Enough, Already!

DAILY PROMPT
Ready, Set, Done
10 minutes. You and your keyboard (or smartphone. Or tablet. Or pen and paper). No pauses, no edits, no looking back: it’s free-write time!

I’ve had enough. Our society, the country is off it’s rocker. Case in point, an article published by The National Review, October the 8th, regarding the “Gender sensitivity training of teachers in the Lincoln Public School system.

Training materials came from Gender Spectrum, an organization with the goal of, “Providing education, training and support to help create a gender sensitive and inclusive environment for children of all ages.”

Nebraska took it to the extreme, these training materials encouraged teachers to:

  •  “Don’t use phrases such as ‘boys and girls,’ ‘you guys,’ ‘ladies and gentlemen,’ and similarly gendered expressions to get kids’ attention,”
  • “Create classroom names and then ask all of the ‘purple penguins’ to meet on the rug,” it advises. 
  • Teachers are encouraged to hang signs on their classroom doors insisting that “all genders” are welcome while discontinuing the time-tested practice of lining boys and girls up separately before leaving class.
  • “Always ask yourself … ‘Will this configuration create a gendered space?'” the document says.” 
  • Educators should prominently display photographs of gender-benders in the classroom, the new policy insists, and give students at least four choices when it is imperative that gender be determined (girl, boy, both, or neither).

Are you kidding me? As if our kids approaching puberty aren’t confused enough. According to the Intersex Society of North America (ISNA), between 0.1% and 0.2% of live births are ambiguous enough to become the subject of specialist medical attention. Did you catch that, 0.1% of the population!

Are we simply going to sit back and allow a minority of 0.1% erase the identity of our children and future generations? Because that’s what will happen. Erase male and female roles from our society? We might as well make eunuchs of everyone and have all future children fertilized in test tubes. Ridiculous!

In the guise of political correctness and inclusiveness, we as a society, afraid to speak for fear of being labeled, are allowing the tail to wag the dog. Shame on you Nebraska and shame on all of us who have remained silent up to now.

Enough already. If there is a child or adult with issues, by all means provide assistance. But, leave the rest the hell alone. Our society is screwed up enough.

Read more at

http://www.snopes.com/politics/education/purplepenguins.asp#ecG5jWsEPy2HxFTj.99

My Undoing

100 Word Challenge for Grown Ups # 151

The prompt for this week: …as I rose in the dark…

My eyes fluttered open to an unfamiliar room. The cool touch of silk sheets lay across my naked body. I turned to look at my companion. His hair tousled in sleep with lashes long and dark as his hair, lay facing me.

 My heart skipped. Memories of his touch awakened the desire to touch his lips and trace the smile that had been my undoing.

 As I rose in the dark to dress, I noticed the white line on his ring finger, picked up my purse, and let myself out.

Death Walk

The Kill Zone
Reader Friday: Short Short Fiction
Posted: 26 Sep 2014 12:00 AM PDT

Using the above picture as a prompt, write a story in 100 words or less.

John rolled his head to the side without taking his eyes off his target. He wanted to yank the goddamn tie from his neck. It was choking him to death, but he didn’t dare. Sweat rolled down his back. He kept walking. Breathing was harder, suffocating. He pulled at the overcoat. He felt like he was buried alive. Ignoring the angry woman rushing past he glanced at the crosswalk, the changing light. He watched with horror as the man stepped from the curb and disappeared. He fell to his knees as her cries, “Daddy,” ripped through his soul.

Make Your Life Spectacular

Robin Williams

Robin Williams (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I like everyone else have been stunned by the untimely passing of Robin Williams. I am not surprised by the outpouring of love from across the globe for this man. We as a people and a nation are hungry for laughter and joy in our lives, and Mr. Williams gave it to us in spades. He uplifted our souls with laughter each and every time he stepped out into the public arena wiping away our worries and fatigue, if only for a brief interlude. And we loved him.

There is a reason the masks of comedy and tragedy are shown together. Humor often hides deep wounds. He brought us much joy, laughter, and comic relief after a many stressful and trying day. He not only uplifted our spirits but encouraged us, moved us with the passion of his words and performances and inspired us.

Comedy and tragedy masks

That we were unable to return the favor and provide a measure of the same rest for his soul, is a tragedy. Perhaps, his legacy to us all will be that we will learn to be more sensitive to others, to listen more carefully, to reach out to help someone in need long before it is too late, and to live extraordinary lives full of joy. Thank you Robin Williams for a life time of laughter and inspiration. 

“Please don’t worry so much. Because in the end, none of us have very long on this Earth. Life is fleeting. And if you’re ever distressed, cast your eyes to the summer sky when the stars are strung across the velvety night. And when a shooting star streaks through the blackness, turning night into day… make a wish and think of me. Make your life spectacular. I know I did.” 

Valedictorian, Jack Charles Powell (AKA Robin Williams in “Jack”)