Indian and White Girl Names, too.

Jeanne has improved on the African American names list, by adding a post with links to videos of white and Indian names also.  Somehow, that didn't make it better.

Florida

Dear Jeanne,

I know being a Floridian is a huge part of your persona.  I don't totally get it, but I respect that it's part of your self identity.  But I feel that this is a good time to explain something to you: There are 49 other states.  No, really, and just as you've said that God loves the swamps, it has to be possible at least that He loves the 49 other states (that He created, remember) just as much.

I know this will come as a shock to you, but people love the other 49 states as well, and actually choose to live in them.  I am from Southern California, and thus, have had my fill of beaches and ocean.  I'm actually not a big fan of the humidity in Florida and prefer my native California to it.  I know that's hard to believe.  But in fact, a number of years ago when we moved our family due to my husband's job, we actually had the choice to move to Tampa, and chose Minnesota (with it's snow and all) over the Sunshine State.

I have no doubt that Florida has many wonderful qualities.  Truly.  But not everyone wants to move there.  And your insistence that we do, followed by your apparent threats that we'll hate it when we get there because we'll be outsiders, doesn't recommend it to us.

By all means, love your state.  But it would be lovely if you could entertain the idea that other people love theirs, too.

Respectfully,

The woman you hoped the Gators would eat when she got to Florida

Top 60 Ghetto Names?

Really, Jeanne?  Really?  The woman who appears to pride herself on her progressive thinking, thinks this is an appropriate post?  I know I should have a more developed response, but all I can think of is, really?

Updated Look?

I used to try to make this blog look as much like a mirrored copy of Jeanne's as possible.  But, to be honest, her blog has gotten so garish, I no longer can stand to keep mine the same.  I love a customized blog as much as the next girl, but hers has become downright painful for me to look at.

So, I'll keep mine as I wish, and will at least let the posts mirror hers.  I hope no one minds that I take a break from time to time.  Sometimes she's just too much for me.

Peace!  (Well, you know, as much as any uptight Northern Homeschooler can desire such a thing)

The Faith And Family Debacle

Interestingly, I got Facebook messages about the Faith and Family comments Jeanne made.  By the time I went to check it out, her comments had been removed.  But it seems Jeanne had the effect she usually does.  First she left readers perplexed, and then offended.  But you know, what can people expect?  After all, we can't all be super-cool Floridians who know everything.  Some of us are getting by without all of Jeanne's wisdom all the time.  Some of us don't totally get Jeanne's wisdom and wonder if she does?  What does it sound like in her head, and how is it that someone who is supposedly a published writer has such difficulty expressing herself through the written word online?

So many questions, so little time.  So, what exactly happened, anyway?

The Faith And Family Live! site apparently spends one day a week talking about marriage.  The post seemed innocuous enough.  It was a call to encourage people to share about marriage.  No big deal, right?  Only to Jeanne, I think marriage and family is always a big deal, and I've never seen her react to what has actually been written.  This was no exception.

The comments responses are quite telling, and worth a read.  I can gather that Jeanne must have said something about women not being able to think for themselves.  A thought that wouldn't come up at all from what was actually written thus far in the post and comments.

Due to the comment being (as per her usual) incoherent and totally out of place, not to mention generally uncharitable and generally antagonistic, it was removed by the Admin.

In response, Jeanne wrote a scathing blog post.  Once again, she was being censored.  Not because she rambles, insults, and is thoroughly unkind and condescending.  No! Of course not!  It's because people are mean and unwilling to have their minds opened by the gracious Floridian.  She goes off, responding to things that simply weren't there, but which she believes to have been there, just under the surface.

Jeanne is a great Catholic, and believes that people should be Catholic.  And yet appears to despise other Catholic women.  I don't get it.  I think Freud would have some ideas though...

Changes? Or Not So Much

Original Post: After many years, I am changing my blog.

Jeanne has decided that she needs to change and live more peacefully. Or at least that's what she says. I haven't quite figured out exactly what's changed. Although, perhaps I need to give her more time. She did, after all, just post this today. It's just that, if she were changing to be more peaceful, one would think that she'd say something different, or say it in a different way, and yet, there is none of that in her post. Though I will say I'm grateful that it wasn't all shouted at her readers in caps.

Jeanne says in her post, "I am a human being who loves God's Creation and God and others. I try to love. " but will those she's previously railed against feel loved at all by her? I don't think so. At least not yet.

Here are some examples of what I mean. Jeanne has always hated homeschooling. Is she going to be more peaceful toward those who practice it?

"There are too many weirdos who for fear of the government
asking for money choose to do something they are not qualified to do: TEACH at home and HOME DOCTOR. "

Well, there you have it. Homeschoolers are weirdos. And they only do it because they fear the government (not true AT ALL, I can assure you). How very loving of her. And, of course, she reminds us that they're not qualified to teach their children. An opinion she has formed without any research and has offered repeatedly without offering any evidence of her own. Somehow I'm not feeling the peace. Nor am I at all sure why home doctoring goes with homeschooling. Color me confused. Not a new experience on Jeanne's blog.

"The homeschoolers are no better because I received DEATH THREATS AND RUDE LETTERS AND COMMENTS FROM THOSE PEOPLE. "

I've never claimed to be better than Jeanne. I'm still convinced that's her perception of what people are thinking, and not actual reality. And I certainly can't speak for all homeschoolers, but I can tell you that I've never sent Jeanne anything but comments which disagreed respectfully with her point of view. Disagreement is not, in and of itself, rude. As for death threats, I hope that's not true. No one deserves that.

So now my husband and I are going to think about trying to live like St Francis and be peaceful.

If you do otherwise, it is on your tab, your soul, and we will let the evidence stand against the reality of what is.

So go there now.

I am moving beyond the arguing and the gasping of the Catholics who think they follow church teaching but have more than ego to show for it. I am sick of them.

I hope you do go live like St. Francis, Jeanne. I believe it would do wonders for your heart, and that you have a passion which could be used to do great things. But I also think it's important that each of us look to remove the plank in our own eye before removing the speck from our brother's. And what I most hear you complain about: judgment, is what I most hear from you toward others. You judge those who homeschool, those whose politics differ from yours, those with big families, those who wear dresses, etc.

The world is an amazingly diverse place. And all of us, with our myriad of experiences, both educational and from our lives, will bring something unique with us into the world. What wonderful things could be accomplished if we'd all look past our own prejudices and stereotypes, and find ways to learn from one another.

For what it's worth, I think Jeanne could have a lot to teach. I don't really know yet, because I've never felt like I've really heard her over all her anger.

Our Great Author Gives Us A One Act Play

Jeanne's latest post, entitled "ASH WEDNESDAY......A TIME FOR PRAYER AND MEDITATION AND SOMETIMES PRAYER ON THE BEACH IN FLORIDA..... A GREAT PLACE FOR THE ROSARY ON THE SAND..." (because God Forbid she should use lower case letters when she can shout at her readers) includes a one-act play. How this one act play could ever be done is uncertain considering the lack of dimension to her characters and the inaccurate political message it sends.

Just as a clarification for you, Jeanne, minimum wage in Florida is not $5 and hour. According to this site, "Florida's minimum wage is $7.21 per hour, effective January 1, 2009. This is up from the $6.79 per hour minimum wage in 2008." which really cancels out your idea that people aren't voting for wage increases. Obviously they are.

I really enjoy how Jeanne's villains are all pro-life. I find that odd considering that Jeanne herself is pro-life. Certainly if there are pro-lifers out there who, like her, have a liberal view toward many social issues, there could be (and in fact are) more like her. It's never seemed like family values to me personally to be pro-life while voting in legislation that can hurt families. But, as usual, Jeanne seems incapable of seeing that there could be anyone who feels that way and doesn't vote exactly the way she does.

But this is classic Jeanne posting. The complete vilification of those whose viewpoints differ from hers at all. And all shouted at us with a written tone that crosses the border into something shrill and painful to read.

I actually think I can recap the gist of Jeanne's blog in a few simple sentences:
1. She hates homeschoolers.
2. She hates other Catholics.
3. She hates anyone not from Florida, who makes more money, or who differs with her politically.
4. She's totally right all the time. So there.

I think that about covers it!

*Note* After this blog post was published, Jeanne removed her one-act play. It was there, but you'll just have to take my word for it. Maybe she realized it was rather judgmental and unkind.