O.K. catchy title..but the subject matter is very sad. I admit..I am not the nerdiest person, I hate math, I kind of, sort of, hated Science, and understanding all the latest techno stuff, is just way beyond me! I look at the internet as a place I can quickly find answers, that back in my school days required me to rush to the library in hopes I could sign out the proper encyclopedia (yes kids..it was a collection of alphabetical ginormous volumes, with all sorts of facts written down, wrapped in leather..or vinyl).More often than not, I would miss out and find the person who had signed the library card, and hope they found their answers, and would let me sign it out after them. That is the way life was back in the olden days! I look at the internet as a place than allows me instant access to friends, and the ability to view their photos as soon as they hit the share button.
See there are a ton of buttons on my keyboard I have no clue what their "job" is, therefore, those keys are never hit. I know the alphabet, I know quotation marks, numbers, and I certainly know what POST means when I hit the enter button. Most of the time, I hit post without a second thought, sometimes I give it plenty of thought, because I realize once I hit it, whatever I posted, is gone out into the world wide web, where anyone who wishes can view it. People I love, people I hate, people I have never, and will never meet. So..I understand, as uneducated in this new fangled computer world, as I am...what SEND and POST result in..there is no going back..deleting, well..somehow it can still slip through, and one day pop up where one least expects, maybe in Siberia, maybe in Tahiti, I find the idea awesome...the power of the internet, incredible!
So...recently I caught some snippets of something that blew me out of the water. I heard tell...(O.K. sort of sound like gossip..but sadly it's not) of an issue arising of photos of extremely young girls, nude or semi nude popping up on classmates facebook twitter, snap chat ...I am unclear of exactly where, but that doesn't matter in the big "picture". What truly matters is how the H-ll are there even pictures to be put out there? What on earth is wrong with someone, who knows far more than I do, about the workings of internet, sticking, gosh even the term, inappropriate, isn't suitable..personal, private ,intimate, pictures that the whole bloody world may someday see, online? In the world of selfies, and mirrors, it is easy to share photos that folks back in my day would never , either attempt..or trust me, manage. See, back then, pictures had to go somewhere (unless you were lucky enough to have your very own darkroom, and it is unlikely many under the age of 16, had those) to be developed, so everything was seen by someone, and...if those developing the pictures found them questionable..someone would call the "authorities" and all h-ll would break lose. Now, it is far too easy, all it takes is a phone and internet connection, and bingo..anything flies. Parents don't have a clue what their kids are up to when it comes to the internet..those little buggers know more than the average grown up.
So my question here is..what is to be done about this self inflicted kiddie porn? Sorry, that is pretty much all one can call this. Children posting "pornographic"(nude) photos of themselves. Perhaps they are sending them onto friends..but..really? First off, WTF are children not even old enough to drive, posing naked for friends? Hey, we were all kids once, sometimes friends part ways..so..who on earth wants to send pictures of themselves naked to someone who..maybe tomorrow decides they no longer want to be friends, and....wow..look at the lovely gift you handed them, to use to damage you...Again I state, I do not own a cell phone, but..I have been shown things on phone screens of others, and I often see kids gathered about one cell phone laughing at whatever is on the screen..Hellooooo...children, this could easily be a picture you sent taken in the privacy of your bathroom (seems to be the most common room for selfies) with no clothes on. HOLA!! Times have changed, and not for the better! Sure I see those posts..everyone is beautiful in their own way..be proud of your body, etc etc. Being proud of your body does not mean, show it to the whole damn world!Proud and pride should go together, but in this case, something has gone very wrong.
Who is ultimately at fault? Is it the friend who decides they are not really a friend, who chooses to share this picture with someone else who IS the friend for the moment? Is it the person who receives this picture? This is a serious question of morality. Pornography has been around for centuries, certain types are frowned upon, and most grown ups are totally aware of which ones those are. For goodness sake, even Playboy and Hustler have to be wrapped in covers so as not to offend young eyes. Get a grip world... those young eyes are putting stuff out there, that would knock your socks off, and naked pictures of little girls are definitely one type of porn that is not allowed!
What is to be done when it is the girls themselves posting this stuff? What is to be done when it is little boys who are receiving this stuff? Can either be classed as sexual offenders? I find it horrendous to imagine some young child getting branded with this stigma, so making juvenile delinquents out of those foolish enough to do this, does not seem to be the right answer. Is it peer pressure? I have to think this plays into things in a big way, but Lord love us..I understand children do not often think of the future, but, something like this can affect a person for the rest of their lives.
The internet is relatively new, it has brought along with the amazing stuff I enjoy, a truck load of issues, that are going to be extremely difficult to deal with, because...controlling access is pretty much impossible, parental locks do not stop a child from using a friend's computer or cell phone.
If those children who have grown up with internet pretty much all their young lives, are not aware of the ramifications of actions such as these...it is time to find a way to educate them. It is time to show them how serious a click of that send button is.
I understand, there is no way the world is going to revert to those days of encyclopedia's and developed film..but...I almost yearn for the days of old..when life was simple, and children were far more innocent than they are now. I feel pity for them..pity that they have grown up far to fast in some ways, and not at all in others!
What is the answer?
Wednesday 27 April 2016
Friday 22 April 2016
Colour Blind
Yeah.. I know..back on the R subject, once again, and probably repeating previous rants. I was thinking...always scary...why does this stick in my craw so much? I think it was the way I grew up. See..I spent most of my young life, colour blind..and perhaps because of that, to dwell on colours, for me, has become simply a wee bit of jealousy, because I have always wished to be slightly ,or..cripes, maybe a whole lot..darker than I am. Its just because I find a nice hue, far more appealing than my lily white. So...maybe I am just a little stranger than your average human being (well, no maybe about it).
My upbringing was certainly cock full of the old ways, but as I said before, I don't believe my Mother had a tiny bit of R mixed into who she was..she just had a whole lot of knowledge, and sometimes, I wonder if I should have listened to what she said. My Mom was against inter-breeding as she called it. I remembered questioning her..for a moment wondering if she truly believed one race was less than another. She explained her reasoning was the children would suffer. Remember, this conversation occurred about 40 years ago..back in the dark ages. I argued with her (why I remember this so vividly, I don't know). I told her times had changed..people didn't think that way, any more, and children of mixed races would enjoy both cultures, and they would be luckier than the rest of us boring folk.
Well...many times I wonder..who was right? See, I am and have been, in a mixed race relationship for over 30 years. We have 2 children who are,of course inter-bred, as my Mom would say. We gave the 2 culture thing a go, in fact, we haven't given up on it totally, but..trust me, it is filled with a big pile of sh*t, that I am sure will be disputed by some, but..hey..no one has walked in our shoes, but us.
See, this raised it nasty head just awhile back, when I was informed I had no idea of the struggles my "husband, brother in law, or the husband of my oldest" have had! I apparently have not learned a single thing in the 30 some years I have been with my husband, and I spew Hate!
I was simply commenting on the fact I don't agree that low-income families should sit back and have their children receive free post secondary tuition, while middle-class folk have to find a way to pay. Not quite sure how the R business reared up..but it did, and I felt that same vacuum suck the life right out of me. And..when I questioned how the R business came into things, I was informed I brought it in...nope..did not, and would not, but I will not sit quietly and take the blame simply because I am colourless. I hear the statement "THOSE damn white people are so racist" way too may times.
We have tried our very best to embrace both cultures Granted, both of our children have the same lack of pigmentation as their Mother..but...surprise..they belong to their Father as well..so..we understand..appearance means absolutely diddly!! They admit freely and proudly who they are, and...to a point, when times are nice and cuddly..they are acknowledged. But..as the discussion the other night proves..who they are, is forgotten when push comes to shove, and only their Father is given the right to belong to his culture. Suddenly our children become, only mine! Forgotten in the heat of the moment, when what I perceive, the R word slaps me in the face!
I saw a post the other day that I truly believe is the only answer to this issue. A man who was a darker shade than I stated, this will only be solved when we look at each other, and simply see a person. So simple, right? I think so..I believe outward appearance has absolutely nothing to do with whether I like a person or not. I go by what comes from their lips, and their heart. I don't classify my friends by their race, I don't classify my friends by their sexual preferences, I don't have little slots listing how they dress, or what religion they belong to. I do know..and I do my best to respect their personal choices, and beliefs, but..colour just doesn't come into the conversation, unless we are talking about sun burns!
The R business is smouldering everywhere. To list 3 people in my life as being different than me, pretty much makes me feel less. It is definitely not the first time I have found myself in that position, and..more than likely, not the last. I see my children placed in the same position, and it is very difficult for me as their mother, to know exactly how they feel. It is extremely difficult for their Father to witness this, as well. We understand..one day, our children may have children of their own, and those children may have all the characteristics of their Grandfather, or their Great Grandmother, so will these children be more acceptable to one culture, and not another? Again, I know..there are some who will say I am full of it, but...truth is..no matter how hard we try, we are judged by appearance only, and never, ever,as just people!
This horrible thing, will remain forever because people do not accept they are who they are, not because of their ability to with stand a little more sunshine than others. It will remain when they continue to close the doors on those who don't look the same, and claim others don't understand their struggles. For crying out loud...struggles do not belong to any specific race! Almost every friend I have, has had some pretty difficult struggles in the 50-60 years they have been on this planet, some almost dying from those struggles.
This issue is NOT a white issue.. I have suffered discrimination, and those who practice it, seem to believe I deserve it...because they see me, as different, somehow not quite on their level..so until EVERYONE, becomes colour blind, it appears I must accept that I am somehow less..and know that, my Mother's words from 40 years ago still hold true today!
My upbringing was certainly cock full of the old ways, but as I said before, I don't believe my Mother had a tiny bit of R mixed into who she was..she just had a whole lot of knowledge, and sometimes, I wonder if I should have listened to what she said. My Mom was against inter-breeding as she called it. I remembered questioning her..for a moment wondering if she truly believed one race was less than another. She explained her reasoning was the children would suffer. Remember, this conversation occurred about 40 years ago..back in the dark ages. I argued with her (why I remember this so vividly, I don't know). I told her times had changed..people didn't think that way, any more, and children of mixed races would enjoy both cultures, and they would be luckier than the rest of us boring folk.
Well...many times I wonder..who was right? See, I am and have been, in a mixed race relationship for over 30 years. We have 2 children who are,of course inter-bred, as my Mom would say. We gave the 2 culture thing a go, in fact, we haven't given up on it totally, but..trust me, it is filled with a big pile of sh*t, that I am sure will be disputed by some, but..hey..no one has walked in our shoes, but us.
See, this raised it nasty head just awhile back, when I was informed I had no idea of the struggles my "husband, brother in law, or the husband of my oldest" have had! I apparently have not learned a single thing in the 30 some years I have been with my husband, and I spew Hate!
I was simply commenting on the fact I don't agree that low-income families should sit back and have their children receive free post secondary tuition, while middle-class folk have to find a way to pay. Not quite sure how the R business reared up..but it did, and I felt that same vacuum suck the life right out of me. And..when I questioned how the R business came into things, I was informed I brought it in...nope..did not, and would not, but I will not sit quietly and take the blame simply because I am colourless. I hear the statement "THOSE damn white people are so racist" way too may times.
We have tried our very best to embrace both cultures Granted, both of our children have the same lack of pigmentation as their Mother..but...surprise..they belong to their Father as well..so..we understand..appearance means absolutely diddly!! They admit freely and proudly who they are, and...to a point, when times are nice and cuddly..they are acknowledged. But..as the discussion the other night proves..who they are, is forgotten when push comes to shove, and only their Father is given the right to belong to his culture. Suddenly our children become, only mine! Forgotten in the heat of the moment, when what I perceive, the R word slaps me in the face!
I saw a post the other day that I truly believe is the only answer to this issue. A man who was a darker shade than I stated, this will only be solved when we look at each other, and simply see a person. So simple, right? I think so..I believe outward appearance has absolutely nothing to do with whether I like a person or not. I go by what comes from their lips, and their heart. I don't classify my friends by their race, I don't classify my friends by their sexual preferences, I don't have little slots listing how they dress, or what religion they belong to. I do know..and I do my best to respect their personal choices, and beliefs, but..colour just doesn't come into the conversation, unless we are talking about sun burns!
The R business is smouldering everywhere. To list 3 people in my life as being different than me, pretty much makes me feel less. It is definitely not the first time I have found myself in that position, and..more than likely, not the last. I see my children placed in the same position, and it is very difficult for me as their mother, to know exactly how they feel. It is extremely difficult for their Father to witness this, as well. We understand..one day, our children may have children of their own, and those children may have all the characteristics of their Grandfather, or their Great Grandmother, so will these children be more acceptable to one culture, and not another? Again, I know..there are some who will say I am full of it, but...truth is..no matter how hard we try, we are judged by appearance only, and never, ever,as just people!
This horrible thing, will remain forever because people do not accept they are who they are, not because of their ability to with stand a little more sunshine than others. It will remain when they continue to close the doors on those who don't look the same, and claim others don't understand their struggles. For crying out loud...struggles do not belong to any specific race! Almost every friend I have, has had some pretty difficult struggles in the 50-60 years they have been on this planet, some almost dying from those struggles.
This issue is NOT a white issue.. I have suffered discrimination, and those who practice it, seem to believe I deserve it...because they see me, as different, somehow not quite on their level..so until EVERYONE, becomes colour blind, it appears I must accept that I am somehow less..and know that, my Mother's words from 40 years ago still hold true today!
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