The European Court of Human Right upheld a German courts decision to ban PETA D's (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animal, Germany) "Holocaust On Your Plate" campaign.
In November of this year, the European Court of Human Right (ECHR) held that German could, lawfully censor PETA D's campaign which consisted of 7 graphic posters analogizing animal exploitation and their slaughter to that of the Nazi Holocaust. This has been in the courts since 2004 in Germany. I have been watching and waiting to see if PETA D who challenged a Berlin regional court's 2004 injunction against the publication of the poster campaign, would decide to take this to Europe's version of our Supreme Court. The Berlin court rejected PETA D's appeal. PETA D then brought its case to the Federal Constitutional Court and then onto the ECHR, claiming that "the censorship violated Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights", which guarantees freedom of expression.
Both the Federal Constitutional Court and the ECHR rejected PETA D's claim. They found that the parties who had sought the injunction against PETA D has been successful in satisfying part (b) of Article 10, which allows the governments to place some limits on free expression, to protect, for example, " the reputation or rights of others."
"Holocaust on Your Plate", was a campaign that consisted of 7 posters, which contained juxtaposed pictures of animals confined, mistreated while alive and then piled up after slaughter in farming operations. On the other half of the same poster would be the humans, who were confined, mistreated while alive and then piled up after being slaughters during the Holocaust. Each post included a short text that drew an analogy between the respective pictures. I think we can all agree that reasonable minds could wildly differ on how to interpret the campaign. The basic point was to call attention to the parallel between the ugly and very brutal practices that consumers of animal products support, on one hand, and the atrocities that happened during the Holocaust.
I want to believe, for the sake of this blog, that PETA was acting in "good faith." Their aim was to bring attention to the uglier side of the animal products industry and to make the consumers of that industry really take a good look at what they are supporting via their consumption. This is rather hard for me of late, due to several campaigns that PETA has undertook. I think PETA made a huge, strategic mistake in comparing anything to the Holocaust. Just an epic failure. I think PETA lost the chance to reach, otherwise reasonable consumers, who would have otherwise been receptive to their message of animal rights and veganism. Instead, they most likely outraged and offended many.
I do agree with most of what PETA stands for, and for the sake of this blog, will say provisionally, that I believe in their aims. Some of PETA'S campaigns really make me wonder whether its goal is actually to gain notoriety for the organization itself. The campaign posters of naked women, usually celebs, with the tag line "I'd rather go naked than wear fur, " which seems likely to appeal to the salacious interests of the public rather than to persuade people of the injustice of confining, torturing, and slaughtering of sentient beings. Sometimes I just shake my head and roll my eyes. I think to myself, what the hell were they thinking?
As the grandson of a Holocaust survivor. I am sensitive to remarks which use the Holocaust to prove a point. My grandmother survived the camps. She lost her parents, brothers, sisters and the rest of her extended family. I normally flinch when I hear people or their actions compared to the Holocaust. I understand why people are so offended by any comparison to the Holocaust. In comparing, say President Obama to Hitler, it does in a curious way diminish what Hitler did. I think most of the offense people feel in Holocaust references comes from feeling this "diminishing" of what has happened.
The various decisions upholding the German injunction had just this "diminished" flavor. Comparing the slaughter of a group of humans to the widespread slaughter of nonhuman animals diminishes the worth and status of the humans in question as well as the severity of their tragedy.
I have to disagree with the Germans court premise. As the Federal Constitutional Court acknowledged, PETA D did not mean to insult the victims and survivors of the Holocaust. I think it meant instead to suggest that what is happening to animals should serve as a wake up call for consumers and ought to be seen as deeply disturbing to all people who rightly view the Holocaust as an outrageous injustice by humans against other humans.
I feel that PETA should, generally make the argument in terms that are far less threatening to an audience than in this campaign. Nonetheless, the question that begs to be asked is, was the comparison threatening not because it challenges the worth and dignity of human victims, but rather because it challenges the justice of practices that almost every one of us was trained from early childhood to embrace. It asks us to rethink the thing that "everyone is doing" and to consider that there may, despite its popularity and culturally accepted norms, be something fundamentally wrong with it. The question then becomes when people identify themselves or their family members as victims of injustice, they therefore, become offended at the mere suggestion, that they are in fact perpetrating an injustice against other innocent victims.
So while I flinched when I originally saw the posters, I found myself thinking more about the underlying issues associated with this particular campaign. I have had many discussions with friends about this campaign, PETA and the path it has taken through the courts. I am still on the fence as to PETA's actions and motives in this campaign and other very controversial ones in the past. I feel they spent way too much money to design and defend this campaign. The money could have been spent more wisely and have much more of an educational impact on the audience PETA is trying to reach.
What do you think? Did PETA go too far? Do we diminish the suffering of humans by comparing them to nonhuman animals? Do you think this campaign would have worked? I am always curious to hear how others feel. Let me know.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Of Innocence Lost
When I woke up today I was in a fairly good mood. I had made it through the holiday relatively unscathed. I had actually made it through a "Back Friday" shopping event at WalMart and got the two items I was in hot pursuit of. It was all good. I was bopping around the house cleaning and doing laundry. My plan was to get the housework done early and spend a chilly Saturday afternoon playing on line. I had a Scrabble tournament and looked forward to catching up with some Twitter pals.
I got a simple tweet from a man, Chris. Chris and I have been doing some heavy duty on-line flirting and spending hours on the phone talking. I guess you could say we are dating, except for the fact that we live in different states. I have been liking the getting to know a person before actually meeting them aspect. This is all very new to me, this on-line thing. I have decided to just allow things to unfold. No expectations, nothing but just talking and really getting to know a person.
The person I have met is charming, intelligent, loving and above all, sweet. At first, his level of empathy struck me as not authentic. I thought, no one can be this kind and generous. This guy is the real deal though. Chris has re-awakened something in me I thought had either died or long gone dormant. A little thing called HOPE. As many of you know, my track record in regards to relationships is horrid. This man has awoken hope that there could be a guy who is good for me. For all of my snarky bravado, I am really just a guy who loves to be in love. I, too, have a heart.
Anyhow, I went online, to Twitter and saw Chris had tweeted me. I, of course said good morning and asked how his day was. I got a tweet back which said he was fine now that he was home from the hospital. I was shocked and asked why. Friday evening, Chris's uncle and cousin decided to attack Chris for the sole reason of his being gay! They used baseball bats, kicked him and said some of the most hateful and ugly words on him. He is bruised from head to toe, has a cracked rib and several cuts which have required stitches.
I was thunder struck. How could this happen to a man who is so loving and compassionate. I immediately got very angry. Yet when I told Chris I was weeping because I was so overwhelmed by the horror is suffered, he apologized to me! To me! This is the beautiful type of man that Chris is. Always worried about others and how they feel. He is truly special. I am blessed to have such a man in my life.
When something like this happens to a person who has never had little, if any, violence in their lives the effect is catastrophic. Simply, they have no point of reference or experience in dealing with something of this magnitude. I think this almost compounds the situation and the after effects. I felt I should have been the one to have this happen. I am used to this level of evil. If that can ever be the case.
We can all ask the questions of why or how could someone do this to another person. I, having experienced this type of violence can tell you why or how. Basically, there is evil in the world. People are capable of some of doing some of the most horrific things to each other. I guess that is what sets us apart from animals. Animals don't rape, murder or hate each other based on sexuality. So much for humans being superior huh?
My heart is very heavy at this writing. I am filled with many different and complex emotions. I don't want to understand why they did this. I don't care. I consider them and people like them, to be bad and beyond help and should be put down, like a rabid animal. I am angry because this part of life has touched a person who, until now, had not been privy to such abhorrent behavior. I weep because there is a certain level of innocence which has been stolen from a man and taken from the world. I hurt because his body hurts. I am stoic because I know, I know the depth of just how this will affect him.
Chis now stands in the pantheon with all the others who, before him have been hurt or killed because they were gay. Its a special place where the members hope and pray for no new members. In an odd way, its almost as if its a rite of passage. He has had to join us in the struggle for equality whether he wanted to or not. I really thought the last 20 years had made things better. People were less apt to resort to violence in regards to homosexuality. I guess I am horribly wrong. I am very sad.
So I ask where is the gay community on education? Why are we so worried about Marriage Equality and yet there is still a level of violence against gays in this country? Why is AIDS on the raise again within the gay community and why has there been no outcry because AIDS medication programs are being stopped? Have we come so far and gotten a taste of equality that we are forgetting the fundamentals? I really, and I will probably blog further on this, do think the gay community has, is and will continue to drop the ball on really pushing the whole marriage equality issue. Where is the support this man will need to help come to terms on what happened to him? Is the gay community so obsessed with Marriage Equality as to spend millions of dollars on ballot initiatives for marriage equality yet they won't spend the money to have local, regional help the average gay person can have access too?
Its at moments like this when I really get so angry and disgusted with the gay community. I remember during the AIDS crisis of the 80's and 90's just how organized and galvanized we were. There were local AIDS support offices everywhere. Look around, where are they now? Most have closed. Some state there is no longer a need. I beg to differ. I remember organizing security teams to patrol the parking lots at gay bars in the 90's. So that we could go out and not worry about getting jumped when we left. Where is that level of involvement now? I don't see it.
What I do see is millions of dollars pouring into huge organizations like Lambda Legal, GLAD and others, but I am not seeing anything on a local, state or regional level. There isn't any network for gays who suffer violence as a result of being gay. There isn't. This should outrage and shame gay people. At what expense will marriage equality come? There is more to the gay agenda than that. More needs that are not being met by those organizations that tout they are trying to make out lives better. I am so disgusted I cannot even begin to convey my true feelings.
A small piece of innocence was last on Friday night. The world, yes the whole world, is forever changed. Every time an act of violence is committed the world is darker for it. We are all connected with each other. Every time something like this happens its another reason for someone to remain in the closet and be forced to live in the world of shadows. Lives lived only partly because they are not free to love whom they choose. At this moment I would have to give the human race a score of D-. We are slowly losing our humanity. The one thing that is so beautiful about humans, our humanity is chip by chip, being eroded away.
I live by a simple, yet I feel profound motto. "Every time I see or feel hurt, I will commit an act of love". The only true weapon against evil is good. I will hold Chris. I will comfort him. I will work to help heal him from this atrocity. I want him to know he is brave, kind and above all loved. I vow to not let what happened define him or inhibit him. I see the innocence lost and will help to replace it with wisdom. I will simply choose to love instead of hate.
I got a simple tweet from a man, Chris. Chris and I have been doing some heavy duty on-line flirting and spending hours on the phone talking. I guess you could say we are dating, except for the fact that we live in different states. I have been liking the getting to know a person before actually meeting them aspect. This is all very new to me, this on-line thing. I have decided to just allow things to unfold. No expectations, nothing but just talking and really getting to know a person.
The person I have met is charming, intelligent, loving and above all, sweet. At first, his level of empathy struck me as not authentic. I thought, no one can be this kind and generous. This guy is the real deal though. Chris has re-awakened something in me I thought had either died or long gone dormant. A little thing called HOPE. As many of you know, my track record in regards to relationships is horrid. This man has awoken hope that there could be a guy who is good for me. For all of my snarky bravado, I am really just a guy who loves to be in love. I, too, have a heart.
Anyhow, I went online, to Twitter and saw Chris had tweeted me. I, of course said good morning and asked how his day was. I got a tweet back which said he was fine now that he was home from the hospital. I was shocked and asked why. Friday evening, Chris's uncle and cousin decided to attack Chris for the sole reason of his being gay! They used baseball bats, kicked him and said some of the most hateful and ugly words on him. He is bruised from head to toe, has a cracked rib and several cuts which have required stitches.
I was thunder struck. How could this happen to a man who is so loving and compassionate. I immediately got very angry. Yet when I told Chris I was weeping because I was so overwhelmed by the horror is suffered, he apologized to me! To me! This is the beautiful type of man that Chris is. Always worried about others and how they feel. He is truly special. I am blessed to have such a man in my life.
When something like this happens to a person who has never had little, if any, violence in their lives the effect is catastrophic. Simply, they have no point of reference or experience in dealing with something of this magnitude. I think this almost compounds the situation and the after effects. I felt I should have been the one to have this happen. I am used to this level of evil. If that can ever be the case.
We can all ask the questions of why or how could someone do this to another person. I, having experienced this type of violence can tell you why or how. Basically, there is evil in the world. People are capable of some of doing some of the most horrific things to each other. I guess that is what sets us apart from animals. Animals don't rape, murder or hate each other based on sexuality. So much for humans being superior huh?
My heart is very heavy at this writing. I am filled with many different and complex emotions. I don't want to understand why they did this. I don't care. I consider them and people like them, to be bad and beyond help and should be put down, like a rabid animal. I am angry because this part of life has touched a person who, until now, had not been privy to such abhorrent behavior. I weep because there is a certain level of innocence which has been stolen from a man and taken from the world. I hurt because his body hurts. I am stoic because I know, I know the depth of just how this will affect him.
Chis now stands in the pantheon with all the others who, before him have been hurt or killed because they were gay. Its a special place where the members hope and pray for no new members. In an odd way, its almost as if its a rite of passage. He has had to join us in the struggle for equality whether he wanted to or not. I really thought the last 20 years had made things better. People were less apt to resort to violence in regards to homosexuality. I guess I am horribly wrong. I am very sad.
So I ask where is the gay community on education? Why are we so worried about Marriage Equality and yet there is still a level of violence against gays in this country? Why is AIDS on the raise again within the gay community and why has there been no outcry because AIDS medication programs are being stopped? Have we come so far and gotten a taste of equality that we are forgetting the fundamentals? I really, and I will probably blog further on this, do think the gay community has, is and will continue to drop the ball on really pushing the whole marriage equality issue. Where is the support this man will need to help come to terms on what happened to him? Is the gay community so obsessed with Marriage Equality as to spend millions of dollars on ballot initiatives for marriage equality yet they won't spend the money to have local, regional help the average gay person can have access too?
Its at moments like this when I really get so angry and disgusted with the gay community. I remember during the AIDS crisis of the 80's and 90's just how organized and galvanized we were. There were local AIDS support offices everywhere. Look around, where are they now? Most have closed. Some state there is no longer a need. I beg to differ. I remember organizing security teams to patrol the parking lots at gay bars in the 90's. So that we could go out and not worry about getting jumped when we left. Where is that level of involvement now? I don't see it.
What I do see is millions of dollars pouring into huge organizations like Lambda Legal, GLAD and others, but I am not seeing anything on a local, state or regional level. There isn't any network for gays who suffer violence as a result of being gay. There isn't. This should outrage and shame gay people. At what expense will marriage equality come? There is more to the gay agenda than that. More needs that are not being met by those organizations that tout they are trying to make out lives better. I am so disgusted I cannot even begin to convey my true feelings.
A small piece of innocence was last on Friday night. The world, yes the whole world, is forever changed. Every time an act of violence is committed the world is darker for it. We are all connected with each other. Every time something like this happens its another reason for someone to remain in the closet and be forced to live in the world of shadows. Lives lived only partly because they are not free to love whom they choose. At this moment I would have to give the human race a score of D-. We are slowly losing our humanity. The one thing that is so beautiful about humans, our humanity is chip by chip, being eroded away.
I live by a simple, yet I feel profound motto. "Every time I see or feel hurt, I will commit an act of love". The only true weapon against evil is good. I will hold Chris. I will comfort him. I will work to help heal him from this atrocity. I want him to know he is brave, kind and above all loved. I vow to not let what happened define him or inhibit him. I see the innocence lost and will help to replace it with wisdom. I will simply choose to love instead of hate.
Thursday, November 22, 2012
I Want To Be Thankful......
I am sitting at my desk, its just past 5 a.m. Its officially Thanksgiving. Traditionally, its a day to give thanks for the bounty in is our lives. I get the whole concept, trust me, I really do. I am still struggling to be thankful though. Am I bad? I certainly feel very ungrateful and naughty. Mmm maybe I will just do some more emotional eating...yeah...good idea. As I scamper off to the kitchen for another cup of coffee and a bagel smeared in cream cheese.
Okay, I have my coffee and just got done wiping cream cheese off of my keyboard. Now back to this whole concept of being thankful. I could list all of the things I am thankful for, or should be thankful for. Would that really get me off the hook, so to speak? This wasn't going to be easy.
My little heater is chugging away under my desk. My toes are getting warm and I am staring out of the window in front of me. I am watching the city outside come to life. Am I thankful for what I have? I guess I would have to figure out if I am supposed to be thankful for the people in my life or the things I have. Could it be a mixture of both? I never really thought about this day to this level before. I am convinced this is some kind of mid-life, gay crisis thing.
I don't really feel like I want to be thankful today. Does that make me a bad person? Should I even care? Why is this such a problem for me? I just want to smack myself. I want so badly to embrace and really get into the spirit of today but I just can't. Besides the normal stuff people list as what they are thankful for I have nothing.
I am stuck on the whole static-ness of today. Why just today? Shouldn't we be thankful all the time? Is this some sort of reminder? Shouldn't being thankful be a little more of a process? Ever changing, evolving and growing? I think so.
There is much in my life to be thankful for. Maybe just the simple act of contemplating what I have to be thankful for makes me thankful. I think I have embraced the concept of thankfulness and yet I don't feel right about it. Maybe its the fact I feel being thankful should be a process rather than just an accounting. If that is the case then I am a success at it. I am thankful everyday for something different. One day it could be for the perfect cup of coffee and the next day I am thankful for my home or a having a friend to share my life with.
I am satisfied now that being thankful is a process and I am where I should be. I feel okay now. Good thing I didn't smack myself huh? Being thankful should be fluid. It should change with the ebbs and flows of life. As each day, each moment brings new things, events and people into our lives so our feelings of being thankful changes.
I have a smile on my face now. The day can be lived with a sense of purpose. Even though I am choosing to spend today alone. I can relax knowing I am thankful and that today is just a focal point to remind people of the process of being thankful. Happy Thanksgiving everyone. May the bounty of your lives be full of love and happiness.
Okay, I have my coffee and just got done wiping cream cheese off of my keyboard. Now back to this whole concept of being thankful. I could list all of the things I am thankful for, or should be thankful for. Would that really get me off the hook, so to speak? This wasn't going to be easy.
My little heater is chugging away under my desk. My toes are getting warm and I am staring out of the window in front of me. I am watching the city outside come to life. Am I thankful for what I have? I guess I would have to figure out if I am supposed to be thankful for the people in my life or the things I have. Could it be a mixture of both? I never really thought about this day to this level before. I am convinced this is some kind of mid-life, gay crisis thing.
I don't really feel like I want to be thankful today. Does that make me a bad person? Should I even care? Why is this such a problem for me? I just want to smack myself. I want so badly to embrace and really get into the spirit of today but I just can't. Besides the normal stuff people list as what they are thankful for I have nothing.
I am stuck on the whole static-ness of today. Why just today? Shouldn't we be thankful all the time? Is this some sort of reminder? Shouldn't being thankful be a little more of a process? Ever changing, evolving and growing? I think so.
There is much in my life to be thankful for. Maybe just the simple act of contemplating what I have to be thankful for makes me thankful. I think I have embraced the concept of thankfulness and yet I don't feel right about it. Maybe its the fact I feel being thankful should be a process rather than just an accounting. If that is the case then I am a success at it. I am thankful everyday for something different. One day it could be for the perfect cup of coffee and the next day I am thankful for my home or a having a friend to share my life with.
I am satisfied now that being thankful is a process and I am where I should be. I feel okay now. Good thing I didn't smack myself huh? Being thankful should be fluid. It should change with the ebbs and flows of life. As each day, each moment brings new things, events and people into our lives so our feelings of being thankful changes.
I have a smile on my face now. The day can be lived with a sense of purpose. Even though I am choosing to spend today alone. I can relax knowing I am thankful and that today is just a focal point to remind people of the process of being thankful. Happy Thanksgiving everyone. May the bounty of your lives be full of love and happiness.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Down and Out in Beverly Hills - Reality Responsibility
I normally do not blog about the housewives. This blog is a response to what I witnessed with Taylor Armstrong and Kim Richards, both cast members on the Bravo TV's Real Housewives of Beverly Hills this week. I am still in shock over the change in Kim's appearance from the first episode to number 3 which aired last night. Kim, who is a self confessed alcoholic, only had maybe 60 days clean when they started filming for Season 3. I am not a professional, but this is cruel. I cannot imagine any mental health professional, nor rehab counselor ever giving their okay to a person, who is new into recovery, tape a reality show. Especially one on Bravo.
Let me just start out by saying I do not like Kim. I find her a sad story. She is an aging child star with obvious mental and substance abuse issues. Kim is one of those people that have fallen through the cracks. She has. Lets not pussyfoot around the issue. She is a broke bitch. She has obviously spent the money she made from the Disney movies she starred in. We hear from Kim's sister, Kyle, that they have been underwriting Kim's life for years. More sadness. From a "bitch gotta get paid" standpoint I understand why she is one the show. Its just sad to see a person committing the slowest form of suicide each week on TV for a few dollars.
We all witnessed Kim's cosmic melt downs last year. All her drunken follies were televised. Her drug use was as plain as the nose on my face. She found that plastic sandwich bag and straw in the back of the limo and proudly exclaimed to the camera that "its not mine, I don't know whose it is". Really?
Besides all the drama, cattiness that make the housewives show watchable, Kim is a person. When the season premiered I notice a marked physical change in Kim. She looked good. Healthy. We are now into the 3rd episode of the show and Kim is looking like a wreck. I am seeing the gaunt, lack of sleep, dull, glazed look of a good buzz in her face. She is slurring her words. I may not like Kim on the show but I certainly do not wish to see her emotionally implode on national TV.
I am disgusted with how this woman is being used and treated. I would never expect Kim's fame whore sisters, Kyle Richards or Kathy Hilton (Paris Hilton's mother) to support Kim and suggest her taking a season off of the show to get some sober time in...but...what about Bravo TV? What the hell is wrong with this network? Are ratings that important?
I think Kim should not be on the show period. She is obviously using again. I believe she is a cross addicted person. She loves the hooch and the drugs. I also think Kim could possibly have a mental condition other than her issues with anxiety. I think she might be bi-polar or even major depressive. To have this women on a show that is so invasive is beyond cruel. If that were my sister, I would have her Baker Acted and sue the hell out of Bravo. I cannot believe Kim's signature on a contract would even be considered binding since she probably signed under the influence. If I were her brother, I would be holding Bravo TV personally responsible for her should anything happen.
Now on to Taylor, Lips Inc., Armstrong. I have always been very vocal about the fact I didn't believe a word that fell off the super huge lips of Taylor. She is a grifter, liar, and con artist extraordinaire. Again, I cannot believe this woman is allowed to be on a reality show. It has, at the time of taping, been only about 9 months after her husband hung himself! It makes me want to vomit. Let me go on the record, openly and publicly, that I do not believe for one nano second that Taylor was the victim of domestic abuse. Do I think she was in an unhealthy relationship? Sure. I believe she hit Russell and he smacked her. I think they were both very verbally and physically abusive to each other.
Taylor is not your run of the mill broad. She has a long history of lying. Almost as big as her lips is the amount of people that both she and Russell scammed money out of. This is not the lost little waif from Oklahoma she would like us all to believe. She is a very cunning and criminally sophisticated woman.
I think the reason why Taylor and her "victim status" so outrage me is because I am a survivor of domestic abuse. I was also raised by a verbally and physically abusive mother (see my blog, Open Letter to Mother). As a person who has lived with a man who brutally beat me, poured boiling water on me, and threw me out of moving car I believe myself to be somewhat of a expert on domestic violence. What I am seeing in Taylor and her behaviors is not jiving with my experience nor anyone else's I have known or spoken with.
Taylor's behavior is just not consistent with someone who has been brutalized by a spouse. She drinks uncontrollably places herself in very unsafe conditions and runs around telling anyone who will stand still long enough, just what a victim she is. It just doesn't jive.
For 2 years we have watched and listened to Taylor go on and on about what Russell was doing to her. For 2 years I have never seen a mark. Not one. The supposed black eye she had on the final episode of season 2 was bullshit. She looked as if she had been on a bender, not gotten the shit kicked out her as she proposed had happened. For 2 years we have watched Taylor's moods swing between victim and victimizer. She gets drunk and starts screaming at people and trying to physically attack them. Her behavior is that of a narcissistic person not a victim.
From my own experience as a child who was constantly beaten, I was always too ashamed to tell anyone. In my marriage, again, more shame. I didn't even tell my closest friends. I have had employers pull me aside and ask about bruises, stitches, broken noses and arms and silently died on the inside of shame and humiliation. Why have we never seen any of this from Taylor? Someone, somewhere has had to have seen something, yet no one comes forward to back up her claims.
I am calling for the removal of Taylor from the show. She sets the Domestic Violence movement back 20 years. She is only a poster child for the death penalty in my eyes. Lying about being brutalized by a spouse is on par with saying you have cancer and don't have it, only to gain sympathy. Its disgusting and deplorable It minimizes those who have suffered, will suffer and are suffering at the hands of a loved one.
When Russell committed suicide, I called on Bravo to take what was horrible situation and use it and educate the public on suicide and domestic violence. This was a network, it had a national platform in which to get the message out. Instead, we got a 5 minute prologue of the other wives and husbands sitting around talking about Taylor and an 800 number flashed on the screen.
For any of you that follow me on Twitter, you know I have razor sharp whit and a very snarky sense of humor. I cannot find any humor in watching a person slowly destroy themselves with booze and/or drugs. Bravo should be ashamed of themselves for putting Kim on this season in any capacity other than a cameo spot, if at all. I cannot believe I have not heard more of an outcry from the masses where Kim is concerned. Where the hell is Dr. Drew? Why hasn't he weighed in on Kim?. Normally he has his two cents in on everything related to celebs and their drug/alcohol issues. Am I the only one that is sad to see Kim be trotted out in front of the camera's like a present day Judy Garland?
I would like to think anyone who has ever been abused would see Taylor for the fraud she is. Again, I cannot be the only one to see this! Can I? Really? Blogs have been written, new articles published about what a consummate liar she is but no one has taken the time to really get to the bottom of her fake abuse allegations. Russell's family, ex-wife all say he was incapable of that level of violence. Normally, abusers kill others not themselves. I am just so outraged by this woman.
I would like to hope that whomever reads this blog thinks about how a network who wants to desperately be known for its Gay friendly, female empowerment programming could possibly be letting these two women continue to appear on their network. Where is Bravo TV's social conscience? Where are we, as viewers/consumers of Bravo's programming, in demanding some form of social responsibility from Bravo?
It is already too late for this season but do we have to endure another season of watching Kim slowly kill herself? Do we really have to be subjected to Taylor and her lies next season? Please think about how you feel about Kim and Taylor and make your thoughts known and heard at Bravo TV.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
On Being Single
One of the funniest things I have noticed is just how concerned people get when they learn you are single. People always frown when they hear I am single. I smile and wait for their, "I have a friend/co-worker" speech. It is always the same. From the young to the very old, its a pity party, table of one type of deal. I am almost sick and tired of having to defend my right to be single and still be happy.
Living alone is a wonderful thing. I am completely at peace when I walk through the door of my apartment. Guess what? Its still just as I left it. Clean. I am not tripping over someones shoes nor am I walking into a person who is either happy or full of drama. Its just little old goofy me and my fish, Shithead. Its peaceful in my home. Usually there is the sound of only the radio going, NPR (National Public Radio), of course. I walk to the bedroom kick off my shoes, hang up my coat and sit down on the bed. I normally slip into my favorite Old Navy sweats and throw on my 4X hoodie and relax.
I enjoy the solitude. I have forgotten what its like to live with another person. Sometimes, I even think I may never want to. Besides who said if your in love you should live under the same roof? Maybe I am one of those people who do better living alone? Who knows?. But right now I love it.
Since I have lived alone these last 10 plus years, I have discovered many things about myself I don't believe I would have otherwise had the opportunity to discover. For instance, I am a bed swimmer. I am all over my bed when I sleep now. That never happened when I shared it with someone. I would fall asleep and usually wake in the same position. Now, I am all over that bad boy. By the way, I invested heavily in my bed about 5 years ago. Its an all natural fiber, double stuffed pillow top, queen sized mattress. I am so glad I spent the $$$ on it. We have a very unique and loving relationship, my mattress and I. I tend not to skimp on the sheets I use nor the pillows I have. My sheets are an investment in my eyes. Like Oprah, I love a high thread count. I prefer the 1500 thread count, Egyptian cotton sets. Like butter! My pillows are just as important. I have 6 of the bad boys. I love to snuggle down, read from my tablet and relax. There are days I do not get out of bed. Who would know? I am single and get to indulge like that. Comfort and choices are all mine. I call the shots now. There isn't someone else to consider. I like that.
Lets face it, I was raised by an abusive mother, am divorced from my abusive ex-husband and I kinda suck at relationships. Just the other day, while sitting in my sun room, I noticed I felt safe. I mean really safe and secure. I couldn't remember the last time I felt that way. I smiled to myself because I had created this feeling. Its my space and no body else's. I reveled in feeling safe. I don't know if anyone else can relate to the joyousness of feeling safe, but after my childhood and early adulthood, its a blessing of the major kind.
From time to time to time I miss the human contact. I have one person in my life who has made it her life's work to make me physically feel another person's touch. My therapist Kathy. At the end of every session, she gets up and hugs me. Sometimes its the only human contact I have, both verbal and physical. I don't get sad about it anymore. I have come to embrace my singularity. Again, its a safe-feeling thing.
I wonder sometimes what its like to be involved in a family or relationship that is full and busy. I don't think I have ever had a relationship but rather just a series of "user-ships". Its started with my mother, who used us kids to trap her husbands, all three of them-poor bastards, to all of my boyfriends and partners. They get what they wanted from me and when there was nothing left, they leave. I see that pattern now and have moved forward to ensure that my needs and wants are being heeded and taken care of. I come first now. Am I a little selfish? I don't think so. I just make sure the other person is, at the very least, attempting to me in the emotional center.
With a certain level of healing from hurts of the past, comes a large sense of peace. I continue to heal and grow as a man. Ever so gently lightening the load of emotional baggage we all eventually accumulate. I would like to think I am a much better candidate to find someone to love who loves me back.
I forget where I heard it, but the saying goes like this, "I don't need a savior but rather a champion". I don't need someone to pay the bills, entertain me, or be the sexual partner of mythic lore. I would love to find a man who is ready, willing and able to share of himself with me. A guy to walk through life with.
Could being single so long have lead me to be more evolved in the relationship arena? I really think so. As easy as it would be to throw all the blame on my exes, I don't. I was never really a good partner to them any more than they were to me. We just hurt each other in different ways. I was damaged. I had a lot of hurt and insecurity inside. That translated to being the equivalent of a black hole of emotional need! No man, friend or parental role model could ever be, do or reassure me enough. This type of pressure on a partner, boyfriend can kill a relationship quicker than anything. So while its easy to look back and point the finger, I have found it better to just turn inward and really do some soul searching and some very long over due healing.
The healing has been slow and at time, very painful. I have dated a few times in the last 5 years, unsuccessfully I might add. The funny thing is that I always learn something more about myself through these failed attempts at partnering. So are they really failed attempts or just really good practice runs for "the one"? I think they are excellent opportunities to try out and refine how I have grown. At the very least, I am not making the same mistakes, so its still progress.
I guess you could say that I am okay with being single. I am contented. All of my personality quirks don't cause much drama. I clean once and it stays clean. There is a very real and palpable feeling of tranquility in my home. I am in a good place in my life. I no longer subscribe to the thought of having to have a partner in my life. Its really okay to be single. There is someone out there for me. I will keep growing, healing and learning about myself. Whats the worst thing that can happen? That I would be ready for Mr. Right?
Those are my thoughts on being single. Being single is not a dreaded form of social calamity, but rather a choice. I could still be with a couple of my exes. I chose to grow and discover me. So cut the next single person you see some slack. Don't assume they are miserable because they are single. They very well could be single and loving it.
Living alone is a wonderful thing. I am completely at peace when I walk through the door of my apartment. Guess what? Its still just as I left it. Clean. I am not tripping over someones shoes nor am I walking into a person who is either happy or full of drama. Its just little old goofy me and my fish, Shithead. Its peaceful in my home. Usually there is the sound of only the radio going, NPR (National Public Radio), of course. I walk to the bedroom kick off my shoes, hang up my coat and sit down on the bed. I normally slip into my favorite Old Navy sweats and throw on my 4X hoodie and relax.
I enjoy the solitude. I have forgotten what its like to live with another person. Sometimes, I even think I may never want to. Besides who said if your in love you should live under the same roof? Maybe I am one of those people who do better living alone? Who knows?. But right now I love it.
Since I have lived alone these last 10 plus years, I have discovered many things about myself I don't believe I would have otherwise had the opportunity to discover. For instance, I am a bed swimmer. I am all over my bed when I sleep now. That never happened when I shared it with someone. I would fall asleep and usually wake in the same position. Now, I am all over that bad boy. By the way, I invested heavily in my bed about 5 years ago. Its an all natural fiber, double stuffed pillow top, queen sized mattress. I am so glad I spent the $$$ on it. We have a very unique and loving relationship, my mattress and I. I tend not to skimp on the sheets I use nor the pillows I have. My sheets are an investment in my eyes. Like Oprah, I love a high thread count. I prefer the 1500 thread count, Egyptian cotton sets. Like butter! My pillows are just as important. I have 6 of the bad boys. I love to snuggle down, read from my tablet and relax. There are days I do not get out of bed. Who would know? I am single and get to indulge like that. Comfort and choices are all mine. I call the shots now. There isn't someone else to consider. I like that.
Lets face it, I was raised by an abusive mother, am divorced from my abusive ex-husband and I kinda suck at relationships. Just the other day, while sitting in my sun room, I noticed I felt safe. I mean really safe and secure. I couldn't remember the last time I felt that way. I smiled to myself because I had created this feeling. Its my space and no body else's. I reveled in feeling safe. I don't know if anyone else can relate to the joyousness of feeling safe, but after my childhood and early adulthood, its a blessing of the major kind.
From time to time to time I miss the human contact. I have one person in my life who has made it her life's work to make me physically feel another person's touch. My therapist Kathy. At the end of every session, she gets up and hugs me. Sometimes its the only human contact I have, both verbal and physical. I don't get sad about it anymore. I have come to embrace my singularity. Again, its a safe-feeling thing.
I wonder sometimes what its like to be involved in a family or relationship that is full and busy. I don't think I have ever had a relationship but rather just a series of "user-ships". Its started with my mother, who used us kids to trap her husbands, all three of them-poor bastards, to all of my boyfriends and partners. They get what they wanted from me and when there was nothing left, they leave. I see that pattern now and have moved forward to ensure that my needs and wants are being heeded and taken care of. I come first now. Am I a little selfish? I don't think so. I just make sure the other person is, at the very least, attempting to me in the emotional center.
With a certain level of healing from hurts of the past, comes a large sense of peace. I continue to heal and grow as a man. Ever so gently lightening the load of emotional baggage we all eventually accumulate. I would like to think I am a much better candidate to find someone to love who loves me back.
I forget where I heard it, but the saying goes like this, "I don't need a savior but rather a champion". I don't need someone to pay the bills, entertain me, or be the sexual partner of mythic lore. I would love to find a man who is ready, willing and able to share of himself with me. A guy to walk through life with.
Could being single so long have lead me to be more evolved in the relationship arena? I really think so. As easy as it would be to throw all the blame on my exes, I don't. I was never really a good partner to them any more than they were to me. We just hurt each other in different ways. I was damaged. I had a lot of hurt and insecurity inside. That translated to being the equivalent of a black hole of emotional need! No man, friend or parental role model could ever be, do or reassure me enough. This type of pressure on a partner, boyfriend can kill a relationship quicker than anything. So while its easy to look back and point the finger, I have found it better to just turn inward and really do some soul searching and some very long over due healing.
The healing has been slow and at time, very painful. I have dated a few times in the last 5 years, unsuccessfully I might add. The funny thing is that I always learn something more about myself through these failed attempts at partnering. So are they really failed attempts or just really good practice runs for "the one"? I think they are excellent opportunities to try out and refine how I have grown. At the very least, I am not making the same mistakes, so its still progress.
I guess you could say that I am okay with being single. I am contented. All of my personality quirks don't cause much drama. I clean once and it stays clean. There is a very real and palpable feeling of tranquility in my home. I am in a good place in my life. I no longer subscribe to the thought of having to have a partner in my life. Its really okay to be single. There is someone out there for me. I will keep growing, healing and learning about myself. Whats the worst thing that can happen? That I would be ready for Mr. Right?
Those are my thoughts on being single. Being single is not a dreaded form of social calamity, but rather a choice. I could still be with a couple of my exes. I chose to grow and discover me. So cut the next single person you see some slack. Don't assume they are miserable because they are single. They very well could be single and loving it.
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Guns & The Mentally Ill
I have been sitting on this post for a while now. In light of the recent slew of shootings I felt it was best to not jump on the band wagon and produce a rant blog. Today, in my email, I received from Second Chance Campaign Organization a request that I look into how easily it is for the mentally ill to get a gun. I hit the roof.
Historically, it has been widely believed those people with a mental disorder were more likely to be violent. People tend to think those with a mental disorder are more inclined to act on impulses and thoughts and thus commit acts of violence. This simply is not true.
I could quote some cliche' that guns don't kill people, people kill people, but rather why don't we agree that both do and in doing so take a look at the root causes of most violent crimes. The lack of access to health care and the affordability of it. Not everyone person who commits a violent crime or goes on a killing spree is mentally ill, yet it has become ever so popular for criminals to claim they have some disorder which made them commit the crime. Think of Jerry Sandusky.
I believe its the lack of access and affordability to health care that is too blame. Study after study shows that abuse of illegal drugs and alcohol lead to violence. Study after study shows those with a mental disorder are no more violent than their "normal" counter parts if substance abuse is not involved. I come to the conclusion then if we had better access to health care, i.e. mental health and substance abuse treatment, crimes rates would go down dramatically. Its common sense.
Most people who suffer from some form of serious mental illness will admit to "self medicating" with drugs or alcohol before seeking and/or receiving treatment. On the flip side most addicts/alcoholics will admits to have underlying psychological issues before abusing. Its a circle.
In my experience in and out of the system both as a patient and advocate I have found those who suffer from either a mental disorder or addiction and receive proper care are less likely to every commit acts of violence. This is exactly why better access and affordability are crucial if we are to stop acts of violence such as Aurora, Co, Columbine and VA Tech.
Last year two thirds of the nations states cut funding to mental health/substance abuse programs. If we continue to do this our chances of catching a gunman, as in Aurora will decline. Many states are transferring what funding is left to local agencies in the form of block grants and they are being combined with other programs. As a result when these social service agencies are forced to compete with other local needs mental health/substance abuse treatment often suffers. The result is society suffers as well as those who have mental disorder/substance addictions.
Having a mental disorder is more common that one might think. It is estimated that one in four people have an untreated mental disorder. It is also estimated that one in three people abuse illegal drugs and/or alcohol. The consequences of not treating these illnesses is staggering. More than 1/3 of the homeless population have untreated mental disorders and are more likely to commit suicide. Almost 16% of the populations in jails in the US are comprised of those who have untreated mental/substance abuse issues.
The statistics are a direct and unmistakable reflection on the public's failure to provide adequate and affordable treatment for mental disorders and/or substance abuse/addiction. The key here is the word "untreated". With successful treatment, those who have a mental disorder and/or an addiction can go on to lead fulfilling lives, and make positive contributions to society. The stigma of those who have a mental illness alone are violent has been around far to long. Its just not that simple.
Its because of this stigma surrounding mental illness and addiction that keep many away from even seeking treatment. Mental illness and addiction are very real diseases and can be effectively treated, just like diabetes. However, when treatment is not received we see the horrific consequences as happened in Colorado. Many warning signs were ignored and a tragedy happened.
This issue goes way beyond the recurring boxing cycle that plagues our country, and any solution requires a multi-pronged approach to both the shooter, the gun and underlying conditions.
One of the most obvious ways to reduce these types of tragedies is to provide accessible and affordable health care for the mentally ill/addicts.
The difference might be seen between the end result of James Holmes and former President Theodore Roosevelt. Both had bipolar disorder.
We shouldn't have to be rich to be able to afford and have access to good, quality health care. We need to strip away the stigma's associated with both mental illness and substance abuse/addiction. They are illnesses and when treated correctly the outcome could be very different for our society. After all, this is America, when did we stop being a shining example to the world?
Historically, it has been widely believed those people with a mental disorder were more likely to be violent. People tend to think those with a mental disorder are more inclined to act on impulses and thoughts and thus commit acts of violence. This simply is not true.
I could quote some cliche' that guns don't kill people, people kill people, but rather why don't we agree that both do and in doing so take a look at the root causes of most violent crimes. The lack of access to health care and the affordability of it. Not everyone person who commits a violent crime or goes on a killing spree is mentally ill, yet it has become ever so popular for criminals to claim they have some disorder which made them commit the crime. Think of Jerry Sandusky.
I believe its the lack of access and affordability to health care that is too blame. Study after study shows that abuse of illegal drugs and alcohol lead to violence. Study after study shows those with a mental disorder are no more violent than their "normal" counter parts if substance abuse is not involved. I come to the conclusion then if we had better access to health care, i.e. mental health and substance abuse treatment, crimes rates would go down dramatically. Its common sense.
Most people who suffer from some form of serious mental illness will admit to "self medicating" with drugs or alcohol before seeking and/or receiving treatment. On the flip side most addicts/alcoholics will admits to have underlying psychological issues before abusing. Its a circle.
In my experience in and out of the system both as a patient and advocate I have found those who suffer from either a mental disorder or addiction and receive proper care are less likely to every commit acts of violence. This is exactly why better access and affordability are crucial if we are to stop acts of violence such as Aurora, Co, Columbine and VA Tech.
Last year two thirds of the nations states cut funding to mental health/substance abuse programs. If we continue to do this our chances of catching a gunman, as in Aurora will decline. Many states are transferring what funding is left to local agencies in the form of block grants and they are being combined with other programs. As a result when these social service agencies are forced to compete with other local needs mental health/substance abuse treatment often suffers. The result is society suffers as well as those who have mental disorder/substance addictions.
Having a mental disorder is more common that one might think. It is estimated that one in four people have an untreated mental disorder. It is also estimated that one in three people abuse illegal drugs and/or alcohol. The consequences of not treating these illnesses is staggering. More than 1/3 of the homeless population have untreated mental disorders and are more likely to commit suicide. Almost 16% of the populations in jails in the US are comprised of those who have untreated mental/substance abuse issues.
The statistics are a direct and unmistakable reflection on the public's failure to provide adequate and affordable treatment for mental disorders and/or substance abuse/addiction. The key here is the word "untreated". With successful treatment, those who have a mental disorder and/or an addiction can go on to lead fulfilling lives, and make positive contributions to society. The stigma of those who have a mental illness alone are violent has been around far to long. Its just not that simple.
Its because of this stigma surrounding mental illness and addiction that keep many away from even seeking treatment. Mental illness and addiction are very real diseases and can be effectively treated, just like diabetes. However, when treatment is not received we see the horrific consequences as happened in Colorado. Many warning signs were ignored and a tragedy happened.
This issue goes way beyond the recurring boxing cycle that plagues our country, and any solution requires a multi-pronged approach to both the shooter, the gun and underlying conditions.
One of the most obvious ways to reduce these types of tragedies is to provide accessible and affordable health care for the mentally ill/addicts.
The difference might be seen between the end result of James Holmes and former President Theodore Roosevelt. Both had bipolar disorder.
We shouldn't have to be rich to be able to afford and have access to good, quality health care. We need to strip away the stigma's associated with both mental illness and substance abuse/addiction. They are illnesses and when treated correctly the outcome could be very different for our society. After all, this is America, when did we stop being a shining example to the world?
Thursday, June 7, 2012
When Your A Jet....The New Gangs Of Twitter
One could make a very real argument that I am addicted to Twitter. I love the short, funny interactions with others, most of whom I do not know. I love to see whats on other people's minds. While 99% of my interactions on Twitter are funny, sarcastic and easy I have seen the darker side to Twitter. The darker side are those that use the anonymous nature of this medium to be bullies and well....to just be cruel.
I have over 500 followers. Most of whom I don't interact with every day. There is what I would call my core group. We greet each other and have in many ways gotten to know each other through twitter. I adore my core group. They are an eclectic bunch. They really make me laugh and are sweet.
Recently, I have noticed how some folks like to form a cabal or gang. While tweeting the other day, I received a DM (Private Direct Message) from a follower informing me of some transgression that another of my followers did to her. I replied as I always do. "Oh, really? That person has always been a sweet heart to me, sorry you are going thru that." I never pay much attention to issues that people have between each other. As long as you are friendly to me, I will be friendly to you. These are, after all, not really real relationships. That day I continued to tweet away. Another DM came in. I looked and it was actually 4 DM's. From the original girl and 3 more from others who were now embroiled in some scandal.
The very last DM I opened made my mouth drop open. "If you continue to follow this guy, we will unfollow you!" Holy bat balls, what? I thought. Am I in High School, no Grammer School? I thought about how to handle it and decided to not respond at all. Just as promised I lost 6 people that day and 4 more the next. I guessed I was shown who was boss. I actually laughed if my memory serves me.
I used this as a very tame example of what really happens on Twitter. For starters not many people use their full legal names. I use mine. While my call tag is Mintedroyalty, my name follows right after, Lucien Simpson. I have noticed that people create sub email accounts and come up with cute names for twitter. I don't understand why? Are they afraid that what they say can and will be used against them in real life? Guessing by what I have seen flash by, I would think I am on to something.
The gangs or cabal's that roam Twitter are many. They bully, harass, threaten and intimidate many. I have seen families threatened in real life. If there is peer pressure in real life, then on Twitter its 10 fold. The pressure to come up with funny, interesting tweets constantly is hard. Trying to please everyone, all the time is overwhelming. Many cannot cope with it. I am sure we will see some "condition or illness" be "discovered" by the Psychiatric Association soon as a result of this type of behaviors.
What I have found is that I am not a group person. I have never liked to sit in a circle with others. I have never craved acceptance from the majority. Maybe, just maybe, being gay and Jewish has allowed me to remain above the fray on Twitter. Maybe its the fact that I have my head up my ass most of the time and never even know when a scandal hits. I find I am always asking why? What happened? Lately, I have even stopped asking.
I love Twitter because of the immediacy of it. When news happens it hits Twitter before anywhere else. During the whole Occupy Wall Street Movement, I was in a Tweet chain. Someone would tweet from the scene and then all of us who had signed up retweeted the original tweet to all of our followers and so on. Like the old Breck commercials. It was dynamic and from the comfort of my own home I felt I was part of the movement and actually helping it. Knowledge is power.
The gangs of Twitter use the peer pressure, the immediacy, and the anonymity of Twitter to behave badly and bully many. I have watched as those who may or may not have deserved to be corrected or addressed end up actually fighting for their sanity. I have heard many stories about people who have actually thought or tried suicide because of what happens on Twitter.
Once this poor woman left Twitter, they decided to start on me. I don't put up with bullying of any kind. I just blocked them as they popped off and moved one. For me, you loose one follower and gain two more. This whole situation just made it very clear to me to be very careful to not think anyone on Twitter is a "friend". Friends are for real life.
Has anyone ever asked you to "unfollow" someone? If so, did you? Have others on Twitter told you stories about other users? Did you listen? Did you participate in alienating someone who had not wronged you? Have you asked others to "unfollow" someone? If you answered yes to any of these questions chances are you part of a Twitter gang. You might not have even realized that you were.
My best advice for the use of Twitter? Keep it light, funny and never mistake your followers for friends. Of course you can always find a friend, I have. I have met a couple of people that I actually talk on the phone with. They are great new social additions to my life but nothing more. We share a common sense of humor or a love of a TV program. These people will not hold my hand when I break up with a boyfriend, but rather we can laugh about a current episode of a TV program.
Do me a favor? Next time your on Twitter, just watch, listen. See if you can spot a gang of people harassing a person. If you do, offer the victim some kind words of encouragement. Most of all be your own person. Don't let others dictate who you interact with. Stand up and say no more to the random bullying and gang like mentality that seems to rear its ugly head on Twitter.
I have over 500 followers. Most of whom I don't interact with every day. There is what I would call my core group. We greet each other and have in many ways gotten to know each other through twitter. I adore my core group. They are an eclectic bunch. They really make me laugh and are sweet.
Recently, I have noticed how some folks like to form a cabal or gang. While tweeting the other day, I received a DM (Private Direct Message) from a follower informing me of some transgression that another of my followers did to her. I replied as I always do. "Oh, really? That person has always been a sweet heart to me, sorry you are going thru that." I never pay much attention to issues that people have between each other. As long as you are friendly to me, I will be friendly to you. These are, after all, not really real relationships. That day I continued to tweet away. Another DM came in. I looked and it was actually 4 DM's. From the original girl and 3 more from others who were now embroiled in some scandal.
The very last DM I opened made my mouth drop open. "If you continue to follow this guy, we will unfollow you!" Holy bat balls, what? I thought. Am I in High School, no Grammer School? I thought about how to handle it and decided to not respond at all. Just as promised I lost 6 people that day and 4 more the next. I guessed I was shown who was boss. I actually laughed if my memory serves me.
I used this as a very tame example of what really happens on Twitter. For starters not many people use their full legal names. I use mine. While my call tag is Mintedroyalty, my name follows right after, Lucien Simpson. I have noticed that people create sub email accounts and come up with cute names for twitter. I don't understand why? Are they afraid that what they say can and will be used against them in real life? Guessing by what I have seen flash by, I would think I am on to something.
The gangs or cabal's that roam Twitter are many. They bully, harass, threaten and intimidate many. I have seen families threatened in real life. If there is peer pressure in real life, then on Twitter its 10 fold. The pressure to come up with funny, interesting tweets constantly is hard. Trying to please everyone, all the time is overwhelming. Many cannot cope with it. I am sure we will see some "condition or illness" be "discovered" by the Psychiatric Association soon as a result of this type of behaviors.
What I have found is that I am not a group person. I have never liked to sit in a circle with others. I have never craved acceptance from the majority. Maybe, just maybe, being gay and Jewish has allowed me to remain above the fray on Twitter. Maybe its the fact that I have my head up my ass most of the time and never even know when a scandal hits. I find I am always asking why? What happened? Lately, I have even stopped asking.
I love Twitter because of the immediacy of it. When news happens it hits Twitter before anywhere else. During the whole Occupy Wall Street Movement, I was in a Tweet chain. Someone would tweet from the scene and then all of us who had signed up retweeted the original tweet to all of our followers and so on. Like the old Breck commercials. It was dynamic and from the comfort of my own home I felt I was part of the movement and actually helping it. Knowledge is power.
The gangs of Twitter use the peer pressure, the immediacy, and the anonymity of Twitter to behave badly and bully many. I have watched as those who may or may not have deserved to be corrected or addressed end up actually fighting for their sanity. I have heard many stories about people who have actually thought or tried suicide because of what happens on Twitter.
Once this poor woman left Twitter, they decided to start on me. I don't put up with bullying of any kind. I just blocked them as they popped off and moved one. For me, you loose one follower and gain two more. This whole situation just made it very clear to me to be very careful to not think anyone on Twitter is a "friend". Friends are for real life.
Has anyone ever asked you to "unfollow" someone? If so, did you? Have others on Twitter told you stories about other users? Did you listen? Did you participate in alienating someone who had not wronged you? Have you asked others to "unfollow" someone? If you answered yes to any of these questions chances are you part of a Twitter gang. You might not have even realized that you were.
My best advice for the use of Twitter? Keep it light, funny and never mistake your followers for friends. Of course you can always find a friend, I have. I have met a couple of people that I actually talk on the phone with. They are great new social additions to my life but nothing more. We share a common sense of humor or a love of a TV program. These people will not hold my hand when I break up with a boyfriend, but rather we can laugh about a current episode of a TV program.
Do me a favor? Next time your on Twitter, just watch, listen. See if you can spot a gang of people harassing a person. If you do, offer the victim some kind words of encouragement. Most of all be your own person. Don't let others dictate who you interact with. Stand up and say no more to the random bullying and gang like mentality that seems to rear its ugly head on Twitter.
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