SSA Blog #026     By Michelle Drew     December 8, 2005

A lot is said these days about political correctness. In fact, even those who, like myself, can sometimes see a certain lack of humor. Some humor prays upon stereotypes and/or weaknesses in certain cultures or religions. On this list, it is not now nor ever will be a publishing of that type of humor. Humor is meant to be entertaining not destructive or hurtful or perpetrating negative myths. For those who consider themselves to be PC, here is a funny piece at our own expense!!!

Reader Contribution

Sent in by SueBee

On the 12th day of the Eurocentrically imposed midwinter festival, my
Significant Other in a consenting adult, monogamous relationship gave to
me:

TWELVE males reclaiming their inner warrior through ritual drumming,

ELEVEN pipers piping (plus the 18-member pit orchestra made up of
members in good standing of the Musicians Equity Union as called for in
their union contract even though they will not be asked to play a note),

TEN melanin deprived testosterone-poisoned scions of the patriarchal
ruling class system leaping,

NINE persons engaged in rhythmic self-expression,

EIGHT economically disadvantaged female persons stealing milk-products
from enslaved Bovine-Americans,

SEVEN endangered swans swimming on federally protected wetlands,

SIX enslaved Fowl-Americans producing stolen non-human animal products,

FIVE golden symbols of culturally sanctioned enforced domestic
incarceration,

(NOTE after members of the Animal Liberation Front threatened to throw
red paint at my computer, the calling birds, French hens and partridge
have been reintroduced to their native habitat.  To avoid further
Animal-American enslavement, the remaining gift package has been
revised.)

FOUR hours of recorded whale songs

THREE deconstructionist poets

TWO Sierra Club calendars printed on recycled processed tree carcasses

AND a Spotted Owl activist chained to an old-growth pear tree.

All Good Thoughts

Here are 3 quotes I have added to my "Book of Courage"...

The question in life is not whether you get knocked down. You will.
The question is, are you ready to get back up and fight for what you believe in?

Dan Quayle


"Believe in yourself, your neighbors, your work,
your ultimate attainment of more complete happiness.
It is only the farmer who faithfully plants seeds in
the Spring, who reaps a harvest in Autumn.

B. C. Forbes


Take control of your destiny. Believe in yourself.
Ignore those who try to discourage you. Avoid negative
sources, people, places, things and habits. Don't give
up and don't give in.

Wanda Carter

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Inspirational Reading

YOU WERE MEANT FOR THE SKIES by Steve Goodier, copyright 2005

This story reminds us how important a healthy self-image really is.

    A man found an eagle's egg and put it in a nest of a
    barnyard hen. The eagle hatched with the brood of chicks and grew
    up with them. All his life, the eagle did what the barnyard chicks
    did, thinking he was a barnyard chicken. He scratched the earth
    for worms and insects. He clucked and cackled. And he thrashed his
    wings and flew a few feet in the air.

    Years passed and the eagle grew very old. One day he saw a
    magnificent bird above him in the cloudless sky. It glided in
    graceful majesty among powerful wind currents, with scarcely a
    beat of its strong, golden wings.

    The old eagle looked up in awe. "Who's that?" he asked.
    "That's the eagle, the king of the birds," said his neighbor. "He
    belongs to the sky. We belong to the earth ­ we're chickens." So
    the eagle lived and died a chicken, for that is what he thought he
    was.  (Author unknown)

You were meant for the skies - not the chicken coop. Who
will believe in you if you do not believe in yourself?