Transgender individuals are still not permitted to serve in the U.S. military.
Why is this?
Drunk, misbehaving Secret Service agents weren’t fired, they were reassigned.
Why is this?
A professional pilot brought a plane down, killing all passengers.
Why is this? How does this happen?
Cops are killed in the line of duty way too often. One time is too many, but today it seems like a fast and furious blue body count.
Why is this?
Young black men are profiled, targeted and sometimes become victims for no reason at all. None.
Why is this?
A coffee company thinks that consumers staggering in for the morning brew want to engage a complete stranger in a conversation about race.
Why is this?
We live in at a really strange time, a time in which the most inexplicable things happen.
It may not seem so right now, but Bruce Jenner’s transition to the correct gender, the one aligned with his brain, is bringing light to a subject that needs it. Does anyone today really think that transgender is “a lifestyle choice?” Because it isn’t. It is more like a birth defect in which the brain and body are not aligned. Surgery simply brings the two into congruence so that individuals can be the whole people they were meant to be. Jenner, the epitome of manhood, at least until he got involved with that Kardashian bunch, has an opportunity to educate the public and my guess is that he will. That is, once the fallout from the tragic accident he may have caused is handled. Can we generate a little understanding?
I am just a little sick of how the male-dominated military can’t seem to get over its testosterone-laden culture to accept facts of life like homosexuality, bisexuality and transgender. More than a little sick of it. Get with the program, military men. Ooo-rah, indeed.
Aren’t you flummoxed at the idea that White House Secret Service agents–including a top member of the President’s protection detail-– got drunked up and crashed into a White House barrier–but were reassigned, not fired? I mean. This is not a big enough offense to merit termination? Seriously??? And that the Secret Service destroyed video footage of the event, a “routine” event after 72 hours. Like in that 72 hours no one realized that this was a serious enough event to warrant keeping the tape. Right. WTF? I am just a little tired of the good old boy’s network that allows such behavior. And we wonder why kids grow up without appropriate values.
We live in a time when pilots purposely bring down aircraft. On purpose. This may be the second time in the recent past–there is still suspicion that’s what happened to MH 370. Was it a copy cat scenario? It is horrific and it boggles the mind. WTF?
I’ve already written so much on my feeling about the murders of police officers and first responders, as well as the flip side of that continuum, the way the lives of young black men are being taken. I won’t belabor it here, but it is always top of my mind. Always.
And when a corporation has the pomposity to think that serving a beverage is a society-changing event, well, I have to wonder. Memo to Starbucks: Serve me the damn coffee and let me get on with the business of my day.
More than ever, it feels like we’re asking the question “why?” and to me, that’s an indicator that something’s not right. That some kind of re-set is needed. Some kind of change.
What “why” questions do you have? Because I am certain you have some.
Your questions are so well versed. I can’t comprehend the logic or relevancy in any of them. Most of them are society’s rules. But others are where an individual has transgressed. Each subject deserves to be reassessed and put right.
Then there are other questions like:
Why are we born a certain way?
Why do we have to die?
These questions can only be guessed at.
We should all contribute in some way to changing society. Start at your own front door.
Yet, I feel like there was a time when we couldn’t ask those “whys”. Surely Secret Service gaffs during the 50’s, 60’s and many other times were covered up. Surely, corporate America has covered up many terrible things a la Erin Brokovich….so the fact that we KNOW enough to ask why is heartening to me. At least we are not kept in the dark as much as we used to be……There’s that……..even though I agree we need a reset…which is why I personally deemed my 2015 ” the year of kindness” anything to change the spin. Great article!
As I was reading your post, this phrase from my marijuana-infused youth popped into my head. “When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.” I can’t explain any of this but at least you’re asking the right questions.
The older I get the more “why questions” I have which seems the opposite of how it should go. I agree with all of your “whys” and have only come to the understanding that the human condition is to be fearful of things unknown. Everyone is uncomfortable, uncertain, even fearful of things they don’t know. I live in a very sheltered community and my family is protected from a lot of the craziness in our society (until we turn on the tv). That being said, I make a concerted effort to educate my kids and get them thinking. We may not have any black or transgender people or police brutality in our neighborhood (that we know of), but the world is full of the unknown. Instead of reacting fearfully and hiding under a rock, I try to encourage them to embrace it. Learn, love, live. 🙂
We humans are fallible. We’ve always done stupid/scary/brave/incomprehensible things and probably always will. I think, with our instant sharing capablilities, we are hearing about them more now. And we still don’t make sense . . .
These are all great points! Being a mom my biggest why question today was why didn’t I remember to put sun screen yesterday because I’m definitely paying for it today 🙂 Hope you have a great weekend.
I’ve always been a “Why?” person, but the more time passes, the more I begin to ask “What if?” as a window to the future instead of the past… Too often “Why” doesn’t produce a desired result for us, but when we choose “What if?” to redirect our notions, maybe we’ll experience less struggle and conflict…
Thanks, as always, for your reflections and musings. 🙂
I have to agree with Diane, above: humans are innately weird and unpredictable. Put us in groups, and that effect just gets magnified.
Lately I’ve been delving into the very, very weird world of conspiracy theories (not as a believer, as an investigator of sorts), and my “why?” question would be: what makes some people adopt a worldview in which the world is ruled by a cabal of elites? And where’s the dividing line between believing in “real” conspiracies (like big business controlling so much of our lives) and “false” ones (like 9/11 being a government set-up)? I haven’t come up with any answers yet, but if I do I’ll let you know.
Oh, I so agree with you. My sister is gay and honestly, I never even refer to her as gay. She’s just my sister. And she has relationships with people. And those people are girls and that’s that. I don’t see a difference. Transgender is something that totally interests me because I don’t know much about it/I don’t know anyone who is. To discriminate against it disgusts me.
Yeah it’s definitely a different world out there. It’s taken us a long time to get to where we are today with “mostly” equal opportunities for people, but we still have a long way to go.
I get why some military members are a bit freaked out. As a woman I have to admit I am totally freaked out by transgender ‘men’ coming into a ladies room. I was sexually assaulted at a young age and a strange man in any closed room especially if no one else is in the room sends me into a PTSD episode. Sometimes, most of the time with people it isn’t about hating. I think we should talk openly about peoples reasons for feeling the way they do and stop shaming them because they have opinions.
I don’t even know what to think when it comes to the secret service. I am sure the bad behavior has been going on forever but without a good leader they can’t even keep the bad behavior behind closed doors. It does cause me to worry about our presidents safety and the safety of his family.
My daughter was a cop. I’m grateful she isn’t anymore.
Starbucks CEO is about in touch with ‘real’ people as celebrities are.
Bruce Jenner, I’m not sure what I believe. Wasn’t he cleared of being at fault in that accident?
The planes, now that is scary. We need to more openly discuss depression and mental health.
You got me thinking:)
I’ll see you on the dark side of the moon..hmm. Must be written about today’s headlines. But wait! I think these kinds of things have always happened and will always happen. Because life is full of inequities, and “all’s well that ends well” is only a line in a Shakespeare play; it’s not reality. We become angry, frustrated and fearful, but life happens and we all we can do is take a stand about these things It stinks, doesn’t it? I want Utopia, too…
What is that quote? “Forward the Light Brigade!. Was there a man dismay’d? Not tho’ the soldier knew /Someone had blunder’d:/ Theirs not to reason why,/ Theirs but to do and die:/Into the valley of Death/Rode the six hundred.”
I’m not a poet. This poem has always meant to me that even if you don’t know what mistakes have been made, or why, you try to do your best. You find your courage. You look for what you can do. And do it.
It seems like I’m saying “What is wrong with people?” almost every day anymore. This is one crazy world we live in, and it seems to be getting worse all the time.
Carol, As usual you astutely say what everyone is thinking. My whys are jumbled up in the chaos of what is going on out there. The world is apparently undergoing some kind of revolution, a change in consciousness if you will. I think you are the person who can elaborate on that thinking!
So many people are descriminated against and made to feel that they’re not equal, just for being who they are. They’re asked to change just because someone else doesn’t like it and isn’t willing to change themselves to be accepting of differences.
I wish I had an answer for any of these questions but there are just no answers that make any sense. Every day I seem to have more “why” questions. I truly worry about the future of humanity.
Interesting and certainly gives you something to think about. The problem today is society is only willing to accept some people’s way of life and not others. Everyone should be entitled to live their own life as long as they do not harm others.
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Your questions are so well versed. I can’t comprehend the logic or relevancy in any of them. Most of them are society’s rules. But others are where an individual has transgressed. Each subject deserves to be reassessed and put right.
Then there are other questions like:
Why are we born a certain way?
Why do we have to die?
These questions can only be guessed at.
We should all contribute in some way to changing society. Start at your own front door.
Yes, so right. At our own front doors.
Yet, I feel like there was a time when we couldn’t ask those “whys”. Surely Secret Service gaffs during the 50’s, 60’s and many other times were covered up. Surely, corporate America has covered up many terrible things a la Erin Brokovich….so the fact that we KNOW enough to ask why is heartening to me. At least we are not kept in the dark as much as we used to be……There’s that……..even though I agree we need a reset…which is why I personally deemed my 2015 ” the year of kindness” anything to change the spin. Great article!
Thanks, Cathy. you raise good points.
As I was reading your post, this phrase from my marijuana-infused youth popped into my head. “When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.” I can’t explain any of this but at least you’re asking the right questions.
That’s a Dr. Hunter S. Thompson quote!
The older I get the more “why questions” I have which seems the opposite of how it should go. I agree with all of your “whys” and have only come to the understanding that the human condition is to be fearful of things unknown. Everyone is uncomfortable, uncertain, even fearful of things they don’t know. I live in a very sheltered community and my family is protected from a lot of the craziness in our society (until we turn on the tv). That being said, I make a concerted effort to educate my kids and get them thinking. We may not have any black or transgender people or police brutality in our neighborhood (that we know of), but the world is full of the unknown. Instead of reacting fearfully and hiding under a rock, I try to encourage them to embrace it. Learn, love, live. 🙂
Lovely, Jessica.
We humans are fallible. We’ve always done stupid/scary/brave/incomprehensible things and probably always will. I think, with our instant sharing capablilities, we are hearing about them more now. And we still don’t make sense . . .
Yes, the dark side of instant sharing.
These are all great points! Being a mom my biggest why question today was why didn’t I remember to put sun screen yesterday because I’m definitely paying for it today 🙂 Hope you have a great weekend.
Carol,
I’ve always been a “Why?” person, but the more time passes, the more I begin to ask “What if?” as a window to the future instead of the past… Too often “Why” doesn’t produce a desired result for us, but when we choose “What if?” to redirect our notions, maybe we’ll experience less struggle and conflict…
Thanks, as always, for your reflections and musings. 🙂
I love that, Annah.
Great post Carol! These questions are something that we do need to ponder and ask WHY? Nice share!
You bring up a lot of valid arguments. I guess we just do not live in such a perfect world after all. 🙂
I have to agree with Diane, above: humans are innately weird and unpredictable. Put us in groups, and that effect just gets magnified.
Lately I’ve been delving into the very, very weird world of conspiracy theories (not as a believer, as an investigator of sorts), and my “why?” question would be: what makes some people adopt a worldview in which the world is ruled by a cabal of elites? And where’s the dividing line between believing in “real” conspiracies (like big business controlling so much of our lives) and “false” ones (like 9/11 being a government set-up)? I haven’t come up with any answers yet, but if I do I’ll let you know.
You know I’ll want to know.
Oh, I so agree with you. My sister is gay and honestly, I never even refer to her as gay. She’s just my sister. And she has relationships with people. And those people are girls and that’s that. I don’t see a difference. Transgender is something that totally interests me because I don’t know much about it/I don’t know anyone who is. To discriminate against it disgusts me.
Great questions! I’m still wondering why some couples can’t get married still. Seems America isn’t really land of the free after all.
Yeah it’s definitely a different world out there. It’s taken us a long time to get to where we are today with “mostly” equal opportunities for people, but we still have a long way to go.
I get why some military members are a bit freaked out. As a woman I have to admit I am totally freaked out by transgender ‘men’ coming into a ladies room. I was sexually assaulted at a young age and a strange man in any closed room especially if no one else is in the room sends me into a PTSD episode. Sometimes, most of the time with people it isn’t about hating. I think we should talk openly about peoples reasons for feeling the way they do and stop shaming them because they have opinions.
I don’t even know what to think when it comes to the secret service. I am sure the bad behavior has been going on forever but without a good leader they can’t even keep the bad behavior behind closed doors. It does cause me to worry about our presidents safety and the safety of his family.
My daughter was a cop. I’m grateful she isn’t anymore.
Starbucks CEO is about in touch with ‘real’ people as celebrities are.
Bruce Jenner, I’m not sure what I believe. Wasn’t he cleared of being at fault in that accident?
The planes, now that is scary. We need to more openly discuss depression and mental health.
You got me thinking:)
My questions are a little more simple, like why do we have to have daylight savings when it’s so hard to change for kids.
I’ll see you on the dark side of the moon..hmm. Must be written about today’s headlines. But wait! I think these kinds of things have always happened and will always happen. Because life is full of inequities, and “all’s well that ends well” is only a line in a Shakespeare play; it’s not reality. We become angry, frustrated and fearful, but life happens and we all we can do is take a stand about these things It stinks, doesn’t it? I want Utopia, too…
What is that quote? “Forward the Light Brigade!. Was there a man dismay’d? Not tho’ the soldier knew /Someone had blunder’d:/ Theirs not to reason why,/ Theirs but to do and die:/Into the valley of Death/Rode the six hundred.”
I’m not a poet. This poem has always meant to me that even if you don’t know what mistakes have been made, or why, you try to do your best. You find your courage. You look for what you can do. And do it.
Thought-provoking Carol.
It seems like I’m saying “What is wrong with people?” almost every day anymore. This is one crazy world we live in, and it seems to be getting worse all the time.
You bring up a lot of great whys. I hope we can get some answers soon.
You raise some important points. Great questions. It seems like we have come so far in life but still have so far to go.
Carol, As usual you astutely say what everyone is thinking. My whys are jumbled up in the chaos of what is going on out there. The world is apparently undergoing some kind of revolution, a change in consciousness if you will. I think you are the person who can elaborate on that thinking!
It is all so sad really. It all stems from sin. People seem to be into themselves and it creates hate.
I worry about what the World will be like when my grandbabies become adults. Great piece Carol.
So many people are descriminated against and made to feel that they’re not equal, just for being who they are. They’re asked to change just because someone else doesn’t like it and isn’t willing to change themselves to be accepting of differences.
I wish I had an answer for any of these questions but there are just no answers that make any sense. Every day I seem to have more “why” questions. I truly worry about the future of humanity.
Interesting and certainly gives you something to think about. The problem today is society is only willing to accept some people’s way of life and not others. Everyone should be entitled to live their own life as long as they do not harm others.
This is an amazing post! Definitely got my attention.