My five-month old daughter, Quin, has been taking up most of my time at late ... and gardening.I have two older children, but I was not as involved, nor interested really, in their early baby years. I fed them their bubbas (baby bottles), changed their often stinky diapers and tossed them around a bit (the kids, not the diapers). Taking care of a baby full-time is quite a bit more. Consequently, less time for other activities ... a sacrifice I am glad to make (and I am sure many in the blogging world are glad of too).
Quin is an awful lot of fun. She rolls over onto her tummy now. The other day I set her down on the rug by her toys and turned away to do something for no more than a minute and she had rolled half-way across the rug ... she looked up at me with a huge toothless grin as though to say, "Look what I did, Daddy."
We read together. We watch Law and Order and Star Trek together. We even sing together. She makes a humming sound occassionally. When I join in we can actually harmonize. I have a song made for her (similar to one I made up for my other kids).
I know this little girl
Her name is Quin
Her favorite thing is to ride on her Schwin
Yes it is ... yeah yeah yeah
Yes it is.
I love my little baby
I love her so
I love very much
To nibble on the toes
of baby Quin.
And on and on ... she also likes it when I make clucking sounds. None of which the general public will ever hear ... Probably for the best (regarding their ear drums).
No where in any of the time we spend together do I talk politics. But I do have to say this ... I hope she never has to live in a world in which the distasteful affirmative action policy recommendations of Glenn Grothman are enacted. In Grothman's world, song and dance is something minorities should be good at (It's in their genes, right?). And, regarding his recommendation that affirmative action applicants be able to speak the language of the heritage they claim ... raise your hands if any of you can remember how to speak the language of your African ancestors, 300 years removed?
Rick Esenberg was right that no one is planning to do a Kristallnacht anytime soon ... regarding the smashing of windows and shops and such. I suppose I can agree that some sort of verification might be required. However, not in the abominable ways that Grothman proposed. You see, I do believe it's a spiritual Kristallnacht that Grothmanand his kind are planning. One in which the American traditions of fair play and decency are thrown out to accomodate the wishes of a few angry white men.
By the way, the garden is coming along nicely, considering the reduced amount of time I have to work on it. As I write I'm thinking of the thistles that must be removed, and some new plants that must be planted in the front before Sunday (we're having a big barbecue ... more on that later).UPDATE: More today from Michael Mathias on the onerous tactics of Grothman.
I find nothing unreasonable in G's proposals.
ReplyDeleteCareful that you don't get into "reverse racism" here--that is, by claiming, as did an Esenberg commenter, that 'some need help' because of 'longstanding racism.'
Of course, that's the sociological language for 'genetic inabilities,' which is (at best) bleeding-heart.
At worst, it's racism inverted.
Come on, dad. Asking an affirmative action applicant to speak in the language of his or her ancestors? Asking an applicant to prove what percentage of his ancestry qualifies him or her?
ReplyDeleteI don't for a second think Esenberg is racist. But it's the means that Grothman recommends that I find distasteful in the extreme. The parallels to scientific racism, if not the actual idea, are still frightening.
"Bleeding" hearts and those without should both be alarmed.
btw: I'll have pictures of Sunday's get together. I'm assuming "she who must be obeyed" has laid down the law.