The Axiom Of Respect Individuals Demonstrate Valid Behavior
By Treating Themselves And Others
Respectfully And Respecting
Only Those Who Earn It
Yesterday, I read the article “Hooking Up For Sex: Sluts Or New Feminists?” and have been thinking about it ever since. As a 48-year-old woman who has been married nearly 30 years with three grown children, a business degree, and a deep desire to help our society, I would like to join the conversation about this “new kind of feminism” where women defend their “right to have sex whenever and with whomever they choose.” I grew up in the 1960’s and 70’s and have seen our nation change from having a generally traditional culture to our culture of today, and while there have been a number of great improvements, for the most part, I do not like what I see. In fact, I believe that our society is currently headed down a road to some extremely difficult times.
First, I want you to know where I am coming from: I am not affiliated with an organized religion because I believe that such institutions can be extremely rigid, hypocritical, and unloving. Politically, I am neither conservative nor liberal. I believe in fiscal responsibility and social equality; therefore, I do not fit in either major party. I was a stay-at-home mother for 15 years and believe that children are best raised by their parents, not daycare centers or schools. However, I believe women should enjoy every opportunity men take for granted and will be happy when the “glass ceiling” is broken on every level. I am not a traditionalist, and I am not a feminist.
To me, feminism has helped to create both good and bad in our society. Feminism has made it possible for all women to be free to pursue every career. Further, woman today can be independent and live their lives for themselves. In addition, men now play a more active role in raising children and running the home, which benefits parents and children, resulting in stronger familial bonds.
On the other hand, I believe that in many ways, feminism has also been devastating for children and male-female relationships. Countless women no longer value the vital role of being a mother (not just giving birth, but actively mothering children), and because of this, we now have a nation of children without character, a work ethic, communication skills, a sense of responsibility, or social graces. Moreover, relationships have become disposable, and a lot of women think “empowered” means cutting down men for being masculine.
To me, these “new feminists” are nothing more than sluts who are so delusional that they don’t even know they should be ashamed of themselves. They are not good for other women, men, or our country in general. It is completely illogical to believe that you can have casual sex without physical or emotional consequences, and as for the casual sex double standard, women should be pushing for men to also be labeled as “sluts” and “whores” for engaging in this type of behavior, instead of encouraging this ridiculous notion that “a real woman uses her sexuality in any way she pleases.” Additionally, we do not have to limit ourselves to the extremes of abstinence and promiscuity. There is a middle ground of making sure you know someone long enough before sleeping with him or her so that your sexual relationships remain meaningful.
Perhaps it is time for woman to embrace their femininity, intelligence, and valuable role in making our nation, families, and relationships strong.
Anna Sherise
Co-Creator of Magna Sententia
Co-Author of Magna Sententia: The Logical Cure for Our Society
The Axiom Of Respect Individuals Demonstrate Valid Behavior
By Treating Themselves And Others
Respectfully And Respecting
Only Those Who Earn It
Once again, former Sen. John Edwards is in the news. We didn’t think it was possible, but with these new allegations, he looks even worse than before.
We all know that “Edwards admitted to his affair with Rielle Hunter in August 2008 after months of denials.” (“Edwards Asked Aide To Claim Paternity, Sources Say“) The paternity of Hunter’s infant daughter was quickly called into question, and at the time, Edwards maintained “there was no way he could have been the girl’s father, given the timing of his relationship with Hunter, and that he was willing to take a paternity test to prove it.” Corroborating his statements, his former staffer Andrew Young said that he himself was the child’s father.
Now, Young is retracting his version of the story, asserting that “Edwards knew all along that he was the father of Hunter’s child — and that he promised to marry her after his cancer-stricken wife, Elizabeth, dies.” Young, who “never signed any affidavits or legal papers,” reportedly “made [his original claim] because he believed in Edwards” and then “reversed his claim after Edwards [. . .] dropped [him] ‘like a hot potato.’” Interestingly, “Young was married with children when he claimed to have fathered Hunter’s child,” which does not make any sense to us whatsoever. Apparently, he operates under the same moral code as Edwards, and that is nothing to be proud of.
Why do we forgive politicians so easily when they behave so horrendously? Governors, senators, members of congress, and even presidents engage in completely dishonorable behaviors, and all it seems they have to do is follow the “accepted script” and their careers continue to move forward. (“Why Are Some Politicians Forgiven In Sex Scandals?“) Leonard Steinborn, an American University political communications professor, asserts that when it comes to damage control, “the wife’s forgiveness is very important. [ . . . ] He has to apologize. He has to repent. That is this Calvinist framework that our society works under when crises hit.” If this is true (and it appears to be), then our society needs a new “framework” because the one we are operating under (however you coin it) is utterly flawed: It lets dishonest, cheating politicians off the hook, pressures their wives to stay with them, and demeans their offices and positions.
Furthermore, why do politicians’ wives, such as Elizabeth Edwards, stay with their unfaithful husbands? Commentators on Showbiz Tonight speculate that Ms. Edwards is staying with John Edwards because of her ongoing battle with breast cancer, noting that she has much more important things to deal with than his cheating. (Watch “Wife Deals With Edwards’ Affair“) We feel very badly for her, and while this may indeed be her reasoning, we believe that by staying with him, she is not treating herself with the respect she deserves.
Magna Sententia means respecting only those who earn it, which does not include dishonest politicians who are embroiled in sex scandals. Yes, the right thing to do is often the most difficult, but only when we openly admit our wrongdoings can we move forward in redeeming ourselves.
Anna and Ellie Sherise
Creators of Magna Sententia
Authors of Magna Sententia: The Logical Cure for Our Society
The Axiom Of Respect Individuals Demonstrate Valid Behavior
By Treating Themselves And Others
Respectfully And Respecting
Only Those Who Earn It
It goes without saying that rapper Kanye West, the self-described “voice of this generation,” has an insufferable ego. We had hoped that after South Park’s “Fishsticks” episode aired back in April, he would finally get a grip on reality and his arrogant, just plain disgusting attitude, as he claimed he would on his blog. (To read his exact response, please see “Kanye West Admits To Getting ‘Murdered’ By ‘South Park,’ Promises To Deflate Ego.”)
Apparently not.
This Sunday at the MTV Video Music Awards, 19-year-old country singer “[Taylor] Swift was in the midst of her acceptance speech for Best Female Video when [. . .] West rushed onstage, grabbed her microphone and let loose an outburst on behalf of singer Beyoncé Knowles, who had lost out in that category.” (“MTV Awards: West Disrupts Swift’s Speech; Tribute To MJ“) You almost have to see it to believe it!
In stark contrast to West, Knowles graciously handled the situation and tried to make up for what was in no way her fault: After winning Video Of The Year, the biggest award of the evening, she did not use the time allotted for her acceptance speech. Instead, she “invited Swift onstage and gave the teen singer her moment in the spotlight.”
One of the tenets of Magna Sententia is to respect only those who earn it, and when undeserving celebrities like Kanye West show such a lack of respect for others, we must vote with our dollars.
The music industry should really blacklist West for his pitiful behavior, but if they don’t (and it doesn’t seem likely), perhaps he would act better if he laid off the pre-show Cognac.
Anna and Ellie Sherise
Creators of Magna Sententia
Authors of Magna Sententia: The Logical Cure for Our Society
The Axiom Of Respect Individuals Demonstrate Valid Behavior
By Treating Themselves And Others
Respectfully And Respecting
Only Those Who Earn It
Across the country, town hall meetings on health care reform are turning ugly. With understandably strong emotions on both sides of the debate, many attendees are shouting, pushing, and losing their tempers as they voice their concerns or support regarding Congress’s proposed changes to our current health care system. (“Specter Faces Hostile Audience At Health Care Forum“)
As a logic system for guiding behavior, Magna Sententia directly relates to every aspect of interpersonal relationships and social interactions, and if you are planning to attend a town hall meeting on health care reform in your community (and we strongly suggest you do), before you go, please consider the following standards for behavior:
Remain calm. Losing your temper does nothing to further your cause. While it is advantageous to express your views passionately because of the importance of the topic, yelling and screaming takes the focus away from the content of your message.
Clearly articulate your argument, and stick to the facts. Nothing ruins credibility more than wild accusations and exaggeration. For example, in the health care debate, calling your opposition “evil” or telling them they will be “judged by God” is completely inappropriate and calls into question the reliability of anything else you say.
Do not push, shove, or be destructive in any way. It is paramount that we treat others respectfully even when we strongly disagree with their position. Health care reform is an extremely emotional issue, and we must take extra care not to escalate the situation. Remember that there are honorable people on both sides of this debate, and we have absolutely no right to physically harm our fellow citizens or their property.
Treating others respectfully does not mean that we can’t fervently share our views. As Americans, it is our right to use our voices in a clear, confident manner to question and influence the decisions of our elected officials. In fact, it is our duty.
Anna and Ellie Sherise
Creators of Magna Sententia
Authors of Magna Sententia: The Logical Cure for Our Society
The Axiom Of Respect Individuals Demonstrate Valid Behavior
By Treating Themselves And Others
Respectfully And Respecting
Only Those Who Earn It
Racial profiling and discrimination are inexcusable and continue to be serious issues in America, and we know that as whites we can never fully understand how it feels to be African American. However, after reviewing the facts of the case, it appears to us that (unlike the case of Dallas Police Officer Robert Powell and Ryan Moats) race did not influence Cambridge Police Sgt. James Crowley’s actions in the incident with Professor Henry Louis “Skip” Gates Jr., and while there are many things to be learned from this incident, one that is not receiving the attention it deserves is the value of loyalty and the importance of standing up for what is right in the midst of opposition.
In today’s world, we don’t often have the opportunity to see loyalty in action. In fact, many of us would find it challenging to remember a time when numbers of individuals stood up for someone they believed in to those more powerful and popular. Magna Sententia defines loyalty as the quality of faithfulness and steadfast allegiance, and fortunately for all of us, Cambridge law enforcement officers have provided a magnificent example in their support for Sgt. Crowley:
Far too often, when we see injustice, we find it easier to keep silent for fear of negative repercussions. Listening to these officers stand up for their friend and fellow officer during a time when he is being falsely accused and disparaged in many national media outlets is a wonderful model for us to follow when we witness injustice in our own lives: Let’s not be afraid to express our allegiance when we know someone else is on the receiving end of unfairness.
We commend the brave, loyal officers who came to Sgt. Crowley’s defense, and thank them for their service to their community and especially for their character.
Anna and Ellie Sherise
Creators of Magna Sententia
Authors of Magna Sententia: The Logical Cure for Our Society
The Axiom Of Respect Individuals Demonstrate Valid Behavior
By Treating Themselves And Others
Respectfully And Respecting
Only Those Who Earn It
“Hundreds of leaders from the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community gathered in the East Room of the White House Monday to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the launch of the gay rights movement.” (“Obama Works To Address Concerns Among Gay Supporters“) In his remarks, President Obama assured the LGBT Community that he and his administration fully understand their position and will continue to champion their rights:
Now this struggle, I don’t need to tell you, is incredibly difficult, although I think it’s important to consider the extraordinary progress that we have made. There are unjust laws to overturn and unfair practices to stop. And though we’ve made progress, there are still fellow citizens, perhaps neighbors or even family members and loved ones, who still hold fast to worn arguments and old attitudes; who fail to see your families like their families; and who would deny you the rights that most Americans take for granted. And I know this is painful and I know it can be heartbreaking.
And yet all of you continue, leading by the force of the arguments you make but also by the power of the example that you set in your own lives — as parents and friends, as PTA members and leaders in the community. And that’s important, and I’m glad that so many LGBT families could join us today. For we know that progress depends not only on changing laws but also changing hearts. And that real, transformative change never begins in Washington.
Every American must realize that the people of the LGBT Community are important members of all of our neighborhoods and schools, local governments and volunteer services, churches and synagogues; they, like all Americans, deserve equal rights and treatment. Magna Sententia specifies that we treat all people respectfully, and on this special anniversary, please take the time to remember and reach out to those you love who are in part of the LGBT Community. Let them know how much you appreciate their struggle, and ask how you can be of support.
If you do not know anyone in this Community, visit your local LGBT advocate center and offer to volunteer wherever they need help. When you do, you will meet some of the most kind, compassionate individuals you have ever met, and you will have an increased understanding of the difficulties and discrimination they face. Knowing them personally will help you put yourself in their place, and you will see that they are just people asking to be treated with the same respect afforded to every other member of our society.
We applaud President Obama for his words of support, and it is our hope that all citizens of our country will open their hearts to the LBGT Community.
Anna and Ellie Sherise
Creators of Magna Sententia
Authors of Magna Sententia: The Logical Cure for Our Society
The Axiom Of Respect Individuals Demonstrate Valid Behavior
By Treating Themselves And Others
Respectfully And Respecting
Only Those Who Earn It
On Monday, Phillip Markoff, the accused “Craigslist Killer,” pled not guilty to the charge of first-degree murder, despite what prosecutors say is overwhelming evidence against him. Notably absent from the courtroom was Megan McAllister, Markoff’s former fiancée.
According to her lawyer, Bob Honecker, McAllister has not seen Markoff since June 11, 2009. On that day, she “traveled to Boston to meet with the Suffolk Country District Attorney’s Office” and told Markoff “she planned to attend medical school.” (“Accused ‘Craigslist Killer’ Won’t See Former Fiancée for ‘Long Period of Time’“) She “also let him know that she did not expect to return to Boston and it would be quite a long period of time, if ever, before she saw him again.”
We commend McAllister for the manner in which she has conducted herself throughout this undoubtedly difficult time, and we want her to know that her resilient behavior is a tremendous illustration of what it means to treat yourself respectfully and protect yourself from unhealthy relationships, vital elements of Magna Sententia. We are proud of her for continuing to work toward her goal of attending medical school and becoming a physician, even though her life totally changed in an instant. So many of us would have found her situation debilitating.
While we know that this must be unbelievably hard for her, McAllister is setting such a wonderful example for all of us: By ending her relationship with Markoff, she is allowing the “court of law [to determine who] is the real Philip Markoff,” thus protecting herself from getting buried deeper and deeper into his problems and alleged destructive behavior. This is the smartest choice she could make, especially considering that “some of the details released in the last several days, particularly at the arraignment, were very disturbing.”
Megan McAllister’s situation is an albeit extreme case of finding yourself involved with the wrong person, but it does not lessen the value of making the decision to walk away from those who are hurting us, treating us disrespectfully, or making our lives miserable.
Anna and Ellie Sherise
Creators of Magna Sententia
Authors of Magna Sententia: The Logical Cure for Our Society
The Axiom Of Respect Individuals Demonstrate Valid Behavior
By Treating Themselves And Others
Respectfully And Respecting
Only Those Who Earn It
Yesterday, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin formally accepted David Letterman’s apology for making an inappropriate joke about her teenage daughter on his show two weeks ago (“Palin Accepts Letterman’s Apology“):
“One awkward moment for Sarah Palin at the Yankee game, during the seventh inning, her daughter was knocked up by Alex Rodriguez.” The joke seemed directed at Palin’s 18-year-old daughter Bristol, who is an unwed mother. However, it was Palin’s 14-year-old daughter, Willow, who accompanied the governor to [the Yankee game]. Letterman later explained he had confused the two daughters and had Bristol in mind when he made the joke, but Palin interpreted it as directed at Willow.
Palin felt that Letterman’s joke was in reality a “degrading comment about a young woman” and expressed her concern that this type of remark contributes to “young girls especially hav[ing] such low self-esteem in America.” She asked “the public to rise up in opposition,” and some of her supporters “have called for Letterman’s firing.”
Personally, we are not sure that we would go so far as to have Letterman fired, but we think his “joke” was certainly in poor taste. Our society has long forgotten the importance of treating others respectfully, and on many occasions, comedians go too far with their humor. Letterman should have known better than to make either Bristol or Willow the punch line of a sexually-charged joke.
As a society, we need to reevaluate what we consider funny: Teens and young adults have a difficult enough time growing up in today’s stressful world, and the last thing Bristol or Willow need is some comedian making fun of them in front of the entire country.
Anna and Ellie Sherise
Creators of Magna Sententia
Authors of Magna Sententia: The Logical Cure for Our Society
The Axiom Of Respect Individuals Demonstrate Valid Behavior
By Treating Themselves And Others
Respectfully And Respecting
Only Those Who Earn It
With the birth of Thomas Beatie’s second child, it is important to remember to treat Beatie and his wife, Nancy, respectfully, regardless of your feelings about them. According to Magna Sententia, we treat others respectfully whether we actually respect them (hold them in esteem) or not.
As you may recall, the Beaties gave birth to their first child, a daughter named Susan, on June 29, 2008, garnering a great deal of both positive and negative attention throughout the world. To fully appreciate Thomas and Nancy Beatie and their situation, please see our previous article featuring his transition and their history together, “Treat The ‘Pregnant Man’ Respectfully, Even If You Disagree With His Choices.”
Due to so much misinformation and judgment, it bears repeating that transsexualism is not about sexual activity or sexual orientation. It is a medical condition in which the physical sex of a person’s body does not match the gender of his or her brain. Transsexual people do not choose to be transsexual; they are born transsexual. If you ever have the opportunity to meet a transgender individual, you will see for yourself the tremendous courage and strength this community has, as well as the kindness and sensitivity they possess because they have had to endure so much.
Considering the extensive coverage of Beatie’s pregnancies and births, he has an enormous responsibility to the transgender community to handle himself with grace and understanding because unfortunately, many in our society will judge all transgender individuals by his actions. For this reason, in our previous article, we expressed the hope that the Beaties would always “conduct themselves in an exemplary fashion,” and to this date, they have, and we commend them for this.
We congratulate Thomas and Nancy Beatie on the birth of their little boy, and we wish them many years of happiness together as they raise and enjoy their children. Additionally, it is our hope that America is kind to this young family and treats the Beaties respectfully, the way all of our fellow citizens deserve to be treated.
Anna and Ellie Sherise
Creators of Magna Sententia
Authors of Magna Sententia: The Logical Cure for Our Society
The Axiom Of Respect Individuals Demonstrate Valid Behavior
By Treating Themselves And Others
Respectfully And Respecting
Only Those Who Earn It
Miss California USA Carrie Prejean, 21, “stepped into the limelight unexpectedly just over three weeks ago when she declared her opposition to same-sex marriage in response to a question asked during the national pageant by [Perez] Hilton, a pageant judge. [. . .] Hilton, who is openly gay and a strong supporter of same-sex marriage, later posted a video rant online in which he called Prejean ‘a dumb bitch.’” (“Trump Brings Peace To Miss California USA Imbroglio“) The situation became even messier when seminude pictures of Prejean were leaked on the Internet, causing some to question if they “breached the contract [she] signed with the pageant” and whether she should lose her crown.
Fortunately for her, Donald Trump, who owns the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants, announced Tuesday that he is going to “let [Prejean] keep her title” because in his opinion the photos were not in violation of her contract. She will soon “resume [her] duties as Miss California [USA].”
We are pleased with Trump’s decision: The seminude photographs in question are not any more risqué than those seen in Victoria’s Secret catalogues, and recognizing that Prejean is a model, it would be assumed that there would be a few photos of her that are revealing, yet tasteful (an accurate description of these photos). Furthermore, while we strongly disagree with Prejean’s stance on same-sex marriage, we all have a right to our own opinion. No pageant contestant should ever be publicly humiliated and ridiculed because of personal beliefs she expresses during the pageant, especially considering that contestants are required to answer questions asked of them, and one would expect she would answer honestly.
Pursuing Magna Sententia, we treat one another respectfully, even if we disagree. As Prejean said in her comments immediately following Trump’s announcement that she would retain her crown: “Think about how much better our society would be if we could just agree to disagree and show respect.” We could not agree more, and it is our hope that the same people who scorned her for her honest answer to a highly political question during the pageant and gawked at her photos on the Internet will pay just as close attention to her words of wisdom.
Anna and Ellie Sherise
Creators of Magna Sententia
Authors of Magna Sententia: The Logical Cure for Our Society
Posted by Anna & Ellie 
Posted by Anna & Ellie 
Posted by Anna & Ellie 
