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James M. Redwine

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Don’t Blame Me

August 9, 2019 by Jim 2 Comments

Andrew Jackson was a notoriously bad speller. His response to the critics of his errors was not an effort to learn to be a better speller but to blame his critics. Jackson proclaimed, “It’s a damned weak mind that can only think of one way to spell a word.”

Things have regressed from Jackson. According to communications expert, Carol Blymire, as reported via Twitter and broadcast by WIBC radio host Tony Katz on July 16, 2019 an attempt by an editor to correct a reporter’s spelling was just plain meanness according to the misspeller. Ms. Blymire related a reporter in her late 20’s had spelled the word hamster as ham(p)ster and her editor amended it. The reporter said she could spell it that way because that was the spelling she had learned. It did not need changing. When the editor insisted on the correct spelling the reporter broke into tears and texted her mother to seek punishment for the editor.

Now, as a writer of hundreds of articles and thousands of court rulings I can sympathize with the reporter. My wife, my sister, my court reporters and the reading public can attest to my unlikely winning of a spelling bee. However, I have managed to accept, sometimes begrudgingly, corrections of my versions of words. So far I have avoided tears and I have not asked my mother for spelling support since I escaped grade school.

However, this is not an article about spelling but about individual responsibility in our current culture of blaming everyone but the actors for the results of their bad behaviors. Take bankruptcy for example. There are sound reasons of public policy for allowing citizens to claw their way out of crippling debt so they can get on with their lives, pay taxes on new income and begin anew. Horrendous medical expenses incurred by patients with illnesses or birth conditions or from accidents can often never be paid even by hardworking families or even those with substantial means. In such cases society does itself a favor by allowing a fresh start. There are, of course, other situations where bankruptcy is not only justified but good public policy. But a simple avoidance of responsibility is not in anyone’s interest. The writing off of student loans after one voluntarily goes to college and accepts the benefits of an eduction is not fair to others and not in America’s best interest. After all, about two thirds of the costs of college degrees are not paid by the graduates anyway but are provided by public funds. Once again it is simply the avoidance of responsibility. As one who benefitted from student loans, which were repaid, and as one who received the G.I. Bill, after serving in the military, I am supportive of student aid but not student failure to earn or pay for the assistance.

When America hears about the latest mass killings and listens to politicians and news media blame everything and everybody for the heinous acts, it may be an indication of how far we have traveled from facing the extremely difficult, long-term incremental solutions to our complicated cultural problems. To cast aspersions and ad hominems against third persons when someone commits an evil act seems to have become our go to response. It is somewhat akin to eliminating winners and losers from everything from little league sports to academic achievement. Affirmative Action is a necessity when it is used to ensure that people with superior qualifications are not discriminated against simply because of their gender, race, religious beliefs, sexual orientation or ethnicity. However, it is wrong to elevate one simply on that basis. It is like getting a participation trophy. Competition should be on a fair basis, but discouraging competition is an insult to those who might do better if their shortcomings are corrected. And America might do better with unacceptable behavior if we place responsibility on the actors actually involved.

If Republicans and the conservatives publicly allege that the policies and statements of the Democrats and the liberals are to blame for the mass shootings, and vice versa for the Democrats and the liberals, it is as if everyone is falsely shouting fire in a crowded theater. Solutions to mass shootings will not come from such shifting of responsibility. The hard work of addressing these complicated issues cannot be done by simply complaining to our mommies.

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Filed Under: America, Gavel Gamut, News Media Tagged With: Andrew Jackson, avoidance of responsibility, bad speller, Carol Blymire, Democrats and liberals, individual responsibility, James M. Redwine, Jim Redwine, mass killings, news media, Republicans and conservatives, Tony Katz, WIBC

What’s It All About?

May 19, 2017 by Jim Leave a Comment

When a non-English speaking person appears in an Indiana courtroom the judge can call the Indiana Supreme Court hotline and get access to a certified translator. But what can we do when the words spoken by others do not fit into one of the world’s 6,500 languages?

When one watches mothers with babies it is obvious the babies feel the unquestioned love. However, as we age meanings get fuzzier. Mothers might urge general cautions to young children then threaten unspecified mayhem to teenagers.

Grandmothers may impart gentle lessons on useful crafts while grandfathers might impress grandchildren with stories that could be true.

As to fathers, many children are left to decipher what is meant by a grunt or a pointed index finger.

In elementary school we get direct teachings on such important life lessons as where and how to line up our things and how not to bother the things of others.

In junior high school teachers help us to face the unwelcome realization we are not as cute as we thought. And in high school it slowly begins to sink in that not only are we not cute, but we might even be required to do some work. However, it is in college where we are made to understand that what we say is usually not treasured by others.

Should you have been sentenced to participate in athletics at any level, your coaches most likely considered shouted invective a proper means of communication. And if you ever went through basic training in the military you are probably still laboring under a cloud of expletive ladened non-explanations for completing completely worthless tasks.

Those of you who, as was I, were reared in some religion may have often been mystified by lessons rolled into parables or analogies. Of course, that was more comfortable than the threats of eternal damnation.

In contemporary life we may find it difficult to communicate with other groups. For example, older people may hear gibberish spoken by the young and simply write them off as spoiled. On the other hand, the young may simply write the old off as old.

When politicians speak it is often to portray their opponents as liars or corrupt while the news media makes no effort to analyze any complicated issue. To take guidance from either of these groups is to proceed without a safety net.

I am not sure what advertisers want me to buy. It used to be some normal person would sing a little ditty such as, “You deserve a break today”, and I would pull into McDonald’s. Now when I watch TV I have no clue what I am supposed to waste my money on.

Movies are no longer, “Your best entertainment”. When Dirty Harry said, “Go ahead, make my day”, I got it. However, when the hero or heroine of a movie is a machine run amok, I might as well have saved the twenty bucks it cost for a Coke and popcorn.

But now that you have struggled to almost the end of these examples of non-communication, the ultimate human foreign language must be mentioned, Female Speak. I ask you, why can’t wives simply say what they mean? What occurred in the Garden of Eden to render asunder understanding between the sexes? One example is all I have space left for.

You may have noticed it is spring. Well, so has Peg. And when spring arrives at JPeg Ranch communication between Peg and me exits as the hummingbirds and onion sets appear.

I ask you, Gentle Reader, is it a felony to lie on the couch on Saturday morning? When Peg mumbles under her breath, “The garden looks like it needs tilling”, how am I supposed to gain from that she wants me to immediately drop my coffee and attack the unoffending soil?

How about, “Jim, would you please till the garden?” I would have got that; a daylong period of icy silence would have been unnecessary.

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Filed Under: America, Females/Pick on Peg, Gavel Gamut, JPeg Ranch, Language, News Media Tagged With: certified translator, Dirty Harry, Female Speak, Garden of Eden, Gentle Reader, Go ahead make my day, Indiana courtroom, Indiana Supreme Court hotline, James M. Redwine, Jim Redwine, JPeg Ranch, judge, language, liars, McDonald's, news media, non-communication, non-English speaking person, Peg, politicians, What's It All About, You deserve a break today

Reality Politics

January 22, 2016 by Jim Leave a Comment

There have been bunches of people running for the Democrat and Republican nominations for President. It is possible some of them have constructive ideas on addressing issues such as war, healthcare, jobs and pollution. Perhaps some of them are neither venal nor stupid. Most of them are familiar with and even good friends with one another, or were. Many of them have served in public positions of trust. So I ask you, what don’t we know about their positions and why don’t we know?

President Barack Hussein Obama was reelected November 6, 2012. November 7, 2012 the pundits of the national media began handicapping the 2016 race. Did these purveyors of political propaganda seek to inform us about the policies of the potential contenders? With a clean slate and three years to investigate and analyze the bona fides of that extremely small sample of Americans who might soon lead the Western World, did the media strive to have us informed so we could make rational choices? Did the organizations which proudly call themselves “News” outlets eschew ratings for information?

We have had numerous events called debates involving both major party candidates. You may wish to fact check my memory, but to my recollection no one has had more than twenty minutes at a time, usually two minutes or less, to outline and explain the candidates’ plans governing America. It takes Peg longer than that to assign my weekend chores.

I recall Robert Kennedy responding to criticism of his motives for running in 1968. He said, “Isn’t it possible I just want to serve?” Is it vital to our country’s interest to turn debates that should be about issues into mud wrestling? Does the media think so little of the average American’s intellect that questioners must push for ad hominem attacks on other candidates instead of logical responses to positions?

Even when a candidate is interviewed one-on-one the opening question is never about the interviewee’s own plans. It is always some red-meat gambit such as, “Your opponent says you are a tea sipping progressive. Is your opponent competent to launch a nuclear strike against Iceland?” Should a candidate be adroit enough to reply, “You may want to address that question to the other candidate”, the media ratings hog will demand a negative response or announce a lack of backbone during the inevitable one-way post-interview.

I suggest if we abhor dog and cock fights, we should afford our future president at least that much civility.

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Filed Under: America, Democracy, Gavel Gamut, News Media, Presidential Campaign Tagged With: Democrat, future President, James M. Redwine, Jim Redwine, leader of the western world, news media, President Obama, reality politics, reasons for running, Republican, Robert Kennedy

© 2020 James M. Redwine

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