Holes In The Eyes

IDK who this bust is, and I don’t care. 

What I do know is that there are some people (not all) in this world who are very bad people that are blind to truth and good. 

They see themselves not only first and foremost but only themselves–they are truly selfish pr*cks!

Next, they see their buddies from the “old boy’s network” where one dirty hand washes the other even dirtier hand. 

They see everyone else as pawns to get what they want–power, money, prestige–and in turn others are for their abuse and as a punching bag.

People born and bred on immediate and self-gratification at the expense of doing what’s right. 

Power used to intimidate, to harass, to bully, to step on, to shame, and to kick to the gutter. 

To them it’s just what it takes “to make it” in this world. And for them they don’t consider what they are giving up in the world to come.

It’s an ancient war of good over evil where bad people seem very strong indeed. 

But where we can’t cower from a fight for what we know in the end is right.

 

Where did their eyes go?  😉

(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Harassholes Y’all

Someone brought me a copy of this photo from their office. 

It says:

Stop Harassholes Y’all

Not bad. 

Harassment plus as*holes = Harassholes. 

Thank G-d, there are some very good people and managers out there.

But unfortunately not everyone is, and so there are also some real stinkin’ abusers too. 

These types of people should never be in power, since they misuse it!

They do not use the power they have been entrusted with to advance progress, and do good for the organization and its people, but rather they clumsily wield power for their own selfish, personal pleasures and vendettas–bullying and harassing others–and simply because they can.

Belittling others, making them feel stupid and worthless, and then going after them for whatever they want. 

Through intimidation, they keep others from talking…shhh! hush!

Emotional, verbal, and even physical abuse can be common. 

I remember one colleague telling me how their boss would literally throw things at them in their office while they had to sit there “taking it.”

Another has a boss that makes them do the stupidest, most trivial tasks–completely worthless stuff–just to prove a point…that they’re in charge. 

Marginalization, threats, bullying, abuse, harassment…it goes on and it shouldn’t!

In some cases, the harassholes are even protected from someone above.

Money, power, honor…more, more, more!

But G-d sees these people too and eventually cuts the bad ones down to size. 

My father used to say:

G-d does not let any tree grow into the heavens!

Eventually, I am pretty sure that harassholes end up getting some very BIG hemorrhoids or something from above that teaches them to use G-d’s gifts for the good, and to properly love, care, and empathize for other human beings–G-d’s children!

I never knew why hemorrhoids existed in this world, but there is a purpose to everything under the heavens. 😉

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Shooting At You

As I heard recently in a movie:

“When someone is shooting at you, you know their intentions.”

Sounds simple right?

But often the person throwing shots your way may be couching their real intentions and telling you:

“Ah, it’s nothing.”

Some may try and rip you off, and tell you: 

“It’s just business!”

Others punching you like a punching bag tell you:

“You need to get a thicker skin!”

People f*cking with your head ask you:

“Aren’t you being a little paranoid?”

Yet others blame the victim calling you out for any sign of weakness”

“Why are you so pathetic? Crybaby!”

The truth of the matter is when people shoot you, take potshots at you, or otherwise physically, verbally, and emotionally abuse you, there is usually some evil sleight of hand and tongue at play.

People that are good people–don’t abuse you!

There is no guise or beguiling when people are being truthful and when they truly care about other people. 

When they shoot at you, yes you know their intentions.

Stop pretending they didn’t mean it. Stop accepting empty promises that they won’t do it again. Stop listening to hollow refrains of sorry. 

People can be selfish and evil beasts that rip others apart because they will benefit from it or simply because they can or want to.

– Pain and suffering of other human beings is what they relish and feed on like blood is to a vampire. 

Good people–do good to others. 

– They want to give to others and see others flourish–they know G-d and understand the real purpose of life. 

When they shoot you, you know their intentions. 

Sure you can shoot back and sometimes you have no choice, but the best way to win is to be that good person.  😉

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

The Folly of Bullies

So there is an issue with people not treating other people with respect and dignity in life and at work.

Today again, the Wall Street Journal reported that “Companies Wake Up To The Problem of Bullies at Work.”

This is leading some organizations to issue “Codes of Civility” for people to act like mensches and treat each other nicely. 

Adults are just so like children–with work bullies not all that different from schoolyard bullies.

Why do people need to elevate themselves on the backs of others? 

Isn’t it better to join hands and work together as brothers for the betterment of all.

Bullying anyone at work or at home doesn’t benefit anyone, including the bully!

I read today in Psalms 37: 35-36:

“I have seen the wicked in great power and spreading himself like a green tree. Yet he passed away, and behold, he was not; I sought him, but he could not be found. 

[But] Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace.”

How can people forget that the true “big boss” is G-d Almighty in Heaven.

And He judges us for a good or not so good end. 

We are all just flesh and blood and we all answer to the One That Was, Is, and Will Always Be!

Isn’t it obvious that we’re here to learn to act with lovingkindness to one another.

All are imperfect, but treating each other well is how we get closer to G-dly perfection. 😉

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Screwing The American Worker

So someone came to me today complaining that their company was messing with them. 

The employee was earning above minimum wage after several years in their line of work

And now their company wants to cut their salary claiming tight budgets. 

But get this:

– Instead of speaking with the employee, they send the employee a text message telling them they are going to cut their salary, and when the employee tries to call them, they don’t even pick up the phone or call back. 

– The company decides unilaterally that they will cut the employee salary by $1.50 an hour or a whopping 12.5% to this person!

– And this company is going to actually pay the employee below minimum wage!

Apparently, this company hires a lot of immigrants who don’t know the law and are only here for a short time, so this company disgustingly “gets away with it!”

But this employee is an American citizen and he is rightfully furious–as we all should be.

So Montgomery County, Maryland–a very liberal county–just raised the minimum wage to $11.50 effective July 1. 

Do you know what that comes out to at 40 hours per week–less than $24,000 annually.

That’s less than the poverty level for a typical family of four. 

Imagine what this person has left after taxes and carfare to get to work–not much!

I have gotten to know this person and they are a good, decent, hardworking human being, and they have suffered in their lifetime–why do they need to be treated like this and forced to earn even LESS THAN minimum wage. 

They are worried that if they say anything then they will be even worse off–they don’t want to be seen as trouble. 

How many times does this or a similar situation happen to innocent workers where they are mistreated, taken advantage of, abused, harassed, or even worse–but because they need the job and the money they are afraid to say or do anything to protect themselves.

We are the United States of America–one of the wealthiest and most powerful nations on Earth–is this how we treat our citizens?

People deserve to work and earn a decent days pay for a honest days work–a genuine living wage!

They also deserve core worker benefits like health care and a decent retirement. 

And they should be able to do their work free from workplace harassment and abuse. 

There must be not only fundamental laws that protect people, but also the enforcement mechanisms to make it really work. 

This gets to the heart of America–do we still have one? 

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Please G-d In The Workplace

So here is a true story that happened to me at work.

You know how you put on your “out of office message” in Microsoft Outlook when on leave…

Well, I was responsible and did just that. 

My message was typical informing people that I was out, when I plan to return, and who to contact about urgent matters in my (brief) absence. 

But something astonishing happened then…

I actually got a reply to my out of office message from an executive scolding me about it–imagine this being how government time is spent. 

Yes and dun da da dum…here was my big offense to this senior executive, in my out of office message, I simply used the words “Please G-d,” as in:

“I am out of the office and plan to return, please G-d, on [such and such day and date].”

The message I received back in my inbox:

“I’m not sure what the ‘please G+d’ reference means. It’s a bit confusing. You may want to delete it.”

OMG, I was being admonished in the federal government for using the words “Please G-d” in my out of office message–for simply respecting and recognizing Him/Her. 

– What is confusing about “Please G-d”?

– And how can anyone ask that I delete G-d from my message or in any way from my life???

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) states under religious discrimination and harassment that:

 “Harassment, can include, for example offensive remarks about a person’s beliefs or religious practices.”

 

Further, “the law requires an employer or other covered entity to reasonably accommodate an employees religious beliefs and practices,” barring an undue burden. 

What burden to the government was there in me saying, “please G-d.”

And why did I get back a mocking message spelling it this way, “G+d,” which I read as being a cross in the middle, mocking me as someone of Jewish belief.

Understand that I write the word G-d with a hyphen, because I was taught out of respect not to spell out ( or even say) G-d’s name in vain, which is the 3rd commandment in the biblical Ten Commandments.

The executive’s comments to me were not only extremely rude, offensive, and discriminatory, but also illegal.

It is outrageous that this type of behavior should be allowed to go on in 21st century America, let alone in the federal government itself that writes and enforces the law of the land–the land of the free and the home of the brave–read it, it’s in our national anthem and our constitution. 😉

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Attack On Human Rights

So we’re sitting in the coffee shop and this guy near us has some books on the table. 

He’s reading three things:

– The Holy Bible

– Second Amendment Primer

– The Heller Case (the landmark decision by the Supreme Court in 2008 protecting an individual’s right to bear arms for self defense in “federal enclaves”). 

So somebody says jokingly, “You think he’s a Republican?”

It made me think how we get judged by not only our behaviors, but also by our apparent beliefs, politics, and associations. 

Even if we don’t necessary do anything wrong or controversial, people see us, sum us up, and place judgement upon us. 

Moreover, while we may have a legal right to do something, people may still look disparagingly on us for exercising our rights.

Speak you mind freely, practice your religion openly, stand firm on privacy, own a gun in a liberal part of town, and you may find yourself being stared, pointed, or sneered at, whispered about, threatened, harassed, or otherwise disapproved of in small and/or big ways. 

My question is how is something a right if people still can mistreat you for exercising it in appropriate ways?  

I’ve heard people say things like you’re eligible for X, Y, or Z, but your not entitled to it.

They confuse rights as eligibility, rather than entitlement. 

So some people water down our Bill of Rights that way–thinking, saying, and acting in way that you are eligible to do something, BUT only if you ask nicely or do it a certain way that the other person arbitrarily approves of, and not that you are entitled to it as a basic human right!

Yes, of course we all need to behave responsibility and not yell fire in a crowded theater, but that doesn’t mean that human rights are subject to the whim of people’s mood’s, tempers, personal views, and bullying behavior. 😉

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Stop Harassment Now

I took this photo on the Washington, D.C. Metro. 

“If It’s Unwanted, It’s Harassment.”

Only a day or two later, some ladies came to me complaining that they had been harassed on the Metro.

Apparently, they had been on the platform waiting for a train and a young man was first staring at them, then coming around them menancingly, and then following them. 

Thank G-d, they got away, but it was a frightening situation that left them wanting to actually move away. 

Residents in the metro D.C area and customers of Metro should not have to ride in fear. 

We need more police and surveillance cameras on the Metro system now!

Signs are a great reminder, but law enforcement action is what is really needed and called for. 😉

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Exposing Rape

On the Metro in Washington, D.C. there is a sign that warns people about sexual harassment.

In the crowded rush hour trains, people can take advantage and try something.

But the advertisement reminds people that if they do the wrong thing, they are the ones who will be exposed–and punished.

This is in contrast to a story today in the Wall Street Journal about a gang rape of a 16 year-old girl in Kenya.

She was attacked in June–while walking home from her grandfather’s funeral!

Six men ambushed her, took turns raping her, and then threw her unconscious body in a toilet pit–as if to say that she was just a thing for their sexual satisfaction and nothing but a proverbial piece of sh*t herself (excuse the directness here).

But to make matters worse, the horrific act was not punished, but mocked.

The rapists were “told to pay for some pain medicine for the girl and mow the grass at the police station”–I am feeling sick again!

I write this blog for this victim and for women everywhere to try to do my little part to expose the continued injustices against them–from inequality and unsafe conditions in the workplace to sexual harassment and rape in society.

Perhaps, if we all expose the injustices, we can finally make it unacceptable and rub it out of existence evermore.

(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)

Rape-aXe Takes Hold

As a follow up to my blog on Tuesday about the Anti-rape Bra, a colleague gave me the lead to another prototype device called Rape-aXe.

Here is a YouTube video that explains how it works (explicit topic).

According to Nicci Talbot in Suite101, Rape-aXe is a female anti-rape condom that has small razor sharp barbs on the inside.

A rapist, who inserts into the female condom, gets trapped by the device, which needs to be surgically removed and leaves small scarring.

The device was invented by Sonnet Ehlers a South Africa women, and it went into production in 2007 going for $2 a piece.

According to the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN) “1 out of every 6 American women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime.”

“It’s a medieval device for a medieval deed,” stated Ehlers, and no such evil deed should go unpunished.

Females and males should be protected from sexual abuse both legally as well as with anti-rape devices–and that’s the real point. 😉

(Source Photo: here with attribution to haleybean91)