I Said I Would.

Here is the note I'm sending out today to the Rockford Register Star regarding The Letter:


August 22, 2005

Dear Editor,
Enclosed is a letter I wrote to School Superintendant Dr. Thompson regarding a certain advertisement that I personally observed, prominantly displayed in a public school. I found the nature of this advertisement offensive enough that I could not, in good conscience, remain silent.

I do not ask that my name be withheld from any article which may result from this letter, only that my address and other personal information not be made public.

Thank you.

(signature)
Wes Fisher

Hey, activism can be fun!

Heh.

And yeah, I caught the typos when I read it here. They're fixed now, so quitcher bitchin'.

Peace

Guess What? I Found the Freakin' Point!

Wow, what a dark mood I was in yesterday! After much soul searching, and talking with The Missus, I decided that I should write that letter after all, and about an hour ago, I did.

(with alot of help from said Missus - when I get flustered, it's hard for me to articulate in a rational manner, nothin' makes sense, and folks are left with that, "what the fuck" feeling.)

The point I found was, even if the letter is never read, I know that I sent it; I stood up. I wouldn't feel that I have a right to bitch if I never stood up when I got the chance. (That's why I vote. "Don't vote? Don't
bitch!" should be my motto.) I'm tired of complaining about this crap and not doing something about it.

So, for your reading pleasure, I present to you, my friends, The Letter, as written my me, and coauthored by The Missus. (chemicalnova, are you counting the commas? I, know, how, much, you, enjoy, commas!) :-D


August 22, 2005

Dear Dr. Thompson,

Last week, while helping at a local public elementary school, I saw an advertisement for the Black Student Alliance posted at the secretary's desk in the office. I was surprised to see that there were no other
postings for other ethnicities. I was unaware that the school district
favored advertising for one ethnicity over another. This posting is so
completely exclusive as to be offensive. I am teaching my children that race does not matter when it comes to their friends and acquaintances. I am showing them through my actions that the color of a person’s skin is not the most important thing about them. I am expecting that my children’s schools teach the fact that people’s actions are what define them and not their skin color. To find such a
blatantly racial advertisement in plain sight in a school goes against
everything that I am teaching my children. It contradicts what I had hoped this school district would teach my children.

I am not asking that ethnic advertisements not be placed. I am asking that all ethnicities be represented if there is any advertising to be done. To have an event advertised that includes only one ethnicity shows obvious racial preference in my child’s school. I was under the
impression that ALL students, regardless of their race, receive equal
consideration in the Rockford Public Schools. Because my children are not black, they would have been given the impression that their skin
color is not as important as black children. How awful that at such a
young age, the Rockford Schools are discriminating against my children because they happen to be born a race other than black.

Dr. Thompson, I don’t want any student to think that their race is the most important thing about them, because it’s not. I don’t want any
student to look at another student’s skin color and decide to what activity they can go. I don’t want my children to feel undeserving because they are the "wrong color". I certainly don’t want the seeming
balkanization in our society to infiltrate my children’s schools.

What I do want is simple. Rockford Public Schools should not allow ANY organization that emphasizes one race over another to advertise
youth activities in the schools. Do not exclude ANY student from any
activity simply because of their skin color. Ensure that my children,
and all children, feel welcome in any activity, regardless of their
ethnicity.

Thank you.

(signature)

Wes Fisher

So there it is. The thoughts are mine, though the spelling
and proper grammar are The Missus' (note the complete and total lack of the phrase, "You BASTARDS!").

If nothing else, I certainly feel better by getting that off my chest. I'll feel even better if/when The Rockford Register Star prints the copy I'm sending them. *insert maniacal laughter here*.

"Is he joking?" You'll just have to wait and see.

Well, I haven't checked the posts from my previous rant (What's the Freakin' Point?) and I wasn't going to until after I posted this, and assure you that I'd "pulled my finger out".

The Bodhran Rolls On!

Now, what the HELL happened to my format?! Fuckit! I'll fix it later. I got another long-ass day of job hunting tomorrow.

What's the Freakin' Point?

Well, I did it. I had a letter drafted and ready to go to the Rockford Bored of Education. And I threw it away. Why? Because. What's the fucking point? Those dumbasses wouldn't've read it anyway, and even if they had, would it've changed anything?

Hell no. They'd still be "right" and "and all caring" and I'd still be a racist, homophobic, meat-eating, conservative, polluter, and fucker-upper-of weather.

So ya know what? I'm going to concentrate on teaching MY kids what's right and wrong (according to my conscience and good ol' Judeo-Christian teachings) and the rest are on their own.

Idaho is looking better and better. Or Rhode Island, I can't decide.

Fun At Bath Time.

It was my turn to bathe the two youngest offspring, M (4 year old tomboy) and SP (2 year old boy who is regularly called by 1st and middle name). J is 8 and can wash quite well by herself, thank you.

M was first. Here was the conversation with her:

"Daddy?"
"Yes, honey."
"Do I still have a crack?"
*silence*
"You mean on your backside, right?"
"Yeah."
"Yeeeaaah, you still have a crack on your backside."
"Oh, okay!"

SP's was even better!

"Da?", he asked, looking down.
"What, baby boy", I asked, half dreading the impending question.
"Is that my penis?"
*silence, followed by stifled chuckling*
"Uh, yep, that's yer penis."
"Oh."
Then I thought I'd teach him a new word.
"And that's yer scrotum."
" 'crotum?"
"Yep", I confirmed, trying not to laugh (after all, I started it).
"Oooooh!"
"Okay, stop playing with it. You'll get owies."
" 'K."

Ah, the joys of being a Da!

This Pissed Me Off!

I was helping The Wife clean her classroom yesterday in preparation for the coming school year. Seeing as the school district, in it's infinite wisdom (read: fucktardedness) fired all of the school custodians last year, all the schools, not just The Wife's, are in complete disarray and are scrambling to get ready.

Anyway, I walked into the school office while I was there and saw this flyer, written here in toto:

BLACK STUDENT ALLIANCE

BACK - 2- SCHOOL FESTIVAL

Saturday, August 20, 2005

12 - 4pm

RVC Main Campus

Parking Lot #1 - near the theater

FREE BACKPACKS

SCHOOL SUPPLIES INCLUDED

FOR FIRST 150 STUDENTS

FREE ADMISSION - FOOD, GAMES, FUN

(at bottom) RVC APPROVED

REMOVE ON 8/21

RC

"Come get more free hand outs! We're not going to demand that YOUR PARENTS take responsibility and get your school shit ready, NO, we're going to give you what SOCIETY owes you for enslaving your great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandparents! And what WE can't give you, we'll "encourage" your already underpaid TEACHERS to buy what you don't feel like buying so you can pay for those $150 shoes!"

AAARRRRRGGGGHHHH! I want to EAT SOMEONE!

Can you see why I'm pissed off? Try a "WHITE STUDENT ALLIANCE" and the liberal whiners in the school board and district would scream about a "Kiddie Klan"!

I've spent a great deal of time teaching my kids not to judge someone by the color of their skin, but by their actions

(Yes, I teach my kids to JUDGE),

and these liberal PUKES continue to exaserbate racial trouble. I guess if it wasn't for bigotry, they'd be out of jobs. Their own bigotry!

I think I'm gonna write a letter to Mr. Thompson of the District School Board. Ask him when the Hispanic, Asian, White, and American Indian Student Alliances are having their festivals.

Heh.

Well, at least I feel better.

Still Searching. . . . .

Yes, the search continues. I've applied to over a dozen places in the last week, not counting the on-line apps I've filled out. I may have to resort to *gasp* temp agencies next week. NOOOOO!

I do have to say "thank you" to Contagion, by the way. He emailed me while I was job hunting on-line to let me know that there was a job fair where he works. I hot-footed it over, filled out an application, took their little customer service test, and left feeling not too bad. Well, yesterday I got a call. They want me to come back and take the data entry test late next week. COOL! One problem. . . . I type MAYBE 50 wpm. Oh well, I'll go and do the best I can.

Me, a Customer Service Rep. Not something I ever thought I'd be doing. I'm not long on patience, and people just tend to piss me off, especially STUPID people (I can be just as hard on myself, so stop with the "your so judgemental" bullshit). Paradoxically, I also like to help people when they need it. Yeah, I have a contradictory personallity. Deal with it.

You see, I can deal with one person at a time as that allows me to focus on what they need/want (and isn't that what a CSR does). It's people in large GROUPS that I can't stand -- people who flock together like sheep and won't think for themselves. Who said, "Never underestimate the stupidity of people in large groups"?

Anyway, me, a CSR.

Me: Company X, this is Wes, how may I help you?
L.OL. (Little Old Lady): I'm having trouble reading my statement.
Me: Do you use eye glasses?
L.O.L: Why yes, I do.
Me: Then put. them. ON!

"Is he joking?"

The Never Ending Search For. . . . . Whatever.

I came back to Rockford 3 days ago after working for most of the summer for the Quincy, IL. Park District.

(What's that have to do about a "never ending. . . . whatever"? I'll get to it).

There were several reasons I went to Quincy, most of which are none of your business. One reason was because there was a JOB there, and it was better for me to work THERE than to languish at home and be a general terror to The Wife and Offspring.

Well, now that I'm back, I'm on The Never Ending Job Search, (see, I told you I'd get to it).

I went out today to 6 different places. I was given 1 application. I guess that's still an *O.K.* start, but, you know. . . . .

I've been working on being patient, optimistic, and just less stressed out and angry than I've been in the past, and seeing as I've gone 3 whole days without going berrrrserk on anyone, I think I'm making progress.

(So who's going to start the pool on how it long it will take before I eat somebody?)

In the past, I would go berrrrserk after a day of job hunting like today: yell at the Offspring, yell at The Wife, kick the dog, and just be bloody awful, but not today, and it feels really good NOT to be that angry.

Patience, now, is a whole 'nother thing, you know that whole God-give-me-patience-NOW! thing?

Well, I've got a whole weekend to strategize (sp?) and plan for next week, so wish me luck!

Roll on.

For Your (Kids) Morning Viewing Pleasure (and endless source of laughter for me).

My two youngest are, at this moment, watching the very educational marvel that is "Dora the Explorer". And I've been laughing my butt off! Earlier in the show, I got this strange picture in my head. It was after I heard the voice of Dora saying, "Say backpack, say backpack!", the voice continued in my head: "say backpack, SAY BACKPACK DAMN IT, SAY IT NOW, NOW, LOUDER. . . . . .!!!". The visual is one of Dora in the garb of your friendly neighborhood dominatrix, all leather, whips, and a ball gag in "Boots" the monkey's mouth.

God, I'm gonna be sick.

Happy Blog Day To Me!

Well...... So this is what it's like to be blog-born, huh? I'm not quite as sticky as I thought I'd be, and my blog-mom isn't screaming quite as loud as one would expect. Thanks, Anathematized1, for not aborting me (you will most probably regret that decision). ;-)

What do yas want/need to know? My name's Wes living in Rockford, IL. with The Wife, 3 offspring, 3 cats, and a dog. I've been a husband for the last 11+ years, a father for 8, an historical re-enactor, member of 2 (now disbanded) Celtic Bands in which I played the bodhrán (it's a drum, hence the name) and sang, and I'm currently looking for work after .... never mind, maybe later.

I'm already friends with Grau, of the imcomparable Frizzensparks fame, Contagion, Littlejoe, and S. I look forward to meeting more of you in the future.

Peace!