I have been having a couple of thoughts/ questions rattling around in my brain over the last few days, and they have been stuck in the rattling and pondering mode without much development, so I thought I would share them here. Either you all can add to my thoughts and help me jump-start them into serious "analysis mode" or, at the very least, I'll have good company in the "rattling around" club.
Random Puzzlement #1:
I get that President Obama's election was an historic one because of his ancestry. However, isn't making a big deal about his race defeating the point of being color blind and not making race an issue? How much celebration is appropriate without violating the principles encapsulated by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. of not judging people by the color of their skin but by the content of their character? Isn't "positive" racism still racism?
Random Puzzlement #2:
Why weren't Mr. and Mrs. Obama wearing coats at the inaugural ceremony? I know this doesn't seem like a big deal (it probably isn't), but it really bothered me for some reason (because I'm a mom of a child who shares Mr. Obama's percentage of body fat, maybe?). I don't know, but all I could wonder was if it's because our society tends to place so much importance on image that we can't even allow the President and First Lady to wear a coat during an outdoor national ceremony on a 20 degree day for fear we will miss what designer they are wearing so we can all criticize them later?
Random Puzzlement #3:
Why was the phrase "so help me God" added to the Oath of Office during the inaugural ceremony? It's not in the Constitution, so why did Chief Justice Roberts feel compelled to add it? He also added at the re-take, so I don't think it was a fluke. If President Obama wanted to say, "So help me God" after taking the oath as a sort of public prayer, that's fine. George Washington did. That's where the tradition comes from. However, I have a problem with it being formally added. Does it's inclusion negate the oath taken since the oath would no longer be in compliance with the Constitution? If so, would that mean we have been president-less for decades since it has traditionally been added for who knows how long? Frodo says I was being nit-picky in the case of President Obama's swearing-in since it was asked as a question, but it wasn't at the re-do. Does it really matter?
Random Puzzlement #4:
Why hasn't more than one President used the word "affirm" as opposed to "swear" when taking the oath?
(Really, Really) Random Puzzlement #5:
Why do I feel guilty taking our two stray kittens to the animal shelter? It's a no-kill shelter, their other sibling that was there was adopted quickly, we didn't ask for these kittens, and Frodo is deathly allergic to cats... sooo, why do I feel bad?
1 comment:
I don't have much to add to the other 4, except that I agree with you on all 4 of them so far.
For #5 I'm really not providing any help, just commiseration. We took in a stray that had been brought to our vet. He was adorable and fun, but he had two big strikes against him - he didn't get along with our existing cat and he left presents all through the house (including on my bed and my desk). And yet I felt guilty, maybe if we gave it more time or gave him more attention, (or enabled him some other way) it could have worked.
The vet took him back and then found another home for him, but man did I feel guilty for a month or so.
You just can't keep them, there is nothing you can change, time won't help anyone. I think it's a nurturing trait that we care about an animal that much.
I suspect you'll do it and the guilt will go away pretty quickly because it isn't true guilt, just care and concern.
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