A Grim Happy Birthday to America

July 4th

With protests and prices of everything on a continued upswing, and the large rift between the left and the right, and other contending groups, the resulting fragmented America has already very little to collectively celebrate on their nation's birthday.

Active Shooter

It is even more sombering that when someone shot at people gathered at a July 4th parade in Highland Park Illinois, the prevailing mood is automatically one of hate over those belonging to the opposite political color, and their elected officials. And worse, most have become numb to the news about another shooting -- the same way they are numb to gang shootings, the War in Ukraine and other parts around the world, child abuse and human trafficking.

The Highland Park shooter has not been identified or caught. And this doesn't bade well for the low image of law enforcement. This is also another blow at the efforts of law abiding gun owners and diehard proponents of the 2nd Amendment.

Nexus

It is almost hard to not think about if somehow, some people are behind these wave of shootings. (Like, have we asked ourselves who will benefit if there is suddenly a wave of gun shootings? This we can liken to the question why cover the Amber Heard, Johnny Depp trial but not the Ghislaine Maxwell trial?)

What is surprising is that nobody is talking about the fact that unlike from states like Texas and Arkansas, Illinois has some of the strongest gun laws in the country, including a law requiring background checks on all gun sales, an Extreme Risk law, and laws keeping guns away from domestic abusers. 
(Source: Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund, Inc.)

There is a stalemate as regards to a universal or nationwide gun law. This will most likely continue, every state will continue to have different gun laws and ordinances. 

Although it is true that states with a high rate of gun ownership correlates to higher gun violence rates, several states with the strongest gun laws do not necessarily translate to less gun violence, and vice-versa.

Americans will need to continue to petition the lawmakers they themselves voted into office, to effect a change within their cities. Let us quit worrying more about what happens in other states and be more concerned with what is happening within our neck of the woods.

In the meantime, happy birthday America, the land of the free and the home of the brave. And the land of immigrants and people who hate America and want to leave the country, but are still here in the good ole' U S A.

Overturning Roe v. Wade

Right to Abort

In 1973 the U.S. Supreme Court established the constitutional right to abortion.

Now, in 2022, the same U.S. Supreme Court eliminated this constitutional right and overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, leaving the question of abortion’s legality to the individual states.

Jabin Botsford, Washington Post, Getty Images

Protests

People are into an emotional spin, but really nothing has changed. People can generally still do what they want to do -- just that abortion is back to the state level (or municipal level) instead of the national level.

People are generally doing what they want to do anyway. Except of course with Roe v Wade, there was that nationwide or blanket "mandate" to do so.

Pro Choice

Depending on our individual biases we are either pro choice, or we are for legalized abortion, or for the right of women to have an abortion.

Or we are against this right, we are anti abortion.

The thing that isn't really being talked about is that these two AREN'T AND - OR.

These are two different things and they aren't opposites.

Anti-Abortion

Those among us who are anti-abortion are generally called Pro Life -- that is the opposite of Pro Choice.

Those of us who are anti-abortionists are simply those who are against abortions, of whatever kind.

Pro Life

Now, pro life people, they advocate for the unborn child to be have the same fundamental right as the mother carrying it -- the life of the unborn child who has no say on anything.

Biased

If we strip off our biases, even our religious biases then we should all be advocating that the same rights apply for both the unborn child and the mother carrying the baby in her womb.

Both needs to be upheld, less there is unequality or injustice or even ageism or bullying. I know this is oversimplifying the issue but at the core of this discussion, this should be the main issue. And generally it isn't, because we get totally twisted depending on our biases. 

This is also the reason why we had to establish what is called fetal viability.

Fetal Viability

Not that term matters to some of us, not to all. This is the ability of a human fetus to survive outside the uterus --simply put, like when is an unborn child, a child, medically at least.

Fetal viability is generally considered to begin at 23 or 24 weeks (of gestational age).

For purposes of abortion regulations, viability is reached when, in the judgement of the attending physician on the particular facts of the case before her, there is a reasonable likelihood of the fetuses' sustained survival outside the womb, with or without artificial support (court ruling).

1973

The United States Supreme Court stated in Roe v. Wade  that viability, defined as the "interim point at which the fetus becomes ... potentially able to live outside the mother's womb, albeit with artificial aid, is usually placed at about seven months (28 weeks) but may occur earlier, even at 24 weeks.

The unborn child should have the right to live, at the very least by this point, baring any other outside factors or individual circumstances that may change the logical decision to abort or not. The right of the unborn child to be born at least from the 28th week onwards should be a fundamental right, yet this isn't the issue being talked about.

2022

Okay, so starting in 2022, abortion rights is going back to the state level. There are laws in place in the state and city level, abortions are still legal.

Nothing has changed, except people can decide to move to another city, another county or another state if they so want to or have to, which incidentally is the heart of this matter. People are being forced to move depending on their biases.

This and the question of -- is it considered manslaughter to take out the unborn child from the womb prior to fetal viability? And whose right is higher, the unborn child or the mother carrying the baby?

As we said depending on our own personal biases, we aren't asking these questions, and that we will support whatever side we are on this whole Roe v. Wade thing. Plus we will continue to be emotionally affected or not. Great plan though as everything about what's going on around us will conveniently be pushed to the background once again.

Of course there are those among us who couldn't care less about Roe or Wade or who ever these two people are. And these are the same people who can drink, drive, vote, buy guns and sit on a jury.

Everyone of us have an opinion about everything. And it is all based on our individual biases. It is and will always be a biased life. 

The Most Hollywoodest Moment Ever

Okay This Should Be The Final Word On This Neverending Saga

Award Shows ratings have been recording record lows every year.

At the Oscars, the slap and the two F bombs were heard loud and clear, all around the world.

But the Academy, the room full of Hollywood elites, and the establishment turned a blind eye. The show went on as if nothing happened. Not a joke.

During the break, everyone went up to Will to comfort him. No one bothered to check on Chris.

Reaction

Social media blew up with half of the people shocked at what just had happened or thought this was a publicity stunt, while the other half praised Will for doing the right thing, this is what a real man ought to do.

When the award for Best Actor was announced, the Academy gave the Oscar to Will and he didn't disappoint. He showed his acting prowess in a teary eyed 5 minute acceptance speech. The Academy let him go on and on without interrupting him (the longest acceptance speech on record) hoping he would say the right words. He didn't.

At the end of the charade, everyone went home, the Smiths partied like it was 1999. Jaden Smith said "that's how we do it".

LAPD came out in public saying they don't have all the details yet and as soon as they do, they will make them available. Obviously, they weren't watching the show too. 

LAPD later on did say they will not do anything because Chris said he didn't want to press charges.

Did we miss anything?

Isn't there a commission or a board of people who investigate cruelty to animals and of course safety of everyone on a film set? Nothing for comedians? 

Were the California Labor Commission watching? Isn't there a Stand Up Comics Association or something which will represent them as a group?

Damage Mode

So the news media has been on damage mode ever since --  many coming up with headlines covering the backstory, the hair loss medical condition. Other fans were chorusing this was all staged.

So were the two F bombs staged as well?

24 hours later, the Academy finally came up with a statement saying they do NOT condone violence. And that they will investigate the matter.

Really? Took their sweet time huh. 

Now right after this, Will Smith apologizes to Chris Rock on social media.

This is the world Hollywood lives in. Welcome to their world.

#WillSmith & #ChrisRock Won't GoAway

#JadaSmith and her medical condition became trending. Everyone was sympathetic to (I need to add Black because countless people are saying hairloss is more important to) a Black lady.

The remaining fans are saying a comedian or a stand up comic shouldn't make fun of a medical condition. For sure. 

Yet every year, comedians and wannabe comedians are handpicked and selected to host and present awards on all awards shows. Why? Because everyone on stage are expected to tell a joke or two, and more jokes. The show is virtually a roast along with a slap on the back. It takes the edge off the smell of fake humility in the room. 

Parallel Universe

There were so many other ways Will and even Chris might have handled this unfortunate incident, but it is what it is. We the poor and unknown are seeing how the rich and famous live their lives, their hidden lives. And how the media makes their money, milking moments like this.

Will and everyone else in the room was laughing at all the previous jokes from all the hosts, presentors and winners. And yes even at the shallow G.I. Jane joke. The whole room was lapping it up.

Defending Your Wife's Honor

Okay, Will was defending his wife's honor (and many of us can get onboard that bus, cheaper than using your car if I may add). In fact, many of us were giving him the right to do as he did. Yes, that's how it's supposed to be done. 

So before we close this saga, here are a few questions for us.

In America, is there freedom of speech (not saying freedom from consequences) or is there freedom to slap someone's face?

On national TV,  do we have the freedom to shout obscenities or do so in a threatening manner?

Can anyone of us, not rich and famous, get away with what Will Smith did?

Are we still able to stay in our workplace and wait, be given an award right after, if we did?

Hollywood is Lalaland, 99% of us don't live there.

Double Standards

And The Oscars Goes To...

We should all know by now how the world works.

Hollywood

The double standards are glaring and we just saw it streamed live worldwide. This was given a stamp of approval by the City of LA, the LAPD, the LA District Attorney, the Media, Hollywood, the Academy, the Sponsors and the Woke Bandwagon. Half of America is obviously overlooking this. The other half didn't watch or those who did, their outrage is deemed not news worthy.

Crime On National TV

Yet we just witnessed a crime on TV, as well as toxic masculinity. We saw an assault on America's most loved right, the freedom of speech, guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. Half of America didn't bat an eyelash and even agreed with a person who straight up walked up to a person and slapped him. And the show went on like nothing happened. Indeed, the greatest night in the history of television. 

Battery

Frivilous lawsuits propagate the courts of every state of America yet we all turn a blind eye on what millions of people witnessed. Granted over half of the people who used to watch the rich and famous honor those among them who act for a living, there were still around 10 million people who saw and heard the slap, the threat, the intimidation and the vulgar words. All this in real time and we have taped evidence.

Best Actor In An Awards Show

And to think ALL hosts in EVERY Awards Nights roasts everyone and anyone, no one is exempt. The ribbing is not new, it is standard. And the jokes and the fibs are scripted. Many border on malice, prejudice and discrimination, including racism.

Everywhere Else

If this was the NBA, a fan who slap and curse at a player on the court will be escorted out of the game in cuffs and not allowed back. If it was a player, they will be treated like Ron Artest, suspended for the rest of the season and fined a hefty amount.

If this was in a comedy club, a late night show or a concert, body guards, bouncers or security will be all over the person who walked on the stage and have yelled obscenities.

If this was in the streets, in public, between two everyday people the police will be called and that person who battered someone placed on handcuffs.

Do We Need To Continue?

Yes, the double standard is so bright, we cannot see it. And we cannot unsee it.

The joke was insensitive but that's what stand up comics, talk show hosts, awards night hosts and presentors do all the time. 

Is No One Going To Say It?

Most nations on earth are in Instagram (IG), and it doesn't matter what color, status, class, background, age or gender.

IG has this feature where users can use filters to alter what they look like. Yes, this is the same girl above but what she actually looks like.

If we look at a few IG filters, such as the Make up vs. No Make up, the Internet vs. Reality or the Filter vs. Reality, we will notice IG users drooling over their "doctored" images and ashamed or upset over what they actually look like.

Not Surprising

But this is not what is bad about this phenomenon and our need to go viral culture.

What is both sad and mad is that social media has been added to our list of influences regarding what is considered as the norm or the standard for what is beautiful or desirable. Actually social media is the biggest influence.

Biased

The filtered or doctored images changes dark skin tone to light, wide, thick, flat noses to thinner, higher, thick eyebrows to thinner and it changes the shape and the color of their eyes, length of eyelashes and other special "make over" effects.

Cultures all over the world look at light skin, high nose, light color eyes, almond shaped eyes and anything they don't have as beautiful -- deciding their standard of beauty for them. 

Filter  vs  Reality

And this new culture starts them off young, kids now look at themselves as not attractive if they don't fall into this social media standard of beauty.

And it doesn't matter from what country, the "standard" of beauty is the same for everyone, however impractical or unattainable it is.

With everything else everyone is going through, adding this biased thinking and stereotype of beauty will add more issues into most people's already full plates of things they have to deal with.

IG, Tik tok, Reels, Shorts whatever we may call it, everything online and social media is promoting a bias and everyone is biased, even without admitting to it.

We don't need to, the demeanor and the facial expressions speak volumes. 

Backlinko.com

Whoopi Suspended After Insisting Holocaust is Not About Race

First off, I didn't know The View is still on air. In fairness, I haven't watch TV in years,. Watched the news on TV for a handful of weeks as they were first reporting about the pandemic mandates around March of 2020. But quit watching even that.

Open Discussion

The View is a good television concept as they try to make it appear that people from different backgrounds and persuasions can sit side by side and talk about their views on whatever topic can make their ratings go up.

The issue though is that this is dependent on what agenda the TV station is pushing and who they are putting on as hosts.

Whoopi and other The View hosts have a long history of foot in mouth disease.

And I guess there is just so many times you can fit another foot in there without someone doing something about it.

Freedom

In America, everyone loves their freedom. But freedom of speech does not mean freedom from the consequences.

Main stream media has focused on Whoopi's apology afterwards which is to be expected.

If you are like me and do not know what happened, let us watch the cringey moments and how the other hosts of the show were reacting to Whoopi's insistence that they were all missing the point of what the holocaust was really about. And that it wasn't about race because it was white on white

Racism

That was her point of view and she spoke about it over and over, insisting all the others have missed the real point -- the holocaust is not about race.

The point is she is assuming what Hitler and the Nazi leadership were thinking.

Color

And all of us were assuming what Whoopi was thinking too. Except we know what she was thinking because she said it not too many times. To her, race is about color. It really isn't surprising because we are all biased (whether we admit to it or not). 

But race isn't really all about color, white people of many European countries regard white people from other European countries, territories or other people groups as inferior to their own "race".

People of certain Asian countries think the same of people of other Asian nations or Asian backgrounds, the same as among people of different African countries and people groups, Arab groups, North American countries and South American countries, yes even if they all look the same and have the same skin color.

Offensive Topics

The holocaust has always been a hot topic and it still is. This is the same for many others which different people look at differently.

If anything though, the decision to suspend her is a good thing for television and The View.

For one, at least people would know that show still exist and two even though the real topic of their discussion was hijacked, I think it was basically about the banning of certain books in schools, people who are still watching TV now have the opportunity to hear that racism is not merely about skin color.

That and yes, there is only so many times a TV personality can say something wrong before someone will jump in and do something about it. Even though we know it is for ratings. 

We all have our own views but sometimes these views are only correct in our own minds. But we wouldn't know that unless we hear of other points of view from others who are from different backgrounds and different biases.