What’s with all the big-kid bullies?

With all the attention surrounding the case of the South Hadley bullies (a bunch of unhappy high schoolers in Massachusetts who allegedly harassed a fellow student until she committed suicide) I suddenly realized that many in this country are being bullied by a bunch of overpaid, misinformed, unhappy grown-ups.

I won’t even dignify them by naming names. But you know of whom I write!

These people call the president names. Call liberals names. Basically, harass anyone and everyone who doesn’t believe exactly the same way they do. They whine. They spit. They make up facts to support their case, use scare tactics, and practically stomp their feet in rage.

What a bunch of bullies.

I’m an independent and often find myself sitting back, as if at a vulgar tennis match, watching verbal attacks get volleyed back and forth. And the media treats it as sport. I don’t know about you, but I’m removing myself from the stands. If we the audience stop paying attention, the media will find other stories to cover, and the bullies will sulk at home (hopefully by themselves, in a corner).

I believe in the power of words, most especially the power of positive words, and so I’ll end this blog with my Top 5 Bully-Proof Facts to keep in mind:

1. The stock market hit 11,000 recently—the first time since 2008. (This is quite an achievement considering the mess President Bush left President Obama, and this country)

2. The housing market is making a rebound—where I live, houses that are put on the market are now selling within days. (Another achievement, thanks to the lousy legacy of the previous administration)

3. We’re paying less in taxes this year—I just read an article about how Americans are paying less in taxes this year, no matter what certain groups would have you believe. (Facts, anyone?)

4. All American are going to have health insurance—come on, how can anyone seriously have a problem with making sure every single American receives proper health care? (If they do have a problem with it, perhaps they're not Americans . . . where are their birth certificates?)

5. We’re getting greener—I see more hybrids on the road, more cloth bags being used in grocery stores, more organic cotton clothing options in retail stores, more eco construction happening . . . basically, more hope for the future. ("Hope"—now that's a four-letter-word the bullies don't have in their limited vocabulary)

It’s a beautiful world, and we don’t have enough time on earth to distract ourselves with stinking thinking. The bully negativity and hatred will eventually do them in—as they say, those that live by the sword, die by the sword. I wish for them a change of heart, and to know the power of hope and happiness.

What If You Put “Green” Lipstick on a Pig?

Republican Vice Presidential candidate, Sarah Palin, doesn’t think the human race has anything to do with global warming (perhaps she foolishly and dangerously thinks this, like the Iraq War, is “a task that is from God”). For those of us with an open mind and an active brain, the link between humans and the changing planet is not even a question . . . it’s a fact.

It seems that Palin, like John McCain and his mentor, George W. Bush, all read and, worse, believe the same severely edited documents put out by government-paid lawyers (not impartial scientists, mind you!).

I don’t care if you’re stupid, just don’t ruin my planet.

Even if we aren’t to blame for increased CO2 emissions, an uptick in severe storms, and rising sea levels, what’s wrong with encouraging citizens to make positive changes like reducing our dependence on foreign oil?

Until a green-minded President gets into office and (finally) stands up to big business and makes the changes this world desperately needs, it’s up to each of us to make as many changes as possible. I call it leading the leader. And once that green-minded President gets into office, we need to retain our individual responsibility. Going green is for life, both literally and figuratively.

To see just how green you are (or are not), take this “calculate your impact” quiz by MSN.com.

Question of the blog: Will a candidate’s commitment to the environment—or his/her failure to step up to the green plate—influence the way you vote this November?

P.S. Did you know John McCain used the "putting lipstick on a pig" comment when referring to a belief held by Hillary Clinton? Perhaps, at his age, he simply forgot.