February 13, 2007 8:52 AM
Mommy Blog Revolution
While writing that last post I began hearing the Jefferson Airplane in the background (of my mind) singing "Start a Revolution' ("Volunteers" is the actual title)
Some of you may be going, the Jefferson who? Or maybe you remember your parents listening to them. Yeah, well I never thought I'd grow old either :)
But you know I still have revolutionary blood in my veins. I still question authority - but now the authority I question is the hijacking of our culture by Baby Boomers like me who have now become the establishment. I'll tell you something, watching the media and the left sabotage this war reminds me of VietNam. I can hardly believe the traitorous actions and words - so much worse than they were back then - now it's not just Jane Fonda, but politicians like John Kerry who go overseas and spread the Hate America Gospel.
As an antiwar activist, I was on the wrong side. Now, with a little more wisdom I see that we were responsible for that horrible loss. I don't care how the left spins it "We support the military, but not this war." They do not support the military. They have contempt for it (as when Kerry paited them as too stupid to do anything else) and for the whole culture of patriotism.
Only now more is at stake than ever.
I met a wonderful family from Australia last weekend who have gotten their green cards and are immigrating here. I asked the dad why and he said "Because America is the greatest country in the world!" I asked him what about all the Americans who hate their country (as I used to when I was a radical leftist) and he said, "They should just get out then!" They left Australia because he said that under socialism it is going rapidly downhill. The infrastructure is breaking down.
Some things have happened in my personal life recently which are drawing me to discuss politics and the culture more than I usually do. I will be blogging about them in the days to come. My experience on the radical left and as a recent target of their hostility leads me to anticipate that this may cost me some readers.
I hope not. I hope we can agree to disagree about some issues, but still remain on speaking terms :) In fact, I hope maybe some of you will be open-minded enough to truly listen to what I have to say. I hope I’ve earned enough trust that you don’t just dismiss the things I’ve learned along my journey.
As usual, I have so much more to talk about here than I have time. I still have LOTS of Mommy Ideas and conversations started in my Inbox. Those things will continue.
But the point I want to make here is a continuation of thought about Mommy Blogs becoming a more important part of the intellectual nourishment of SAHMs than the tired old news shows on TV.
There is a revolution afoot – a much-needed revolution. And remembering that old Jefferson Airplane anthem, I was so reminded of my counterculture days and the ringing slogan:
Turn on, tune in, drop out.
Turn on to media of personal empowerment, tune in to Internet news/shopping/mommy blogs, drop out of the tired old TV manipulation!
Don’t accept the news the Old Guard Media spoon feeds you. Gather lots of ideas and think for yourself! I'm on my way to take care of my "stuff" but will be back with a really great idea - Mommywise - later this afternoon!
Posted in Blogging, Current Affairs | Permalink
Comments
I can hardly wait!
Posted by: lauren | February 13, 2007 10:14 AM
I so agree with your post and look forward to hearing more.
Posted by: Pam | February 13, 2007 11:04 AM
I'm ready. I'll start off saying that I'm not sure about the war. My dad served a year there and my baby brother just left Thursday.
Posted by: whimsy | February 13, 2007 11:24 AM
Not only am I old enough to remember Jefferson Airplane.....I am right with you on the need for a revolution! I look forward to your coming posts....and will be cheering you on--hopefully, negating any interference from the nay-sayers. We must cheer loudly--to drown out the devastating drone of political correctness.
Diane
Posted by: Diane | February 13, 2007 11:56 AM
Barbara, whether or not we agree with you, you always make us think. You have very intelligent readers!
Besides, even if your readers happen to disagree with you, they like and respect you enough to agree with Voltaire's remark (in his 6 February 1770 letter to M. le Riche): ``Monsieur l'abbé, I detest what you write, but I would give my life to make it possible for you to continue to write.''
Continue to write, Barbara. We will read it!
Posted by: The Other Elle | February 13, 2007 12:15 PM
I am looking forward to your political and cultural posts! I enjoy them just as much, if not more than, your mommy posts.
Posted by: Becky Miller | February 13, 2007 12:27 PM
I just thought that quote from your Australian friends was funny--my (African) husband said something similar today. He was talking about how he can see that life here can be difficult (after a run of bad luck with cars and home repairs) especially for the poor, but unlike other nations, the difficulties we run into here are the kind we can learn from and do better next time (in our case--insulate them water pipes!). He doesn't understand why Americans don't see the greatness and opportunity offered to them on a platter on a daily basis.
Keep blogging, Barbara! You are a wonderful source of information and provoke me into a lot of deep thinking. :)
Posted by: Margaret | February 13, 2007 2:32 PM
If you are concerned about losing readers, please don't make posts with titles like "When the left hates it, you know it rocks." Please don't expect people to feel all warm and fuzzy for you. Try not to be so malicious. I'm a lefty and a very devout Christian. I don't appreciate being accused of hating my country. The world is full of different kinds of people and we NEED variety to survive. Like a genetic bottleneck, a political bottleneck would kill a country. Hate has no place in my life and it should not in yours.
Another informed optimist for peace,
Brandy
Posted by: Brandy | February 13, 2007 2:48 PM
Hi Barbara,
I enjoy reading your blog!
And I am from Australia...
With your mention of your discussion with that Australian family, I felt I had to say that I disagree with their comments. Lest someone reading this thinks that all Australians agree with them...
We have had a conservative (not socialist) government for more than 10 years now. It is not a perfect government (is there such thing??), but I had never heard that opinion before! And I have NEVER met an Australian who thought that America was the greatest country in the world! Never!
Not that we all dislike Americans :) Most of us actually LOVE living here!
Anyway, I just needed to say that, because I am aware that US readers often know very little about Australia.
I hope it is OK to say this :)
love Sam
Posted by: sam | February 13, 2007 3:22 PM
Well, you won't be losing this reader. I am among the apparently 27% who thinks the troop surge is a good idea! Anyway, I love politics.
Posted by: Marie | February 13, 2007 4:09 PM
Barbara,
I just stumbled upon your site, but boy do I agree with you.
Sue
Posted by: Sue Giannotta | February 13, 2007 5:59 PM
Oh yea... I'm humming right along with you, Barbara!
I look forward to your upcoming posts. And, I would much rather read Mommy blogs in the morning than the so-called news programs. Fluff from the morning "news" shows and unending crime stories from the local news. Ugh!
Keep doing what you're doing -- I love it all and have learned a lot!
Posted by: Kelley | February 13, 2007 8:07 PM
Guess what..I have coffee with you each and every morning along with several other of my favorite blogs! It is so refreshing to get my "news' and views in this manner. Funny thing is now I don't have to sift through the fluff and stuff the talking heads repeat for hours on end. Nor do I have to endure the entertainment format that the major news networks have now adopted.
Turn on to media of personal empowerment, tune in to Internet news/shopping/mommy blogs, drop out of the tired old TV manipulation!
Don’t accept the news the Old Guard Media spoon feeds you. Gather lots of ideas and think for yourself!
Amen! Thanks!
Posted by: Ohapizgud | February 13, 2007 10:03 PM
I've been visiting/reading your blog daily since Christmas this past year....I appreciate the fact that you're not afraid to say what's on your mind....and say it passionately. I started reading through the "One Year Bible" this January....interesting thing....Jesus Christ (the Living God Incarnate) had no problem calling a spade a spade...calling hypocrites (in that day known as the Sadducees and Pharisees) exactly what they were...Hypocrites! (reference is Matthew, Chapter 23, verses 13-39, New Living Translation). I want to thank you, Barbara, for your transparency and honesty...such a rare thing today. You are a breath of fresh air in a stale, suffocating environment of political correctness....it's your honesty and courage to speak the truth (in love) that keeps me coming back every day. Thank you for being willing to "walk the walk, and talk the talk." By the way, my son willingly chose (without coercion as would happen in some countries) to serve his country as a United States Marine. He served his first tour of duty in Iraq from August 2005 to March 2006. His next tour of duty will start sometime this summer. I proudly support him and our military, and yes, this war. I am thankful for men and women who are willingly putting their lives on the line for me, my family, and this country we live in! I am thankful for the freedom to be able to choose my faith and live my faith without being beheaded or tortured. I also am thankful for the opportunity, as a woman, to be able to vote....funny thing.....we think it was really activist women who have made this possible....actually the foundation for this and our other privileges are protected by our freedom-defending military!
Funny thing, too....my son-in-law is Australian. He certainly is very patriotic about Australia, and I think that's wonderful....but he also realizes God's hand in history on this country and chooses to live here (at least in the forseeable future)....wow, because of freedom, he actually gets to make the choice!
My husband and I have nine children, and yes, we are thankful for the freedom to be able to have all nine without the government saying "You're only allowed one child!" What a wonderful thing--this thing called freedom! May we as individuals or as a country never take it for granted!!
On a different note, too much diversity is the groundwork for confusion. Unity (based on Biblical principles) is far more important than diversity. Check out past history (especially when this country was being founded) you will be surprised at what went on in some of the early sessions and the number of roadblocks that occurrred. Did you know that the Capitol building in Washington, D.C. actually held church services every Sunday? Did you know that when Thomas Jefferson was President that he also attended that church every Sunday? Why? Because he felt church held an important place in individuals' lives and in the running of this country. Wow! What a neat thing....Freedom!
As a thought-provoking bumper sticker says, "If you can read this, thank a teacher; if you can read this in English, thank a soldier!" Amen!
Posted by: Pat | February 13, 2007 11:16 PM
Hi Barbara,
Thanks for taking the time to put your ideas and opinions out here. I have one comment. I think there is an important difference between being polictically correct and respecting others - and their ideas. I have found that the best way to move things forward in a loving way is to
"seek to understand, and then to be understood".
That is one reason your blog is valuable. It helps me understand other perspectives better.
Posted by: Margaret | February 14, 2007 10:56 AM
You Go Girl!!!!
I'm with you all the way, I'm looking forward to reading your thoughts.
Posted by: Spunky | February 15, 2007 2:46 PM
