Mommy, Where do Stereotypes Come From?

Reading a letter to the editor in a small town paper (I was reeeeeaaaalllly bored while eating lunch one day) I was gobsmacked by what struck me as incredulous. Several stereotypes sprung to mind. First, the scenario.

I’ve always tried to pride myself on being one of those people who is hesitant – resistant, even – to falling back on unimaginative, degrading, insulting stereotypes. But today, that’s all that flooded my mind when I read the article.

There is obviously a bigger story and situation than is portrayed by the brief clipping, but in it, a woman writes about her distress in dealing with the child welfare system after her young child has been removed from her care.

Probably very correctly she espouses that protective service organizations do this as a result of physical, mental, or emotional abuse, as well as neglect such as improper nutrition, care, or clothing.

The core of her letter, however, indicates that once a child – particularly a baby – has been removed, the hurdles for the parent to regain custody seem to be tremendous, and according to the complainant, surmountable only with considerable financial assets to ease the way. She uses several examples to try to persuade the reader to the woes of parents in such a predicament.

What caused my jaw to drop, however, was her last argument.

“And what about the parents who didn’t even get a chance to abuse or neglect their children?”

The stereotypes?

Awww, that poor hillbilly, redneck, nascar-watching, budwiser-drinking, white-trash, meth-belt mom didn’t even git a chance to beat her babies yet before them social workers done took ‘em away from ‘er……….

Insanity? You Decide!

Just remembered this old favorite quote from Einstein (or as I like to call him, ol' One Cup):

Insanity:
doing something over and over expecting different results - Albert Einstein

I guess the perfect current example would be sending 20+,000 more troops to Iraq without a change in strategy. Some would question what, exactly, our strategy might be. The best part: - wait for it - is doing so:

• without utilizing REQUESTED feedback from the other assembled strategists that have contributed to provide alternative solutions such as
• the Iraq report
• feeds from members of Congress over the last 4 years
• while denying that there have been any other suggestions
• and while also stating, "there is no plan b"
• ...and that "failure is not an option".
  

So, apparently, we're going to keep on doing what we're doing, with no change in strategy, but this time - somehow - it'll work, by god. In other words, doing something over and over and expecting different results. Or, insanity without strategy.