Chicago - A message from the station manager

The [Thursday] Papers

By Steve Rhodes

Save Puerto Rico, Save Mexico.


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On The Occasion Of Hugh Hefner’s Death
Radical Feminist vs. Monster.
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My thoughts on the radical feminist argument, from a Facebook discussion:

I guess my response is why couldn’t he publish such an interesting, feminist magazine without the objectifying nudie pics?
Also, there’s nothing wrong with photos of nudity, but if he was such a feminist, he would have shown photos of all kinds of women, not just a certain type with ridiculous “standards” . . . which isn’t to say he wasn’t also a feminist, but also, remember, a lot of the enlightened men of the ’60s/’70s social movements were not so enlightened when it came to women . . . they hadn’t quite worked that part out. That’s why Yoko Ono once said that women were the n*****s of the world. Also, I wonder if Hefner had any female editors – I mean, maybe! Just wondering. Which is to say, he might very well have been a feminist, but not a fully developed one. Also, I would say that supporting birth control isn’t necessarily feminist – it’s a great convenience for men! So, maybe more feminist than most, but still lacking in many fundamental ways.

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P.S.: And then, of course, all that old-man-with-fake-young-girlfriends business, I mean, gross. Really. Beyond gross – monstrous.
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From Families for Depression Awareness . . .
As Suicide Prevention Awareness Month Comes To A Close, Remember The Families Who Have Lost Someone To Suicide
Suicide Prevention Awareness Month is a time when the mental health advocacy community works to educate the public on how to help someone at risk of suicide. It is also a time to acknowledge suicide’s lasting effect on families like Xavier and Cory Whitford of Illinois, who experienced the crippling pain of losing a loved one.
Although Tommy was only 3-years-old when his father died in a car accident, mother Xavier says “I think the early trauma of his father’s death affected him his entire life.”
Xavier married Cory five years later. He remembers bonding immediately with Xavier’s two kids, although Cory and Tommy’s relationship wasn’t always smooth sailing. While his sister called Cory “dad” right away, it took Tommy 10 years to do so.
Tommy started exhibiting signs of depression in elementary school. By the time he reached high school, his depression had gotten so bad that he was self-medicating with drugs. In 2014, when Tommy was 19 and had just finished high school, he found out that his girlfriend was pregnant. Cory believes that Tommy got off of drugs for good because he knew he had to provide for his family. Xavier thought he was turning a corner. “He never let on that he was suicidal and I didn’t know to ask,” she recalls.
On August 18, 2014, Tommy took his life after a fight with his girlfriend. Xavier found his body.
The grief and trauma that she suffered threw Xavier into a deep depression. “I had always been an organized, driven person,” she says. “But this depression caused me to be different. I’d forget my keys or to pay bills – it was like I couldn’t focus on anything.” Even today, three years after Tommy’s death, Xavier’s cognitive impairment from depression has persisted.
Cory immediately went into caregiver mode – a role with which he was familiar from his job as a pastor. He asked his wife to make lists of things for him to do around the house. He tried to be patient and understanding, even as their relationship suffered from a lack of intimacy. Cory put so much on himself that he eventually became depressed. “Since I jumped right into taking care of my family, I never took time to go through my own grieving process,” Cory says.
It has been a long road for the couple. Both are now in therapy to help them cope with the aftermath of Tommy’s death. They also share their story of loss with others. “I tell parents that it is their job to become educated about depression and suicide,” says Xavier. “It can happen to anybody.” For his part, Cory encourages families to have open, honest communication. He especially wants other family caregivers to know that they have to be compassionate and kind when supporting a depressed spouse. “Your loved one will see your efforts and appreciate them,” Cory affirms. “Through all the pain, we’ve learned to love each other more.”
To interview the Whitford family or a Families for Depression Awareness representative, contact Valerie Cordero at (781) 890-0220 or valerie@familyaware.org.
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TweetWood
A sampling.


Democracy is such a burden to too many public officials; they don’t seem to understand that making information about what they do public is a significant part of their jobs, instead of a nuisance they are forced to comply with.
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Speaking of which . . .


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Learn, dammit!


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The Beachwood Tronc Line: Rats, cages, ships.

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Posted on September 28, 2017