Twitter Protects You From Exposure to Sensitive Media!

I received a tweet from an acquaintance that shares many political views with me.

The tweet immediately intrigued me because, rather than its content automatically displaying, there was a warning message that the tweet might contain sensitive media.

Well, a lot of violence in the world, I thought to myself, could be photos of a terrorism crime scene, another mass murder of Egyptian Christians on the Mediterranean shore by radical Islamic extremists, or something similar. Nice of Twitter to provide a mechanism to protect folks from being automatically exposed to images that might be shocking or offensive, or worse.

As it turns out, there is a setting in your Twitter settings that activates that filter. Here's an image of that setting on my account:

Here's a screen capture showing the tweet I received, with the sensitive media filter turned on. Don't worry, no need to avert your gaze, with the filter on, no dead, decapitated bodies, no humans being sawn asunder, no exploding suicide vested extremists:

If you look closely, you'll see the ongoing debate tweet (this was about religion in America) at the top of the image. In the tweet from @RNR_Mississippi, the option is offered to view content.

The more squeamish among you may want to avert your gaze at this point, because here is the unfiltered image that was then displayed:

Merry happy HannaChristmaKwaanzaa to you!

Growing up with White Privilege: How A Fiction Destroys our Life Narratives

Good Morning, Students

We are ready to move on to our next composition assignment. As with previous assignments, you are limited to 2500 words. Make them count. I will, of course, grade for grammar and spelling, along with style (unless you're white, in which case, you get an "A").

Your task is to gloat about how you never had to study in school but got straight A's, not because you did well on assignments and tests, but because your teachers gave you good grades because you were white.

Then, spend some time talking about the sports programs, recreational or school-based, in which you didn't have to do weight training, calisthenics, running, or skill developments, but nonetheless won scholarships, not based on skills and achievement, but based on your whiteness.

Follow this with a brief history of entering the work force, how you were immediately selected as CEO for a Fortune 500 company, not because of an extended track record of successes in prior business ventures, but because of your whiteness.

I will be interested to read your stories.

* * * *

Perhaps you were born with dyslexia. Or, perhaps, your father was killed Afghanistan. Or, perhaps, your mother suffered a debilitating stroke when you were ten. Or, perhaps, you were the victim of a child predator. Maybe you were raised by grandparents who only spoke a foreign language at home.

Maybe the rural school you attended did not get the same funding, quality teachers, or books as the city schools in your State's financial center. The mistakes of your parents' parents were echoed in how you were raised.

Perhaps, in school, studying did not come easy. But study you did. For acceptable grades.

Perhaps, at work, you lacked some of the schmooze of your colleagues, and while many recognized that you were diligent, thorough, and bright, patrimony and nepotism required more of you than you could offer.

So you made it out of childhood. Never having tasted a silver spoon, never having vacationed in Vail or Rome.

So you made it out of school. You got your diploma. You were never inducted into the National Honor Society, but nor were you ever suspended. You got your Associates, or your Bachelor's. But you then spent ten years paying off your student loan debt (no silver spoon, remember).

You landed a job. You worked the job. You gave it the same consistent, dedicated, enduring attention as you had ploddingly applied in other areas of life. Truth is, though, while you might become middle management, or shop steward, you have no likelihood of becoming the CEO.

And all of that is okay with you.

At the end of the day, whether you just didn't have the same charm as some, the same wits as some, the same gifts as some, you've assembled a reasonable, livable life around yourself.

Then you turn on the Sunday morning news programs, or one of the evening cable news programs. "WHITE PRIVILEGE."

The first thing that comes to mind is, "Gosh, I wish I had experienced WHITE PRIVILEGE."

And then the president of your nation, a man who built nothing, who established no industry, who tore no farm out of forests, who actually really and truly brings a blank resume to the office, comes on the news, looks you and everyone around you and says, "You didn't build that."

If it's a conservative channel, he may be followed by some well-heeled folks -- attorneys, businessmen -- who rightly resent the ugly ignorance of the man. But you resent it too. Because, in fact, you did build it.

Whether "it" was the cars for which Henry Ford got credit, the railroads for which Andrew Carnegie got credit, or the energy resources for which Rockefeller got credit, you, or people just like you showed up, day after back breaking, or mind melting day. Digging in mines and digging with their minds.

And there's that ass again, spouting about "White Privilege." It infuriates because the rank presumptions that "white folk" are born two rungs of the ladder up above others was never true in your life, or in the lives of your friends, family, co-workers, and acquaintances.

In fact, "White Privilege" is a lie that attacks the endurance of your spirit. The gumption of carrying forward into a middle American life. It's the drool and spite of a special kind of resentment and hatred.

So, yeah, now you know why I wrote this piece. Because I tire of the spirit-destroying, inhumanity of that particular lie.

Translating Hillary

Hillary is once again faking a southern drawl.

We all remember the amusing, "I dont feel no ways tar'd" episode a few years back now. Of course, it's not easy to maintain an adopted drawl. During her South Carolina swing, Hillary affected that Southern twang, but unlike an operatic diva, she just couldn't hold the note.

Then it struck me.

Hillary needs her southern affectations -- just like everything else about her -- scripted.

So, thanks to the Dialectizer website, I propose that we do just that! Let's draft her southern affected messaging for her. To get her started, I used the dialectizer to translate her April 2, 2015 remarks on the negotiations with Iran regarding nuclear power and weapons.

Here's her original text:

The understanding that the major world powers have reached with Iran is an important step toward a comprehensive agreement that would prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon and strengthen the security of the United States, Israel, and the region. President Obama and Secretary Kerry have been persistent and determined in pursuit of this goal, building on a decade of bipartisan pressure and diplomacy. Getting the rest of the way to a final deal by June won’t be easy, but it is absolutely crucial. I know well that the devil is always in the details in this kind of negotiation. So I strongly support President Obama and Secretary Kerry’s efforts between now and June to reach a final deal that verifiably cuts off all of Iran’s paths to a nuclear weapon, imposes an intrusive inspection program with no sites off limits, extends breakout time, and spells out clear and overwhelming consequences for violations. The onus is on Iran and the bar must be set high. It can never be permitted to acquire a nuclear weapon. It is also vital that these efforts be part of a compressive strategy to check Iran’s regional ambitions, defend our allies and partners, and reinforce American leadership in the Middle East. There is much to do and much more to say in the months ahead, but for now diplomacy deserves a chance to succeed.

Here's the much improved Southern:

Th' unnerstan'in' thet th' majo' wo'ld powers haf retched wif Iran is an impo'tant step toward a comprehensive agreement thet'd prevent Iran fum gittin' a nucular weapon an' stren'then th' security of th' United States, Israel, an' th' region, as enny fool kin plainly see. President Obama an' Secretary Kerry haf been persissent an' determined in pursueyt of this hyar goal, buildin' on a decade of bipartisan pressure an' diplomacy. Gittin' th' ress of th' way t'a final deal by June won’t be easy, but it is absolutely crucial, ah reckon. ah knows fine thet th' devil is allus in th' details in this hyar kind of negotiashun. So ah strongly suppo't President Obama an' Secretary Kerry’s effo'ts between now an' June t'retch a final deal thet vahifiably cuts off all of Iran’s paths t'a nucular weapon, imposes an intrusive inspeckshun program wif no sites off limits, extends bustout time, an' spells out clear an' on overwhelmin' cornsequences fo' violashuns. Th' onus is on Iran an' th' bar muss be set high. It kin nevah be permitted t'acquire a nucular weapon, as enny fool kin plainly see. It is also vital thet these effo'ts be part of a compressive strategy t'check Iran’s regional ambishuns, defend our allies an' partners, an' reinfo'ce South Car'linan leadership in th' Middle East. Thar is much t'do an' much mo'e t'say in th' months ahaid, but fo' now diplomacy desarves a chance t'succeed, cuss it all t' tarnation.

I must say, the whole process of affecting a drawl to try and convince folks that by nature and right ought to be recoiling at the idea of your presidency is an amusing thing. No, really. This hyar is mo'e fun than a barrel of monkeys. Eff'n yern't too busy, try it out! Fry mah hide!