Thanks for saying all the good words ladies... I'm so mad about this stuff that I don't even think I can be coherent, so I'm glad that you all write eloquently about all the BS.
Something that has really had me fired up of late is the ongoing attacks on transpeople and their rights. Especially the huge lies that are told about how cis people need to have their privacy protected from all the trans predators. As if transpeople don't have enough to deal with already. As if everyone doesn't have other, more pressing concerns that they should be thinking about like, hmmmmm, climate change for instance?
TW
Me: 33 DH: 32 Started Dating: 2003 Married: 2013 Started TTC August 2016 BFP: 2/1/17 MC: 2/8/17 BFP: 3/8/17 MMC: 5/1/17 BFP: 7/23/17 EDD: 4/5/18 BFP: 2/27/20
@ArtificialRed I have to ask bc I haven't pulled up the other thread, but are you in AL, too? We've got a whopper here, good ol' Jeff Sessions. Well, had. If he loses his AG job he's also lost his seat for AL. FX!
Honestly, I just can't. Part of me feels like once I open Pandora's box and start ranting about all this I may never be able to stop with how incredibly infuriating, disgusting and saddening it all is. I agree with a lot of what was said above. I have had to stop listening to a lot of the news bc it was so disheartening. I work in a clinic that specifically serves uninsured people. As my CEO says "we serve the poorest of the poor, the sickest of the sick". I have started having to listen to uplifting music on my way to work so I can stay motivated and hopeful for my patients and not get discouraged and start to feel defeated.
When Trump made those (many) degrading comments against women during his campaign is when I decided I would be team green. It literally makes my heart ache thinking of what will be expected/normal for my baby if it is a boy vs girl (in both ways- the gender expectations that my boy will not have too many feelings, will be tough etc and the fact that my daughter's body will be objectified by society and I will consider myself lucky if she is never sexually assaulted...). The implications of gender just seem too heavy and I can't handle people's comments during pregnancy (my MIL asking me if we were going to repaint our teal nursery when we found out DD was a girl... Uh, girls can like teal...)
sort of a tangent, but these issues all really hit home, for everyone I can see.
We had been TTC for about a year and a half before the election. But the night of November 8th, all my desire to bring a child into this world evaporated. I was consumed with fear of civil war or the collapse of society. The friends who knew we were trying told us that we needed to have children so we could raise them to be the good people that the world needs. We took a break until after the inauguration. I feel better about it now, but I broke down in tears just writing this.
I just realized that my EDD is November 8th...so something good can happen on that day too! (Twins will probably be earlier, but whatevs. There's something poetic about the symmetry.)
I'm so so devastated by the Palm Sunday attacks yesterday. No one should be afraid or feel like they'll be in danger if they practice their religion. Especially on holy days. It's just so sad. The Stockholm attack was also horrific but all I can think is how great it is that that person didn't have access to a gun. I really wish we would stop tying extremists to religions. Terrorism has no religion.
It's such a relief to here so many similar thoughts to mine. I'm an RN in the emergency room of a county safety net hospital. The cuts to health care are so terrifying with me. I worked election night and held the hand of an immigrant man after he asked me the results and we just cried. Here legally and still just terrified for his family. Not to mention I'm seeing fewer of my immigrant neighbors come in, at least until they are very sick, for fear of deportation. It's absolutely heartbreaking. I do what I do because I want to help, regardless of your status, or ability to pay. You shouldn't be afraid of getting help because you might get sent away.
@irishfrisky it is scary. We don't serve a culturally diverse population where I live, but we are rural and most patients are on Medicaid or Medicare. We have a large population of working poor that don't qualify for Medicaid, but can't afford to buy a policy through the healthcare exchange. The penalty is much less than the deductibles/premiums, so they opt for the penalty. My state didn't participate in Medicaid expansion. Every year Medicaid reimbursements are reduced. Our hospital is struggling to remain open. It's very sad and honestly scary. Our sister hospital closed last year. We tried to obtain critical access status, but we are too close to a hospital across the state line (that doesn't even have a general surgeon).
@DuchessOfCambridge It's really hard to love your enemy in these situations. I can't comprehend their mindset. Terrorists, extremists, and violent dictators never cease to amaze with their blatant disregard for life. They kill their own citizens (Syrian chemical attacks)! I also agree that terrorists do not represent a particular faith. Their hearts are twisted and they have strayed from universally-held moral codes.
I have mentioned before that I run a public school that serves mostly low income, minority students. I just got a voicemail from someone (they didn't identify themselves) stating, "I want to know why you think it's acceptable for a illegal immigrant to bully an real, American citizen. I need an answer."
Now, I have no idea what they are referencing, but we think it is related to a situation where our teams played another local school yesterday (that is primarily white suburban). We have had issues in the past with them making racist comments about our students. This person left no name, but I do have the phone number. It is definitely not a registered phone number with our parent database and to be honest, the lady sounded white (95% of our students are not white). So I am leaning toward another school.
If there is a real bullying situation, then I would be happy to address it and resolve the matter. But legal citizenship has nothing to do with this situation. It is as if it would be ok for two Americans to bully each other, according to this person's logic.
I am so angry that someone thinks it is appropriate to call and leave a message like that. I also find it cowardly to not leave your contact info. I do have the phone number (thanks caller ID) and they probably don't realize it. I am so tempted to call back, but my better judgement says not to...and there is no point in arguing with a fool.
But I know this is a situation being fueled by the current political climate and the ignorant tirades of our administration. I don't care what your opinions are but 1) You should never bring children into this mess and 2) she doesn't even know if the student is an undocumented student (not that it should matter)!
This shit pisses me off so much and makes me disgusted that people are like this. It's so ignorant and inappropriate.
@dragonfly87 Oh that's just disgusting. I really hope your students were not harassed during a game with the other school by anyone. You're also better than I am. I'd call back after composing myself with a list of questions.
@ElizabethSchuyler I should have stuck to my gut and not called. I decided to and tried to ask some questions in a very calm, collected manner. That failed. She just kept saying, "you have a bullying problem, you know what it is and you need to fix it." Wouldn't give any details, context or answer my questions. She didn't exactly seem to be the most rationale individual...
@dragonfly87 I'm so sorry you are dealing with that. It really is unbelievable. An elementary school near me was recently vandalized with swastikas and graffiti telling the Jewish children to "go home" (we are in NY and these kids are all like fourth generation or more). It's bad enough to have this environment for all of us, but to go to a school and target children? That is beyond the pale no matter what.
I'm not sure where you are, but is this something you should report to the police so there's a record in case this person continues harassing you or escalates?
adirat That's a good point about reporting it. Sadly, this isn't the first time we have dealt with this kind of situation. Fortunately, we are located right across from a police station and work with them often, so they know us. We document these situations to ensure a record is kept.
That is crazy people would graffiti an elementary school with hateful words like that. Those children (citizens or not--even though they are fourth generation), did nothing wrong and deserve to live in a safe, welcoming community.
Last Fall, four of our Hispanic student athlete's actually chose to kneel at a sports event during the National Anthem (like Kaepernick). The coach did not encourage it, but allowed it, since it is freedom of speech. We actually had the Athletic Director and his wife (a teacher) of the other school (primarily white, suburban demographic) email us hateful comments about our kids not being citizens and being disrespectful to our country. When I brought the issue up to their school's principal...he dismissed it and said they had free speech as well. I was baffled that he would tolerate such hateful things from his staff.
@ElizabethSchuyler I think I did catch her off guard. She didn't leave her number and I got it from caller ID, so I don't think she expected to be called back.
I am literally amazed that anti-Semitism still exists. You learn and read and watch all the horrible things that happened to Jews in the past and you still have feelings of hate over sadness? Some people are truly monsters.
@RiverSong15 wtf? Who is in these marketing departments and why do they think this is all a good idea? Is it part of some bizarre plan to be offensive AF and get bad publicity because any publicity is good publicity?
I've gotten to where I can only stomach the news if I take it with comedy. Stephen Colbert, Trevor Noah and Seth Meyers have become my main news sources and they all happen to be taking this week off. I'll just keep following this thread to know what's happening in the world.
@DuchessofCambridge I have no idea. I seriously wonder how ads like this make it out too. Are you telling me that NO ONE saw they were offensive? No screen testing? Nothing?
@elizabethschuyler pretty sure I just woke up my coworker laughing at your week to date "hold my beer" recap. I can't believe he referred to them as holocaust centers...not to mention the obvious gas flub. I mean...wow
@dragonfly87 It's awful that you have to deal with people like that. The hate in this country (and the world in general) boggles my mind. I don't understand where people lost the knowledge that we're all human at our core.
@mariposa_767s I agree, it's so sad to see that we forget we are all the same at the end of the, human beings who deserve love, respect and kindness.
@ElizabethSchuyler Hahaha love the recap. Although this is United's second blunder in a month...they really need to get their act together. Then again, it's Sean Spicer's umpteenth blunder in less than 100 days...
Anyone see that this game show that had a segment called "fat or pregnant"? I want to celebrate women and their different body types but I'm pretty sure this isn't the way....
I just got all riled up about a post of something Spicer supposedly said, shared it, went to do a little more background on it, and found out it was totally made up. Dang it! I shared fake news!! Had to update and be like, "look I'm a loser who can't research and then share. He still sucks, but he didn't actually say this particular sh*tty thing."
@ElizabethSchuyler right? This has always been an issue and he's just making it an easier one to sweep under the rug. I won't use Uber anymore due to their blatant disregard for sexual harassment in the workplace. And they're getting away with it.
WHY IS GENDER EQUALITY EVEN AN ISSUE ANYMORE I DON'T GET IT?!
@DuchessOfCambridge People end up just turning their nose away at things that do not effect them. It must be nice to be blissfully ignorant to the real issues, but I know I am on the right side of history by writing, walking, calling, and doing what I can.
Flame free Thursday confession? I've never taken an Uber and will continue to not support them.
Oh my god I can't even look at the news anymore. So our president threatens North Korea and then starts his weekend early and heads down to mar a lago. Which we pay for. Should we start taking bets on when WWIII will be starting?
April Siggy Challenge: April Showers
About me:
29 y/o Married 6.26.11 BFP 12.23.13, EDD 9.2.14 - baby girl, born too soon at 22w6d due to a placental abruption on 5.5.14 BFP 8.4.14, EDD 4.15.15 - rainbow son, born at 30w4d due to a placental abruption on 2.8.15, healthy 3 y/o now! BFP 2.28.17, EDD 11.8.17 - baby girl, miscarried at 11 weeks on 4.21.17 BFP 11.28.17, EDD 8.8.18, delivering in July - another rainbow baby boy!
@elsieisamoocow maybe add bets of when the next round of terrorists will be born as well. I will never justify terrorist actions but I will say we shouldn't be surprised when we bomb the heck out of someone's life and they retaliate.
Aside from being the president, being one of the most powerful men in the entire world and making threats against N Korea, I don't get why he keeps heading to FL anyway. DC is having some really gorgeous weather right now.
Re: Current Events Opinions
Something that has really had me fired up of late is the ongoing attacks on transpeople and their rights. Especially the huge lies that are told about how cis people need to have their privacy protected from all the trans predators. As if transpeople don't have enough to deal with already. As if everyone doesn't have other, more pressing concerns that they should be thinking about like, hmmmmm, climate change for instance?
Started Dating: 2003 Married: 2013
Started TTC August 2016
BFP: 2/1/17 MC: 2/8/17
BFP: 3/8/17 MMC: 5/1/17
BFP: 7/23/17 EDD: 4/5/18
BFP: 2/27/20
And I'd like to register how profoundly sad it is that gender equality is a sensitive and debatable topic. Ughhhhh
Just happened to come across this. Relevant cartoon is still relevant 3.5 years later.
When Trump made those (many) degrading comments against women during his campaign is when I decided I would be team green. It literally makes my heart ache thinking of what will be expected/normal for my baby if it is a boy vs girl (in both ways- the gender expectations that my boy will not have too many feelings, will be tough etc and the fact that my daughter's body will be objectified by society and I will consider myself lucky if she is never sexually assaulted...). The implications of gender just seem too heavy and I can't handle people's comments during pregnancy (my MIL asking me if we were going to repaint our teal nursery when we found out DD was a girl... Uh, girls can like teal...)
sort of a tangent, but these issues all really hit home, for everyone I can see.
@DuchessOfCambridge It's really hard to love your enemy in these situations. I can't comprehend their mindset. Terrorists, extremists, and violent dictators never cease to amaze with their blatant disregard for life. They kill their own citizens (Syrian chemical attacks)! I also agree that terrorists do not represent a particular faith. Their hearts are twisted and they have strayed from universally-held moral codes.
I have mentioned before that I run a public school that serves mostly low income, minority students. I just got a voicemail from someone (they didn't identify themselves) stating, "I want to know why you think it's acceptable for a illegal immigrant to bully an real, American citizen. I need an answer."
Now, I have no idea what they are referencing, but we think it is related to a situation where our teams played another local school yesterday (that is primarily white suburban). We have had issues in the past with them making racist comments about our students. This person left no name, but I do have the phone number. It is definitely not a registered phone number with our parent database and to be honest, the lady sounded white (95% of our students are not white). So I am leaning toward another school.
If there is a real bullying situation, then I would be happy to address it and resolve the matter. But legal citizenship has nothing to do with this situation. It is as if it would be ok for two Americans to bully each other, according to this person's logic.
I am so angry that someone thinks it is appropriate to call and leave a message like that. I also find it cowardly to not leave your contact info. I do have the phone number (thanks caller ID) and they probably don't realize it. I am so tempted to call back, but my better judgement says not to...and there is no point in arguing with a fool.
But I know this is a situation being fueled by the current political climate and the ignorant tirades of our administration. I don't care what your opinions are but 1) You should never bring children into this mess and 2) she doesn't even know if the student is an undocumented student (not that it should matter)!
This shit pisses me off so much and makes me disgusted that people are like this. It's so ignorant and inappropriate.
End rant.
ETA grammar
I'm not sure where you are, but is this something you should report to the police so there's a record in case this person continues harassing you or escalates?
That is crazy people would graffiti an elementary school with hateful words like that. Those children (citizens or not--even though they are fourth generation), did nothing wrong and deserve to live in a safe, welcoming community.
Last Fall, four of our Hispanic student athlete's actually chose to kneel at a sports event during the National Anthem (like Kaepernick). The coach did not encourage it, but allowed it, since it is freedom of speech. We actually had the Athletic Director and his wife (a teacher) of the other school (primarily white, suburban demographic) email us hateful comments about our kids not being citizens and being disrespectful to our country. When I brought the issue up to their school's principal...he dismissed it and said they had free speech as well. I was baffled that he would tolerate such hateful things from his staff.
@ElizabethSchuyler I think I did catch her off guard. She didn't leave her number and I got it from caller ID, so I don't think she expected to be called back.
-comes back dumber than I was before for having to witness the White House press secretary be such an idiot-*
*fill in your own cuss words for this statement; I personally used several
United: Hold my beer.
Spicer: No, hold my beer.
@elizabethschuyler pretty sure I just woke up my coworker laughing at your week to date "hold my beer" recap. I can't believe he referred to them as holocaust centers...not to mention the obvious gas flub. I mean...wow
@dragonfly87 It's awful that you have to deal with people like that. The hate in this country (and the world in general) boggles my mind. I don't understand where people lost the knowledge that we're all human at our core.
DS1 is 7. DD is 1. DS2 is coming in late April.
@ElizabethSchuyler Hahaha love the recap. Although this is United's second blunder in a month...they really need to get their act together. Then again, it's Sean Spicer's umpteenth blunder in less than 100 days...
https://www.google.com/amp/www.refinery29.com/amp/2017/04/149543/dutch-tv-show-women-fat-or-pregnant-body-shaming-misogyny
I just got all riled up about a post of something Spicer supposedly said, shared it, went to do a little more background on it, and found out it was totally made up. Dang it! I shared fake news!! Had to update and be like, "look I'm a loser who can't research and then share. He still sucks, but he didn't actually say this particular sh*tty thing."
What an evil person.
WHY IS GENDER EQUALITY EVEN AN ISSUE ANYMORE I DON'T GET IT?!
Flame free Thursday confession? I've never taken an Uber and will continue to not support them.
About me:
Married 6.26.11
BFP 12.23.13, EDD 9.2.14 - baby girl, born too soon at 22w6d due to a placental abruption on 5.5.14
BFP 8.4.14, EDD 4.15.15 - rainbow son, born at 30w4d due to a placental abruption on 2.8.15, healthy 3 y/o now!
BFP 2.28.17, EDD 11.8.17 - baby girl, miscarried at 11 weeks on 4.21.17
BFP 11.28.17, EDD 8.8.18, delivering in July - another rainbow baby boy!
The news is terrifying to me right now. Exactly what @DuchessOfCambridge says, we shouldn't be surprised if someone retaliates. So scary.