As I type out some thoughts I realize this may be the one post that could be my last. I don't want to argue politics, but after listening to the live stream of the Watertown, WI School Board last night I've accepted that the nut jobs on the board are more than pushing an agenda. This escalation of political BS in this country has gone way too far and common sense is clearly behind us. Its a small community in the farm country here and ironically I know many of them can be extreme hypocrites. Its obvious the best years have past and I don't believe we are ever getting back to a sensible place in society.

So quick back history on the emergency board meeting - The music teacher at the highschool selected a wind ensemble to be played this spring that was written by a gay or trans composer. Mother of a Revolution, a world-renowned composition by Omar Thomas. Teacher sent a letter out to all parents giving the opportunity to opt out if they opposed way back in October. A week before the concert, a board member had a gay panic attack and called an emergency meeting to have it banned.

So the part that kept me up much of the night and still thinking about this was all the comments made that were "off-mic" that could still be heard. "I don't care if they think its F'n censorship", "God wouldn't approve of this", "...we need to end this indoctrination", and much more. Parents and students that politely and in a civilized manor spoke were yelled at, told to shut up, talked over, and abruptly cut off.

The teacher did the right thing and followed policy back in the beginning of October. So now 7 months later, a board lacking media attention, blows this up like some end of earth disaster.

Now this is where I have huge issues with what is going on. I am a Republican and lean moderately conservative. However, in light of national news and propaganda, these Extreme far right Maga freaks have been voted into the board, inserting their personal opinion over the best judgement for the community. Whenever they can take a slightly questionable circumstance, they are quick to blow it out of proportion, apply censorship to secure their personal views, ignore the separation of church and state, and blatantly make false accusations about teachers and staff. My daughters went to school with their kids. I have trapped on a number of their farms. We encounter one another at the stores, restaurants, gas stations, and at friend's homes.

I was kicked off a few farms because my daughters were trapping with me. I was told many times my daughters had no business killing animals and it would screw them up for becoming a mom. I have been looked down upon and ridiculed because I joined "that church". My daughter's friend was approached in public and solicited to have a threesome (by a board member). Ironically, at a stop light I observed a board member stopped at the light with Queen rocking on the radio and they were singing right along with it. So you blast one gay composer with no lyrics, and its ok to sing the songs of a gay rock star??? Where does this end and common sense come back. Told my wife this morning I don't want my grandkids in a school governed by this communist MAGA group. I don't want them indoctrinated into a society that believes there is only 1 way to worship god, that a woman's place is being her husbands slave, John Deere is better than Case, and the narrow minded hypocrites should allow censorship and be dictators.

I came out of a parochial school. It wasn't a political setting, but it was an indoctrination to controlling by fear. The countless lies the pastors told us and scare tactics used to form kids into believing their lies is nearly indescribable. As I became a young adult and business owner, I'm grateful I saw past my childhood experiences. But what I am witnessing now is far beyond what I experienced and I can't help but wonder what this polar political landscape is going to do to our kids/grandkids??? I believed in the Watertown School District and my daughters have an outstanding education. These freaks are going to destroy it for future generations in name of "preventing liberals" . The only issue we had was the perception made by these freaks that we had a issue. Now they take everything to an extreme and blame liberals for the problem they are trying to convince us that exists. I know we are not the only small community experiencing this. Tman generally has a sampling from across the county of small and rural areas. How are you guys combatting this???

There's extremes on both sides, also a lot of hypocrisy on both sides...reasonable people are drowned out by the bullies..on both sides.
I'm afraid there is no common ground any more , or civility...

hypocrisy lives on every side of political issues...it's a human condition.

We're experiencing a pendulum effect from it swinging too far the other direction.

My kids go to a private school that share similar values as our family so I don't have to deal with a lot of non-conforming radical views...yet. I combat the weirdo's by being involved with my kids life and trying to be the best parent that I can. Its all you can do.

ol dad

[quote=gcs]...reasonable people are drowned out by the bullies..on both sides.
.[/quote]


That was very obvious last night. The more extreme the view, the louder they talked/yelled and just screamed over the sensible person that was talking.

We never encountered or had the California issues of kids peeing in a sand box and all the other weird stuff that was rumored. Suddenly when time for electing board members came around we had problems that we never actually had. But these guys did a good job of convincing people that we did. My concern is we went from center to way past extreme far right. So the pendulum affect is now in motion here and we became a political ping pong ball

generally speaking, extreme right (or left) pendulum swings don't occur from middle-of-the-road, center-line conditions.

perhaps you missed something beforehand??

Anything that is a change is always looked as a negative in most cases. Our parents parents, and our parents have all said the same thing as the world changes no matter what it is or who. I sure don't look at it as the best are behind me now, on events and change of times. These events and opposing one another on matters has always been here in the world. I just look for the good and things will work out and make us stronger as a country and people.

The only thing worse than losing, is quitting!!!!

The swing happened because of a false perception they gave of us having the same problems that were projected in social media and regurgitated news. It was unbelievable how people bought into that. We didn't have the issues that were being slung around in social media. But when they started campaigning, holy crap did the lies start. Suddenly the sky was falling and all kids were programmed to be gay and pee in litter boxes - none of which was true. But the voters sure did buy into that narrative.

As said above - there are weirdo's on both sides of the aisle. You have to pick the side that has the fewest. It could just have easily been a bunch of trans and gays on the board, allowing trans males to compete against daughters in sports, tampons in boys bathrooms, cancellation of archery and trapshooting teams, etc. Nowadays, it seems like our best choice is the lesser two evils. You might have a landowner thinking it is wrong for your daughter to accompany you while checking your traps. Is that better or worse than a landowner thinking trapping is abhorrent for anyone? No one is perfect. Best most of us can do, is pick a side we can align with the most, whatever that may be.

I see mind rot everywhere.......even here

There is little question that the country has become very polarized. I'm pretty certain I know why.

I wish I could tell you I wasn't seeing the same thing, but I am.

I am not sure if they realize the hypocrisy in what they do or are some how just that oblivious.


for the record I disagree with the tactics and hypersexuliation of everything but I disagree with it for strait people also. I think Gay people should invest their time in the same quality of relationships that I think strait people should. Just because they aren't going to accidentally have a pregnancy doesn't mean they should sleep around.

think were we could be as a society if gay and strait worked hard at having quality marriages based on more than lust.

…. Hey yall quit your griping in here …. You understand me ?

This stupidity is not sustainable in the long term. It will correct itself.

It's not really about politics it's about the condition of the heart and mind of people.

I think the problem is the LGBT stuff has been rammed down so many peoples throats they are a little gun shy about letting any of it creep back in.

I'm just guessing, but it wouldn't surprise me if the music teacher was using this singer to spur classroom debate where he/she could "expand" the students minds. Couple of kids probably came home with music class stories.

School board here has parents of teacher on it so there is always raises going on. And they did vote to outlaw cell phones in classes but still voted down seat belts in busses

Agreed. For ever action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. The Law of Motion applies to more than just a physical object.

In regards to your thread title-“ Best years are behind me now” the answer from a 79 year old man is yes!

I believe mankind was destined to destroy itself. I believe we're well on the way.

People tolerate everything. People complain but never do anything about it. America got soft. It's not by accident either.