| I had hoped that in the weeks since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, I would’ve calmed down or realized that maybe things aren’t as bad as they seem. But as we’re beginning to see all the implications, and not just on abortions, it only gets worse! |
| And, provides yet another issue on which our country is divided. It is a very complicated issue, and not as simple as answering “Should abortions be legal?” with a “yes” or “no.” Theoretically, what the Supreme Court did was decide that it is not the court’s responsibility to regulate abortion. That power belongs to the states. And, in theory, is for each to decide. |
| I can’t believe you just said that. What about the millions of women who, literally overnight, were stripped of a right they’ve enjoyed for 50 years? What about all the women whose lives will be at risk because they’ve lost the right to make decisions about their own bodies? What about the women who were victims of sexual crimes who might not only have to bear their assailant’s child but might even have to give them visitation rights?! |
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| All valid points. And, a very emotional argument. For those against abortion, many take a strong religious position and are just as passionate. |
| Intellectually, I know that. But as accommodating as I am, and as much as I don’t like confrontation, when it comes to abortion, I just don’t see any other side. I know you’re the debate queen, so please tell me you’re just playing devil’s advocate. Especially as I'd think you'd be pro-choice, not pro-life! |
| Just like abortion is not a clear-cut yes/no decision, and by the way, the majority of Americans support abortion, the terms pro-choice and pro-life make it sound like it is an either/or decision. And, at the risk of you accusing me of being too literal … who is against life? And, in terms of choice … do we not each get to choose what our religious beliefs are? So, extrapolating from there … most people are BOTH pro-life and pro-choice. |
| Mommy was right, you should have been a lawyer. But that doesn’t change the fact that abortions are now illegal in some states. The people who don’t believe in abortions are making choices for everyone. And that’s not right. What if they try to outlaw abortions at a federal level?! |
| Well, I wish I knew more about Constitutional Law. But, I cannot help but wonder if the Supreme Court, if they genuinely were trying to let us all decide for ourselves about abortion, could not have said that Roe v. Wade would be overturned effective January 1, 2027, or some date that gives everyone a chance to elect state officials that represent their wishes. Or, better yet, have a referendum that specifically allows us to vote on reproductive rights. Allow “We the people” to have our voices and votes govern. |
| First of all, I have to question the integrity of the court as those voting to overturn seemed to have voted along political and religious beliefs, and then explained it as their legal positions. Regardless, I can hear them claiming that we’ve already elected our government officials. |
| Ah, but not based on their position toward abortion and reproductive rights. That was supposedly already decided half a century ago with Roe v. Wade, so I doubt many people even thought about it. And, I cannot imagine any candidate would volunteer anything that might lose them votes. |
| No kidding. But once elected, that didn’t stop them from making laws that affect abortions. It was as if they were waiting for Roe v. Wade to be overturned. |
| Texas even found a way around it by allowing private citizens to sue anyone who “aids and abets” an abortion and dangling a “$10,000 bounty”. But, what if the tables were turned and elected officials had to take personal responsibility for their positions. |
| Sorry, you’ve lost me. |
| If they vote to ban all abortions, basically taking the position that abortion is murder (their words, not mine), then if it is discovered that they ever assisted with arranging and/or paying for an abortion (legal or otherwise) – be that a spouse, girlfriend, mistress, relative, etc. – then they face the consequences of being an accessory to murder. |
| They’d never agree to that! |
| And, that is my point. But, they have no problem telling others what they can and cannot do, refusing to let us decide for ourselves. OK, how about allowing people who previously could get an abortion but no longer can to instead “donate” the fertilized embryos? |
| But it wouldn’t be able to survive on its own. It would probably need a surrogate mother. Or expensive medical equipment. |
| If a woman has the right to put a child up for adoption, would that right not begin at the same exact time as when it is deemed a life? I am not trying to decide what is wrong or right, but I would like consistency. And, a women’s right to decide what happens to her body. |
| That’s where this conversation started! And why I’m so upset. Almost 250 years ago, our founding fathers fought for our freedom. Over 100 years ago, women got the right to vote. Roe v. Wade was passed 50 years ago, and now those rights have been taken away. I never thought I’d see the day when my daughters would have fewer rights than I did. |
| Well, as a very independent woman who climbed the ranks to management in male-dominated industries, I faced many challenges being a woman. But, I never felt like a second-class citizen … until now. |
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| I’ve finally started watching “The Handmaid’s Tale.” Have you watched it? |
| No, but I have read about the premise behind the book and the series because after Roe v. Wade was overturned, social media started comparing the series to what was happening in real life, with women having no control over their reproductive rights. |
| The similarities are even scarier. It takes place in the near-future after the U.S. government (including the Constitution) has been overthrown, and the new republic’s controlled by a ruling class of men. Men who are religious extremists and enforce their religious beliefs on everyone. |
| Well, there goes separation of church and state. But, I guess that is much more efficient than starting with Justices of the Supreme Court who vote based on their religious beliefs, and then proceeding from there. |
| That’s NOT funny. In the show, they use religion as an “excuse” for horrible acts against people. For example, women aren’t allowed to read; and if caught, they cut off a finger so everyone knows their “crime”. |
| Of course, women are not allowed to read. Reading opens your mind and can give you different perspectives. And, teaches you to think for yourself. I appreciate the series is fictional, but I am confident the underlying book will end up being just one more that some schools and libraries ban. |
| You know I love history and believe learning from the past helps us understand the present and shape the future. What I don’t understand is banning books that “dare” to explore controversial issues. That’s why even books that I may disagree with, or think are awful (in terms of subject matter, not the writing itself), are so important. They reflect the issues, the challenges, the beliefs of what we’re facing as a society. |
| What I find so infuriating is that educators, or more specifically, state agencies and school boards, talk about the need for students to develop critical thinking skills.Yet, they want to ban books that might actually teach them to think critically. And, independently. In an environment that could also teach them about differing perspectives. |
| It’s almost as if educators are against education. Or maybe it’s just that they’re afraid students might learn something that doesn’t fit their own agenda. I hate to say this about the education world, but every day it seems to become more and more political. |
| That is an understatement. Do you remember the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, when Ted Cruz asked her about the “Antiracist Baby” book? |
| Yes. At the time, I couldn’t figure out why he was making such a big deal of a book written for young children. From what little I knew about it, the premise is that no one’s born a racist; it’s something you learn. I can’t imagine having an issue with that. |
| He was pressing her on issues of racism and the teaching of critical race theory, which is a very controversial topic. Taking issue that she was on the Board of Trustees at a private school that teaches from the book and phrasing it to insinuate that babies are being taught to be racists. |
| Huh? That sounds like he twisted the words to try and make her look bad. But I admit I haven’t read the book. |
| I did. I, like many other people, immediately ordered it. (Cruz’s tirade made it an Amazon bestseller.) It is a beautifully illustrated book that poses nine simple questions to start conversations about racism. I know it is a children’s book, but I think it should be required reading in all schools. And, by all school boards. And, for any grownups who think racism is wrong and want to do something about it. |
| Well, I think it would be more likely to end up on a “banned book” list than required reading. Unfortunately, I’m sure there are lots of books we read growing up that are no longer taught in some schools. |
| “To Kill A Mockingbird” ended up being one of my all-time favorite books, but it has become very controversial. However, I was probably focused on Atticus’s legal maneuvering and Scout questioning authority versus the racist issues. |
| Gee, what a surprise. To be honest, I wasn’t a fan of the story, although I know it’s a classic. And won a Pulitzer Prize back in 1961, before I was even born. I hate when things are taken out of context. Instead of discussing the book’s message and looking at it in the light of people’s beliefs at the time and discussing how beliefs have (or have not) changed, they act as if it’s being written today. |
| The supposed logic about banning it was that it had strong language, including the n-word, and the discussion of sexuality and rape. Interestingly, they sidestepped the most obvious topic – racism. Which begs the question, “Why?” Unless, of course, you have something to hide. |
| It’s a very dangerous climate we’re living in, and I’m not talking about climate change. About six months ago, I watched the original (1966) version of the movie “Fahrenheit 451” which takes place in the not-so-distant future where books and intellectual thought are illegal. And I thought how back then I’d have considered it science fiction, but now I wonder if it’s a forecast of things to come. |
| To some extent, you do not have to outlaw intellectual thought. Social media and biased-media are doing their best to stop it, which is why news literacy is more important than ever. But, the banning of books as a way to control not only what students think, but to prevent them from learning to question and discuss beliefs different from their own, and then make their own decisions, is not only scary, but dangerous. |
| This conversation started with me simply asking if you’ve seen “The Handmaid’s Tale.” But somehow, you turned it into a discussion about the banning of books and what we teach in school. All I now know is that I’d like to bury my head in the sand. |
| Being an ostrich is the opposite of what you should do. All these fictional stories, whether movies, television series, or books, have people that stand up for what they believe is right. So, why not be both entertained and inspired? |
| So, you’re telling me I need to speak up and speak out? |
| And, hope one day we have enough of a following that someone wants to ban Red & Black. |
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| Thanks for the accounting of your garage sale. But, given how many hours you spent preparing for it, and then the actual sale itself, did you calculate how much you “earned” on a $/hour basis? |
| No, all I know is that it seemed to take forever to go through everything in Mom’s house and decide what to keep, what to sell, what to donate. And what to trash. As far as the garage sale, I’ll give you your half the next time I see you. |
| Keep my half. You did all the work. I did not even offer to help. |
| And that was a big help. Thank you. |
| Obviously, you must be exhausted because you are making no sense. |
| Sorry, but I have a specific way of running garage sales, and the last thing I needed was another “cook in the kitchen”. |
| Not a good analogy as “cook” is a four-letter word that I do not use. |
| Cute. But seriously, I knew if I had asked you to help, you would’ve. But I can only imagine how you’d have reacted when you first saw all the stuff for sale. Especially as I treat garage sales as a way to get rid of items that I know have very little value. I’m not trying to maximize the money I make; I’m just trying to make the stuff “go away”. In fact, I don’t even put prices on them. |
| That all makes sense. Except for not having everything pre-priced. That would drive me crazy. How do you know what to charge people? |
| It’s an experience thing and another reason why I didn’t ask you to help. I have a sense of prices, but not something I could quantify in advance. When someone arrives, I tell them that everything’s cheap and give them an example. They usually look at me like, “Wow, she means it.” And then I tell them to collect what they want and that I promise to give them a good price. And I do. |
| Is that why you and Mom never had joint garage sales? I cannot imagine she would let you determine prices on the spot. |
| Actually, she’s the one who “taught” me not to price things. That if someone picks up something or you see them looking at it, they’re interested. And that’s all you need to know. Where we differed was in how much to charge. To her, it was fun, but also a way to make money. To me, a garage sale isn’t my retirement account. It’s my way to get rid of stuff, especially big, bulky stuff. |
| In other words, people are paying you to haul off your trash. Or, save you trips taking stuff to your local thrift stores. |
| Exactly. Although I still take a lot of items to thrift stores that would probably sell for a decent price at a garage sale because I believe in what they’re doing, and I know that my donations make a difference. But I forgot how fun a garage sale can be, meeting people and laughing, just making connections, and knowing that someone will now enjoy and/or use your things. Or, in this case, Mom’s things. |
| Is there a particular age group that came to your garage sale? |
| It was truly a mix of people. Not counting the kids tagging along with their parents, which reminded me of when the girls would set up a lemonade stand to benefit Make-A-Wish at my garage sales years ago, they ranged from 20-somethings to senior citizens. But I’m almost afraid to ask why you asked. |
| I will not get into studies and statistics, but younger people are really into the environment and reusing older things, especially clothing (which is one of the three “new” R’s – reduce – reuse – recycle). So, garage sales, along with thrift stores, are becoming more popular than ever. |
| I love it! And the idea of so many of Mom’s things, now that she’s passed, will get to live on and be enjoyed by others. |
| At the risk of sounding like a MasterCard commercial, there are some things that money cannot buy. Like sentimental value and fond memories. |
| I know. Which is why the process of sorting everything was so time-consuming. Interestingly, when that came up in conversation during the garage sale, so many people could relate and then shared their own stories. It was as if they wanted me to know that Mom’s things were getting a good home. |
| Well, if you add that to the cash you made, it sounds like a very successful garage sale. Hopefully, the next sale, being an estate sale with larger and higher-priced items, will be as successful. And, although I tried to get you to use a professional “estate sale” company that would do everything for you, I am beginning to understand why you decided to do it yourself. |
| The hardest part was culling and organizing, and there was no way I’d let strangers go through all of Mom’s things. And the internet makes “advertising” the sale and posting items online very easy. All-in-all, there’s no reason we can’t do it ourselves. |
| We?! |
| Yes, because your ability to combine photos into a single image and correct my grammar is important. But your spreadsheets will be critical. |
| Now, that I can do. |