nobody wants to touch it

I don't pretend to know what it is like to get bullied for my gender or race, especially in my hometown.  I don't wish that on anyone.

I kinda do.  In my town and especially at my work.  Being a straight white overweight balding conservative-leaning male really became a disadvantage for me while working a 26-year career in UCSC administration. Many promotions passed me by, often going to someone with far less experience and education (not to mention charm and good looks).  I live in Santa Cruz where things have become upside down IMO. I stayed because once I got vested I felt I had to.  To ensure a liveable retirement. I retired last year. 

How did I or DO I respond? By ignoring it as much as possible, occasionally venting with my friends, fishing as much as possible, and coming here to NCKA. A wise man once told me something I did not understand at the time, but I've internalized it to some extent since then.

"What you think of me is YOUR business."

 I love you guys and gals.

Bushy

What do I tell my kids about possible encounters with these bigots?  Run?  Stand up to bullies and face the consequences? 

How have you taught them to deal with bullies in the past?  Go with that.

I hear a lot of anecdotal stories that racial and gender harassment of children in schools spiked this week after the election, and enough of it is from people that I believe would not make it up. 

I don't expect that it will continue at that level, but kids can be assholes and it doesn't take much to push them one way or another.  Let's see how it pans out.

As for my daughters, they have standing permission to stand up to bullies up to and including bloodying them up.  Getting suspended this week just means that they get to go turkey hunting. 

I don't pretend to know what it is like to get bullied for my gender or race, especially in my hometown.  I don't wish that on anyone.

It's not kid bullies I'm worried about.  The school is very proactive on stuff like that.  It's being out with their friends and having epithets (or worse) hurled at them.  That can be scary to a kid, I remember. 

Do you believe Trump when he says he's pro-life, or pro-choice?

I believe it isn't up to the president to decide.  It's a political party platform, of which Donald AND the RNC/GOP have pretty much disavowed each of the other

Do you believe Trump when he says women should be punished for seeking abortions or when he says they shouldn't?

Again, who cares?  Not up to the executive branch of government, so what does it matter?  It's up to the supreme court and they don't care what the sitting president thinks. 

Do you believe Trump when he praises the Clintons (and the Democratic Party as a whole), or when he denounces them as "crooked"?

Again, what does it matter?  You can do both however,  some of the best poker players are the best liars for example.  One does not exclude the other; praises and crookedness.  They are not exclusive.

Do you believe Trump when he says he was for the war in Iraq or against it?

He never said he was for it.  The press said he did.  They clipped the conversation so it seemed he was for it, but if you ever listened to the whole interview, you'd not have even bothered to ask.

Do you believe Trump when he said he donated to veterans, or do you believe the written records that prove that he had not?

What written records?  His income tax forms that claim charitable donations?  Ha! 

Do you believe Trump when he says that he hasn't used Foundation funds for private matters, or do you believe the records that prove he has?

Foundation funds?  You got him confused with the Clintons.  They have a foundation that they slush money through.  And wither or not, how does that disqualify him if the Clintons had their foundation doing the same thing?  That's just quid-pro-quo. 

Do you believe Trump when he says he respects women, or when he says he does not?

Define 'women'.  Just 'cause it squats to pee doesn't mean she's a woman.  Female, maybe.  Barely in Hillary's case.  Donald respects persons based on if they deserve to be respected. 

Do you believe Trump when he says he doesn't molest women, or when he says he does?

Define molest.  As Donald said, most women will let the rich and powerful do what they want.  That's the woman's decision.  Besides, the Clinton's have done far worse.  Hillary abating her husband on multiple occasions and has she owned up to those?  So once again, tit-for-tat.  It's a wash between the candidates.

Do you believe Trump when he says he's going to build a wall, or when he backtracks?

Yeah.  The wall.  Mexico will build the wall.  There's no way they want to deal with Donald. 

I could go on and on and on and on and on and on.......

And so you could with Hillary too, but on a much more serious note.  Deaths for example.  How many people have died because of her?  Grabbing some idiot broad's crotch who's in the public entertainment industry, and responsible for the lives lost just is a joke.  A sad one. 

Hillary lied about some emails. Trump lies just about every time he opens his mouth....

shit.  I should have read all the way to the end before even attempting to answer.  If you honestly believe all Hillary's ever lied about was some emails, then there's no point at all in addressing the questions you raised.

Don't get me wrong. I am not a big fan of Hillary Clinton.... But come on now... You really think Trump is more honest?!?

I not only believe he's more honest, I believe he is a lot less dangerous to the planet, men in particular.  We all know what she thinks about white men, veterans, cops, ambassadors; all expendable with her lies.  As a vet, I'd never had served under her if I were active duty at the time she ever became commander in chief.  If I, as a man, can't ever grasp the difficulties of a woman in today's society, then she, as a woman, can never grasp the difficulties of a man who goes into harm's way.  BTW, something SHE lied about;  taking fire when running from her plane to the base ops.  To lie about something of that nature is to so disrespect every person who knows what the sound a bullet makes on incoming. 

Hillary ran under the Democratic platform, most of which I am against.  Donald ran on his own platform.  Certainly not the Republican platform as they all but disowned him.  All but a couple.  If Donald has lied, then he's no worse than the whole establishment Republican or Democratic party.  But it's HIS lies, not the whole system's lies.  When the system is rigged against the common, working man; when the system downright sneers at the man I am in this country, I will take my chances with the person who has brought them all to their knees.  This country was founded on rebellion and I think this is as civil and bloodless way to invoke that. 

Over 50 million people voted for Trump.  If you believe over 50 million people in this country are racists and bigots, then I feel sorry for you.  The establishment doesn't just not listen to middle America, they don't even talk to middle America. 

more abs

OK

That's a FM1 daily limit

This is a good read:

http://inthesetimes.com/article/19625/robert-reich-donald-trump-democratic-party-president

Wherein Democrat, Bernie supporter, highly intelligent, socialist progressive, former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich drops a lot of truth.

There are some really smart people on the left.  They were identifiable well before the election and nobody on that side of the fence really ever wanted to listen to them.  And here you are.

Do you believe Trump when he says he's pro-life, or pro-choice?

I believe it isn't up to the president to decide.  It's a political party platform, of which Donald AND the RNC/GOP have pretty much disavowed each of the other

Do you believe Trump when he says women should be punished for seeking abortions or when he says they shouldn't?

Again, who cares?  Not up to the executive branch of government, so what does it matter?  It's up to the supreme court and they don't care what the sitting president thinks. 

Do you believe Trump when he praises the Clintons (and the Democratic Party as a whole), or when he denounces them as "crooked"?

Again, what does it matter?  You can do both however,  some of the best poker players are the best liars for example.  One does not exclude the other; praises and crookedness.  They are not exclusive.

Do you believe Trump when he says he was for the war in Iraq or against it?

He never said he was for it.  The press said he did.  They clipped the conversation so it seemed he was for it, but if you ever listened to the whole interview, you'd not have even bothered to ask.

Do you believe Trump when he said he donated to veterans, or do you believe the written records that prove that he had not?

What written records?  His income tax forms that claim charitable donations?  Ha! 

Do you believe Trump when he says that he hasn't used Foundation funds for private matters, or do you believe the records that prove he has?

Foundation funds?  You got him confused with the Clintons.  They have a foundation that they slush money through.  And wither or not, how does that disqualify him if the Clintons had their foundation doing the same thing?  That's just quid-pro-quo. 

Do you believe Trump when he says he respects women, or when he says he does not?

Define 'women'.  Just 'cause it squats to pee doesn't mean she's a woman.  Female, maybe.  Barely in Hillary's case.  Donald respects persons based on if they deserve to be respected. 

Do you believe Trump when he says he doesn't molest women, or when he says he does?

Define molest.  As Donald said, most women will let the rich and powerful do what they want.  That's the woman's decision.  Besides, the Clinton's have done far worse.  Hillary abating her husband on multiple occasions and has she owned up to those?  So once again, tit-for-tat.  It's a wash between the candidates.

Do you believe Trump when he says he's going to build a wall, or when he backtracks?

Yeah.  The wall.  Mexico will build the wall.  There's no way they want to deal with Donald. 

I could go on and on and on and on and on and on.......

And so you could with Hillary too, but on a much more serious note.  Deaths for example.  How many people have died because of her?  Grabbing some idiot broad's crotch who's in the public entertainment industry, and responsible for the lives lost just is a joke.  A sad one. 

Hillary lied about some emails. Trump lies just about every time he opens his mouth....

shit.  I should have read all the way to the end before even attempting to answer.  If you honestly believe all Hillary's ever lied about was some emails, then there's no point at all in addressing the questions you raised.

Don't get me wrong. I am not a big fan of Hillary Clinton.... But come on now... You really think Trump is more honest?!?

I not only believe he's more honest, I believe he is a lot less dangerous to the planet, men in particular.  We all know what she thinks about white men, veterans, cops, ambassadors; all expendable with her lies.  As a vet, I'd never had served under her if I were active duty at the time she ever became commander in chief.  If I, as a man, can't ever grasp the difficulties of a woman in today's society, then she, as a woman, can never grasp the difficulties of a man who goes into harm's way.  BTW, something SHE lied about;  taking fire when running from her plane to the base ops.  To lie about something of that nature is to so disrespect every person who knows what the sound a bullet makes on incoming.

We disagree about this on a very deep, fundamental level. And that's OK...

I hope you get what you want over the next four years. But, I also hope that doesn't involve diminishing the rights of women, minorities, LGBT people, poor people, or those with disabilities.

Misogyny has been rampant in this country for a long time. It needs to stop. Instead, we just elected a president and president and VP who openly and proudly want to strip away women's rights. A president who actually thinks women should be punished for making their own personal choices regarding their health.

It's a real shame, but life goes on...


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I wouldn't plan on the earth cooling down any time soon. At least for the next 2 years.

That should be good for the turtles.

If womens rights are stripped away, it's not Donald's fault.  For too long women demanded the same rights without the same risks.  Same for every other 'special interest'.  I've worked HARD and I resent that I haven't, for where I am in this world. 
Pay; women, most anyways, have NO idea what it means to need their job.  Most work to fulfill themselves.  I sure never did.  I worked for the support of my family.  How is a family better when the wife and mother isn't there, the kids are in daycare, the husband has no one to support him as the breadwinner?  Working out of the home to pay for rent, groceries, utilities is one thing.  Work for the cell phones, big screen TV's, RV's, big car, is quite another. 

Abortion; Hillary wants abortion up to time of birth.  It terrifies me who we've lost.  What great leader or inventor?  All for the sole reason that, in today's medical advancements, women can't or won't use protection and abortion is more a birth control than anything else.

I'm old.  I remember that America where my mother was a mother first and foremost.  Not so self-absorbed as to put even the smallest of concerns of hers above her kids.  Where my father and he fathers before, took to heart what it meant to be the head of the household. 
Nowdays, it's becoming too complacent that mothers are best friends and fathers are either not needed or not committed to the family unit.  Many times not even paying child support.  More of MY MONEY going to fund a life choice I do not approve of, so I should have a say in it. 
Mostly these days I keep my opinion to myself.  I know it's not popular withe whole 'ME'linnial generation who gets free education, phones, heck everything handed to them by a government who takes it away from me, who earned it and doesn't even have the decency to teach them who to be thankful for. 

That's it; I'm tired of being taken for granted and unappreciated for what I've done to make this nation.  I say we, meaning the generation and voters who put Trump in office. 

Believe me, we have our eye on Trump.  We'll gut him like a pig if he doesn't pan out.  We didn't like Obama, but he wasn't 'ours'.  We made Trump and by God we'll destroy him if he turns out to not represent us.  We had enough of nonrepresentational with the past establishment parties. 

Don't think the angry middle aged white man has gone away with this election.  We are on a stream roll to rebalance the country.  To once more have a say in where our dollars are spent and that our laws represent our values. 

Whew!  It's a good thing I moved to the woods.  As a grumpy old troll, it's for the best.  A lot of us are here though, and the establishment forgot that for a moment. 

If womens rights are stripped away, it's not Donald's fault.  For too long women demanded the same rights without the same risks.  Same for every other 'special interest'.  I've worked HARD and I resent that I haven't, for where I am in this world. 
Pay; women, most anyways, have NO idea what it means to need their job.  Most work to fulfill themselves.  I sure never did.  I worked for the support of my family.  How is a family better when the wife and mother isn't there, the kids are in daycare, the husband has no one to support him as the breadwinner?  Working out of the home to pay for rent, groceries, utilities is one thing.  Work for the cell phones, big screen TV's, RV's, big car, is quite another. 

Abortion; Hillary wants abortion up to time of birth.  It terrifies me who we've lost.  What great leader or inventor?  All for the sole reason that, in today's medical advancements, women can't or won't use protection and abortion is more a birth control than anything else.

I'm old.  I remember that America where my mother was a mother first and foremost.  Not so self-absorbed as to put even the smallest of concerns of hers above her kids.  Where my father and he fathers before, took to heart what it meant to be the head of the household. 
Nowdays, it's becoming too complacent that mothers are best friends and fathers are either not needed or not committed to the family unit.  Many times not even paying child support.  More of MY MONEY going to fund a life choice I do not approve of, so I should have a say in it. 
Mostly these days I keep my opinion to myself.  I know it's not popular withe whole 'ME'linnial generation who gets free education, phones, heck everything handed to them by a government who takes it away from me, who earned it and doesn't even have the decency to teach them who to be thankful for. 

That's it; I'm tired of being taken for granted and unappreciated for what I've done to make this nation.  I say we, meaning the generation and voters who put Trump in office. 

Believe me, we have our eye on Trump.  We'll gut him like a pig if he doesn't pan out.  We didn't like Obama, but he wasn't 'ours'.  We made Trump and by God we'll destroy him if he turns out to not represent us.  We had enough of nonrepresentational with the past establishment parties. 

Don't think the angry middle aged white man has gone away with this election.  We are on a stream roll to rebalance the country.  To once more have a say in where our dollars are spent and that our laws represent our values. 

Whew!  It's a good thing I moved to the woods.  As a grumpy old troll, it's for the best.  A lot of us are here though, and the establishment forgot that for a moment.

Wow... We see things VERY differently. From this post, it sounds like Trump represents you just fine. You both seem to think things are best when a man is the "head of the household" and women take on some diminished role as a home-maker or housewife. Your post above is pretty much a textbook definition of male chauvinism. Do you realize that?


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Don't think the angry middle aged white man has gone away with this election.  We are on a stream roll to rebalance the country.  To once more have a say in where our dollars are spent and that our laws represent our values. 

I might be a fool for trying to discuss policy, but which specific policy proposals (and I'm thinking economic policy), do you think will "re-balance" our country?  If you anyone cares to answer I am quite interested. I am a bit slow in the head, so if you could be very detailed, not jump from topic to topic, and refrain from using platitudes instead of policy proposals it would help me understand your point of view.

It seems like many are still dodging Trump policy questions with the anti-Clinton line. You should remember that your candidate won. It's now time to defend your new President not against Clinton, but against reality.

If womens rights are stripped away, it's not Donald's fault.  For too long women demanded the same rights without the same risks.  Same for every other 'special interest'.  I've worked HARD and I resent that I haven't, for where I am in this world. 
Pay; women, most anyways, have NO idea what it means to need their job.  Most work to fulfill themselves.  I sure never did.  I worked for the support of my family.  How is a family better when the wife and mother isn't there, the kids are in daycare, the husband has no one to support him as the breadwinner?  Working out of the home to pay for rent, groceries, utilities is one thing.  Work for the cell phones, big screen TV's, RV's, big car, is quite another. 

Abortion; Hillary wants abortion up to time of birth.  It terrifies me who we've lost.  What great leader or inventor?  All for the sole reason that, in today's medical advancements, women can't or won't use protection and abortion is more a birth control than anything else.

I'm old.  I remember that America where my mother was a mother first and foremost.  Not so self-absorbed as to put even the smallest of concerns of hers above her kids.  Where my father and he fathers before, took to heart what it meant to be the head of the household. 
Nowdays, it's becoming too complacent that mothers are best friends and fathers are either not needed or not committed to the family unit.  Many times not even paying child support.  More of MY MONEY going to fund a life choice I do not approve of, so I should have a say in it. 
Mostly these days I keep my opinion to myself.  I know it's not popular withe whole 'ME'linnial generation who gets free education, phones, heck everything handed to them by a government who takes it away from me, who earned it and doesn't even have the decency to teach them who to be thankful for. 

That's it; I'm tired of being taken for granted and unappreciated for what I've done to make this nation.  I say we, meaning the generation and voters who put Trump in office. 

Believe me, we have our eye on Trump.  We'll gut him like a pig if he doesn't pan out.  We didn't like Obama, but he wasn't 'ours'.  We made Trump and by God we'll destroy him if he turns out to not represent us.  We had enough of nonrepresentational with the past establishment parties. 

Don't think the angry middle aged white man has gone away with this election.  We are on a stream roll to rebalance the country.  To once more have a say in where our dollars are spent and that our laws represent our values. 

Whew!  It's a good thing I moved to the woods.  As a grumpy old troll, it's for the best.  A lot of us are here though, and the establishment forgot that for a moment.

Even though I strongly disagree with pretty much everything written, this is the first time I've encountered a coherent set of arguments on supporting trump.  There are certainly more specifics on this post than Trump has ever provided during his campaign. 

Maybe we should start with a discussion of what a "balanced" country might look like?

The way I see it, a "balanced" country is one where ALL humans are respected, treated as equals, and afforded the same rights and opportunities. We've been moving in that direction, but the latest wave seems to be pushing us backward (in my opinion).

Jerry seems to have a different idea of what "balance" means. I can't say I understand it, but he has every right to feel that way...


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Maybe we should start with a discussion of what a "balanced" country might look like?

The way I see it, a "balanced" country is one where ALL humans are respected, treated as equals, and afforded the same rights and opportunities.

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There you go again... paraphrasing that no good pointy headed liberal, Thomas Jefferson.