aren't quite as golden as we were sure they might be when we were working 12 hour days just trying to make a living.


But there are those who would rather push us face down in the dirt and place their foot upon our back and keep us there rather than do the right thing.

And then continually whine about how "we the people" want something for nothing.

Bunk.

Most of us just simply want what's fair and to be left alone.




I posted this at Facebook yesterday -

I'm so stupid, I guess, I just find it hard to comprehend that there are actually people out there who do not want other people in this country to have health insurance.  What kind of people would begrudge anyone decent, affordable health care, for God's sake?!

Oh - and for those of you who are so concerned about this being such a massive tax increase -

And while I'm here saying "affordable" let me stop long enough to say to some of you - I NEVER said I wanted FREE health care so please stop saying that I did.  You're one of those people, I'm sure, who drove your teachers crazy by never reading the instructions at the top of your tests.

I want - and I think I damn well deserve - the same health care coverage as those people we've elected to run this country.

One of the first comments that showed up under my post about Obamacare was from a family member.  It said simply "he ducks." 

Wow.  Really? 

Realizing she had misspelled her word, she came back quickly with "he sucks." 

Interesting.

No alternative plan for health care options was offered, just the simple sentiment that President Obama apparently sucks.

Interesting.

Then there were several comments in agreement with what I had posted.  Some of us do prefer to continue living in the possibly naive hope that things in this country will turn around.  Then a sarcastic little dig made its way into the comments. 

Granted, it's a public forum.  I totally understand that.  But I feel going to someone's Facebook wall with the express purpose of being hateful is somewhat akin to walking into someone's home and telling them they have terrible taste and start criticizing their lifestyle.  It's just tacky.  I'm not a real big fan of sarcasm, truth be told.  Rather than dropping by with a little shot, why not just put on your big person panties and say "Oh, Bullshit" if you don't agree with what I'm saying instead of a snide little dig.  And then tell me how YOU feel and give me your side of things.

So, anyway, I didn't like the dig so I posted this:

"You know - some days are better than others, but having a bad day on Facebook is just beyond ridiculous. I stopped posting political stuff here for the most part because people DO NOT know how to debate in a positive manner any more. It's all sarcasm and bitterness. But you know - I do not go to other people's walls and belittle their beliefs and I would appreciate the hell out of it if people would show me the same kind of respect. Rant away on your own wall - that is why it is YOUR wall."

The "discussion" moved to someone else's wall.  They graciously invited comments, but when the comments weren't to their liking they excused themself with a final cheap parting shot.  And later referred to the comments as "Facebook Ignorance."

I've been dealt some blows due to my outspokeness most of my life.  And quite a lot at Facebook over the past couple of years.  So, no - last night's episodes were not bad enough to cause me to write this rant today.  The rant's been building and finally made its way through my fingers to the keyboard.


I have had a family member (not the same one referred to above) tell me repeatedly, on my Facebook page, that I would surely be going to hell because my religious and spiritual beliefs differed from hers.  The woman, in my opinion, is spending so much time being concerned about her afterlife she's forgotten how to live and enjoy life here on earth right here, right now.  She finds my belief in the Golden Rule unacceptable and is sure God doesn't mean to include gay people.  Once she started spouting Bible verses at me, she got really upset when I spouted back from this letter which was also used in a now famous West Wing episode:

"Dear Dr. Laura,

Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's law. I have learned a great deal from you, and I try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend homosexuality, for example, I will simply remind him or her that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate. I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some of the other laws in Leviticus and Exodus and how to best follow them.

1. When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord (Leviticus 1:9). The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. How should I deal with this?
2. I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as stated in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?
3. I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness (Leviticus 15:19-24). The problem is, how can I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.
4. Leviticus 25:44 states that I may buy slaves from the nations that are around us. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify?
5. I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?
6. A friend of mine says that even though eating shellfish is an abomination (Leviticus 10:10), it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this?
7. Leviticus 20:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?

I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident you can help. Thank you again for reminding us that God's Word is eternal and unchanging. "

 

I am SICK TO DEATH of hearing it said those of us who are liberals are freeloaders looking for a handout from our government. 

Adding insult to injury, they're also calling us heathens.
Sorry - But the God I was raised knowing would probably send out this message -

So.

Here's my wish.

Let's get rid of the special interest groups who are really running this country and putting the country's wealth in the hands of a very few.

(You might want to take note that this is a quote from a former Supreme Court Justice).



Let's do the right thing for the disenfranchised of this country.  Many now facing terrible hardship through absolutely no fault of their own, other than having the misfortune of living in this country during this Age of Greed.

And never EVER be afraid to speak out about the things you see around you that are just wrong.

Again, if you don't agree with me, fine.  Really, I don't care.  I'm actually pretty happy if you have an opinion.  The people who don't have opinions because they think the world will just zip along merrily with no help from them are the ones who worry me the most, bless their hearts.

But, jeez, y'all, stay off my Facebook page with your negativity and sarcasm.  Use your own page for all that.