Undercover Nun

I'm not always wearing my full habit...

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6 Notes & Comments

I seriously want to cry at what I'm hearing and seeing.

cincosechzehn:

I seriously want to cry at what I’m hearing and seeing.

Guys “jokingly hitting” their girlfriends or female friends, saying they’re going to kick their ass. And these girls laugh about it.

I hear men telling girls to shut up, fuck off, and then half-heartedly “apologize” for how rude it was (in an ~ironic~ way.)

If this is the kind of treatment that is implied by wanting equality and egalitarianism, then I am really, really scared. 

The older I get, the more I realize that freedom and equality doesn’t mean you get to treat people like shit. It means you’re free to acknowledge the common humanity of all people and treat them in a way that that acknowledgement obliges. 

I just…I can’t stand when violence and disrespect are normalized or that people are taught that this is just “what people do.” It makes me really sad.

It should make you sad.  It should make us all sad.  I am amazed at the general lack of simple good manners, common courtesy.  People don’t like to say please or thank you; they simply want what they feel they’re entitled to, and will seize it if it isn’t given.  We say excuse me only after we’ve pushed somebody out of our way.  And don’t even get me started on basic courtesy among drivers.

I know this is sounding like somebody’s grandma harping on the good old days.  But you know what?  I don’t care!  The basis for civility and good manners is seeing each person you encounter as a person who is entitled to respect and dignity, for no other reason than that they are a person.  They are no better than you, but they are no worse than you.  Scorn and contempt belittle us all. 

For a great lesson on this, go watch My Fair Lady, and pay attention to Professor Henry Higgins.  He is a complete a**hole, because he believes that all persons should be treated with scorn and contempt, for no other reason than that they are a person.  It’s no wonder he’s so desperately unhappy.

Filed in equality courtesy civility violence

872 Notes & Comments

That artwork looks to me like Richard Scarry.  I’m just not sure which of his books, since most of his characters — especially in books about manners — are animals rather than people. I spent many, many, many hours lying on my bedroom floor with one of his busy books in front of me.  They were always fascinating! UPDATE: This is from My Little Golden Book of Manners.  (Thank you, LB!) marionatrandom: hipstertipster: If we could find this vintage kids’ etiquette book (which we’ve posted before), we would probably do ourselves out of a job. It lures hipsters with its retro childlike whimsy, while being absolutely spot-on about good manners. i think a lot of people missed this lesson. And no, wanting to get home soon now na! (or being late for work) is not a reason for forgetting common courtesy to other people who will share a tight space and a commute with you. @:= 

That artwork looks to me like Richard Scarry.  I’m just not sure which of his books, since most of his characters — especially in books about manners — are animals rather than people.

I spent many, many, many hours lying on my bedroom floor with one of his busy books in front of me.  They were always fascinating!

UPDATE: This is from My Little Golden Book of Manners.  (Thank you, LB!)

marionatrandom:

hipstertipster:

If we could find this vintage kids’ etiquette book (which we’ve posted before), we would probably do ourselves out of a job. It lures hipsters with its retro childlike whimsy, while being absolutely spot-on about good manners.

i think a lot of people missed this lesson. And no, wanting to get home soon now na! (or being late for work) is not a reason for forgetting common courtesy to other people who will share a tight space and a commute with you.

@:= 

Filed in THANK YOU ELLBEE!, Richard Scarry My Golden Book of Manners courtesy manners

6 Notes & Comments

"What is Stephen Harper reading?" project ends

The Saskatoon author who was sending the prime minister a new book every two weeks is ending the stunt, dubbed “What is Stephen Harper Reading?”

Yann Martel announced Wednesday that in the four years of his campaign he had shipped 100 books for Harper to read and that was a good number to end on. …

You know the saddest part of this story?  Mr. Martel sent Prime Minister Harper one hundred books over four years.  He paid for the books and the shipping himself.  He wrote and enclosed a personal letter with each book.  And Stephen Harper did not respond to him ONCE.

Stephen Harper, by Remy SteineggerMr. Harper, I know your mother taught you better than that.  You’re CANADIAN, for heaven’s sake!  I know you were brought up to write thank-you letters.  Even if you don’t appreciate the statement that Mr. Martel was trying to make, basic courtesy demands that you acknowledge these gifts.  Now, you sit yourself down and write a thank-you note to Mr. Martel.  It is the bare minimum that courtesy demands of you.

Mr. Yann Martel, Undercover Nun is thankful for your gift of writing and for your mission to increase literacy.

Prime Minister Harper, Undercover Nun prays for your immortal soul.

(Source: whatisstephenharperreading.ca)

Filed in Stephen Harper Canada Yann Martel What is Stephen Harper Reading? courtesy literacy

13 Notes & Comments

The following examples reveal Beck’s tendency to draw absurd conclusions and make outrageous statements:

• “I’m thinking about killing Michael Moore, and I’m wondering if I could kill him myself or if I would need to hire somebody to do it.”

• “Al Gore’s not going to be rounding up Jews and exterminating them. It is the same tactic, however. The goal is different. The goal is globalization.”

• In attempting to diminish Supreme Court nominee Sonja Sotomayor, Beck asks sarcastically, “What would Sonja do?”

• Beck portrays Obama and Democrats as vampires “going after the blood of our businesses,” and suggests “driv[ing] a stake through the heart of the bloodsuckers.”

• Claiming Obama is “letting our troops literally bleed and die” in Afghanistan, Beck suggests he will “pay for it” in the afterlife.

• On TV, Beck imitates Obama pouring gasoline on “average Americans” and says, “President Obama, why don’t you just set us on fire? … We didn’t vote to lose the Republic.”

Whether aimed at Beck or not, an October 2009 statement on the news section of the [LDS] Church’s website could certainly apply to him. Called “The Mormon Ethic of Civility,” it states, “So many of the habits and conventions of modern culture … undermine the virtues and manners that make peaceful coexistence in a pluralist society possible. The fabric of civil society tears when stretched thin by its extremities… . Civility is not only a matter of discourse. It is primarily a mode of engagement.” The article adds, “The Church views with concern the politics of fear and rhetorical extremism that render civil discussion impossible… . The Church hopes that our democratic system will facilitate kinder and more reasoned exchanges among fellow Americans than we are now seeing.”

Sunstone: Glenn Beck: Rough Stone Roaring Part II

Sunstone is a prominent LDS magazine, and it’s chastising Glenn Beck for his outrageous behavior. Or maybe this is a subtle warning. — Ryking

(via ryking)

These statements are far more than absurd and outrageous.  Many of these statements are violent in nature, and show a casual disregard to violence in discourse.  That very first bullet sounds a lot like how St. Thomas a Becket ended up martyred.

Filed in Glenn Beck Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints violence deceit civility courtesy Sunstone USA

0 Notes & Comments

Only One Ready to Play Nice? ONE?!?

A group seeking civility in politics has found that among all sitting governors and members of Congress, only one is willing to promise decorum in his political discourse.
Just before the Memorial Day recess, an unlikely pair — Mark DeMoss, a publicist who was an adviser to Mitt Romney’s 2008 presidential campaign, and Lanny J. Davis, who served as an aide in the Clinton White House — wrote letters asking the 585 elected officials to sign a civility pledge.
The letters, personalized and sent directly to each of the offices, asked officials to commit to this pledge: “I will be civil in my public discourse and behavior. I will be respectful of others whether or not I agree with them. I will stand against incivility when I see it.”
More than a month later, only one lawmaker — Representative Frank R. Wolf, Republican of Virginia — has signed.

Undercover Nun pledges to be civil in her public discourse and her behavior.  I will be respectful of others whether or not I agree with them.  I will stand against incivility when I see it.  And I will publicly stand up and shame my Senators and Representatives for failing to pledge the same.

Senator Jim Webb: I am ashamed of you as my Senator, for not committing yourself to general civility and common courtesy in your behavior.  I expect better of my elected officials.

Senator Mark Warner: I am ashamed of you as my Senator, for not taking a stand for public civility and common courtesy in discourse.  Leadership demands more of you than simply what is popular or easy.  I expect better of my elected officials.

Representative Glenn Nye: I am ashamed of you as my Representative, for not pledging civility and common courtesy in your words and actions.  You are a disgrace to the Commonwealth of Virginia and to Hampton Roads, and I expect better of my elected officials.

And shame to the rest of the Representatives from Virginia: Rick Boucher, Eric Cantor, Gerry Connolly, Randy Forbes, Bob Goodlatte, James Moran, Tom Perriello, Bobby Scott, and Robert Wittman.  Your mothers must be so proud.

Representative Frank Wolf: Undercover Nun applauds your courage and leadership.  Thank you for pledging to treat all persons with courtesy, civility, and respect.  Thank you for taking a stand against incivility.  You are an inspiration.

Filed in Rick Boucher Eric Cantor Gerry Connolly Randy Forbes Bob Goodlatte James Moran Tom Perriello Bobby Scott Robert Wittman Frank Wolf Glenn Nye Mark Warner Jim Webb courtesy respect civility USA