When the Pendulum Swings Too Far
My take on cancel culture32 total reviews
Comment from poetwatch
I agree with everything you wrote, Earl. It appears like we will never be right in saying what we think or know. There will always be someone to tell us we are wrong. You forgot to mention the removal of all the Confederate statues from their place. Yet, the way I see it, if the south was wrong for fighting for what they believe in then so is the north and all statutes should be removed. Both sides committed atrocities. Good rant.
reply by the author on 11-Oct-2023
  |
I agree with everything you wrote, Earl. It appears like we will never be right in saying what we think or know. There will always be someone to tell us we are wrong. You forgot to mention the removal of all the Confederate statues from their place. Yet, the way I see it, if the south was wrong for fighting for what they believe in then so is the north and all statutes should be removed. Both sides committed atrocities. Good rant.
Comment Written 08-Oct-2023
reply by the author on 11-Oct-2023
-
I didn't forget about the statues, I just thought I was covering a lot with what I wrote and didn't want to come off as a racist because we all know chunks of marble are evil.Thank you very much for your review I appreciate you reading my work.
Comment from Carlos' girl
I love your philosophy of how to respond to what one finds offensive. I think it is the best approach. No need to get on Facebook or start a skirmish.
This is very well written and very relevant. Good work
Thanks for this
Judith
reply by the author on 11-Oct-2023
 |
I love your philosophy of how to respond to what one finds offensive. I think it is the best approach. No need to get on Facebook or start a skirmish.
This is very well written and very relevant. Good work
Thanks for this
Judith
Comment Written 08-Oct-2023
reply by the author on 11-Oct-2023
-
Thank you very much for the six star review Judith. Appreciate you taking the time to read and review my work.
-
Most welcome
Comment from Ric Myworld
Well, for me personally, I don't find your piece inflammatory at all. I find it open and honest. We live in a world of cry babies always looking for ways to weasel and change things to suit their own ideologies. But I'll stop right here, because if I don't, you'll hear a real rant. LOL. Thanks for sharing.
reply by the author on 11-Oct-2023
|
Well, for me personally, I don't find your piece inflammatory at all. I find it open and honest. We live in a world of cry babies always looking for ways to weasel and change things to suit their own ideologies. But I'll stop right here, because if I don't, you'll hear a real rant. LOL. Thanks for sharing.
Comment Written 08-Oct-2023
reply by the author on 11-Oct-2023
-
Thank you very much for your review I appreciate you reading my work.
Comment from Dolly'sPoems
It is wrong to try and cleanse history because we have to face up to what happened and accept it and move on. We can forgive the past and look forward to a brighter future. But children must learn about what happened in order to prevent the same thing from happening again. I have not heard that Germany has tried to whitewash their history. Many German people suffered at the hands of the Nazis and they won't be forgetting what happened, but they have managed to be positive about their country and Angela Merkel was from East Germany and she was a good leader.
A poignant post Earl, love Dolly x x x
reply by the author on 11-Oct-2023
|
It is wrong to try and cleanse history because we have to face up to what happened and accept it and move on. We can forgive the past and look forward to a brighter future. But children must learn about what happened in order to prevent the same thing from happening again. I have not heard that Germany has tried to whitewash their history. Many German people suffered at the hands of the Nazis and they won't be forgetting what happened, but they have managed to be positive about their country and Angela Merkel was from East Germany and she was a good leader.
A poignant post Earl, love Dolly x x x
Comment Written 07-Oct-2023
reply by the author on 11-Oct-2023
-
Thank you very much for your review Dolly. I appreciate you reading my work.
Comment from Loren .
Well said, and yes we live in a Catch 22 culture. I don't have anything to add as in large, you are preaching to the choir and those who need to hear what you have written have their backs turned, ears covered , hearts hardened and minds closed. Loren
reply by the author on 11-Oct-2023
|
Well said, and yes we live in a Catch 22 culture. I don't have anything to add as in large, you are preaching to the choir and those who need to hear what you have written have their backs turned, ears covered , hearts hardened and minds closed. Loren
Comment Written 07-Oct-2023
reply by the author on 11-Oct-2023
-
Thank you very much for your six star review Loren. I appreciate you reading my work.
Comment from Mrs. KT
Good morning, Earl,
I don't find your essay "inflammatory" at all; in fact, I find it refreshing, and your editor should have as well!
I am in agreement with everything you have shared. We need to learn from history in order to - hopefully - not repeat the missteps from our predecessors. But we certainly must not deny that certain events in our country's history and the history of other countries took place. We accomplish nothing when we act in that manner...
One small nit:
The German veterans were (wore) the same kind of cap.
Thank you for sharing!
Best Wishes!
diane
reply by the author on 11-Oct-2023
|
Good morning, Earl,
I don't find your essay "inflammatory" at all; in fact, I find it refreshing, and your editor should have as well!
I am in agreement with everything you have shared. We need to learn from history in order to - hopefully - not repeat the missteps from our predecessors. But we certainly must not deny that certain events in our country's history and the history of other countries took place. We accomplish nothing when we act in that manner...
One small nit:
The German veterans were (wore) the same kind of cap.
Thank you for sharing!
Best Wishes!
diane
Comment Written 07-Oct-2023
reply by the author on 11-Oct-2023
-
Thank you very much for your review Diane. I appreciate you reading my work.
Comment from Tom Horonzy
The rant herein is written well, and the history lesson says so many things that are sensible. You should run for Congress, where a lobotomy should be offered to its members without charge.
reply by the author on 07-Oct-2023
|
The rant herein is written well, and the history lesson says so many things that are sensible. You should run for Congress, where a lobotomy should be offered to its members without charge.
Comment Written 07-Oct-2023
reply by the author on 07-Oct-2023
-
Could you clarify why you gave this four stars.
-
If I did it was automatic by the programming. I never give less than a five. Also, keep in mind the high and low ratings are discarded. That said I will go in and change if pissible
Comment from Wayne Fowler
Well written.
'Fraid I agree with your editor, even though I tend toward the inflammatory myself.
On race issues, I try to put myself in other's shoes.
I disagree with 'cancelling' historical facts, but why glorify evil? John Wilkes Booth probably loved his mother and treated his dog kindly, but that moment of evil erased all that went before.
Speaking of pendulum swings, though, I really wish there weren't those who try to glom onto movements just for their own 'me too' moment. But the longer justice is put off, the more expensive the remedy. Those 5 who beat Rodney King were never punished. And Derrick Chauvin would not have been without a video recording his murder of George Floyd.
You said that things will work themselves out. Not always. How many suffered and died, as did generations after them, before truly free? And still, some continue to deprive groups of people of their votes.
reply by the author on 11-Oct-2023
|
Well written.
'Fraid I agree with your editor, even though I tend toward the inflammatory myself.
On race issues, I try to put myself in other's shoes.
I disagree with 'cancelling' historical facts, but why glorify evil? John Wilkes Booth probably loved his mother and treated his dog kindly, but that moment of evil erased all that went before.
Speaking of pendulum swings, though, I really wish there weren't those who try to glom onto movements just for their own 'me too' moment. But the longer justice is put off, the more expensive the remedy. Those 5 who beat Rodney King were never punished. And Derrick Chauvin would not have been without a video recording his murder of George Floyd.
You said that things will work themselves out. Not always. How many suffered and died, as did generations after them, before truly free? And still, some continue to deprive groups of people of their votes.
Comment Written 07-Oct-2023
reply by the author on 11-Oct-2023
-
Thank you very much for your review. I appreciate you reading my work.
Comment from Pam (respa)
Good artwork and op-ed piece to go with it. You have used many good examples of how our society and the way it is viewed is changing. It's rewriting history to suit whatever cause some people are making a point about. I like how you give examples to counter it later in the piece, and I agree. If a book offends you, don't buy it, and so on.
I learned a lot about people who did good things, but a certain group doesn't like it so it is changed, taken off the market, or torn down by special interest groups. If I remember right, I think you were a teacher. I was, too, and I am glad I don't have to face what they do today with parents complaining and wanting certain things changed, etc. I'm glad you feel better after writing and sharing this.
A couple of small things: If it had one gold button [It had one gold button...]
When he released the video [comma after video]
in a bad light [you forgot the period at the end]
to suit their own agenda it's hard [comma after agenda]
wrong and everyone [I would change 'and' to because]
reply by the author on 11-Oct-2023
|
Good artwork and op-ed piece to go with it. You have used many good examples of how our society and the way it is viewed is changing. It's rewriting history to suit whatever cause some people are making a point about. I like how you give examples to counter it later in the piece, and I agree. If a book offends you, don't buy it, and so on.
I learned a lot about people who did good things, but a certain group doesn't like it so it is changed, taken off the market, or torn down by special interest groups. If I remember right, I think you were a teacher. I was, too, and I am glad I don't have to face what they do today with parents complaining and wanting certain things changed, etc. I'm glad you feel better after writing and sharing this.
A couple of small things: If it had one gold button [It had one gold button...]
When he released the video [comma after video]
in a bad light [you forgot the period at the end]
to suit their own agenda it's hard [comma after agenda]
wrong and everyone [I would change 'and' to because]
Comment Written 07-Oct-2023
reply by the author on 11-Oct-2023
-
Thank you very much for your review I appreciate you reading my work.
-
You are very welcome.
Comment from Jim Wile
No 6s left or you'd get one for this, Earl. This was a tour de force and very well said. I especially loved the line, "History isn't there to be liked or disliked. It's there to learn from."
You didn't say it, but most all the canceling seems to be coming from one side of the political spectrum--the left. I don't know why they want to declare themselves victims about everything; it just makes them look weak in my eyes. I wish they would grow up and quit acting like babies.
If their arguments and positions about things are solid, then let them stand up to the other side; don't suppress the other side. Deep down, I think they know that many of their ideas don't really pass muster and are indefensible, so they must tear down the other side so they don't have to compete with it.
Your editor is a coward.
reply by the author on 11-Oct-2023
|
No 6s left or you'd get one for this, Earl. This was a tour de force and very well said. I especially loved the line, "History isn't there to be liked or disliked. It's there to learn from."
You didn't say it, but most all the canceling seems to be coming from one side of the political spectrum--the left. I don't know why they want to declare themselves victims about everything; it just makes them look weak in my eyes. I wish they would grow up and quit acting like babies.
If their arguments and positions about things are solid, then let them stand up to the other side; don't suppress the other side. Deep down, I think they know that many of their ideas don't really pass muster and are indefensible, so they must tear down the other side so they don't have to compete with it.
Your editor is a coward.
Comment Written 07-Oct-2023
reply by the author on 11-Oct-2023
-
I have found that those who protest stuff nowadays don't have the convictions to accept consequences of their actions, Freedom Ain't Free.Thank you very much for your review I appreciate you reading my work.
