There were few good moments yesterday as it would rain, then stop, then rain more, then stop, then wind, more rain, a threat of tornadoes, then nothing. My body didn’t have time to adjust too much so it decided to shut down. Our shipment of cat litter arrived before the kids got home so I had to be the one to carry it in. My body didn’t like that. Nausea hit so hard that I had to take a shower and change clothes. Most of the rest of the day was spent in bed or in the bathroom. Fortunately, the kids are good at taking care of themselves, but I actually had a decent dinner planned and couldn’t stand up long enough to fix it.
Tipper had a problem at school yesterday when someone in one of her classes wrote “Fuck [her name]” on one of the tables. Since no one admitted witnessing the act, no one was admonished or punished. Tipper is more than ready to graduate and never see those particular classmates again. Fortunately, she’ll be in a more supportive atmosphere next school year.
Ryn (aka Big Gabe) called yesterday and gave me an update on all the gossip in that part of the family. The biggest impact is that they’ve blocked their grandparents for refusing to recognize them as non-binary. Their grandfather’s 85th birthday is next week and Ryn’s refusing to go, which I totally agree with. The grandparents have been nothing but manipulative their entire life and if they can’t be supportive then no, Ryn has no obligation to associate with them.
The other big news is that I’m attempting to get back into photography. All the why and wherefore are in yesterday’s post. I’m looking for volunteers so I can update my portfolio appropriately. Contact me here or on Facebook. How I’m going to juggle this along with the chemo, I don’t know. To a large degree, it doesn’t matter. Congress isn’t likely to prevent the severe cut in Social Security scheduled for ’33, so I need to take preventative action of my own now, even if it causes further health issues.
Speaking of the dicks in Congress, House Speaker Johnson doesn’t seem to understand how the separation of powers works. Yesterday, he “demanded” that all trials against the former president must stop on grounds that they amount to election interference. Yeah, that’s really the tact they’re taking. Nimwits. That’s not the way the system works. Congress doesn’t get to interfere in ongoing trials. These idiots are power-hungry and severely delusional. Please, vote and replace them all.
The fog this morning is severe. More rain is forecasted for this evening so I’ll need to complete whatever I’m going to do early today. Not that I had much planned, mind you. Feel free to distract me with coffee.
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Morning Update: 05/07/24
Ouch, my calves hurt. Walking is such a fun challenge. After Sunday’s activities, my body didn’t especially appreciate having to move yesterday. I kept my activity to a minimum, edited some pictures that I may take down later, took the dogs outside as necessary, and did frozen pizza for dinner. The kids were happy and I didn’t risk straining anything. Today may be similar. the forecast shows a 100% chance of rain and if we end up getting some of the system that spawned tornadoes in Oklahoma last night (it will likely go south of us) then getting out of bed may be a struggle.
G has been given a chance to spend a week at Purdue this summer, earning both college and high school credit. Being a PPHS student allows him to attend for free. I’m excited for him to go not only because of the program but for the opportunity to experience a taste of dorm life and eating on a meal plan. Think back to your own college experience: how many kids bailed out quickly because they couldn’t adjust to campus life, being away from home, having to make basic decisions for themselves, and being responsible about meals? We’ve not been able to give him long overnight camp experiences. This is a chance for him to test his mettle without us being there looking over his shoulder.
Tipper, on the other hand, is bailing on her class’s trip to Chicago this weekend. The annual 8th-grade trip is supposed to be a reward for all their hard work, but Tipper only sees it as a long bus ride with a lot of people she doesn’t like. Of course, we’re not forcing her to go, but her lack of positive social interaction bothers me.
A pop-up notification from the National Weather Service just informed me that this afternoon’s storms could be severe, with high winds and possibly hail. Afternoon. When the kids are on buses. How do I not worry about that?
In reading an article this morning about re-drawing political district lines in Louisiana, I see that white voters are claiming that having districts favoring African Americans offends their (the white people’s) “personal dignity.” Okay, if you really want to start that fight, let’s go for it.
According to Deleware Law School, which seems to have the most concise and least confusing definition, personal dignity is defined as “the equal, inherent, and inalienable value of every person. It touches every important aspect of the human experience, from sexual and gender identity, to citizenship, equality and privacy, education and employment, healthcare, and more.” Okay, pretty straightforward. Sort of.
The International Journal of Constitutional Law, [Volume 10, Issue 2, 30 March 2012] makes the argument that “in spite of widespread international agreement on the importance of the principle, there is a significant degree of confusion regarding what it demands of lawmakers and adjudicators, and considerable inconsistency in its formulation and application in domestic constitutional law.” The author argues that “there is little or no consensus as to what the concept of human dignity demands of lawmakers and adjudicators. Indeed, for all the importance and emphasis placed on human dignity in the text of international conventions, domestic constitutions, and court decisions, the elusive nature of the concept has led many commentators to argue that it is, at best, meaningless or unhelpful, and at worst, potentially damaging to the protection of fundamental human rights.”
Most of the argument comes down to how loosely courts and legislators have played with the term, resulting in it having no practical meaning at all. Is “dignity” a right or is it a characteristic of something else?
Here’s my take: if “personal dignity” is a right that is defensible under the Constitution, then:
I could go on with that list for a long time but you’d stop reading before getting into the more detailed elements. The issue is “the relative looseness with which the term has been used by drafters, judges, and academics, as a consequence of which domestic constitutional law frequently defines “dignity” in a manner that cannot be reconciled with international human rights law.” [ibid.] We need a tighter definition that prevents courts and legislators from watering it down to the point it doesn’t exist. Until that happens, until we stand up for all human rights (which the US has yet to do), then none of us can claim any right to personal dignity. Attempting to do so only puts us at odds, possibly in violation of everyone else’s personal dignity.
If you disagree, feel free to present a reasonable and intelligent argument in the comments below.
The sad fact is that we only want rights and freedoms for people who look, act, and think like we do. We don’t understand universal freedom because we’re afraid of it, afraid that it might change the way we live, who controls the power, and how we might dominate those around us. To claim that allowing people of color to vote in a district designed to represent them violates your rights is racist and empty. You have zero right to deny someone else adequate representation in Congress or anywhere else.
I’m loudly in favor of breaking up the “good old boys club.” I’m unapologetically in favor of removing the influence of any religion from government. We need to re-think the whole mess in terms of global human rights because the movement of people across national borders, the ability to access and influence information without nationalistic or religious barriers, warrants that we protect the rights not only of those who live within our borders, but everyone who may, whether physically or digitally, visit our lands, our thoughts, our art, our education, or any other readily accessible portion of our existence. You can take your offense and shove it up your ass.
Meanwhile, I’m going to have leftover pizza for breakfast.
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