Mary, this is one of THE clearest explanations about how it happens. Excellent writing!
Another thought occurred to me yesterday as I re-read CNN’s comments on your uncle’s Feb 8th ‘speech’ (diatribe) in Palm Beach…. they were CORRECT that he LIED about Pelosi causing the insurrection. HOWEVER, what I think they missed was that he admitted it WAS AN INSURRECTION.
Could this be used to settle the question: “was it an insurrection?”
He said it himself. In a lie, he provides the truth?
Donald does that ALL THE TIME!!! He lies, but actually says the truth about himself. He's so self-revealing and, it's been said as far back as 2016: just listen to his words, and he'll give himself away...
Me? known as a psychologist and actually I am an American artist, poet, philosopher, quotable notable. Each person sees what they want to see is the answer. believer or non believer. I believe in you strong freaky smile and heart and brad mehldau. I can't now. It's too bad. It's too late. and that's not funny. it's real Guess who? Leigh Silverton
Holy shit! I related to you stack so much that it made me cringe. And thank you for sharing it, btw.
This past Thanksgiving we invited a friend of over 30 years over that had just lost his wife to cancer a few months earlier. Now, I have said it many times that I liked it so much better when I didn't know people's political leanings or religious beliefs and that was all of the years before Czar Cheeto ran for president. And I have lost a lot of long time friends because of it.
This guy we had over, while I was in the kitchen cooking a meal that no one else invited him over to enjoy (for reasons of their own and similar to mine) was in my living room talking shit. The first subject he started with, I let slide figuring he was just blowing off steam and I can't remember exactly what it was, but when the word "Faggot" came out of his mouth I stepped into our living room and said that was enough and that kind of rhetoric will not be allowed in this house. I also told him that he was free to leave at anytime. I believe that the first thing he was talking shit about was Biden and it was brief, like he was testing the waters, so to speak.
Anyway, he will never cross the threshold of my door anymore.
Ahhh, having relatives from Queens, NY, I used to have what I would call the "Archie Bunker Test." If they acted like Archie Bunker, then I would gradually have them fade out of my life, little by little.
Unfortunately, I didn't realize how racist and hateful some of my relatives were until Obama came to power, and even moreso when your uncle came down the escalator. Suddenly, their masks of politeness were gone, and they revealed who they really were
It has saved me a great deal of money on Christmas presents since I cut them out of my life. The relatives who are more open minded I have kept in my life. The rest are wished into the cornfield.
Thank you, Mary, for continuing to speak out. And please take good care of yourself. Saving democracy is going to be a tough slog so some escapist literature may be just what we all need. And keeping the focus on yourself will benefit us all. Peace and Love.
We need to remind ourselves that it is UNKIND to withhold constructive criticism from people who are racist, bigoted, prejudiced, or sexist. Being kind - which is mentioned on Facebook at least twice a day - does not mean being quiet or accommodating. Silence is complicity. Standing our ground can be done without name calling, anger, condescension, or superiority. Moral courage requires direct communication delivered from a place of sincerity and integrity. Some will still flap about and rant, but as we saw from Fani Willis, moral courage wins the day. Mary, thank you for all you do. Try Edith Wharton’s novels if you haven’t already completed them.
This seared me to my soul. You must have been specifically chosen and prepared to do this - your mission -as few humans have the experiences you have .You bring your love, your intellect and passion and transmute it all for good. The fact that YOU emerged from that says anything is possible. Thank you.
What a beautiful commentary on Mary. I too have been amazed that such a gem of a human being who had her roots in such an unbearable and unacceptable family, (to use Mary's words in this article) could be such a fearless force for GOOD. Mary's journey from this family reminds me of the poem by Kahlil Gibran about Children. He says:
"Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself. They came through you but not from you, And although they are with us, yet they belong not to us."
It's safe to say Mary is the daughter of " Life's longing for itself."
I grew up using accommodation, when my relatives said things that made me uncomfortable. I thought, they’re old, obviously set in their ways, anything to keep the peace. Thank you for putting it so succinctly and allowing me roses that I’m not the only one. I learned a new truth about myself. I will do my best to follow Maya’s truth and wisdom.
I lived in a home where I had to accommodate every day or feel my father's wrath, literally. Thankfully, I had some innate moral code from a very young age that knew the racism, misogyny, xenophobia, and WASP hatred of others was wrong, but I had to stay silent about it around my family. Fortunately, my mother's mother was the shining example I needed to hear and watch and see to learn other ways of fighting it.
I will, number one, need to read some Henry James. But more importantly,I didn’t see where your thoughts would be going in the post. It was impactful. Thanks for the insight and the suggestion. It is time to get our collective house in order.
I have a framed photograph of Billie Holiday on my wall. My racist but close uncle said what’s that ‘N’ word doing on my wall. I said “don’t ever say that word in my house again” and he never did. I did it to a beloved childhood uncle, we all can do it to the MAGA Republicans!!
Mary, this is one of THE clearest explanations about how it happens. Excellent writing!
Another thought occurred to me yesterday as I re-read CNN’s comments on your uncle’s Feb 8th ‘speech’ (diatribe) in Palm Beach…. they were CORRECT that he LIED about Pelosi causing the insurrection. HOWEVER, what I think they missed was that he admitted it WAS AN INSURRECTION.
Could this be used to settle the question: “was it an insurrection?”
He said it himself. In a lie, he provides the truth?
Oh my, did he really say that? Because if he did that’s huge! I wonder if Jack Smith is aware of this.
He surely did say it. iI couldn’t figure out how to post the link here. I think you can search it by : date of diatribe.
https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/08/politics/fact-check-trump-january-6/index.html
There you go. Wow!
Thank you Paula! Other news outlets also carried it but it seems focused on the lie.,.. because maybe you would expect to find the truth in his words?
CORRECTION: (damn Siri!! ) should be WHO would expect / not YOU
“I think it was an insurrection caused by ______,” Trump said. Just take Nancy’s name out of that half-truth and Jack, you’ve got a confession.
THIS RIGHT HERE ^^^^^
I doubt Very Stable Genius knows insurrection from vivisection.
The truth will out.
Donald does that ALL THE TIME!!! He lies, but actually says the truth about himself. He's so self-revealing and, it's been said as far back as 2016: just listen to his words, and he'll give himself away...
Oops.
Take it out of the house …. and senate, too.
Wouldn't that be nice!
Me? known as a psychologist and actually I am an American artist, poet, philosopher, quotable notable. Each person sees what they want to see is the answer. believer or non believer. I believe in you strong freaky smile and heart and brad mehldau. I can't now. It's too bad. It's too late. and that's not funny. it's real Guess who? Leigh Silverton
An essay that is absolutely beautiful, powerful, and true. Thank you.
Holy shit! I related to you stack so much that it made me cringe. And thank you for sharing it, btw.
This past Thanksgiving we invited a friend of over 30 years over that had just lost his wife to cancer a few months earlier. Now, I have said it many times that I liked it so much better when I didn't know people's political leanings or religious beliefs and that was all of the years before Czar Cheeto ran for president. And I have lost a lot of long time friends because of it.
This guy we had over, while I was in the kitchen cooking a meal that no one else invited him over to enjoy (for reasons of their own and similar to mine) was in my living room talking shit. The first subject he started with, I let slide figuring he was just blowing off steam and I can't remember exactly what it was, but when the word "Faggot" came out of his mouth I stepped into our living room and said that was enough and that kind of rhetoric will not be allowed in this house. I also told him that he was free to leave at anytime. I believe that the first thing he was talking shit about was Biden and it was brief, like he was testing the waters, so to speak.
Anyway, he will never cross the threshold of my door anymore.
Maybe he was just asking for a burning faggot to relight his bong, which had gone out.
I laughed to tears at “Czar Cheeto”!!! I was looking at him on TV the other day thinking he look like a “Flaming Dorito” in a suit.
😆
Ahhh, having relatives from Queens, NY, I used to have what I would call the "Archie Bunker Test." If they acted like Archie Bunker, then I would gradually have them fade out of my life, little by little.
Unfortunately, I didn't realize how racist and hateful some of my relatives were until Obama came to power, and even moreso when your uncle came down the escalator. Suddenly, their masks of politeness were gone, and they revealed who they really were
It has saved me a great deal of money on Christmas presents since I cut them out of my life. The relatives who are more open minded I have kept in my life. The rest are wished into the cornfield.
Thank you, Mary, for continuing to speak out. And please take good care of yourself. Saving democracy is going to be a tough slog so some escapist literature may be just what we all need. And keeping the focus on yourself will benefit us all. Peace and Love.
Mary how deeply you’ve shared.
A Power Greater than ourselves is present.
I am so grateful for your work and your dedication to the truth.
We need to remind ourselves that it is UNKIND to withhold constructive criticism from people who are racist, bigoted, prejudiced, or sexist. Being kind - which is mentioned on Facebook at least twice a day - does not mean being quiet or accommodating. Silence is complicity. Standing our ground can be done without name calling, anger, condescension, or superiority. Moral courage requires direct communication delivered from a place of sincerity and integrity. Some will still flap about and rant, but as we saw from Fani Willis, moral courage wins the day. Mary, thank you for all you do. Try Edith Wharton’s novels if you haven’t already completed them.
God, yeah! Take it all out of our house, once and for all!!
This seared me to my soul. You must have been specifically chosen and prepared to do this - your mission -as few humans have the experiences you have .You bring your love, your intellect and passion and transmute it all for good. The fact that YOU emerged from that says anything is possible. Thank you.
What a beautiful commentary on Mary. I too have been amazed that such a gem of a human being who had her roots in such an unbearable and unacceptable family, (to use Mary's words in this article) could be such a fearless force for GOOD. Mary's journey from this family reminds me of the poem by Kahlil Gibran about Children. He says:
"Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself. They came through you but not from you, And although they are with us, yet they belong not to us."
It's safe to say Mary is the daughter of " Life's longing for itself."
Wow! I love your perspective! Certainly she demonstrates suitedness “for such a time as this.”
Thank you Audrey. I agree, she certainly does.
I grew up using accommodation, when my relatives said things that made me uncomfortable. I thought, they’re old, obviously set in their ways, anything to keep the peace. Thank you for putting it so succinctly and allowing me roses that I’m not the only one. I learned a new truth about myself. I will do my best to follow Maya’s truth and wisdom.
I lived in a home where I had to accommodate every day or feel my father's wrath, literally. Thankfully, I had some innate moral code from a very young age that knew the racism, misogyny, xenophobia, and WASP hatred of others was wrong, but I had to stay silent about it around my family. Fortunately, my mother's mother was the shining example I needed to hear and watch and see to learn other ways of fighting it.
Mary, you finished your novel, kept us on the edge of our seats with your Substack.....AND read James' novels????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you. Well said. And the quote from Maya Angelou is perfection. I needed that.
I will, number one, need to read some Henry James. But more importantly,I didn’t see where your thoughts would be going in the post. It was impactful. Thanks for the insight and the suggestion. It is time to get our collective house in order.
Brilliant! Simply, clearly brilliant.
I have a framed photograph of Billie Holiday on my wall. My racist but close uncle said what’s that ‘N’ word doing on my wall. I said “don’t ever say that word in my house again” and he never did. I did it to a beloved childhood uncle, we all can do it to the MAGA Republicans!!