Janet Kavandi is a wonderful story of perseverance in the odds of adversity. Her parents were killed when she was a child, but she overcame that early emotional trauma and made a mark for herself in a field that was almost completely relegated to men at the time she made it her life's ambition.
I will never forget sitting in the Carthage Senior High School Auditorium in June 1998, watching the live feed from NASA as Kavandi achieved her dream of going into space, making the first of three space shuttle flights.
Though we had every expectation that everything would go as anticipated, there was a real fear that something could happen and another Challenger tragedy could occur.
When it became evident the launch was successful, a burst of sustained applause swept through the auditorium.
After her days as an astronaut, she was named to one of the top administrative positions at NASA, as director of the Glenn Research Center.
This week, she announced her retirement, but the people who commented on the post immediately turned it into yet another tired political back-and-forth.
What is the matter with you people?
Not every single story should be viewed in a partisan politics prism.
I am so sick of seeing phrases like "libtards," "MAGAtards" "lefties" "cuckservatives". If your only purpose is to pick a fight please just shut the hell up.
There is nothing wrong with expressing political views or arguing points, but that is not what is taking place, whether it be on the posts that are not related to politics or the ones that clearly are.
It appears most of the comments of a political nature do not have the slightest interest in defending or establishing positions and most likely those who write them do not have the knowledge or the ability to do so. They are perfectly willing to parrot whichever insult is favored by those who share their political views, with a desire not to enlighten but to infuriate and belittle anyone whose political opinions differ from theirs.
I am no innocent when it comes to this problem.
While I share political opinions from time to time, I do not feel it necessary to make fun of anyone who disagrees with me. Do I make fun of politicians from time to time? You bet I do and I do not intend to stop. I try not to do so in a mean-spirited way and for the most part I have been successful.
While I have rejected some comments, for the most part I recently gave up on trying to police comments from people who are so used to having their invective posted on blogs and other media Facebook sites that they just go from one site to another posting the same inflammatory comments and living vicariously through the attention they receive.
This has been weighing on me recently, especially as I have been working on a book that mostly takes place in the 1940s when people had differences, but did not have the loaded weapon of social media to turn them into a fast-spreading poison.
That being said, I did not intend to write about this until I saw the comments on the Janet Kavandi post.
The first comment was from a Trump hater who immediately jumped to the idea that Kavandi quit because Trump had not appointed her NASA deputy director and made a reference, if I recall correctly, to MAGAtards.
A comment after that pointed out correctly that I banned the word "libtard" and took me to task for allowing MAGAtard, while another comment accused me of being a hypocrite.
Apparently, neither of them noticed that I have been lax in my enforcement of my rule and let the offensive term "libtard" slip into a few comments.
The only things they remembered is that they did not like it when I banned one of their pet words and they turned holier-than-thou when they spotted a word that offends them- MAGAtard.
I deserve to be criticized, not for being a hypocrite, but for falling short of the standard I set for comments.
By doing so, I contributed to the social media cesspool. For that, I apologize.
I will do better.
But would it have been that difficult to leave some positive comments about a woman who has done nothing but bring pride to this area?
In Janet Kavandi, we have a graduate of Carthage High School and Missouri Southern State University who reached the stars, while we seem content to wallow in the mud.
How I decide what goes on the Turner Report and Inside Joplin
Over the nearly six years since I launched the Inside Joplin and Inside Joplin Obituaries blogs, I have developed a basic formula for what is posted on Inside Joplin and what is published on the Turner Report.
It basically comes down to this:
Breaking news, information about upcoming events, most news releases, most agendas and records page material like traffic accidents, arrests, marriage licenses, dissolutions, criminal cases filed and bankruptcies are posted on Inside Joplin.
The Turner Report posts information about criminal and civil cases as they wind their way through the judicial system, original and investigative reporting, commentary, columns and government, courts and political coverage on the local, state and national levels. It also includes information about my books, signings, speaking engagements and anything personal I write.
I normally post meeting agendas on Inside Joplin, but the agendas for Joplin City Council, Joplin R-8 Board of Education or the Carthage R-9 Board of Education are published on the Turner Report.
Some weeks, it is the courts, criminal reporting and commentary on the Turner Report that receive considerably more traffic, but some weeks when breaking news dominates coverage traffic goes to Inside Joplin.
That was what happened this week.
A Jasper County deputy was shot, a Carthage student injured in an explosion and the Jasper County Sheriff's Office announces major new child sex charges against a Joplin man.
Those stories dominated the coverage and links to the posts are provided below.
***
Support the Turner Report, Inside Joplin and Inside Joplin Obituaries, by using the PayPal buttons below or sending a contribution to Randy Turner, 2306 E. 8th, Apt. A, Joplin, MO 64801.
The Turner Report
1, Joplin man charged with eight felony crimes against children caused deaths of man, two children in 2008
2. Two years ago today I was attacked, identified my attacker and no one has ever been arrested
3. Tonight, I lost 15,000+ e-mails, my contacts and the research files for my Truman book
4. Federal judge revokes Neosho man's probation on bank fraud, forgery charges
5. Janet Kavandi retires from NASA
6. Tattoo enables McDonald County authorities to positively identify body left in suitcase near Highway 59 as Jessica McCormick
7. Pierce City man held without bond for 1988 cold case murder, arraignment set for Tuesday
8. Forty years have passed since the murder of Barbara McNeely
9. Go Fund Me account established to cover funeral expenses for Joplin High School football player
10. Kay Hively: Growing up in a different era
Inside Joplin
1. Joplin man charged with eight counts of statutory rape, statutory sodomy, two counts of sexual trafficking of a child
2. Explosion reported at Carthage Technical School, student life-flighted for emergency treatment
3. Suspect in shooting of Jasper County deputy located, situation under control
4. Suspect in shooting of Jasper County deputy dead from gunshot wound
5. Jasper County deputy who was shot, deceased suspect identified, more details provided
6. Jasper County deputy shot north of Missouri Southern in Travis Acres area, suspect still at large
7. Webb City pedestrian stuck by semi, seriously injured
8 Jasper County Sheriff's Office Arrests
9. Joplin Police Department weekend stats include 140 arrests, 16 crashes
10. Joplin Police Department Weekend Arrests
Inside Joplin Obituaries
1, Kadin Roberts-Day
2. Heath Little
3. Laitham Cotten
4. Windy Cox
5. Shannon Burleson
6. Jeff Howard
7. Todd Whitehead
8. Sharon Belk
9. Bob Groff
10. Beverly Comer
30 comments:
Civility is difficult with people that support a leader that advocates for racism by referring to white nationalists as very fine people, refers to Mexicans as rapists and murderers, bans an entire religion from the US, lies pathologically about everything from protecting against insurance companies pre-existing conditions to simple matters not requiring deception, deregulating the Clean Waters Act, the EPA, and utilizing the very vitriol that is returned in kind. Silence can be complicit.
Hyperbole is harmful. Literally none of that stuff you just wrote happened.
When you disregard nuance and hyper focus on one side of every issue then civility becomes difficult.
Is the President brash? Yes.
Read the entire context of the very fin e people quote, not just what Rachael Maddow told you. The Mexican thing was about MS-13. I think we can all agree there are a few murderers and rapists there. All Muslims aren't banned, just terror supporting countries.
I will concede the deregulation stuff, but that is basically political theory in action R's deregulate D's do the opposite.
The left lost an election and lost their minds. There's one every four years.
I don't necessarily agree with the way Trump does things, but I like what he's getting done.
I remember a while back when someone responded to my comment and they called me "stupid" and "not very smart." I do notice that people who are nasty always call themselves "anonymous."
Randy, it is funny what you post and what you don't. And you know what I am talking about.
In the article Randy says "...sick of seeing phrases like "libtards," "MAGAtards" "lefties" "cuckservatives"..."
Notice that three of the four names are aimed and conservatives and that the one that is aimed at liberals simply states their political leaning. Is "lefty" really a put down? Would calling a conservative a "righty" be a put down?
Furthermore, in the posts that Randy has his examples the none of the posters appear to support Trump, one even goes so far as to point out that he or she doesn't but still chastises the name caller for being childlike. However Randy's headline mentions Trump lovers as if he is trying to put some of the childish name calling on Trump supporters... and there are none even posting. All there are are people with TDS posting childish attacks... and headlines.
So?
@ 12:24
This is what causes the loss of civility. When one side is so completely unaware of the facts that you believe they are being purposely obtuse. The protest in Charlottesville was organized by a self avowed white supremacist named Jason Eric Kessler consisting of mostly new-Nazis. This was not an event attended by a Civil War Society, the permit was pulled by people screaming, “Make America White Again”, the other side of the event was counter protesters against white supremacy. The racist side had a known white supremacist that ran over a woman with a car, killing her, and now serving a life sentence. So no, there were not a lot of very fine people on that side.
In June 2015, while Trump was campaigning, he stated, “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best.” He added, “They’re sending people that have a lot of problems, they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.” Those are his words, albeit stupid ones at that, Mexico does not “send people”. Most people choose to come here to seek a better life, and you should assume most are good people, with a few criminals in the mix as there are in any collection of humans. Do not let the pundits tell you what he said, read it for yourself.
Details are important,why did he only ban Muslims, and not the Christians, Jews, or other religions in “those shithole countries” he described? Trump’s racism is blantantly obvious, this is not a case of “Trump Derangement Syndrome”. Trump also stated he would never allow pre-existing conditions in health insurance to return, but attempted to repeal the law that prevents it, had not John McCain embarrassed him. It is remarkable that an four time bankrupt, New York conman fooled almost half the voters in the US during the last presidential election. I can understand someone going bankrupt once, maybe twice, but four times? I don’t have cable, so I don’t watch Maddow, but I do read multiple news outlets including Fox News where their top legal analyst Judge Napolitano has criticized Trump and his lies and crimes in the past. You’re entitled to your opinion, but not your own facts.
Look 6:06, the shoe fits both the right and left foot. When Obama was president the media and those on the left looked the other way when confronted by the fact that he attended Jeremiah Wright's church, when he said things like "my grandmother was a typical white person", everyone ignored his connections to domestic terrorists, etc. No president is perfect. Some less so than others. To say that half the country was fooled by conman can be said every election.
@ 11:07
It’s good to didn’t try to refute my statement, so let’s look at yours. Obama was NOT calling his grandmother racist when she raised him, he was referring to the era in which she lived, during the “Jim Crow” years when blacks were not allowed to drink from the same fountains as white people, attend the same schools, or marry interracially. Anyone over 65 can recall those days and the general public perception that blacks were to be kept separate from whites and avoided. It’s great that we have progressed beyond that idiocy, but racism is still alive and well as mentioned in my response above. If he had known connections to domestic terrorists, I’m sure that he would have been prosecuted for that, but he wasn’t. This thread wasn’t a conversation on Obama, it was on the resurgence of white nationalism and those that support it, but it was a worthy attempt at deflection.
@6:06
Racism wears many different masks. Currently we are seeing that those in the Democrat party support the ideas that whites have born privilege due their skin color. Not only is this teaching a generation of white children that they are a societal problem because of their race but it teaches other races that they can't compete against whites in the current system because of their skin color, thus keeping racial tensions alive. This isn't the world of 1960. People of color have every opportunity that whites have. But there is a clear formulated movement to not make sure we are all treated equal but instead to give whites their turn on bottom because of the past.
Democrats thrive when there is discourse and they know it. They tell us we are all racist when we aren't. They tell us not to judge by the color of the skin, yet that is exactly what they do.
12:31, thanks for completely missing point. Read it again with an open mind.
Obama saying his grandmother was a typical white person, is racist. If Trump were to call any black person a typical black person the media would have a meltdown. You know that is true and I know that is true. Obama had connections to Bill Ayers who is in fact a domestic terrorist. As you pointed out, you aren't entitled to your own facts.
Finally, I am aware of what this thread was about. If you can't understand what my statements about Obama has to do with a resurgence in white nationalism, then allow me to spell it out for you. This country took a huge step forward in racial equality by electing a black president. Even though as stated above that the black president through his own words and actions (Wright's church) harbored some racial animosity towards whites. During the course of BOTH terms of that president race relations worsened. Whites, in particular white police, were villianized often times unwarranted. As a poster kind of hinted at above, we had the rise of so called white privilege. So, the resurgence in white nationalism is easily traced to whites being disillusioned by electing a black president only to find themselves vilified. To be honest, it is the ebb and flow of politics in this country. Whoever is in power has it for 4 to 8 years, then the voters push hard against what the established party stands for. As parties become more and more distant from each other these power turns will continue to be wilder and wilder.
Just a word of advice, don't lecture people about facts and opinions while you blindly defend your own demagogue. Obama was as polarizing as Trump is. Politicians aren't worthy of blind allegiance and don't deserve for us to look the other way when they are hypocrites. They are just people.
(I voted for Obama the first time.)
"A Democrat", you really are delusional.
To Turner and the title he gave this thread...says the guy who always has provoked this type of response with his writings. This is exactly what you want...unless it is a shot at you and yours. Otherwise, it's ok.
@ 12:31
Well Obama is half white so I guess it’s possible he was being a little racist. Are you serious?! He was stating that a typical non-racist white person like his grandmother still had subconscious fears and stereotypes from the era that she was raised in. Do you believe the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin stopped racism or discrimination?! That would be extremely naive. As to Bill Ayers, if you have information connecting the 74 year old to Obama and planning domestic terrorism, the you should probably call the FBI.
Now on to your assertion about Reverend Wright, the dangerous, hateful minister and 70 year old former Marine that might harbor animosity towards white people. I ask you to consider that during his lifetime he has seen blacks lynched for little reason or that his grandparents might have been owned as slaves. How dare he be that uppity? I’m sure you wouldn’t let a thing like that offend you or cause any resentment whatsoever. If you have not walked in his shoes and experienced racism, then you should probably not judge him. Philando Castile’s family received a $3 million dollar settlement for his wrongful death by a cop. The cop that shot an unarmed black man fleeing in North Charleston, South Carolina is charged with murder, any of this ring a bell?
You actually say the resurgence of white nationalism is easily traced to whites being disillusioned by electing a black president only to be vilified. You are essentially saying, “we elected a black man and he made me feel guilty about white people being racist, so that is what is responsible for the Klan’s resurgence. What a ridiculous assertion! I don’t have a blind allegiance to anyone, but I’m certainly not blind to the racism of Trump. In 2016, there were 6121 hate crime incidents reported by the FBI, in 2017, there were 7175 hate crime incidents reported by the FBI, that is a 17% increase after a year of Trump green lighting it. Just a word of advice, keep your eyes open for when the FBI releases the figures for 2018 when another double digit increase is expected.
If you believe white privilege is not real then you have never been in a store when a group of people of color have entered and were focused upon by management for possible theft. White privilege is not having to educate your children to be aware of systemic racism for their own protection and safety. There is no “formulated movement” as has been suggested to give whites their turn at the bottom because of the past, despite the suggested conspiracy. Children are not being taught they are a societal problem over racism as they are the least racist among us. Racism is a learned trait. What we should be doing is not teaching racism as the KKK, white nationalists, skinheads, Neo-Nazis, and the current President of the United States is practicing.
And your point view is your point of view. You see what you want to see. Others see what they want to see. If the world is viewed the same by everyone there would be peace love and harmony. The biggest fallacy in all of your defending your view point is when you stated that others aren't entitled to their own facts. The truth is everyone has their own truth. You see Obama as non polarizing figure, that is your truth. Others see him as very polarizing, that is your truth. Like I said it is the ebb and flow of politics in this country. Some people can understand that. Others defend their truth tooth nail as if the rest of the world really cares.
If you continue believing that the left is better than the right or vice versa all you have coming is frustration.
Don't bother. Dems don't except others world views.
@ 5:00
You say the truth is that everyone has their own truth, existential but without merit as it applies to racism. Nor can racism be dismissed as the ebb and flow of politics but should be called out when seen, as it was prior to Trump. I do not believe the left is better than the right or vice versus, I used to be right but life experiences and history have changed my point of view. I realize that many won’t accept my point of view, but many do as well, and to remain silent is to unacceptable. I thank you for your civility in this discussion, your ability to understand the issues, and not resulting in the name calling this thread was based on. For the life of me, I do not understand if 9:22 believes libtard to be an insult aimed at conservatives or his counting is defective. But I do wish you a good day and good luck in the future.
Don't bother. Dems don't except others world views.
Quite braging wit yer concervativ edumaction!
@9:09, you have absolutely missed the entire point of this conversation. You brought up the rise of white nationalism and I explained, never stating that I agree with it, why there seems to be a rise. You seem to poo poo that explanation by simply wanting to blame President Trump for it. What I tried to point out to you, and what you seem not to be able to understand is that as groups of people feel marginalized they have a tendency to push back. If during the Obama years there were groups who felt marginalized they gravitated towards the opposite of Obama. When groups feel marginalized by Trump they will gravitate towards his opposite. It is exactly the ebb and flow of politics. You try and make it about racism but it isn't that cut and dry. Just like the Civil War cannot be boiled down to simply being about slavery. Those components may exist, but they aren't the only issues. I tried to explain to you a point of view of how some whites saw some of Obama's actions and words as racist but you refused to step outside of your worldview and see how someone else may see it. Not knowing Obama or Trump personally I would hedge my bets on saying that neither of them are racists but I can look at some of their words and actions and understand why some people feel that way about both. When I said everyone has their own truth, I was speaking of points of view. My truth is cherry is the best flavor of slush at Sonic while lime should be banned. I am sure someone thinks lime is the best and cherry is the worst. Am I wrong? No. Are they wrong? Not by their truth.
In my truth, you are judgemental and dismissing of others points of view. You talk about racism and white privilege never understanding that as long as you believe that the skin color of anyone is important that you are exhibiting racists behavior. As long as you see white or black skin and not a person, you are what you accuse others of. In my world view. I am sure in your world view you think I am the racist for not accepting guilt for what people did before I was born. And if you do, that is fine. You are entitled to your world view. As is everyone.
As for 9:22, I would suspect that the counting was off. However go back and read the comment as I just did. The commentary is probably correct. If you read this blog enough, more often than not the people on the left start the name calling and arguments. There aren't many conservatives on here and just a few centrists.
Maybe it would help if racism was defined. That would make it easier to debate, if everyone was using the same yardstick.
Look up confirmation bias. We’re all guilty of it, to one degree or another.
But... but... but... Dems are all inclusive and open minded and love diversity!
This, my friend, has been my whole point.
@ 2:14
Not many conservatives you say, just read the one sentence comments and you will find them. I’ve responded to the marginalized white people comment before,so let me expand on that. White people did feel marginalized in the last election, but not by Obama, but by the fact that white people are due to become the minority. I know that’s scary for conservatives, because the very people Trump and them are vilifying now, Hispanics will be the majority by 2043 according to the Census Department. That might be responsible for the surge in white nationalists since Trump has green lighted them. You apparently slept through history class because the Civil War can absolutely be attributed to slavery as the primary factor. The only conflict among historians is whether the ideological, economic, political, or social conflict of slaverywas the most important. I explained to you why Obama and the Reverend Wright were not racist, but you refuse to accept that point of view with your open mind.
I won’t even get into the absurdity of which flavor of Sonic slurpee is your truth or anybody else’s. You state that anyone that sees skin color as important is racist. You do realize you have accused the Census Department, DMV, any employment application, and many institutions of being racist because they all require said information. So your truth is a little warped there. Nobody has blamed you for the sins of your ancestors, called you racist, or suggested you make reparations to Native Americans, Hispanics or blacks people that had their land stolen. Anyone who has lived in the United States very long has been exposed to racism on a daily basis, myself included, and it is subconscoiously ingrained in their mind whether you accept that or not. To suggest that skin color in the United States is of no importance is less than honest.
Tribalism is inherent in human nature and like racism is evil, less evil than racism as it on only based on similar beliefs not skin color and the belief that each race has distinct and intrinsic attributes with hostility thrown into the mix. The Jim Crow laws that the south practiced after the Civil War extended racism up until the Civil Rights Actof 1964, when it was outlawed a little over 50 years ago. Generations since then have gotten less racist, and children are not born racist, they are indoctrinated by their parents and society. In my truth, in 2043 the USA will see a majority of Hispanics, which will permit them to rule over this country once again. You might want to work on your tan and learn to speak a little Spanish so that you might be able to pass. You can take my truth to the bank or bet the home place on it because according to demographics, it will occur. Our discussion has become circular as you are unable to accept other world views.
6:39, I feel sorry for you. I honestly do.
@6:39
Time and time again in this thread you have not understood the point being made. You then say that the argument is circular because I can't understand other's worldviews. The reason this discussion is circular is due to your limited ability to step outside of yourself, as I pointed out to you well before your telling me of my limited scope. I have never told you that your world view is right or wrong. As a matter of fact, I acknowledged that you are entitled to your views. You, my fellow poster, have constantly tried to prove that others views are wrong and why.go back and reread with as open of a mind as you can have. I present opposing views to you and you attack and justify and defend and talk down to.
I will respond one last time to one of your comments and then I will let this circle jerk die.
You have asked me multiple times if I realize what I was saying. Yes, I am perfectly aware of what I am saying. Yes, I am fully aware that by saying that if we use skin color to categorize people that it is racist that I am including Government institutions. FULLY AWARE. As someone who appears to lean left in their political standing, I would think you would agree that the Government and the established institutions are inherently racist. I am not sure why you would have a problem with that statement since in a few of your posts you alluded to this being the case. In any event, I apologize if my truth hurt your feelings or offended you. I do understand that others believing differently can be traumatic for some.
Oh, I was born and raised in far south Texas. Most of my friends growing up were of Mexican descent. I assure you, my Spanish was probably better by the age of 12 than yours will ever be. (Sorry to brag a bit. And if I am wrong, I apologize in advance.) Living in a Hispanic dominated community would be like going home.
A Democrat, I love our divisiveness and unwavering ability to completely dismiss others viewpoints and keep pounding away at liberal talking points! You can pay yourself on the back for being one of the close minded sycophants that keep riffs going in this country! It is a true honor to read such self absorbed, narrow minded gibberish! I can tell you enjoy reading your own words as much as I have enjoyed reading this exchange.
Anonymous who tried talking to a Democrat, you are a fool for wasting so much time trying to express thoughts to a liberal. If you don't think EXACTLY as they do, you will never make headway.
Neatly packaged politics for all the little minds. It's the special interest lobby for these multicultural times. The politically correct are the Nazis of our time, when it's the freedom of ideas that make man civilized....
https://medium.com/@PaulHJossey/the-nazis-were-leftists-deal-with-it-b7f12cc53b6f
Your entire comment is lazy and irresponsible. This should be framed and propped up as an example of how not to formulate an arguement.
@ 12:08
Last comment, I’m sorry if you felt I was talking down to you, but I never said your scope was limited, I thanked you for understanding the issues. Each of my responses were that, responses to your assertions from each comment. Your comment that government and established institutions are inherently racist will get you branded as a liberal on this blog. I can’t even agree with that, and I’m a Democrat. I have no hard feelings whatsoever, you have not offended me in the least. I also hail from West Texas near Midland and still have friends there and in Mexico. I was raised on “Los Tigres del Norte” ranchera music and speak well enough. It’s a damn shame the asshole from Dallas was able to buy a weapon from a private individual there after he was denied a sale by a dealer’s ATF check due to mental issues. Universal background checks might have prevented 7 dead and 17 injured folks there. Salud!
A Democrat, this whole exchange is golden. You kicked it of by saying one side is completely unaware of the facts. Then you spend the rest of the thread ignoring or trying to explain away or excuse inconvenient facts. However the best part was when you chastised the other person for suggesting government agencies for being racist only to flip with your next post because you were reminded that it was a liberal belief that the government is racist. I can't tell if the schmoe you were "debating" with was sincere or if you were being trolled. Either way it was amusing and a little pathetic. But it was nice the way you got control squeezed in there at the end. Can't forget a talking point.
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