I am glad I am not a parent. How do parents explain to their children what the President of the United States says is not excitable? “Sons of Bitches” really? Another low point from our Tweeting Commander and Chief. Not to mention bullying. This coming from a woman who loves to lob the ‘F” word. Should POTUS swear from the podium? I think NAUGHT.
When Clinton got a blow job in the Oval Office, parents everywhere had to talk about sex, or “not sex”.
There is an adage, “If you can’t say it at your Mother’s dinner table, you shouldn’t say it”. But, social media allows anonymous mean, vulgar and demeaning comments. Wow, aren’t you brave to write something and not attach your name?
Lisa in her front yard.
Meet my new friend Lisa Cholnoky! Lisa has started a grass root one woman campaign called “DECENCY”. I love it!
When I came to Long Island, I signed up for the emails from U.S. Representative for Suffolk County (NY-1) Lee Zeldin. I had hoped to attend town hall meetings, but I only learned about town halls – after the fact. (Good way to avoid adversarial opinions?) But, the last newsletter had a story about a woman mailing 535 buttons to every Member of Congress. The button states plainly and simply “decency”.
On our way to Lisa’s house on Shelter Island.
I liked this woman immediately. Representative Zeldin gave a floor speech (click the link) in support of returning decency and civility to our national debate based on Lisa’s one woman effort. I enjoyed a lovely morning on Lisa’s deck discussing politics, and how to move the campaign forward.
Remember when a woman during a McCain Presidential campaign event called Obama “an Arab”? McCain stopped her dead in her tracks, and said “NO…he [Obama] is a decent man…that I have differences with”.
Senator McCain is a true legislator, he recently parted ways with his pal Lindsey Graham on yet another very harmful “repeal and replace” health care bill. McCain is opposing on principle, civility and decency; he is not afraid of debate, compromise and bi-partisanship. He can even differ with his friends and be kind about it.
McCain is a true American and real hero.
If you missed McCain’s floor speech about working together, across party lines, for the American people click this link. I can’t watch it without crying. It is a cruel irony that McCain has the same brain cancer as his old friend Ted Kennedy. I see them together in the afterlife sharing stories, drinking Scotch and shaking their heads at what has become of the institution they both loved, the United States Senate.
During my work in Washington, D.C. I worked on the campaign to pass comprehensive immigration reform (CIR), for more than 15 years of trying. I had the amazing privilege of attending meetings with Senators Kennedy, McCain, and the other bi-partisan Senators and advocates trying to pass a complex and comprehensive immigration bill. Working with Senators Kennedy and McCain, their incredible staff, was a wonderful highlight of my career. But we failed to pass CIR, and it broke my heart. My heart is still breaking listening to the very same hateful rhetoric about immigrants.
Kennedy and McCain were the embodiment of “decency” and friendship. They disagreed philosophically but they liked and respected each other. Being decent to one-another is what is missing in today’s national debate. We need to listen more, and talk less.
Thanks Lisa for getting the ball rolling. Let’s all support the Campaign for DECENCY. I am wearing the button. I hope you will too!
Well said Alison!