Kathleen's Korner at TheStidhams.com

I wrote another silly poem and posted it at blogspot for those who would like the sentiments behind this post.

2006 was, politically, economically, internationally — disastrous for my country in many ways. I am not going to discuss those things here… they are all over the news services. For a different — and very harsh — perspective, check the news from countries that are traditionally allies of the United States.
2006 was, personally and professionally — a real growth period for me.

I am learning to manage my anxiety and panic attacks without medication most days. I am dealing with increased migraines but have medicine that seems to work when I can take it. I am still struggling with other health issues but most days can manage to meet obligations and have some energy left over for me.

I discovered a “social” outlet that didn’t require daily human contact but has led to meeting new people. I also began to volunteer at the children’s school — not in their classrooms, but it’s a step. I am very pleased that I am well enough to do this.

I am starting to be able to back off when the adolescents in the family need it, to stand my ground when they need it, and to tell the difference more than half the time. This has led to decreased stress and increased compliance with requests.

I sold something I made to someone who was not family or very close friend.

And this past week — I cleaned out the office enough to sit at my computer desk when I want! And got the livingroom, entry and part of the dining room rearranged (with help from my three muscular assistants). Small steps, but they feel good.

May your new year bring you many small steps and many big joys.

So a couple of college kids who made fools of themselves by behaving like insensitive twits on camera (in a documentary-style feature film, no less) now complain that they were set up and would never have behaved like that if they had known they would be seen in the United States.

Well, here’s a piece of advice from my great-grandmother:  if you always mind your manners, you need never be embarassed.

Nor, I might add, need your parents be embarrassed…

Coming  on the heels of this year’s election debacles, I can’t help but feel that these young people are merely demonstrating the lessons they have learned from their elders — how can youth learn how to treat others with respect and kindness when all around their role models are perfect examples of how not to behave?

*sigh*  I find that simple lessons on what used to be called social graces work for helping my children understand the difference between comedy and put-downs…  but you have to start young, and you must model the behavior and language you want them to acquire.  Though I have found my children’s friends can modify their normal words and actions when in my presence, when I observe them in other places they have reverted, and taken my own children with them.

Our children do not live in a vacuum…  and they do learn from others.  I hope that the lessons from home will eventually turn out to be stronger than the influence of ill-mannered, vulgar, self-centered hooligans.

The news today is all about voting — elections, how they are run, how balloting methods are changing, who has cast ballots — who tried but was turned away and why.

Tom and I voted a couple weeks ago by absentee ballot, so as to avoid feeling an emotional response to late-released ads and lies.  We have been turning off the radio and television the last few months as much as possible as campaign commercials became more and more negative.
We studied the voters’ pamphlets, we read the newspapers’ opinion pages, we discussed the issues on the ballots (and some of the candidates) and then we sat down one night and marked our ballots.  We are reasonably certain our votes will be counted, and that they will count.

But I have concerns about people who vote at the polls using computerized ballotting machines…   no paper trail, no way to go back one last time and check your marks before you fold the ballot and turn it in.  No way to challenge the results that come out of the machines!
In many states now, when you show up at the polling place, you must show picture ID or in at least one state (South Carolina) you must have your official voter registration card.  No matter if you are the governor with lots of picture ID — without that official card you may not vote.

So for people who are less organized (as the South Carolina governor apparently is), or those who are less literate but still capable of casting an informed vote…   there are some very real risks of disenfranchisement.  Similar requirements were not placed on people who voted absentee — at least not in our state.

It feels to me like some of the old “Jim Crow” laws:  if you cannot read at a certain level, you may not vote.  Or if you cannot pay the poll tax you may not vote.  Or if you don’t speak English as well as the precinct workers…  or…  Sure, some people who obviously ought to be allowed to vote will be denied that right, but isn’t it better than allowing just anyone to vote?  [That last sentence, by the way, was meant as sarcasm.]
The ranting by conservatives about unregistered voters and non-citizen voters seems to have overshadowed the real problems in the last two presidential elections… many people who are eligible to vote may be turned away at the polls this year.  What ever happened to allowing all citizens the right to vote?  It will be interesting in the next major election to see if anyone is denied the right to vote for president based on a lack of permanent fixed address…  people are being disenfranchised slowly, one small group at a time.