From the Right-Hand Column.....

Earlier this summer I copied and pasted some advice on writing by Sarah Schulman on the "Thoughts for th' Day" on XE's home page.  I love Sarah Schulman's writing, and she is one of the kindest people I know.   She spoke at a conference in Montreal recently about how change is made.  She opened her remarks by saying, "Just change is made on the governmental level in the same way that it is made on a personal level.  Just change is made when all affected parties are taken into account. Injustice is by definition unilateral."  Her talk emphasized communication, among many other things.  Schulman believes in communication, so I want to reemphasize the Thought for th' Day. 

Today's lesson in writing class: Other people are real. Ask people for their experiences, there are always more sides to a story than you realize, don't condemn, be compassionate. If someone makes a mistake, forgive. Understand. Be decent. Don't denounce. Be able to apologize and forgive. When offered a chance to communicate take it. All this is necessary to be a good writer. You don't have the right to punish. Care. Shift your position, listen. Negotiate. Negotiate. Negotiate. Reach out. Talk. Share.
--Sarah Schulman

That's a tall order these days.  Many of us are so ready to condemn (poisonous)* people like Karl Rove or Rush Limbaugh or Glenn Beck or that blonde woman....what's her name?....Ann Coulter.  And Republicans in the House of Representatives seem to want to destroy American society, not just wipe out Obamacare or Obama's administration/legacy, period.

I don't know what's going on here, other than great turmoil. Clearly we need to talk.

*oops