The Native Iowan

Its a Monday here in QLD. Its a grand day, did grand things, had grand-kid fun in the pool. Life is GRAND!

Milestone… Gloria Grace is proficient on the Segway. She’s 5.

Reminds of when Paul was young… I had always said “if you could start the outboard engine you could drive the boat”. Paul at age 10 or 11, had a 8hp he could use. Then one day he figured out how to start the 25hp. Things changed quickly.

My day has been domestically busy. Comfortably busy.

I have the 61-Tub I am working on and vlogging about. https://youtu.be/uDbr1p0906I

For a bit of the morning, and little bit of the afternoon I took the time to watch the DNC National Convention, LIVE, and on TV… But it wasn’t live. I felt let down. I wanted silly hats and tradition and rowdy people, civil unrest, armed constabulary… isn’t that a DNC National Convention?

I feel old.

The DNC National Convention is a ZOOM conference at best. I wanted emotion and noise and pageantry…

But I got Mr Rogers, Sesame Street, and the Muppets. I felt let down.

the good part was I got to watch and listen to the Coolest First Lady ever… And I had a thought…

I was talking to a friend and I asked him this question…

In our modern Owellian-World, is Michelle Obama’s straight hair “cultural appropriation”.

Just the other day, and I can’t recall precise circumstances, this same friend and I saw a scene that made us comment on “cultural appropriation”.

Google it and find:

People also ask

What counts as cultural appropriation?In the broadest sense cultural appropriation is the adoption or taking of specific elements (such as ideas, symbols, artifacts, images, art, rituals, icons, behavior, music, styles) of one culture by another culture.

So, as we watch Ms Michelle on the TV, I ask the question…

And I say to my friend, “lets see if freedom of speech flies this time”…

Of course I use FaceBook. I’m a modern day 21st century dinosaur.

And I thought twice about the post. It was indeed a well considered “experiment” of sorts…

I ask one question in my FB post: “isn’t the straight hair cultural approbation?”.

I state three opinions… I think MB is sexy, has a great smile and is very classy.

My question comes after my opinions.

Thats it. Nothing more from me.

How come it becomes Russian roulette?

I receive in reply this: “What the hell! She is honest and true. You do not vote so just stay out! You are an ass!”.

Three exclamation marks and one full stop. An aggressive question “what the hell” plus a powerful defence “she is honest and tru” followed by a territorial warning and a justification for such “you don’t vote so just stay out of it” plus the prerequisite personal attack “you are an ass”.

I sigh…

Ive been thinking of ditching the FB scene for quite a while. But I like the way it keeps me in touch with distant friends and family. It’s a great social tool. But why the Russian roulette?

Do any of you out there remember Paul Harvey? Syndicated radio talk show host from my youthful days working construction, on at noon to 1pm in Iowa. We’d all listen to him during our lunch hour.

If you remember PH you know what I’m going to say…

And Now The Rest Of The Story …

As I initiated the FB post, I told my friend… someone close to me will “melt down”. Will take severe umbrage and call me names. I don’t have that many FB friends so anyone who gets the first post will be someone “close”.

I didn’t expect what I got…

I grew up in a large, conservative yet very/ staunchly democratic household.

Catholic were were, counted 9 children we did.

3 sons and 6 daughters. Old fashioned but progressive.

My mother broke her familial taboos and was the first of her daughter-of-a-Greek-family to NOT go through an arranged marriage. She broke the taboo for the others to come. Her mother never forgave her.

Both my parents were born to be progressives. I have written much about my large and loving family. Check this out: https://nativeiowan.wordpress.com/2009/04/11/and-mother-farted/

An interesting observation I shall share… Most American believe everyone watches, envies and understand Americans. It is not so…

Most of the world shakes their heads, admires and is confused by “America”.

Americans can be terribly provincial/ ethnocentric. We know American’s suck at geography, and we know American’s are traditionally the least multilingual globe trotters.

My friend here has been commenting, questioning the going-ons in the USofA. The foolish rioting that is reported to be Peaceful Protesting. The idea that we will burn our beds to show how unhappy we are, then complain and blame others for not having a bed. That a Woman of Colour achieves the highest policing job in Seattle, to only resign because she had no support, was set up for failure. You can join a 1000-person peaceful protest but only 10 can attend a funeral. There are so many perplexing realties streaming out of the USA. And not everyone gets it. I sure as shit don’t!

The friend I speak of is an immigrant to Australia. Fiercely proud of the Australian citizenry, but unfailingly Nationalistic to the homeland and home language.

Now, an interesting fact about Australia… It is illegal to NOT vote. You shall be fined for failing to vote.

So we watch the USofA.

My life-long-to-date policy is to reserve my democratic vote, waiting for a worthy recipient of my democratic vote. I have not found one, to-date.

I don’t like the idea of voting against someone or something. I don’t care for the Two Party System in the US. I have studied and understand and support the Electoral Collage system for Presidential elections. It’s there for a reason.

I indeed have little doubt that the modern system in the USA is in a critical flux, a lot is going on and there is much at stake.

And… drum roll please… I might just vote this year. In fact… I just got on line and registered to vote. I’ll report on the progress as I travel…

The Rest of The Story… More Of The Story…

The “melt down” response I predicted was not the response I received. Of course I expected to have my rights of Free Speech revoked and my Intellect questioned and my Character impugned. And I got all of that more but, from, dare I say it… My favourite sister.

Connie, Holly, Judy, Molly, Angela – just joking.

Maybe it’s best to say, Jane is The Sister whom I am closest to.

I have 6 Sisters but due to life and time and space I am closer to some than others. My sister, Jane, has been a close friend, a confident, a partner in crime and a cool person for as long as I’ve known her.

We have done hallucinogens together. Gone on that cosmic search for Truth and Reason… in the back of a shag-carpeted Dodge Tradesman 300 van… Or was it a Ford Econoline?

She was a young hippy/ college gal with a little brother that hung around, and was supported by, housed by, fed by Sister Jane, more than once… you get the picture.

Jane is way cool. Her younger brother is way cool too…

We got older, remain friends, share friends and family and still enjoy each other. Jane and her Husband Mike are indeed high on the list of Longest-Serving-Fiends.

It’s nice when your family are your friends.

On the FB page there was a comment from my long-term-partner-in-crime, Willis Eschenbach. For the record WE’s comment was “another charming democrat heard from”.

THE El Dokotore’ and I been gigg’n, wankn n crankn, movn n groovn for more than a few decades. We’ve shared our unborn children, passionately discoursed most all topics known to man, worked together, for each other, with each other. In more than a couple countries. It’s been a long positive road. We too have done hallucinogens together.

When I posted the less than innocent question about Michelle Obama’s hair, I knew I’d get a bite. I expected too be yelled out, put in my place, told to sit in the corner.

As I watched the DNC National Convention today, listened to speakers tell me how divisive and negative and evil and terrible TheDonald is. Every speaker took a good fair kick at TheDonald. There was a large percentage of negativity and a smaller part of positivity, and perhaps an absence of integrity?

I heard very little “policy” specifics. TheBurn has APLAN but his plan is kinda rhetorical and even maybe fantasy. As a long term Democrat, I am embarrassed. Nothing of substance was offered, tabled in the time I paid attention.

TheDonald is the core of all n everything. It’s mostly antiTrump, there is not much in the way of solutions. It reinforces the intolerant attitudes pervading the planet.

So, as I end this, I consider that my FB Post was perhaps a bit mean, not nice. Cultural appropriation is a real thing but it’s mostly a small thing. I was more interested in seeing who would kick me hard for asking a basic question they did not like.

I’ll continue the thought of cultural appropriation in another post but for now all I can say is, DAMN!

I’m over 60 years of age and I am going to have a FIRST this year. DAMN!

I’m going to vote.

Thanks Jane!

Big smiles and much, much more later

Smiles