Monday, August 31, 2020

You've Got to Be Carefully Taught...

I wrote this in response to a provocative photo of black children being taught to hate police on another person's Facebook page. While I wrote this as a fact-check, it can come off as politicking in someone else's living room, which I should not have done.

But I do stand by what I wrote, so I'll post it here:

__________________________________________________________________________

I agree that hate is taught, but it works in all directions. Remember watching TV news in the '60s? The white southerners setting dogs and water cannons on black protesters? Remember the 3 voting activists murdered for helping black people register to vote? Remember the 4 girls murdered in a church bombing? How about Louise Day Hicks in Boston, raving on and on about bussing? How about the white guy who attacked a black man with a flag in Boston in 1976? When people are treated irrationally, they tend to respond irrationally and sometimes violently. I do not support the violence, but I sure understand it.

__________________________________________________________________________

And, as a reminder to anyone who may teach their kids to hate cops, a black cop in Saint Louis was murdered while on the job this weekend. I do understand training black kids to be overly cautious around the police; it's sad "the talk" is still necessary but it may be more necessary than ever these days.

Sunday, August 30, 2020

What Republicans Seem to Believe...

Copied from Rebecca Phipps on Facebook 

Just a note for my right leaning family and friends from my left leaning self and on behalf of my left leaning family and friends as we near voting day: 

You're being told that we want to disband police departments (and that we hate the police). We don’t, that’s a lie. We want to weed out racism and unnecessary police brutality and for those who abuse their power to be held accountable.

You're being told that we want to release all prisoners. We don’t, that’s a lie. We want to weed out racism and ensure the punishments match the crimes and to deprivatize prisons. 

You're being told that we want open borders. We don’t, that’s a lie. We want asylum seekers to be given their chance to seek asylum. We want to help people who are coming from unimaginable terror and poverty and give them the chances we have. We want to ensure children aren’t separated from their parents and that nobody is kept in cages. But we do want proper vetting.

You're being told that we want to take away your guns. We don’t, that’s a lie. We want logical gun control to help prevent mass shootings.

You're being told that we want to wage a war on Christianity and Christian values. We don’t, that’s a lie. We want people of all religions to be able to practice and worship freely.

You're being told that we want to get everything for free. We don’t, that’s a lie. We want to work hard and make sure that healthcare and education are affordable for all.

You're being told that we want a war against traditional marriage. We don’t, that’s a lie. We want people of all sexual orientations to be able to love freely, no matter who you love.

You're being told that we want to destroy or rewrite history. We don’t, that’s a lie. We want to recognize the ugly parts of our past and do everything we can to say “that’s not okay, let’s not honor those aggressors, let’s not let those things happen again.”

You're being told that we want to take away your constitutional rights. We don’t, that’s a lie. We choose to believe science and we wear masks to prevent the spread of this disease.

You're being told that we hate America. We don’t, that’s a lie. We recognize our faults and want us to do better, be better. Wanting better for your country and everyone in it is the strongest form of patriotism. 

Stop with the us vs. them. 

Stop with the straw man arguments. 

Stop with the fake news. 

My position is one of empathy, compassion and logic. Stop believing the hype. Stop with the division. Just because we want equality for all doesn’t mean we want to take anything away from you or your family. 

❤️๐Ÿงก๐Ÿ’› ***Please copy and paste*** 

 [[Not written by me, but I agree with all of it.]]

Saturday, August 29, 2020

Uncommon SF & Mysteries Book Sale: Of Mice and Men

Uncommon SF & Mysteries Book Sale: Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

First Edition, Covici Friede Publishers, Good Condition







Sometimes, the books are neither SF nor fantasy but are uncommon.  This is a first edition of Of Mice and Men, published in 1937 by Covici Friede Publishers.  

Good condition - $30 + $8 shipping.

Interested in buying?  Email  Laurie Mann

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Save the US Post Office

Today is a day of action to support the United States Post Office.  Here are some of the things you can do to support this:  https://www.savethepostoffice.net/survey/save-the-post-office-remote-options/?

Someone on Twitter kindly posted the email addresses of the USPS Board of Governors.  I CC'd Louis DeJoy himself.   If you are staying in and can't protest at a post office, at least take a few minutes and write a letter to the Board of Governors:


To:
mduncan@inezdepositbank.com
,
barger.jm@gmail.com,
ron.bloom@brookfield.com,
roman@rmiv.com,
lee.moak@moakgroup.com,
DirectorAccessMailbox@cigna.com
cc:louis.dejoy@usps.gov

I am writing to you as you are supposed to have oversight over malfesance in the Post Office.  And yet, you are permitting damage to the Post Office by the federal government itself.  You don't care that people are dying as they aren't getting their medications in time.  You don't care that animals being shipped are dying en route due to delays.  You don't care about the damage you are doing to our democracy by your inaction.   I am disgusted but not surprised.  

Laurie Mann
McDonald, PA

Tuesday, August 18, 2020

Uncommon SF & Mysteries Book Sale: Star Wars (First Edition)

Uncommon SF & Mysteries Book Sale: Star Wars by "George Lucas"

First Edition, Ballantine Books, Good Condition




Yes, this is the same title on sale now for well over $700 on AbeBooks.

It's been read, it's in good condition, no one (not even Alan Dean Foster) has autographed it.

Price: $200  (+ postage, estimated at $5)
Free delivery within 25 miles of McDonald, PA.

Interested in buying?  Email  Laurie Mann




 

Uncommon SF & Mysteries Book Sale: Bridge of Birds

Barry Hughart's Bridge of Birds: A Novel of an Ancient China That Never Was

First Edition, Del Rey Fantasy, Very Good Condition


Price: $7  (+ postage, estimated at $4)

Interested in buying?  Email  Laurie Mann

Monday, August 17, 2020

Uncommon SF & Mysteries Book Sale: Grand Masters' Choice

Andre Norton's Grand Masters' Choice

First Edition, NESFA Press, Fine Condition




Unnumbered, unsigned

Price: $50  (+ postage, estimated at $8)
Free delivery within 25 miles of McDonald, PA.

Interested in buying?  Email  Laurie Mann

Uncommon SF & Mysteries Book Sale: Plan[e]t Engineering

Gene Wolfe's Plan[e]t Engineering

First Edition, NESFA Press, Very Good Condition




Number 644 of 1000, unsigned

Price: $70  (+ postage, estimated at $5)
Free delivery within 25 miles of McDonald, PA.

Interested in buying?  Email  Laurie Mann

Uncommon SF & Mysteries

After many decades of collecting, we're working to downsize.

I will be selling some rare books. These items include out-of-print books like Gene Wolfe's Plan[e]t Engineering & Andre Norton's Grand Master's Choice (both in very good condition). Will also be selling some rare old mysteries from my father's estate, which include some Dell "Mapback" books.  And, when I can find it, a first edition of The Adventures of Baron von Munchausen.

I was going to do this on eBay, but eBay requires that I give them my phone number which I will not do. I took down an account I created in about 10 minutes. Instead, I'll do it through this blog.

Books for sale include (so far):

    If you live in the Pittsburgh area, you can pick up some things for free:

    • history books
    • computer books
    • fiction (especially science fiction & fantasy)
    • puzzles
    • games 
    • misc kitchen equipment
    • sleeper sofa (near a door you can drive to - no stairs)

    Drop me a note if you're interested in anything.