Random Mind Dumplings 33

The "I hate him because I didn't vote for him" crowd has looked a lot differently this past year.  I'll give you two guesses as to why...but you'll only need one.  Do we live in a dysfunctional country of sore losers and ungrateful winners?

I'd say so.  I'm old enough to remember the days of when they would hang the pictures of electected officials in government buildings and it wouldn't be controversial.  In the movie Scarface, there is a picture of Jimmy Carter hanging from the US Immigration Office.

Back then, this would not be a controversial thing.  Folks would get elected...then people would move on.  Put a picture of Obama, Trump, or Biden anywhere and people would lose their minds.  Boycotts, Petitions, and Firings...Oh My!

So where do we draw the line?  When will you see that this is a pissing match between two groups that would rather profit off of the deliberate divide instead of fixing the country?  If a member of the Black Panther Party and a Klansman had to work together to save the life of a drowning child, would they?

I will admit, I have never seen a "Let's go Brandon" shirt out there, but I know they exist.  I have never seen a "Fuck Trump" shirt out there, but I know they exist.  I also know the people that are dumb enough to wear them in public in front of children is just as thirsty as their opponents.  

With that being said, I fixed the previous political cartoon.  Either the woman in the carton is raising a complete moron, or the girl in pink pretty much knows what "Let's Go Brandon" means.  Any parent knows that children have a way of remembering shit you wish they'd forget. 

Social medial will never forget the defenders of the men who lynched Arbery and the folks that bent over backwards to justify Floyd's homicide.  These folks may have to explain this if they ever want to obtain an elected position.  If you go on social media stating that Coca-Cola is the best beverage on the face of the planet and then God comes down from heaven drinking an ice cold Pepsi, people will use screenshots of your post in justifying why you shouldn't be allowed in heaven. 

That is basically what will happen when you wear your opinions and passions on your sleeve.  Every natural human being has some inconsistencies and hypocrisies in them.  Just like the Miranda Rights, anything you say on social media can and will be held against you in the court of public opinion when you are proven wrong.  

People that humble themselves and apologize when they are wrong are the only ones I respect.  If you you are silent when you are wrong but can't keep your mouth shut when you are right - this entire Mind Dumpling was for you.  

Critical Re-Write Theory

Let me humble myself in stating that I do not completely know what Critical Race Theory (CRT) is nor have I taken any mandatory classes covering this topic.  My parents made sure that anything they felt I wasn't taught in History class as school was covered at home.  When I left Las Vegas for Atlanta back in 1997, they gave me a book titled Lies My Teacher Told Me which covered a lot of what actually happened in the past, but wasn't allowed to be taught in public schools.  

Be like me, if you don't know what CRT is, admit it.  If you are opposed to something you don't understand, you give yourself away.  You may have ideas of what CRT is, but your speculation of these ideas causes me to question your opposition.  "The first thing they are going to do in that class is call me a racist" which is one speculation I heard from one of my associates at a convention back in September.  If someone called me a goat fucker, I would not be offended because I don't fuck goats.  If I did get offended...a lot of eyebrows would be raised along with the concerns of the anuses of my livestock.  

Take a good look at the angry woman in the following picture:

Back then she was considered normal, not a racist.  She was a member of the majority.  If I was to be overly optimistic and assume she one of those "separate but equal" folks, she definitely had a problem with the integration of schools.  No matter her intentions, she lost and had to endure going to school with people that didn't have her skin tone.  If she was to do that today, she would be considered a racist, not normal.  She would not be a member of the majority.  

Opponents of CRT are most likely the people that don't want to dwell on the fact that America isn't as innocent as its history books claim to be.  Yes...America's shit stinks too.  If you are going to embrace a Country, you must also embrace its flaws and checkered past.  The Trail of Tears needs to be more than just a few paragraphs in a public school textbook.  Did Manifest Destiny only apply to a certain group of American settlers...there were settlers here before this was called America.  Sure, you'll learn that MLK was a great man during Black History Month in public schools, but you won't learn the FBI and CIA's alleged involvement in his assassination. Opponents of CRT don't want you to know they are possibly the modern day version of the angry woman in the picture.  

One of my favorite George Washington lines in the Broadway show Hamilton is "History will prove them wrong."  Defenders of slavery back in the 1860's aren't very popular nowadays.  That's what being on the wrong side of history means.  That's why the Confederate statues and flag are being torn down, seceding from the union was popular then...it is not now.  Opposing integration in Little Rock, AK was popular at the time of the photo...it is not now.

Imagine a future where certain grandkids will walk up to their grandparents and ask them the Who, What, Where, When, & Why of Black History Month:

• "Who was the first Black President and why did you hate him?"  
• "What was it about Black Lives Matter that upset you?"
• "When you said 'All Lives Matter' after someone said 'Black Lives Matter', what did you mean by that?"
• "Where were you during NFL National Anthems before Kaepernick started taking a knee?"
• "Why were you opposed to Critical Race Theory?"

Time will only tell when these questions will be rhetorical.  Today if I was to ask the woman in the picture why she was against black kids and white kids going to school together, would anyone care what her answer was?

Looking Back While Living Forward

    Two years ago about this time, I was looking forward to Spring Training, the start of the 2020 baseball season, and going to a few Braves Games.  During weekdays I would hop on a bus at 5:15 in the morning and ride into the office in Atlanta.  I was even planning a trip to Las Vegas (where I went to high school) in the summer to celebrate my 41st birthday with some old friends.  That all changed March 11, 2020 when the Department Head told us all that we should be prepared to work from home indefinitely.  Things have not been the same since then and I am sure the whole world feels the same way.

    Fortunate would be an understatement in describing how I was able to work from home, stayed employed, and even received a raise during the pandemic.  Sincere guilt would be an understatement in describing how I feel about the overworked hospital staffs and the laid off restaurant workers in this country.  Although I am finally returning back to the office in a few weeks, I am petrified.  The pandemic was actually blessing in disguise to introverts with mild social anxiety disorder.

    Although I have been solidly employed for over 20 years with this company, I constantly worry about my career.  My biggest flaws are shying away from difficult discussions and tasks while taking things personally when criticized by other employees.  They say the first step towards success is out of your comfort zone.  In an effort to "come out of my shell" and change my anti-social ways, I joined a book club sponsored by the company and they highly suggested Living Forward.

    I am not ashamed in admitting that I dread reading books that are non-fiction.  I will go through a James Patterson or Lee Child paperback novel faster than a chain smoker through a pack of menthols.  I started this 10 chapter book over six months ago and I just finished chapter 8 last week.  Although what I have read so far has been insightful and somewhat motivating, I felt weird reading a self-help book written by two wealthy businessmen.  But when you think about it, that is the whole point; wealth does not always mean success.  

    Growing up, I always thought success was completing the "Trifecta" which was doing good in school, getting a good job, and being a good husband/father.  I completed the trifecta but was still miserable and drinking myself to sleep every night just to put the day behind me.  This book has made me realize I needed time organization and self discipline.  So far, the most useful item I have taken from this book is a tool called "Ideal Week."

Example of an Ideal Week

    Time is money.  This is a spreadsheet that helps you budget your time as if it was money.  Just like a budget is plan for money as if you had 100% of it, and Ideal Week is what you would (or should) do with your time while you have it.  In a perfect world, all of my workdays would be very productive with plenty of time left over to bond with my wife and children.  There are not enough hours in the day to complete these tasks, but I can do what I can with what I have.  

    For example: I have budgeted four hours every Sunday for reading books and (surprise!) writing.  Perhaps I'll blog on here more than just two times a year.  

    The plan is to knock out these last two chapters within the next couple of weeks, drop some of my bad habits, and get back into Corporate Mode.  The days of hiding in my house and only socializing through laptop monitors are coming to an end.  Basically, I want to look back at this pandemic lockdown as a time I used for self reflection and improvement...as well as the time the Braves won the World Series!