Remember the bully on the playground?

Remember the bully on the playground that had his/her ‘rat-pack’ behind them, always obeying each command – mostly because they were afraid of being beaten up too – or they had simply found a similar mean soul, or souls, to align with?

Remember the cliques in Jr. and Sr. high – that if you were unfortunate enough to get on their ‘wrong side’, the vicious rumors they would create would spread like wildfire throughout the school? No matter if they were false or groundless, they stuck.

Multiply this by a trillion and we have Social Media today.

The mean guys never ‘go away’ – they just multiply like roaches as they align throughout the world. They don’t grow up, or get their hands slapped back – they don’t have to. They fit.

And the cliques that ‘Ruled the School’ and the vicious rumor mills? They’ve all shifted into the Corporate and Political world as we know it today. They’ve grown up and now rule over the bullies as well.

There was a time when the Higher echelon didn’t associate with the low-brow bullies – it didn’t look good to business nor political spheres – but here we are in 2022:

The power hungry elites are manipulating and controlling the low brow bullies (and the bullies don’t even recognize it), and when they no longer have any use, they will be tossed aside – as all cliques toss aside those that are ‘beneath’ them.  Have them at dinner or lunch at the estate? Not on your life.

And what are we left with?: The cliques. Not just your garden variety High School clique – but a very malignant force governing our country, our freedom, our liberty.

And remember that we didn’t associate ‘Political sides’ with the bullies and cliques in the day – we simply recognized the vile and corrupt entities that they were. They weren’t Voted onto their self made pedestals; they simply grabbed them and ran with it. The only purpose of their existence was/is to make others feel bad, powerless and scared…..or less than.  

They called the kids Nerds, back in the day. They’d be given this moniker for a myriad of reasons:
Through a faith affiliation, or being exceptionally smart, or poor, or non-athletic, or shy, or unattractive.
God forbid if they had an actual disability or handicap. It’s obviously not so different today – but instead of being whispered about, behind their backs – social media has offered a billboard to plaster, smear, threaten and humiliate on a grand scale…..and that doesn’t take into account the face to face encounters of everyday living. It can be hell on Earth for these kids. Most of us have encountered it, to some degree – large or small.

But it’s not Hell on Earth for the bullies and cliques. They get a pass on the damage they’ve created.  

So we have the spectrum: The youth that are bullied, the Millennials that try hard to ‘put it past them’ and build a life for their families and in business, and the older adult – who bears the scars – but is supposedly wiser for the years and told it was the past, move on. Well, since the 2016 election no one gets to move on, not without a fight. Laws have been shot down that allow for better mental health care, social security, overall school funding for elevated programs and education including the addressing of bullying, reproductive rights, religious freedom (to chose which if any we care to affiliate with or be governed by), equality, police safety, environment, gun violence and control….the list goes on and on.  This isn’t just a grocery list, folks, these are a Living breathing List of Human rights under our Constitution being slaughtered.  

• 

• 

The bullies and cliques are back and in full swing. But this time we DO have a VOTE on who remains on the self made pedestals. 

And if I’m being too subtle here let me make myself perfectly clear: The GOP, tRump, the Right-Wing members of SCOTUS and the Senate ARE the Cliques and the bullies are: the Right-Wing, White Supremacists’ and radical semi-automatic gun toting war mongers.

And THIS is not High School, folks.
This is your very freedom and democracy at stake, and there will be no ‘getting over it’ if we don’t VOTE BLUE all the way.  Mic Drop.

                                                                                      – D.F. for Defending Peace.com

DIVERSITY

It’s a harsh world we live in.

Diversity acceptance should be the norm – but it’s not. We rarely accept our own differences – the ones that make us unique, let alone accept what is foreign to us or is a challenge to our norms.

How we deal with encountering diversity will measure us:

• We can either look the other way,
• Engage awkwardly as if some “kindly act”,

…..or perhaps we simply open our arms and hearts and listen and learn.

That’s humanity.

“I have an autoimmune disease…..

“I have an autoimmune disease…..

I just wish more people understood . . . what I have is not a cold or the flu. I will never get better. A nap won’t help. I’m on meds to keep me alive because my cells attack all cells thinking all cells are bad – but this kills good cells which are in the body to help me.

Please, in honor of someone who is fighting Fibromyalgia, Lupus, Sarcoidosis, Multiple Sclerosis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Hepatitis, Diabetes, Celiac, Lupus, PBC, CIDP, UC, Crones, Hashimotos . . . (copy, and paste).”   -author unknown

In RESPONSE:  At Dignity by Design*, I work with ALL of the diseases that are mentioned above – and many, many more.

It is true – people are not aware of – nor cannot truly empathize with – the inner struggles associated with individual disabilities (nor outer struggles for that matter).  It’s difficult for anyone dealing with a disability to be patronized, or awkwardly sympathized with, or to have to “describe” or “qualify” one’s self over and over, day in – day out. When the world doesn’t see a “cookie-cutter” human – they often turn away or literally act incapable of natural human interaction – simply due to their personal discomfort. 

Here is my advice: GET OVER IT!  Deal with all humans with respect and actual INTEREST in them as human beings – not diseases.  Get to know the PERSON – not the disability….. then all else will fall into place.  Maybe… a new friendship, maybe…. Better understanding of your partner or child or parent. 

Diversity is what makes the world go round – Embrace it!

donna@dignitybydesign.com
www.dignitybydesign.com

Howling to the Moon…(as in Congress.)

Thought of the Day
(or 143 days to be exact)

We are working under a madman – a lunatic and coup – a rogue Congress that does NOT serve the people, and our planet is up for grabs. The press keeps trying to make SOME sense to this madman, his nonsensical speech, his…..crazy – and there is none to be had.

Are WE all insane? Is that what was and IS wanted by the Republican National Committee? What is the purpose of driving this country, its’ laws and respect into the ground and taking the rest of the planet with it?

Moral compass and humanity is in decay and we are being herded like Lemmings off the cliff – with evidently no voice or power to our millions of voices, as we howl to the moon (while there is one).

If you’re a frequent traveler (by air)? You’ll want to read this report on scanners at our “safety conscious” airports….safety for whom??

………(Also – TSA agents: Think you’re safe? Think again.”)

Scanners can rip apart DNA

“Millimeter waves have been reported to produce a variety of bioeffects, many of which are quite unexpected from radiation penetrated less than 1 mm into biological tissues

.

Of particular concern is the citing of studies that show there is an irreversible water memory effect by millimeter waves operating in the 36GHz frequency, and that the millimeter wave effects on blood plasma vary greatly from one person to the next.

Does this information make you extremely uncomfortable? Well, it should. And it should also make every one of us mad as hell.”   – DR. KATHY J FROTI (CE: Collective- Evolution.com)

read on……………Scanners can rip apart DNA

I’m rethinking travel.  

 

Let them eat cake….New Mantra

Today I read a response to a meme that shook me to the core.
By now, we’ve all seen the meme:

 

I wasn’t enraged because the response was vicious or cursed – on the contrary: It was elitist and dismissive and only one sentence:

“Mountains,out of mole hills….typical.”

Thus…it garnered an immediate response.  But NOT my typical response.  NO:

“It might be an entirely different “mole hill” if your daughter, wife or son was: black, gay, Jewish, disabled, sexually assaulted or abused, killed or raped.

Of course that never happens, does it? Or maybe it just doesn’t happen to you. And the defense of the assaulter can always state that “It’s just a mole hill” – can’t they? Now they can – now they have a green light.

THAT may now be the “typical” – let them eat cake. The Twitter feeds were lit up with “The minute T wins, I’m gonna grab me the nearest pussy.” (Hundreds literally) NONE of this is typical – and I’m offended to my very core.”

YES: I’m offended.
YES: I’m scared that hate, bigotry and permissiveness is the new Mantra of our highest office.  

And if YOU’RE not scared – your mountain must be very high indeed.

 

Gun Control, Political Agenda, Human and Disability Rights…….

To all of my FB, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram followers and friends:
Hereby unfriend, untweet, unpin and unchat me……if you want to sway
my opinions and convictions on:

A) Massive gun control for assault and automatic
weapons – I believe that they do kill people. Period.
Also, If you spend more time defending your
weaponry than you do defending and assisting the
daily rights and options for disabled, homeless and
poor – or fighting bigotry
………….Please unfriend me.

B) Women’s rights and Planned Parenthood: I believe
that women have the right to own their reproduction.
Period. I believe that the organizations that uphold
these hard earned rights and medical services should
be supported and upheld.

C) That political agendas should be unmasked
(on all sides) and only work for the benefit of all people – not the wealthy –
but for the average working American.  I also believe that there
will never be a true democracy without socialized medicine and
uniform drug and pharmaceutical regulations.

If it is your opinion that the thought of the day is more important than a friendship or a human’s well being – if you think that your “post” will sway ethical and moral convictions that have taken 60 years to develop………..absolutely, unfriend me.  I’ll survive…. guaranteed.  

Recognition to (dis)Abilities by the Investment World?…Well, knock me over!

Sunday evening – June 7, 2015 – Dignity by Design (my company) was notified that it had become a semi-finalist in the Minnesota Cup Competition!!

This may not mean so very much to those out of state or globally, but to Minnesota it means a great deal.  And to a company that has dedicated its entirety to disabilities and the independence of the disabled, veteran and elderly…..well, it is unprecedented!!

For years, decades and historically – Disabilities have eluded investors as a non-glamorous, non-high-tech, non-money-making market.  However, with the onset of disabilities hitting the runway in fashion, new technological advances in disease, war aftermath, community inclusion and software (including apps) rising to meet the needs of disabilities – it has become a viable “Social Impact” venture to investors and media worldwide.

It’s about time!

“When we’ve risen to meet the needs of our fellow man/woman – to create an environment that allows for independence, recognition of abilities and respect of worth – as a whole – regardless of ability or disAbility – then, we have truly evolved.”  Donna Freeberg

Thank you MNCup for your recognition.  It is amazing!

MN Cup

Donna Freeberg, President
Dignity by Design – Fashion for all disAbilities
http://www.dignitybydesign.com

SNAKE Oil: Is THIS what sells your product??

We’ve been suckered in…time and again to…. the marketing traps, right?

“WE’VE FOUND THE ANSWER…BURIED FOR YEARS!!!
Read on….”

“MEDICAL MIRACLE THAT YOUR DR. DOESN’T WANT YOU TO KNOW!! Read on…” 

“FINALLY A CURE FOR CANCER!! 
(Wrinkles, gout, insomnia, depression, weight gain, failing business)… with these two Risk Free MIRACLE Products…… Read on.“

….And you  DO read on.…page after page…because the mystery is not quite ready to be revealed!!  (….definitely not until that plastic card is out of your wallet and you’ve been reeled in: Hook, LIE and Sinker. )

SERIOUSLY WORLD: IF YOU HAD THE CURE FOR A LIFE THREATENING DISEASE, DEATH, BLINDNESS, MAJOR WEIGHT LOSS, SAGGING SKIN, HAIR LOSS….whatever…. Wouldn’t you plaster that news top and center of your very first paragraph????

And if this supplier HAS THE CURE for suffering in his/her greasy little hand…don’t you find it inhumane and cruel to keep it from the masses until it’s become the next New York Times Bestseller, or “Over a Million Sold” product??

Personally, I just erase these emails from my inbox and never click the side posts on FB.   But/and – as of late – these “urgent messages” and “inbox spams” are showing up on LinkedIn as invited contacts. WTF??
Yes, that’s right …the online bible of business has succumbed!

But we’re not safe until we “Just say NO”.  We can do this folks, say no to the new age of the “Snake Oil Salesman”  

Disability Fashion: Look at Who’s Front and Center in the NEWs!

Disabled models – on the runway – on the front pages of major news communication AND being featured on the webpages of new – up and coming – clothiers. Fabulous, right??

ALL jumping on the bandwagon to visually “support” the disabled and in return gaining significant “Feel good” press…. HOWEVER with little or no exceptions… providing absolutely no products that are specific solutions to the disabled market’s clothing needs, outside of their general clothing line.

Putting disabled models on the runway and not providing specialized benefits is what the disabled already HAS, what they have always dealt with and simply put: marketing and publicity play at it’s worst.

This offends me on so many levels.

http://returnondisability.com/disability-market/

It’s more than time to recognize this market in the investment world, in the fashion world, in the business community and for it’s Global impact.
And.. It’s time for a real change…. a real answer… and some heavy funding to make this a multi-billion dollar industry:  By doing good, serving disabilities and making a profound, dignified CHANGE!!

DIGNITY BY DESIGN ENTERPRISE

https://angel.co/dignity-by-design-enterprise
Angel.com for Dignity by Design

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Share this with all investors, angels, philanthropic communities, Veteran’s organizations and Disability advocates.

Making a REAL change for the Disabled!