Let’s start by disabusing ourselves of the notion that this is a country that welcomes immigrants. Sure, it’s a country built on immigration, but once we’re here and enjoying the American perks, it’s “Last one in? Shut the door.” However, if you don’t speak English and have too much melanin in your skin, prepare to struggle and hunker down in a neighborhood with people who look like you. You’ll probably be stuck there forever, but that’s just the way it works.
So after last week’s carnage, the most we can hope for is background checks? If I’m not mistaken, don’t the school shooters usually use guns owned by their parents or, gasp, given to them by their parents? Also, after Sept. 11, I believe an FBI agent said she had filed a background report on one of the hijackers, but it never got to the right place. Or the right eyes. Or wherever. So where background checks are concerned, “Every little bit helps,” said the old lady as she peed in the sea.
Let’s also disabuse ourselves of the notion that the weekly murder count in Chicago is anything but a racist tragedy. The weekend of Aug. 2-4 saw seven people killed and 52 wounded by gunfire throughout Chicago. And nothing happened except Ivanka Trump and Lori Lightfoot splitting hairs about whether it was citywide or in parks or playgrounds. It’s unconstitutional as hell, but how about we surround the city and do a gun sweep — all guns, period. Then those with permits can come and pick them up later.
I’ve also been following the controversy about the “cheeky” way girls dress at the middle schools. Teachers are not happy, but others think it’s OK, including some female parents on this paper’s discussion page.
I hate the idea of pubescent girls walking around with most of their bodies exposed. Lots of women who think I’m wrong want to make sure that no one is body-shaming or controlling young girls, that it’s about freedom of expression, girl-pride and self-confidence. Could be, but I doubt it. How about “how naked can I be and still con my parents that it’s about feminism?”
Actually, I think it’s more about copying and conforming, the strongest tugs on the hearts and heads of kids that age. They’re dressing that way because other girls are dressing that way. It’s what adolescents do. So much for STEM. On the other hand, maybe girls can combine STEM and provocative clothing by becoming TV weather reporters.
School officials should pray that the girls don’t fall in love with high-heeled stilettos to set off the short shorts. Try to picture changing classes from floor to floor on concrete stairs. Try to picture the ambulances arriving.
Normally, I love the idea of school uniforms, but the Catholic high school girls’ uniform skirts are jaw-dropping. I mean “I see London, I see France …”
I also blame the Kardashian effect, promoted by a tasteless family with reconstructed, retooled bodies and faces, whining about their lives and doing their bit to destroy feminism. It glorifies in nauseating detail the bare-naked lives of the five vacuous girl/women who will go anywhere and do anything, wearing next to nothing, always pouting for the cameras. Their mother outshines Meryl Streep and Glenn Close characters in being “sweet/calculating/crazy.”
While I’m on the subject of impressionable young girls, now that Jeffrey Epstein has self-administered justice, what’s next for R. Kelly?
Finally, I go again to the overflow of Democratic candidates for president. Which brings me to Pete Buttigieg. Which reminds me of what all our mothers said when we broke something in the living room: “Why can’t we have nice things?”
