OT thread America

[Monster]

Arizona votes to ban the teaching of critical race theory. Thank God and this certainly isn't surprising. You know what is surprising? It passed by the narrowest of margins. 16-14 in the state senate, and 31-29 in the house. What the hell is the matter with these people? The mental disorder that is liberalism is apparently more contagious than the Delta variant. I'm simply amazed that the vote would be that close.

Have you studied Critical Race Theory?

I know enough about it to know further study would be a waste of time. I suppose you advocate it?

So how would you sum up what you learned?

[Coolbreeze44]

Arizona votes to ban the teaching of critical race theory. Thank God and this certainly isn't surprising. You know what is surprising? It passed by the narrowest of margins. 16-14 in the state senate, and 31-29 in the house. What the hell is the matter with these people? The mental disorder that is liberalism is apparently more contagious than the Delta variant. I'm simply amazed that the vote would be that close.

Have you studied Critical Race Theory?

I know enough about it to know further study would be a waste of time. I suppose you advocate it?

So how would you sum up what you learned?

That this world has way too many cats.

[Monster]

Arizona votes to ban the teaching of critical race theory. Thank God and this certainly isn't surprising. You know what is surprising? It passed by the narrowest of margins. 16-14 in the state senate, and 31-29 in the house. What the hell is the matter with these people? The mental disorder that is liberalism is apparently more contagious than the Delta variant. I'm simply amazed that the vote would be that close.

Have you studied Critical Race Theory?

I know enough about it to know further study would be a waste of time. I suppose you advocate it?

So how would you sum up what you learned?

That this world has way too many cats.

You came here to say how terrible Critical Race Theory is and people are stupid for supporting it and you aren't even willing to explain why? Instead you made some snarky comment about cats which is clearly an attack on me. I never said anything negative to you I only asked you some questions. I'll pass on engaging you on any of these topics as you do not seem to have any interest in having a conversation about them.

[Coolbreeze44]

Arizona votes to ban the teaching of critical race theory. Thank God and this certainly isn't surprising. You know what is surprising? It passed by the narrowest of margins. 16-14 in the state senate, and 31-29 in the house. What the hell is the matter with these people? The mental disorder that is liberalism is apparently more contagious than the Delta variant. I'm simply amazed that the vote would be that close.

Have you studied Critical Race Theory?

I know enough about it to know further study would be a waste of time. I suppose you advocate it?

So how would you sum up what you learned?

That this world has way too many cats.

You came here to say how terrible Critical Race Theory is and people are stupid for supporting it and you aren't even willing to explain why? Instead you made some snarky comment about cats which is clearly an attack on me. I never said anything negative to you I only asked you some questions. I'll pass on engaging you on any of these topics as you do not seem to have any interest in having a conversation about them.

I'll be perfectly honest with you. Obviously you support CRT. I kind of expected someone or multiple people to have that position. But your first question, "Have you studied CRT" came off condescending to me. Like only you and people like you can interpret what it is, and at the same time imply that I don't get it. Through reading dozens of papers on CRT, I have a very good understanding of it. And I don't need to prove my comprehension to you. But I can empathize with you. Hopefully one day you can escape the brainwashing you've been subjected to through the MSM and big tech CRT is nonsense, it's false, it's untrue, and it's revisionist history. I'm guessing the beginning of your indoctrination occurred in school. And then other people you liked or trusted held similar views. Trust me I get it, my sister is a Q supporter, and no matter what I try I can't get her to see the error in her thinking. In much the same way I'm not going to change your mindset, so I have no interest in getting in a back and forth with you. But I do truly hope one day soon you will wake up to what is really happening in this country. And develop an understanding why white liberals are pushing this. It's not for the betterment of black people, I can assure you that.

[Monster]

Arizona votes to ban the teaching of critical race theory. Thank God and this certainly isn't surprising. You know what is surprising? It passed by the narrowest of margins. 16-14 in the state senate, and 31-29 in the house. What the hell is the matter with these people? The mental disorder that is liberalism is apparently more contagious than the Delta variant. I'm simply amazed that the vote would be that close.

Have you studied Critical Race Theory?

I know enough about it to know further study would be a waste of time. I suppose you advocate it?

So how would you sum up what you learned?

That this world has way too many cats.

You came here to say how terrible Critical Race Theory is and people are stupid for supporting it and you aren't even willing to explain why? Instead you made some snarky comment about cats which is clearly an attack on me. I never said anything negative to you I only asked you some questions. I'll pass on engaging you on any of these topics as you do not seem to have any interest in having a conversation about them.

I'll be perfectly honest with you. Obviously you support CRT. I kind of expected someone or multiple people to have that position. But your first question, "Have you studied CRT" came off condescending to me. Like only you and people like you can interpret what it is, and at the same time imply that I don't get it. Through reading dozens of papers on CRT, I have a very good understanding of it. And I don't need to prove my comprehension to you. But I can empathize with you. Hopefully one day you can escape the brainwashing you've been subjected to through the MSM and big tech CRT is nonsense, it's false, it's untrue, and it's revisionist history. I'm guessing the beginning of your indoctrination occurred in school. And then other people you liked or trusted held similar views. Trust me I get it, my sister is a Q supporter, and no matter what I try I can't get her to see the error in her thinking. In much the same way I'm not going to change your mindset, so I have no interest in getting in a back and forth with you. But I do truly hope one day soon you will wake up to what is really happening in this country. And develop an understanding why white liberals are pushing this. It's not for the betterment of black people, I can assure you that.

Cool what frustrated me is that you seemed to have already made up your mind about me. I get how my question could have come off but you could have said that from the start and then mentioned that you have spent quite a bit of time reading about the subject.

I honestly haven't spent enough time learning to take a strong stand on CRT. I respect that you have done some work on learning about it. I'll be honest and say that I think some people that are against it haven't really spent time learning about it so if I'm honest I probably judged you but that's is also exactly why I asked the simple question I did to find out what you knew. It's likely you know more than I do. I can guarantee you that nothing remotely close to CRT was taught to me maybe even in college but for sure not before that.

Having discussions with you in the past I know that you aren't just wanting any talk about race/racial issues to just go away. CRT is one theory of looking at some of these topics. I get that you may not feel like that is the correct lens to look through but would you say another lens might be worthwhile to consider to still address some of the unrest in this country? It feels like it's CRT is an all or nothing thing...to some extent on BOTH sides which is unfortunate because it doesn't end up lending to more discussion and that isn't helping get to where I think either of us want to be.

I think it's fair to say there is some American history that's been glossed over at times. How much do we need to go back and who gets to decide? Idk but I think the first thing that's worth establishing is nobody is going to agree 100% on everything. It doesn't really matter very much who is the greatest player of all time MJ or Lebron and people see it differently. Some will say Wilt is the GOAT. Imagine discussing things that happened before most of us were alive. Can we be open to each other's perspectives? I'm trying more than I ever have. As a former teacher colleague and now someone I consider a friend always says let's keep our mind open but not enough for it to fall out.

[Coolbreeze44]

Sorry Monster, I'm not in a good place right now with what's going on. I don't see the country I grew up in anymore. It's wearing on me and I believe some really evil people have way too much power. A lot of our institutions are going away, and I feel helpless to do anything about it. I worry about my daughters and grandchildren and what they will have to go through in the future. We need a leader to emerge who can reunite the country instead of working to divide us. Frustration is mounting.

[Monster]

Sorry Monster, I'm not in a good place right now with what's going on. I don't see the country I grew up in anymore. It's wearing on me and I believe some really evil people have way too much power. A lot of our institutions are going away, and I feel helpless to do anything about it. I worry about my daughters and grandchildren and what they will have to go through in the future. We need a leader to emerge who can reunite the country instead of working to divide us. Frustration is mounting.

Thanks for sharing how you feel Cool. I feel a similar frustration. I think it's going to be difficult for a leader especially a political one to actually step up and reunite the nation. To some extent each of us has some power to do that. I find at times I end up letting go of my own power to attempt to make change because I feel it won't matter or maybe greater forces at work (you expressed this as evil people) might keep anything worthwhile from happening. Sometimes I just don't have the energy. My current job stresses me out a lot more than I'm used to as well. We still have some small amount of influence in our lives to make positive changes.

Below is a quote that I got from a training I attended at work via zoom a few months ago.

"Human conversation is the most ancient and easiest way to cultivate the conditions for change-personal change, community and organizational change, planetary change. If we can sit together and talk about what's important to us we become alive."

-Margaret Wheatley

The training was about social isolation and how finding ways to have community is important and even significantly important to living longer and more fulfilling life. This forum we are posting on is here because there is a sense of community from the posters. For me personally I'd like to see more sense of community in many areas of my life. I need to be somewhat of a catalyst because to be honest I'm part of the problem in a few different ways. The more I think about it the more I think finding ways to increase community is at least part of the answer of reuniting the country and making it stronger. There is usually a few things that bring people together. In some ways I think we have more social isolation than we did before in addition to the pandemic.

Speaking of community there is a somewhat fun documentary called "The Pistol Shrimps" that lays out quirky story of a somewhat unexpected community of rec league basketball players. I watched it earlier this week and it made me want to do something with people including sports. I need to sign up for a marathon or half marathon...I would be more motivated to do so if I could run more than a half of a block. Lol this last week I've been getting some more consistent exercise and tonight after getting out and getting a lengthy cardio session it felt really good.

[bleedspeed]

I just saw an argument made for cameras in the classroom of public schools. It seems reasonable to me.

Thoughts?

[Monster]

I just saw an argument made for cameras in the classroom of public schools. It seems reasonable to me.

Thoughts?

I'm conflicted on cameras especially when it comes to minors. One issue I see is people that have cameras on them at all times does that have some sort of negative effect? How much of one? Does it offset the possible good it does? Part of my job is considering restrictions or intrusions on people's lives that most of the rest of us do not have. Have we tried everything else? When do we review and consider lifting these considerations?

Ultimately cameras in classrooms or other areas I personally see the likely benefits in it. I think that it should also be carefully considered and also revisited periodically to try and see the effects of it.

I also think cameras being there can have an adverse effect on people that staff the area that the cameras are in. The camera is there so maybe you let the camera do some of the work you should be doing. Maybe it has some adverse effect as you are being watched too. I'm focusing on the negatives here like I said because I think there should be some careful consideration done in implementing this if they do so. I wonder how some of this video gained in this way would be able to be used legally. Does everyone have to sign a form allowing them to be filmed?

[bleedspeed]

It is an interesting situation. COVID certainly brought some attention from parents to classrooms by being able to witness some of what is going on and it raised concerns about the amount of focus spent on education vs indoctrination. It was certainly a concern in my district. The teachers union is a very powerful union and is a huge spender on lobbyists.

Education is ripe for a complete overhaul, but think it will be very hard to change due to resistance from the system to want to change.