After the horrible Tuscon tragedy, Wikileaks and the new Congress ready to start a new work session, I've been thinking a lot about our country lately. Well, I should say, our country and how she's viewed in the world, and I've come up with a theory. America is the President of the PTO.
I see you waiting. Allow me to 'splain......
The President of the PTO is usually a woman, and she's usually very capable. She does the jobs that no one wants to do. She typically has to be aggressive.....some may even say bossy....in order to get those jobs done. Because she is a busy woman, she doesn't have time to discuss topics to death that should be settled in a few moments. She delegates when she can but typically has to take on the lion's share of any project. She also often foots the bill when the school or organization should be paying. Usually, the PTO is just one of her many jobs as any woman who can lead this group also has the skills to hold any one of many challenging and fulfilling careers.
On a personal level, a lot of people don't like PTO President Lady. They find her bitchy and difficult to work with. She has waaay too many demands and people feel like children when she makes requests (demands) and constructively criticizes (berates) them for work unlike what she expected. PTO minions will line up to serve with President Lady and seek her approval, but they will also smack talk her at any opportunity to anyone who will listen.
Do you see where I'm going here........?
America, like PTO President Lady, is always expected to clean up the mess and usually to foot the bill for it as well. Every other country in the world appears to hate us, but they also want us to be their pal. No one wants to make us mad, but they will criticize us when any other minion (country) will indulge with them. And when there's a problem? You better believe those other countries expect America to fix it.
Now, I use PTO President Lady as the example here but any person of power will work. A powerful boss who is loved and hated by her staff, a minister of a large congregation who is adored by some and disrespected by others......really......any leader.
The fact is, it's hard being the person/country in charge. It's hard being on top. Our country, like the PTO President Lady, is not without flaws. She makes mistakes and sometimes needs correction. Sometimes she needs advice. She may even need criticism from other PTO Presidents in her district from time to time. But you can't expect to spit in the President Lady's face one day and then kiss her ass the next. That almost never happens in the politics of public school. At least, not without repercussions.
There was a book written some years ago about how we'd all be better off if we applied the simple rules we learned in kindergarten. With the level of discourse reaching an all-time low and people resorting to violence more often, there may be something to the kindergarten maxim. But maybe we should just start simply and be nice to PTO President Lady. I have a strong feeling she will appreciate it.......
I see you waiting. Allow me to 'splain......
The President of the PTO is usually a woman, and she's usually very capable. She does the jobs that no one wants to do. She typically has to be aggressive.....some may even say bossy....in order to get those jobs done. Because she is a busy woman, she doesn't have time to discuss topics to death that should be settled in a few moments. She delegates when she can but typically has to take on the lion's share of any project. She also often foots the bill when the school or organization should be paying. Usually, the PTO is just one of her many jobs as any woman who can lead this group also has the skills to hold any one of many challenging and fulfilling careers.
On a personal level, a lot of people don't like PTO President Lady. They find her bitchy and difficult to work with. She has waaay too many demands and people feel like children when she makes requests (demands) and constructively criticizes (berates) them for work unlike what she expected. PTO minions will line up to serve with President Lady and seek her approval, but they will also smack talk her at any opportunity to anyone who will listen.
Do you see where I'm going here........?
America, like PTO President Lady, is always expected to clean up the mess and usually to foot the bill for it as well. Every other country in the world appears to hate us, but they also want us to be their pal. No one wants to make us mad, but they will criticize us when any other minion (country) will indulge with them. And when there's a problem? You better believe those other countries expect America to fix it.
Now, I use PTO President Lady as the example here but any person of power will work. A powerful boss who is loved and hated by her staff, a minister of a large congregation who is adored by some and disrespected by others......really......any leader.
The fact is, it's hard being the person/country in charge. It's hard being on top. Our country, like the PTO President Lady, is not without flaws. She makes mistakes and sometimes needs correction. Sometimes she needs advice. She may even need criticism from other PTO Presidents in her district from time to time. But you can't expect to spit in the President Lady's face one day and then kiss her ass the next. That almost never happens in the politics of public school. At least, not without repercussions.
There was a book written some years ago about how we'd all be better off if we applied the simple rules we learned in kindergarten. With the level of discourse reaching an all-time low and people resorting to violence more often, there may be something to the kindergarten maxim. But maybe we should just start simply and be nice to PTO President Lady. I have a strong feeling she will appreciate it.......
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