A while back I shared that I had had someone close to me ask me not to make any more political posts or they would have to un-friend me. Over the weekend one of my Gang of Four ( we have had an ongoing conversation in FB messenger since 2009 or so. One of them is ultra liberal and was the first person to tell me she would take to the streets in protest if Trump won. She pretty much checked out of the conversation in July. The second was devastated by the election results and has been living in fear of being sent off to be reprogrammed. He is in mourning over the loss of the Obamas. The third had seemed more rational and he and I continued.
Sometime in the last week or so there was this post on FB from Medium dot com that “No Jesus was not a non white refuge”. I can’t seem to find the original post to share with you, but one of our former members here made a comment on it and I saw it and commented too, agreeing with what she said. The last of our Gang saw my post but didn’t have time to comment then but sent me a message of how wrong I was in my opinion and that he had been trying to put our group back together and I had committed and “unforced error” (I had to look that term up because I am not a sporty kind of person).
Most of you know that I am a peace maker and will avoid argument at all cost, so my defense for him was that yes, the Old Masters/Europeans painted most of the images of Jesus we had and that is how I see Him in my mind. I also told him that the first time I went in a black person’s home and say Jesus depicted as a black man I was shocked and maybe a little offended, but then I came to the conclusion of ‘if we are created in God’s image” then why shouldn’t a black person visualize Jesus as black and a white person visualize him as white. I really don’t care what His skin tone was/is. It doesn’t matter.
THIS is what is wrong with FB. Anything you comment on can be seen by anyone on your friend’s list. I may even have a few beliefs that some of you wouldn’t agree with but you don’t hold them against me. I ended up telling my friend that the 3 of them were the open minded liberals but it was really looking like I was the most tolerant. I also told him that it was obvious that Friday was my birthday and while one had “liked” a birthday wish someone else gave me neither of the other two had made a comment. Last night Ultra Liberal Female Friend checked in to tell us how cold it was supposed to be today and that she would be wearing mink–probably black mink. Well if you care so much about the welfare of everyone else and you are so liberal why don’t you sell your multiple mink coats, buy yourself a good winter coat and use the rest to buy coats for the homeless who are cold?
I know the solution to the problem. Stay off of FB. If I have to post something or comment on something, then I should just stick to cute kitten photos and videos.
If you have a cute kitten meme or video and you are my FB friend please feel free to share it with me. 🙂
The political feelings are extremely intense right now. Some are simply convinced that a “hitler” is now the president so they feel justified in going over the top, over and over again, with “The Resistance.”
Liberals who fear we are about to be governed by Hitler should be encouraged to read Trump’s Meryl Streep, Vanity Fair and Miss Universe tweets. Clearly we are not about to be ruled by an actual Hitler, but rather the comic Hitler from The Producers.
I watched the Golden Globes last night. I have not done so for years, but was curious to see what political statements would be made. I also don’t want to be completely clueless about what is out in the entertainment world. I saw the speech by Ms. Streep.
I think she is a very talented actress. However, it struck me as quite hypocritical to go on and on about showing a proper example to people when the films themselves show all kinds of terrible behavior. Not all that behavior is shown as something to do or as ok, but much of it is. I was also unimpressed by the feeling of importance by so many of these artists. The final judge of us all is not going to be impressed by our social status.
I do believe the movies, television etc. are a big influence and should be used for good. We need to pray for good people who are doing so.
I also believe Pres.-elect should not bother tweeting about this stuff. I am not sure he should tweet at all without several layers of advisors to give him time and counsel. All of us can be way too quick to anger and speech. Proverbs has some warnings about that.
Who is Meryl Streep? I realize she is probably an actor but that is as far as my knowledge goes. And I don’t really think I need to know any more so ignore the question.
Yes, Michelle–lots of things should be of more importance. Alas, it is not. It always amazes me of reading journals, diaries and stories that took place during Hitler’s time and seeing life go on as normal. We are easily entertained and there is much individuals have no control over, at any rate.
“AS HE PREPARES to move out of the White House, Barack Obama is understandably focused on his legacy and reputation. The president will deliver a farewell address in Chicago on Tuesday; he told his supporters in an e-mail that the speech would “celebrate the ways you’ve changed this country for the better these past eight years,” and previewed his closing argument in a series of tweets hailing “the remarkable progress” for which he hopes to be remembered.
Certainly Obama has his admirers. For years he has enjoyed doting coverage in the mainstream media. Those press ovations will continue, if a spate of new or forthcoming books by journalists is any indication. Moreover, Obama is going out with better-than-average approval ratings for a departing president. So his push to depict his presidency as years of “remarkable progress” is likely to resonate with his true believers.
But there are considerably fewer of those true believers than there used to be. Most Americans long ago got over their crush on Obama, as they repeatedly demonstrated at the polls.”
“As a political leader, Obama has been a disaster for his party. Since his inauguration in 2009, roughly 1,100 elected Democrats nationwide have been ousted by Republicans. Democrats lost their majorities in the US House and Senate. They now hold just 18 of the 50 governorships, and only 31 of the nation’s 99 state legislative chambers. After eight years under Obama, the GOP is stronger than at any time since the 1920s, and the outgoing president’s party is in tatters.
Obama urged Americans to cast their votes as a thumbs-up or thumbs-down on his legacy. That’s what they did.
In almost every respect, Obama leaves behind a trail of failure and disappointment. Consider just some of his works:”
“Alibaba executive chairman Jack Ma is meeting with U.S. president-elect Donald Trump on Monday to discuss plans to create one million new U.S. jobs over the next five years.
The Monday meeting will focus on the Chinese e-commerce company’s U.S. expansion plans, according to spokespeople for both Alibaba and Trump.”
Meryl Streep is also one of our greatest actresses, which is why she was given the Lifetime Achievement Award. I may not agree with all she said, but I wouldn’t characterize it as babbling.
I didn’t see anything in particular about the speech.
Trump has made Meryl Streep famous.
None of you remember. There was a brouhaha once when Harry Truman got into an argument with a guy who criticized his daughter’s piano playing.
It’s best to leave these thing alone.
Downright silly.
Here’s a recent post from Philip Yancey that I have seen shared on Facebook. I think someone may have shared it here, too, but I’m not sure. I shared it on Facebook this morning, & will share it here, mostly to share a quote from an email Yancey received. It was written by a progressive pastor, but the wording could be changed to conservative thoughts, & the message would still hold. (And this can be applied to issues other than political.) There should be no room for uncharitableness in the heart of a Christian. . .
“Throughout the last few days I have thought about how much easier it is for me to be a “left of center leaning progressive” than it is for me to be a Christian. As a political party member I can vent and debate, mock and obfuscate other’s policies. As a Christian I must lean in and listen; I must embrace and include.
While the political part of me seeks revenge, (“Let the markets crash! Watch Putin’s advances with a weakened NATO! See the dismantling of America’s leadership!”) the Christian in me must pray for the welfare of the city, our country and the world. The claims of Christ demand that I seek the things that make for peace.
I can’t mock those who voted for Trump or suggest that the rise of the “know nothing” party is complete. I don’t get to paint them with a wide brush of ugly words. And perhaps most temptingly, I can’t try and write off the “other” Christians who supported President-elect Trump. That’s not allowed. Like me, they are beggars of grace. And the One from whose hand we have equally received will not allow me to stand close while my heart is far away.”
Kim – I am so sorry about what has happened with your special friends. From what I have seen, you don’t post highly partisan or argumentative posts or comments. You are careful, polite, & respectful. Their rejection of you/your opinions says much more about them than it does about you, but I know it hurts you nonetheless.
That’s a pretty low bar you just set there Kizzie. She’s just another millionaire who thinks she knows what’s best for the rest of us. Like most liberals, she’s so open minded that her brain fell out. Her opinion is like all the rest. They march in lock step because they can’t tolerate differing views. She’s a sheep. A rich one yes, but a sheep like the rest. There is nothing brave or unique about what she did and said. She’s just spouting what the other sheep said, because she knows it’s what they want to hear.
Come on, Streep is a very good actress. And (almost) all actors are liberal, no surprise there. Her remarks were delivered to a sympathetic audience and have been praised widely by liberals inside & outside Hollywood. All quite predictable and not shocking. It brought mostly a shrug of the shoulders from me and probably most viewers who disagreed.
It does become tiresome (or it will) when one feels they can’t watch anything without being lectured. That tendency among the left is strong and will be stronger under Trump. We either need to tune out or get used to it and let it roll.
Her politics would not keep me away from her films. And while I normally don’t watch the awards shows, if they turn even more into a political platform, that will definitely reinforce my decision to mostly pass on watching them.
Trump should not have engaged. But that’s what he does. No surprise there, either. 🙂
And I agree with Kizzie at 12:13, Kim’s posts are not at all the ‘in your face’ kinds of things I typically see from the left on FB. I really don’t understand why people can’t be tolerant of an occasional & politely expressed opposing viewpoint on social media. It frankly baffles me.
My point with Hank Williams Jr. is that he lost his gig with the NFL and a whole lot of other things by comparing Obama to Hitler, but now everyone and their brother compare Trump to Hitler and gets an Amen.
Again, I am not a Trump fan but I am against double standards.
Also if you read the link Hank Williams III said he was a musician not a politician and he preferred to keep his thoughts to himself or something along those lines.
Meryl Streep has been famous for a very long time. She won her first Golden Globe and Academy Awards in 1979. One may disagree with her politics, but her fame for her work in film and theatre long precedes the current Trump controversy. Furthermore, she is a human being, and as such has as much right to have and express her opinions as anyone else. She doesn’t always have views which I would consider right, but, then, she is not a Christian and without the Holy Spirit, none of us have right views. As Christians, in speaking of other human beings, even the ones we disagree with, we must remember what the Scripture says:
For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.(James 3:7-10).
I have heard of her, so I figured she must be good at it. I have heard of some others as well, but I would say I have probably not heard of most. And I probably could not tell of more than ten movies that I know the names of the actors. Probably not that many, now that I think about it.
Ricky, you mean The French Lieutenant’s Woman. 🙂 Yes, she was; also, Out of Africa, Kramer vs. Kramer, The Bridges of Madison County, Sophie’s Choice, and more recently, Julie & Julia, The Iron Lady, and Out of the Woods. I’ve actually not seen any of these films from start to finish, just trailers and clips and reading the plot lines, but the clips and the minor roles I’ve seen her in show her talent. I’m used to enjoying the artistic work of those whose personal lives and beliefs are not what I would agree with – I love to read Dickens, but he made a hash of his personal life, I enjoy the compositions of Haydn, but he wasn’t a faithful husband, and so on. When we were rehearsing for last semester’s concert, the conductor practically apologized for the fact that we were playing a composition by Wagner, who was an anti-Semite and generally not a nice man. He said that it would be hard to learn classical music without playing composers who were racist or homophobic (yes, he used that term). I suppose he felt the need to say that, because I’ve noticed a tendency on the part of people these days to excoriate and shun the work of anyone who disagrees with them, often someone found making a statement against homosexuality. It’s ridiculous that society can’t seem to agree to disagree anymore.
I’ve just never liked her. Same goes for Susan Sarandon, Alan Alda, and Danny Glover. I find them hard to watch. There are plenty of left wing actresses/actors I like, some I’d consider great, like Pachino, Hanks, Dustin Hoffman, Clooney, even Streisand, Kidman, and some others, she’s just not one of them.
She has an opinion of Trump. I have one of her. And you know what they say about opinions…. 🙂
Hubby & I always liked James Garner. I was so disappointed to learn, after his death, that he was very liberal & involved in some liberal political causes. But I still like his work.
The Real, I don’t particularly like her acting either, which is partly why I’ve never watched any of those films, but I can see the she is very talented nonetheless. I also acknowledge that Wagner was a brilliant composer, but I don’t really like his music, even though I can hear that it is beautiful, and wouldn’t bother going to see one of his operas. That goes for a lot of artists, from J.S. Bach (yes, that is correct, though I respect him greatly, Bach is not one of my favorite composers) to Leonard Cohen, from Michelangelo (I like his first Pieta and that’s about it) to Andy Warhol, from Jimmy Stewart to Meryl Streep. I can see their greatness but it doesn’t appeal to me personally.
This probably belongs on the other thread, but it’s the subject now.
I really didn’t know who Meryl Streep is. I seldom go to movies now.
When I was a kid, I used to go to see a cowboy movie every week. I went to the base theater at least once a week when I was in the AF. More often than that in Arabia.
But when I got out and went to college, I didn’t have the time nor money. That was true for years. I started going with Elvera in 1956. The first movie i took her to see was either “Sound of Music” or “My Fair Lady” at a theater in DC. That was around 1962.. It isn’t that I can’t arrange to go to movies now. It just doesn’t occur to me. I never know what’s playing.
I saw such as “Midway” on TV. I would like to see it on the big screen. I did see “Saving Private Ryan” on the big screen.
Mumsee – Streep’s gown is actually very modest compared to most of the actresses in those award shows. She’s not really even showing much cleavage, while some wear truly plunging necklines that make you wonder what is keeping “them” in. 🙂
I didn’t watch the Golden Globes, but have seen pictures, & that video above. I rarely watch the award shows now, but used to enjoy them when I was younger.
Christian believers, the Bible reminds us, live by a unique standard. We aren’t free, even when we’re armed with the truth, to be mean or rude in the application of that truth. The Apostle Peter puts some tough restraints on us when he says bluntly: “Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.” No specific commands about how to treat a president-elect—but the point is pretty clear.
“The international organization that chooses refugees for new homes sends 62 percent to the United States, and only a handful are in need of emergency medical help or protection from potential attacks, according to a new analysis.
The United Nations Commissioner for Refugees reports that of the 134,044 it resettled in 2015, 82,491 went to the U.S. Canada received the second highest in 2015, 22,886, or just 17 percent.””
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62 percent of all refugees referred (or submitted) for resettlement by the UNHCR in 2015 were for the United States.
Virtually all refugees referred by UNHCR (92 percent) are accepted by resettlement countries.
About 40 percent of refugees referred for resettlement were in the Middle East and North Africa region; sub-Saharan Africa accounted for 29 percent. The top countries were Syria and Congo.
Contrary to official UNHCR and U.S. claims, it is not necessarily the most vulnerable and urgent cases that are submitted for resettlement. The UNHCR itself acknowledges that almost all refugees submitted for resettlement are in circumstances “where there are no immediate medical, social, or security concerns which would merit expedited processing.”
Going beyond conventional resettlement, the UNHCR is promoting “any mechanism which allows for legal entry to and stay within a third country.”
The UN report estimates that 1,190,519 refugees will need resettlement in 2017, though it will submit only a fraction of those cases.
It is increasingly evident that the refugee system run by one single agency, UNHCR, is archaic, an anachronism from the Cold War, and is due for a thorough reevaluation.”
————————
“Most voters share the views of the president and the party coming to power, but Republicans identify a lot more with Donald Trump than with the GOP Congress.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 53% of all Likely U.S. Voters identify with the GOP team: 37% feel Trump’s views are closest to their own when it comes to the major issues facing the country, while another 16% feel most closely in sync with the average Republican member of Congress. Thirty-seven percent (37%) say the views of the average Democratic member of Congress are closest to their own.”
“Among Republicans, however, 63% say that Trump’s views are closest to their own when it comes to the major issues, while only 27% say that of the views of the average Republican member of Congress. Among Democrats, 72% identify with the average Congress member from their party, while just 16% think Trump’s views are closest to theirs.”
————————–
Should we consider the idea that since many American missionaries cannot get into the countries from which these refugees come, that perhaps God is sending them TO us so we can evangelize from the comfort of our own homes?
It’s sort of like the concept, if we won’t go into the prisons to preach the Gospel, perhaps God will send us there to do it at government expense?
Well Kizzie took me seriously and posted a cat to my FB page. 🙂
AJ, Susan Sarandan campaigned against Hillary Clinton.
The VA is worse than the news shows…but of course you have heard me say that before.
Lulabelle refused to go outside for Mr P. He had to physically carry her outside earlier. He was gone for a while and I snapped my fingers, walked her to the door and put her outside. Tell me again which one of us is the pushover?
On the Examiner quote, the U.S. has a population of over 300 million (last count 318.9 million), while Canada has about a tenth of that (last count 35.16 million). So, if Canada took in 17 percent (22,886) of the refugees that were resettled, and the U.S. took in 61 percent (82,491), then the proportion of refugees to population in the U.S. is 0.026 percent, while Canada’s proportion of refugees to population is 0.065 percent, making the proportion of refugees that Canada took in two and a half times higher than that of the U.S.
Michelle @2:39, yesterday at my city church, there was a commissioning service for a church planting family that the church is sending out. The guest speaker spoke on Acts 13, and he mentioned the fact that before the church in Antioch (which was in Syria), missionary activity happened involuntarily, as persecution drove Christians to other places. He said that now we see that same kind of involuntary activity happening now, as refugees are driven to where we can reach them. He ended his observation by saying to stop thinking about what the world’s leaders should be doing and start asking what is God doing.
Nobody said Meryl Streep doesn’t have a right to have or voice opinions. I wonder why people so often feel the need to clarify that.
Anyhoo, a blurb is making its way onto my facebook page recounting how Kellyanne Conway thinks Streep is a hypocrite for not mentioning the recent attack on the disabled kid in Chicago. Hypocrisy abounds with the Hollywood crowd, but Conway’s comparison is pretty lame.
Solarpancake – That reminds me of how people on both sides of the political spectrum will come out & declare that some group (on the other side of the spectrum) is hypocritical for not coming out with a statement publicly decrying one thing or another.
So when someone said that Black Lives Matter should come out & decry that attack against the disabled boy, I understood the person’s point, but I didn’t think they necessarily had to do that. They are not responsible for everything black people do.
What has influenced me to think this way are all the Facebook memes saying things like “If you don’t __________, then you’re not really pro-life” or someone wondering why pro-lifers weren’t protesting in Flint, Michigan (about the tainted water), “if they really care about children’s lives”. I got so sick of that kind of thing, so I also don’t like it when I see the tactic used against other groups.
Writing that reminded me of a brief article I came across & posted on Facebook. I especially wanted to post it after seeing a super-conservative friend posted a photo of that boy I mentioned above (the one who was kidnapped & tortured by four black youths) with the heading “This is BLM!” & ending with “Where’s the outrage?”
Of course, most of the things that ask “Where’s the outrage?” make me want to point out that the outrage is all over social media, so where have they been? 🙂
“Right-leaning media figures blaming the attack on BLM is no different than left-leaning media figures blaming Gabby Giffords’ attempted murder on Sarah Palin and the Tea Party, or Newtown on the National Rifle Association. It’s a guilt-by-association tactic deployed for the express purpose of demonizing entire groups for the actions of disturbed and unrelated individuals. The right is no better than the left here: both sides do it when it suits them. . .
“At the same time, I wish The Washington Post and other media outlets would apply the same scrutiny to the prevailing narrative that Trump’s election has directly resulted in a staggering increase in hate crimes. Both sides play the self-victimization game, but we should remember that crimes are perpetrated by individuals against other individuals. Spend more time being upset about an individual person’s abuse than being angry—or delighted—about the opportunity to assign blame to an entire identity group.”
One of my four liberal friends (who also loves the Cowboys) posted the Meryl Streep speech on Facebook this morning. I immediately started teasing her since the speech denigrated both football and Saturday night wrestling/fighting. We had a fun little back and forth in which we agreed that the NBA was “art”.
When I got off work, I saw that about 200 of my other friends have been piling on Streep like she was Jane Fonda’s more traitorous sister.
The liberals may be hysterical, but the Trumpkins are pretty darn serious.
We were in Madison County, Iowa, last month. We saw one of the bridges. We then filled up our car with gas. I will put a picture of the bridge in Wandering Views tomorrow. Merle Streep wasn’t there. We were.
Wandering Views 
This article which predicts how Trump will work with cabinet secretaries is mainly good news.
http://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/donald-trump-cabinet-233333
If Trump will leave the important decisions to Reince and Pence, he can Tweet about whatever he wants.
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Speaking of which:
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http://www.city-journal.org/html/window-depraved-culture-14929.html
Good article on race relations , focusing on the situation in Chicago
Sad
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I caught Streep’s remarks last night (and many others throughout the show)
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A while back I shared that I had had someone close to me ask me not to make any more political posts or they would have to un-friend me. Over the weekend one of my Gang of Four ( we have had an ongoing conversation in FB messenger since 2009 or so. One of them is ultra liberal and was the first person to tell me she would take to the streets in protest if Trump won. She pretty much checked out of the conversation in July. The second was devastated by the election results and has been living in fear of being sent off to be reprogrammed. He is in mourning over the loss of the Obamas. The third had seemed more rational and he and I continued.
Sometime in the last week or so there was this post on FB from Medium dot com that “No Jesus was not a non white refuge”. I can’t seem to find the original post to share with you, but one of our former members here made a comment on it and I saw it and commented too, agreeing with what she said. The last of our Gang saw my post but didn’t have time to comment then but sent me a message of how wrong I was in my opinion and that he had been trying to put our group back together and I had committed and “unforced error” (I had to look that term up because I am not a sporty kind of person).
Most of you know that I am a peace maker and will avoid argument at all cost, so my defense for him was that yes, the Old Masters/Europeans painted most of the images of Jesus we had and that is how I see Him in my mind. I also told him that the first time I went in a black person’s home and say Jesus depicted as a black man I was shocked and maybe a little offended, but then I came to the conclusion of ‘if we are created in God’s image” then why shouldn’t a black person visualize Jesus as black and a white person visualize him as white. I really don’t care what His skin tone was/is. It doesn’t matter.
THIS is what is wrong with FB. Anything you comment on can be seen by anyone on your friend’s list. I may even have a few beliefs that some of you wouldn’t agree with but you don’t hold them against me. I ended up telling my friend that the 3 of them were the open minded liberals but it was really looking like I was the most tolerant. I also told him that it was obvious that Friday was my birthday and while one had “liked” a birthday wish someone else gave me neither of the other two had made a comment. Last night Ultra Liberal Female Friend checked in to tell us how cold it was supposed to be today and that she would be wearing mink–probably black mink. Well if you care so much about the welfare of everyone else and you are so liberal why don’t you sell your multiple mink coats, buy yourself a good winter coat and use the rest to buy coats for the homeless who are cold?
I know the solution to the problem. Stay off of FB. If I have to post something or comment on something, then I should just stick to cute kitten photos and videos.
If you have a cute kitten meme or video and you are my FB friend please feel free to share it with me. 🙂
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The political feelings are extremely intense right now. Some are simply convinced that a “hitler” is now the president so they feel justified in going over the top, over and over again, with “The Resistance.”
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You’re really making me feel like I need to put on my SC mom shirt this morning instead of my royal blue and gold UCLA one . . .
Meanwhile, why don’t we see articles like this anywhere?
https://pjmedia.com/instapundit/254061/
Shouldn’t this be of more concern than whatever Meryl Streep said last night on some show I’ve never even wanted to watch?
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Liberals who fear we are about to be governed by Hitler should be encouraged to read Trump’s Meryl Streep, Vanity Fair and Miss Universe tweets. Clearly we are not about to be ruled by an actual Hitler, but rather the comic Hitler from The Producers.
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I watched the Golden Globes last night. I have not done so for years, but was curious to see what political statements would be made. I also don’t want to be completely clueless about what is out in the entertainment world. I saw the speech by Ms. Streep.
I think she is a very talented actress. However, it struck me as quite hypocritical to go on and on about showing a proper example to people when the films themselves show all kinds of terrible behavior. Not all that behavior is shown as something to do or as ok, but much of it is. I was also unimpressed by the feeling of importance by so many of these artists. The final judge of us all is not going to be impressed by our social status.
I do believe the movies, television etc. are a big influence and should be used for good. We need to pray for good people who are doing so.
I also believe Pres.-elect should not bother tweeting about this stuff. I am not sure he should tweet at all without several layers of advisors to give him time and counsel. All of us can be way too quick to anger and speech. Proverbs has some warnings about that.
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Who is Meryl Streep? I realize she is probably an actor but that is as far as my knowledge goes. And I don’t really think I need to know any more so ignore the question.
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Yes, Michelle–lots of things should be of more importance. Alas, it is not. It always amazes me of reading journals, diaries and stories that took place during Hitler’s time and seeing life go on as normal. We are easily entertained and there is much individuals have no control over, at any rate.
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At home and abroad, Obama’s trail of disasters.
http://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/editorials/2017/01/08/home-and-abroad-obama-trail-disasters/YOaU1KuAT3hSHaGHkmGCeN/story.html#comments
“AS HE PREPARES to move out of the White House, Barack Obama is understandably focused on his legacy and reputation. The president will deliver a farewell address in Chicago on Tuesday; he told his supporters in an e-mail that the speech would “celebrate the ways you’ve changed this country for the better these past eight years,” and previewed his closing argument in a series of tweets hailing “the remarkable progress” for which he hopes to be remembered.
Certainly Obama has his admirers. For years he has enjoyed doting coverage in the mainstream media. Those press ovations will continue, if a spate of new or forthcoming books by journalists is any indication. Moreover, Obama is going out with better-than-average approval ratings for a departing president. So his push to depict his presidency as years of “remarkable progress” is likely to resonate with his true believers.
But there are considerably fewer of those true believers than there used to be. Most Americans long ago got over their crush on Obama, as they repeatedly demonstrated at the polls.”
“As a political leader, Obama has been a disaster for his party. Since his inauguration in 2009, roughly 1,100 elected Democrats nationwide have been ousted by Republicans. Democrats lost their majorities in the US House and Senate. They now hold just 18 of the 50 governorships, and only 31 of the nation’s 99 state legislative chambers. After eight years under Obama, the GOP is stronger than at any time since the 1920s, and the outgoing president’s party is in tatters.
Obama urged Americans to cast their votes as a thumbs-up or thumbs-down on his legacy. That’s what they did.
In almost every respect, Obama leaves behind a trail of failure and disappointment. Consider just some of his works:”
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The Trump Effect again?
http://www.cnbc.com/2017/01/09/alibaba-to-discuss-expansion-plans-with-trump-company-aims-to-create-1-million-us-jobs-over-the-next-5-years.html
“Alibaba executive chairman Jack Ma is meeting with U.S. president-elect Donald Trump on Monday to discuss plans to create one million new U.S. jobs over the next five years.
The Monday meeting will focus on the Chinese e-commerce company’s U.S. expansion plans, according to spokespeople for both Alibaba and Trump.”
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Who is this Meryl Streep who has become such a threat to our way of life?
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She’s yet another disconnected Hollyweird lib who thinks her opinion matters to anyone outside Hollyweird.
So basically, she’s just another America hating clown.
And here’s the Tweet of the night about her story.
“It’s so brave of Meryl Streep to publicly express the only acceptable political opinion in her profession. Truly the hero we all deserve.”
Here’s the story, and the video of her senseless babbling.
http://legalinsurrection.com/2017/01/meryl-streep-confirms-hollywood-hates-america/
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Meryl Streep is also one of our greatest actresses, which is why she was given the Lifetime Achievement Award. I may not agree with all she said, but I wouldn’t characterize it as babbling.
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Double standard much????
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/hank-williams-jrs-son-defends-obama-to-hilter-fox-243605
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I didn’t see anything in particular about the speech.
Trump has made Meryl Streep famous.
None of you remember. There was a brouhaha once when Harry Truman got into an argument with a guy who criticized his daughter’s piano playing.
It’s best to leave these thing alone.
Downright silly.
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Here’s a recent post from Philip Yancey that I have seen shared on Facebook. I think someone may have shared it here, too, but I’m not sure. I shared it on Facebook this morning, & will share it here, mostly to share a quote from an email Yancey received. It was written by a progressive pastor, but the wording could be changed to conservative thoughts, & the message would still hold. (And this can be applied to issues other than political.) There should be no room for uncharitableness in the heart of a Christian. . .
“Throughout the last few days I have thought about how much easier it is for me to be a “left of center leaning progressive” than it is for me to be a Christian. As a political party member I can vent and debate, mock and obfuscate other’s policies. As a Christian I must lean in and listen; I must embrace and include.
While the political part of me seeks revenge, (“Let the markets crash! Watch Putin’s advances with a weakened NATO! See the dismantling of America’s leadership!”) the Christian in me must pray for the welfare of the city, our country and the world. The claims of Christ demand that I seek the things that make for peace.
I can’t mock those who voted for Trump or suggest that the rise of the “know nothing” party is complete. I don’t get to paint them with a wide brush of ugly words. And perhaps most temptingly, I can’t try and write off the “other” Christians who supported President-elect Trump. That’s not allowed. Like me, they are beggars of grace. And the One from whose hand we have equally received will not allow me to stand close while my heart is far away.”
http://philipyancey.com/election-reflections-bridging-gap
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Misunderstandings multiplied today with worker (Spanish/English plus my not able to vocalize).
Oh well, we’ll survive.
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Is Hank Williams Jr. still around?
They need to get on to important things.
Like the Alabama/Clemson game.
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Chas – You’re not much of a movie guy, right? Meryl Streep is very famous. I’m surprised that some haven’t heard of her.
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Donna– Google translate is free . . .
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Kim – I am so sorry about what has happened with your special friends. From what I have seen, you don’t post highly partisan or argumentative posts or comments. You are careful, polite, & respectful. Their rejection of you/your opinions says much more about them than it does about you, but I know it hurts you nonetheless.
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One of our greatest actresses?
That’s a pretty low bar you just set there Kizzie. She’s just another millionaire who thinks she knows what’s best for the rest of us. Like most liberals, she’s so open minded that her brain fell out. Her opinion is like all the rest. They march in lock step because they can’t tolerate differing views. She’s a sheep. A rich one yes, but a sheep like the rest. There is nothing brave or unique about what she did and said. She’s just spouting what the other sheep said, because she knows it’s what they want to hear.
Baaa. Baaa. Baaa.
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Come on, Streep is a very good actress. And (almost) all actors are liberal, no surprise there. Her remarks were delivered to a sympathetic audience and have been praised widely by liberals inside & outside Hollywood. All quite predictable and not shocking. It brought mostly a shrug of the shoulders from me and probably most viewers who disagreed.
It does become tiresome (or it will) when one feels they can’t watch anything without being lectured. That tendency among the left is strong and will be stronger under Trump. We either need to tune out or get used to it and let it roll.
Her politics would not keep me away from her films. And while I normally don’t watch the awards shows, if they turn even more into a political platform, that will definitely reinforce my decision to mostly pass on watching them.
Trump should not have engaged. But that’s what he does. No surprise there, either. 🙂
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And I agree with Kizzie at 12:13, Kim’s posts are not at all the ‘in your face’ kinds of things I typically see from the left on FB. I really don’t understand why people can’t be tolerant of an occasional & politely expressed opposing viewpoint on social media. It frankly baffles me.
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My point with Hank Williams Jr. is that he lost his gig with the NFL and a whole lot of other things by comparing Obama to Hitler, but now everyone and their brother compare Trump to Hitler and gets an Amen.
Again, I am not a Trump fan but I am against double standards.
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Also if you read the link Hank Williams III said he was a musician not a politician and he preferred to keep his thoughts to himself or something along those lines.
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Meryl Streep has been famous for a very long time. She won her first Golden Globe and Academy Awards in 1979. One may disagree with her politics, but her fame for her work in film and theatre long precedes the current Trump controversy. Furthermore, she is a human being, and as such has as much right to have and express her opinions as anyone else. She doesn’t always have views which I would consider right, but, then, she is not a Christian and without the Holy Spirit, none of us have right views. As Christians, in speaking of other human beings, even the ones we disagree with, we must remember what the Scripture says:
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Wasn’t Meryl Streep in The French Woman’s Colonel?
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I have heard of her, so I figured she must be good at it. I have heard of some others as well, but I would say I have probably not heard of most. And I probably could not tell of more than ten movies that I know the names of the actors. Probably not that many, now that I think about it.
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She apparently needs a loan or a gift so she can buy enough material….
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Ricky, you mean The French Lieutenant’s Woman. 🙂 Yes, she was; also, Out of Africa, Kramer vs. Kramer, The Bridges of Madison County, Sophie’s Choice, and more recently, Julie & Julia, The Iron Lady, and Out of the Woods. I’ve actually not seen any of these films from start to finish, just trailers and clips and reading the plot lines, but the clips and the minor roles I’ve seen her in show her talent. I’m used to enjoying the artistic work of those whose personal lives and beliefs are not what I would agree with – I love to read Dickens, but he made a hash of his personal life, I enjoy the compositions of Haydn, but he wasn’t a faithful husband, and so on. When we were rehearsing for last semester’s concert, the conductor practically apologized for the fact that we were playing a composition by Wagner, who was an anti-Semite and generally not a nice man. He said that it would be hard to learn classical music without playing composers who were racist or homophobic (yes, he used that term). I suppose he felt the need to say that, because I’ve noticed a tendency on the part of people these days to excoriate and shun the work of anyone who disagrees with them, often someone found making a statement against homosexuality. It’s ridiculous that society can’t seem to agree to disagree anymore.
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I’ve just never liked her. Same goes for Susan Sarandon, Alan Alda, and Danny Glover. I find them hard to watch. There are plenty of left wing actresses/actors I like, some I’d consider great, like Pachino, Hanks, Dustin Hoffman, Clooney, even Streisand, Kidman, and some others, she’s just not one of them.
She has an opinion of Trump. I have one of her. And you know what they say about opinions…. 🙂
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The Bridges of Madison County?
Ha. I rest my case…. 🙂
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Hubby & I always liked James Garner. I was so disappointed to learn, after his death, that he was very liberal & involved in some liberal political causes. But I still like his work.
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The Real, I don’t particularly like her acting either, which is partly why I’ve never watched any of those films, but I can see the she is very talented nonetheless. I also acknowledge that Wagner was a brilliant composer, but I don’t really like his music, even though I can hear that it is beautiful, and wouldn’t bother going to see one of his operas. That goes for a lot of artists, from J.S. Bach (yes, that is correct, though I respect him greatly, Bach is not one of my favorite composers) to Leonard Cohen, from Michelangelo (I like his first Pieta and that’s about it) to Andy Warhol, from Jimmy Stewart to Meryl Streep. I can see their greatness but it doesn’t appeal to me personally.
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This probably belongs on the other thread, but it’s the subject now.
I really didn’t know who Meryl Streep is. I seldom go to movies now.
When I was a kid, I used to go to see a cowboy movie every week. I went to the base theater at least once a week when I was in the AF. More often than that in Arabia.
But when I got out and went to college, I didn’t have the time nor money. That was true for years. I started going with Elvera in 1956. The first movie i took her to see was either “Sound of Music” or “My Fair Lady” at a theater in DC. That was around 1962.. It isn’t that I can’t arrange to go to movies now. It just doesn’t occur to me. I never know what’s playing.
I saw such as “Midway” on TV. I would like to see it on the big screen. I did see “Saving Private Ryan” on the big screen.
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Mumsee – Streep’s gown is actually very modest compared to most of the actresses in those award shows. She’s not really even showing much cleavage, while some wear truly plunging necklines that make you wonder what is keeping “them” in. 🙂
I didn’t watch the Golden Globes, but have seen pictures, & that video above. I rarely watch the award shows now, but used to enjoy them when I was younger.
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On the subject at hand: https://world.wng.org/2017/01/unhelpful_insults
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Looks like the rest of the world isn’t taking their “fair share” of refugees. Shocking right? 🙄
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/un-ships-6-of-10-refugees-to-us-even-more-this-year/article/2610940
“The international organization that chooses refugees for new homes sends 62 percent to the United States, and only a handful are in need of emergency medical help or protection from potential attacks, according to a new analysis.
The United Nations Commissioner for Refugees reports that of the 134,044 it resettled in 2015, 82,491 went to the U.S. Canada received the second highest in 2015, 22,886, or just 17 percent.””
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More here,
http://cis.org/UN-Report-Shows-Refugee-System-Needs-Changes
“Some takeaways from the UNHCR report:
62 percent of all refugees referred (or submitted) for resettlement by the UNHCR in 2015 were for the United States.
Virtually all refugees referred by UNHCR (92 percent) are accepted by resettlement countries.
About 40 percent of refugees referred for resettlement were in the Middle East and North Africa region; sub-Saharan Africa accounted for 29 percent. The top countries were Syria and Congo.
Contrary to official UNHCR and U.S. claims, it is not necessarily the most vulnerable and urgent cases that are submitted for resettlement. The UNHCR itself acknowledges that almost all refugees submitted for resettlement are in circumstances “where there are no immediate medical, social, or security concerns which would merit expedited processing.”
Going beyond conventional resettlement, the UNHCR is promoting “any mechanism which allows for legal entry to and stay within a third country.”
The UN report estimates that 1,190,519 refugees will need resettlement in 2017, though it will submit only a fraction of those cases.
It is increasingly evident that the refugee system run by one single agency, UNHCR, is archaic, an anachronism from the Cold War, and is due for a thorough reevaluation.”
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New poll from Rasmussen.
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics/january_2017/gop_voters_more_aligned_with_trump_than_congress
“Most voters share the views of the president and the party coming to power, but Republicans identify a lot more with Donald Trump than with the GOP Congress.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 53% of all Likely U.S. Voters identify with the GOP team: 37% feel Trump’s views are closest to their own when it comes to the major issues facing the country, while another 16% feel most closely in sync with the average Republican member of Congress. Thirty-seven percent (37%) say the views of the average Democratic member of Congress are closest to their own.”
“Among Republicans, however, 63% say that Trump’s views are closest to their own when it comes to the major issues, while only 27% say that of the views of the average Republican member of Congress. Among Democrats, 72% identify with the average Congress member from their party, while just 16% think Trump’s views are closest to theirs.”
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Then, I guess they all need a loan or a gift. I am glad the men don’t dress that way. Why is that, that they don’t? Hmmmm….
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Should we consider the idea that since many American missionaries cannot get into the countries from which these refugees come, that perhaps God is sending them TO us so we can evangelize from the comfort of our own homes?
It’s sort of like the concept, if we won’t go into the prisons to preach the Gospel, perhaps God will send us there to do it at government expense?
Don’t think I don’t see fingers pointing at me!
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Well Kizzie took me seriously and posted a cat to my FB page. 🙂
AJ, Susan Sarandan campaigned against Hillary Clinton.
The VA is worse than the news shows…but of course you have heard me say that before.
Lulabelle refused to go outside for Mr P. He had to physically carry her outside earlier. He was gone for a while and I snapped my fingers, walked her to the door and put her outside. Tell me again which one of us is the pushover?
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On the Examiner quote, the U.S. has a population of over 300 million (last count 318.9 million), while Canada has about a tenth of that (last count 35.16 million). So, if Canada took in 17 percent (22,886) of the refugees that were resettled, and the U.S. took in 61 percent (82,491), then the proportion of refugees to population in the U.S. is 0.026 percent, while Canada’s proportion of refugees to population is 0.065 percent, making the proportion of refugees that Canada took in two and a half times higher than that of the U.S.
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Michelle @2:39, yesterday at my city church, there was a commissioning service for a church planting family that the church is sending out. The guest speaker spoke on Acts 13, and he mentioned the fact that before the church in Antioch (which was in Syria), missionary activity happened involuntarily, as persecution drove Christians to other places. He said that now we see that same kind of involuntary activity happening now, as refugees are driven to where we can reach them. He ended his observation by saying to stop thinking about what the world’s leaders should be doing and start asking what is God doing.
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Michelle, I wonder if trying to evangelize the refugees would be permitted. Many now days would consider it a hate crime.
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Nobody said Meryl Streep doesn’t have a right to have or voice opinions. I wonder why people so often feel the need to clarify that.
Anyhoo, a blurb is making its way onto my facebook page recounting how Kellyanne Conway thinks Streep is a hypocrite for not mentioning the recent attack on the disabled kid in Chicago. Hypocrisy abounds with the Hollywood crowd, but Conway’s comparison is pretty lame.
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Chas, Did you ever see this Mary Strope person in any movies with John Wayne or Jimmy Stewart?
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Solarpancake – That reminds me of how people on both sides of the political spectrum will come out & declare that some group (on the other side of the spectrum) is hypocritical for not coming out with a statement publicly decrying one thing or another.
So when someone said that Black Lives Matter should come out & decry that attack against the disabled boy, I understood the person’s point, but I didn’t think they necessarily had to do that. They are not responsible for everything black people do.
What has influenced me to think this way are all the Facebook memes saying things like “If you don’t __________, then you’re not really pro-life” or someone wondering why pro-lifers weren’t protesting in Flint, Michigan (about the tainted water), “if they really care about children’s lives”. I got so sick of that kind of thing, so I also don’t like it when I see the tactic used against other groups.
Writing that reminded me of a brief article I came across & posted on Facebook. I especially wanted to post it after seeing a super-conservative friend posted a photo of that boy I mentioned above (the one who was kidnapped & tortured by four black youths) with the heading “This is BLM!” & ending with “Where’s the outrage?”
Of course, most of the things that ask “Where’s the outrage?” make me want to point out that the outrage is all over social media, so where have they been? 🙂
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Here’s the article I referred to above. . .
“Right-leaning media figures blaming the attack on BLM is no different than left-leaning media figures blaming Gabby Giffords’ attempted murder on Sarah Palin and the Tea Party, or Newtown on the National Rifle Association. It’s a guilt-by-association tactic deployed for the express purpose of demonizing entire groups for the actions of disturbed and unrelated individuals. The right is no better than the left here: both sides do it when it suits them. . .
“At the same time, I wish The Washington Post and other media outlets would apply the same scrutiny to the prevailing narrative that Trump’s election has directly resulted in a staggering increase in hate crimes. Both sides play the self-victimization game, but we should remember that crimes are perpetrated by individuals against other individuals. Spend more time being upset about an individual person’s abuse than being angry—or delighted—about the opportunity to assign blame to an entire identity group.”
http://reason.com/blog/2017/01/05/black-lives-matter-is-not-responsible-fo
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One of my four liberal friends (who also loves the Cowboys) posted the Meryl Streep speech on Facebook this morning. I immediately started teasing her since the speech denigrated both football and Saturday night wrestling/fighting. We had a fun little back and forth in which we agreed that the NBA was “art”.
When I got off work, I saw that about 200 of my other friends have been piling on Streep like she was Jane Fonda’s more traitorous sister.
The liberals may be hysterical, but the Trumpkins are pretty darn serious.
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I like Denzel Washington
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We were in Madison County, Iowa, last month. We saw one of the bridges. We then filled up our car with gas. I will put a picture of the bridge in Wandering Views tomorrow. Merle Streep wasn’t there. We were.
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