Annie G
LOL “@KTLA: Man caught trying to smuggle woman across the US/Mexico border in a suitcase. http://ktlane.ws/1eFIkzw pic.twitter.com/tk4COKyseP”
Showing posts with label love. Show all posts
Showing posts with label love. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Saturday, February 2, 2013
(notes) We are all GATE. All Special Ed, too. (notes)
We are all GATE. All Special Ed, too. (notes)
I was lucky to be placed in a good academic slot in my time in elementary school back with me and the dinosaurs.
I guess I might have been in a GATE program, and I am glad that there are students and teachers celebrating hard work, learning, diligence, and excellence.
When I was a young student it was called "XL." I was glad to be included. My parents liked how it looked on the card, and my siblings knew that not everyone got into these classes. But I hated much of it, because a lot of my friends weren't.
I think labeling students is a VERY dangerous and violent method of grouping that we do unconsciously. I know MANY adults who have convinced themselves that reading, writing, thinking and educational challenges are not for them based on bullshit they were taught when they were kids. Lay that next to a lot of untalented, unmotivated, inappropriate students who are in the pipeline only because they have been told that they can and should get a degree.
Radical Inclusion is one of the most compelling components about Burning Man and I hope to learn much more of it along my path. I think that my natural inclination to categorize, classify and label fails to serve me and the society I live in and amongst. What if we are throwing out the best parts of our world when we tell a student through implicit and expressed communication that they 'can't?' When we tell one student 'this task is for you. You are Special Ed.' Or, 'this is not your room. You are NOT gifted and talented.'
The governor just proposed hiking the fees for community colleges by 400%. This is only the latest in an endless parade of negative news coming from and through our California education system.
I can imagine a lot, but nowhere in my consciousness is there anything that says that we have any more pressing concerns than education. We talk about budgets. We stage long elections. We fight like hell to make our place in the world safe for us and our kids. Educating ourselves, both on what has happened in the past as well as what might be possible in the near future is the number one task and challenge for our society. We have come to believe that money is enough. I am reminded of the Cree saying (translated) : Only when the last tree has been cut down, only when the last fish has been caught. only when the last buffalo has died will you truly understand what I mean when I say : money can not be eaten.
With love and respect for all, I really believe that when we are in school, we are ALL GATE, and we are ALL Special Ed, too. I think these labels are tossed around carelessly with lots of bad consequence. Whadaya think?
We are all GATE. All Special Ed, too. (notes)
I was lucky to be placed in a good academic slot in my time in elementary school back with me and the dinosaurs.
I guess I might have been in a GATE program, and I am glad that there are students and teachers celebrating hard work, learning, diligence, and excellence.
When I was a young student it was called "XL." I was glad to be included. My parents liked how it looked on the card, and my siblings knew that not everyone got into these classes. But I hated much of it, because a lot of my friends weren't.
I think labeling students is a VERY dangerous and violent method of grouping that we do unconsciously. I know MANY adults who have convinced themselves that reading, writing, thinking and educational challenges are not for them based on bullshit they were taught when they were kids. Lay that next to a lot of untalented, unmotivated, inappropriate students who are in the pipeline only because they have been told that they can and should get a degree.
Radical Inclusion is one of the most compelling components about Burning Man and I hope to learn much more of it along my path. I think that my natural inclination to categorize, classify and label fails to serve me and the society I live in and amongst. What if we are throwing out the best parts of our world when we tell a student through implicit and expressed communication that they 'can't?' When we tell one student 'this task is for you. You are Special Ed.' Or, 'this is not your room. You are NOT gifted and talented.'
The governor just proposed hiking the fees for community colleges by 400%. This is only the latest in an endless parade of negative news coming from and through our California education system.
I can imagine a lot, but nowhere in my consciousness is there anything that says that we have any more pressing concerns than education. We talk about budgets. We stage long elections. We fight like hell to make our place in the world safe for us and our kids. Educating ourselves, both on what has happened in the past as well as what might be possible in the near future is the number one task and challenge for our society. We have come to believe that money is enough. I am reminded of the Cree saying (translated) : Only when the last tree has been cut down, only when the last fish has been caught. only when the last buffalo has died will you truly understand what I mean when I say : money can not be eaten.
With love and respect for all, I really believe that when we are in school, we are ALL GATE, and we are ALL Special Ed, too. I think these labels are tossed around carelessly with lots of bad consequence. Whadaya think?
We are all GATE. All Special Ed, too. (notes)
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Why The President's Gun Comments Are Brave
I think it is incredibly brave that The President commits himself to confront the NRA. Such a nutty bunch of well-armed people pose a credible threat.
He just went in front of microphones and re-committed to examining gun laws and possibilities of making changes that might keep us all a little more safe from wild harvests of pain and confusion like Friday's mayhem in Connecticut.
Let's remember that so far all that Mr. Obama has proposed are a discussion and a committee.
NOT corralling all your guns.
Not demanding background checks.
Not ending sales of weapons and ammunition at gun shows.
Not even mandatory background checks for ALL firearm purchases in the U.S.A.
Gun owners define reactionary behavior.
Take five or ten minutes in the next week and read some of the posts from people and groups that disagree with the idea of examining gun laws and possibly limiting public access to weapons.
We all need to calm down and remember the dead kids here, the aching parents and the fact that we all might be here next year.
Do we really want to have another year like this last one?
BTW All of these posts came before the Newtown shootings last week.
4) "Obama hints at handgun restrictions"
http://washingtonexaminer.com/obama-hints-at-handgun-restrictions-too/article/2510993
3) "Take a look at Obama's Anti-Gun history, Then imagine what the future will be like with him in charge of your guns."
http://www.gunbanobama.com/
2) NRA Fact Sheet : "Why Obama Will Take Your Guns"
http://graphics.nra.org/chriscox/PVF204ObamaFactSheetInsert.pdf
1) A top official with the National Rifle Association said Friday that President Obama will move to "destroy" gun rights and "erase" the Second Amendment if he is re-elected in November.
Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/inside-politics/2012/feb/10/nra-official-obama-wants-outlaw-guns-2nd-term/#ixzz2FWINNt5m
http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/inside-politics/2012/feb/10/nra-official-obama-wants-outlaw-guns-2nd-term/
He just went in front of microphones and re-committed to examining gun laws and possibilities of making changes that might keep us all a little more safe from wild harvests of pain and confusion like Friday's mayhem in Connecticut.
Let's remember that so far all that Mr. Obama has proposed are a discussion and a committee.
NOT corralling all your guns.
Not demanding background checks.
Not ending sales of weapons and ammunition at gun shows.
Not even mandatory background checks for ALL firearm purchases in the U.S.A.
Gun owners define reactionary behavior.
Take five or ten minutes in the next week and read some of the posts from people and groups that disagree with the idea of examining gun laws and possibly limiting public access to weapons.
We all need to calm down and remember the dead kids here, the aching parents and the fact that we all might be here next year.
Do we really want to have another year like this last one?
BTW All of these posts came before the Newtown shootings last week.
4) "Obama hints at handgun restrictions"
http://washingtonexaminer.com/obama-hints-at-handgun-restrictions-too/article/2510993
3) "Take a look at Obama's Anti-Gun history, Then imagine what the future will be like with him in charge of your guns."
http://www.gunbanobama.com/
2) NRA Fact Sheet : "Why Obama Will Take Your Guns"
http://graphics.nra.org/chriscox/PVF204ObamaFactSheetInsert.pdf
1) A top official with the National Rifle Association said Friday that President Obama will move to "destroy" gun rights and "erase" the Second Amendment if he is re-elected in November.
Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/inside-politics/2012/feb/10/nra-official-obama-wants-outlaw-guns-2nd-term/#ixzz2FWINNt5m
http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/inside-politics/2012/feb/10/nra-official-obama-wants-outlaw-guns-2nd-term/
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Christo-Paganism XVII (notes)
Christo-Paganism XVII
Just saw a Joseph Prince ad for "The Spirit of Sonship." This, it seems, is a treatis on accepting god's love. "His only want is to shower his goodness upon you. So take it!" The message is provocative and compelling, which is why I hate it.
I -- as a pagan -- firmly believe in the abundance of the world and the universe. I like to take all the messages of the Christian faith and take the personal god out of them. Not to pee on the parade, but to add legitimacy to bullshit. Left to itself the christian party line attaches us to bullshit rules and is itself bullshit.
I was raised in the Christian faith and have come to learn that most of the behavior demanded from by the church and the followers has nothing to do with Jesus or the Bible. It has everything to do with fear, racism, greed, envy, anger, antipathy and arrogance. To use this great idea of teaching love and forgiveness and use it to conquer is so doublespeak as to be self evident.
I know I am throwing down a glove here, and doing it during our most hallowed, sacred, and generous holidays. but there it is. Love me, hate me, just let me know you're out there. And I do reserve the right to comment on grammatical and typographical errors as well. I work hard to make my message clear, and I ask you to do the same. That said, the message is the thing, and I do want to hear what you have to say.
Namaste from the West Coast and yes,
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Douglas Douglas
Just saw a Joseph Prince ad for "The Spirit of Sonship." This, it seems, is a treatis on accepting god's love. "His only want is to shower his goodness upon you. So take it!" The message is provocative and compelling, which is why I hate it.
I -- as a pagan -- firmly believe in the abundance of the world and the universe. I like to take all the messages of the Christian faith and take the personal god out of them. Not to pee on the parade, but to add legitimacy to bullshit. Left to itself the christian party line attaches us to bullshit rules and is itself bullshit.
I was raised in the Christian faith and have come to learn that most of the behavior demanded from by the church and the followers has nothing to do with Jesus or the Bible. It has everything to do with fear, racism, greed, envy, anger, antipathy and arrogance. To use this great idea of teaching love and forgiveness and use it to conquer is so doublespeak as to be self evident.
I know I am throwing down a glove here, and doing it during our most hallowed, sacred, and generous holidays. but there it is. Love me, hate me, just let me know you're out there. And I do reserve the right to comment on grammatical and typographical errors as well. I work hard to make my message clear, and I ask you to do the same. That said, the message is the thing, and I do want to hear what you have to say.
Namaste from the West Coast and yes,
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Douglas Douglas
Sunday, August 19, 2012
I love my family
Just now I was weeping for joy seeing the arc that has run from my grandmother through my father through me to my nephew. I always say that if just one person is changed by my work than all the sweat and confusion is worth it and right now I see that it is. Thank god for my family. Who knew?
http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3917145816114106539#editor/target=post;postID=305422875730419129
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