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
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
The Axiom Of Respect Individuals Demonstrate Valid Behavior
By Treating Themselves And Others
Respectfully And Respecting
Only Those Who Earn It
The entire country seems to be outraged over the bonuses American International Group (AIG) paid their executives using funds from the $787 billion stimulus bill passed into law last month. While we know that everyone has his or her own opinion regarding the stimulus bill itself, as well as the cause of our country’s economic downturn, one thing we can all hopefully agree on is that we as citizens deserve honesty from our elected officials. Our nation cannot afford to have elected officials, such as Sen. Christopher Dodd, say one thing and then change his story a few days later.
As Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, Dodd originally “den[ied] having anything to do with crafting language in the stimulus bill that allowed bailed-out insurance giant [AIG] to keep its bonuses”; however, he now admits “he and the Treasury Department were responsible for the loopholes.” (“Dodd Admits To Role In AIG Loophole“) Interestingly, “many of the bonuses in question were awarded to executives” who live in Dodd’s “home state” of Connecticut.
Not surprisingly, Senator Dodd claims his conflicting comments in recent interviews were “misunderstood,” but they certainly raise suspicion. In a day when elected officials continually serve their own self-interest at the expense of our nation, to be truly trustworthy, their actions must be beyond reproach each and every day.
Being trustworthy is paramount to following Magna Sententia, and personally, we have tremendous admiration for those who can stand up and admit they made a mistake. (Dodd should have come clean immediately after the public learned of the bonuses.) Admitting our mistakes takes a great deal of courage and strength, and it also works to build trust.
Dodd and all of our elected officials would be wise to conduct themselves in keeping with the old adage, “Do as you say, and say as you do.”
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
Herman Rosenblat’s memoir, Angel at the Fence, is yet another false memoir that has “touched, and betrayed, the world.” (“Anger, Sadness Over Fabricated Holocaust Story“) In it, Rosenblat weaves the tale of meeting his wife of 50 years, Roma Radzicky, “at a sub-camp of Buchenwald” during the Holocaust when in fact the two met “on a blind date in New York.” Regrettably, by writing a story that is not true and calling it fact, not only has Rosenblat duped “his agent and his publisher, [ . . . ] Oprah Winfrey, film producers, journalists, family members, school children, and strangers online,” he has also further eroded the general character of our society. As individual citizens, we must recognize that our actions directly affect others, and our nation as a whole, and we must never underestimate the significance of each and every one of us.
Defending his deceitfulness, Rosenblat maintains that he intended to “bring happiness” to others, claiming that he “brought hope to a lot of people, [and that his] motivation was to make good in this world.” “In a statement issued Saturday through his agent, he described himself as an advocate of love and tolerance who falsified his past to better spread his message.” Apparently, Rosenblat never learned that lying always catches up with you and that no true “good” can come from such a misleading fabrication.
We hope Rosenblat realizes that his actions hurt many more people than he claims to have helped. For many, “the damage is deep. Scholars and fellow survivors fear that [his] fabrications will only encourage doubts about the Holocaust.” Michael Berenbaum, Holocaust scholar and former director of the United States Holocaust Research Institute at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, said, “‘In my research I rely upon the survivors to present the specifics of their existence with integrity. When they don’t, they destroy so much and they ruin so much, and that’s terrible.’”
Sadly, we feel that Rosenblat’s dishonesty has even farther-reaching implications: With the frequency of such falsifications (Misha Defonseca, Margaret B. Jones, and James Frey to name a few), it is easy to call into question any story that is told or written as fact. With so many people publicly telling bold-faced lies, it is easy to wonder, “Does anyone value telling the truth?” The ripple effect isn’t pretty. If we cannot believe an elderly couple like Rosenblat and his wife, whose literary agent Andrea Hurst describes as the “most gentle, loving, beautiful people,” then who can we believe?
People are constantly serving their own interests, both blatantly and subtly, at the expense of the truth. It’s time we as a nation started living according to Magna Sententia and acting as though we actually value honesty. If Rosenblat had believed in and lived his life following Magna Sententia, he would have understood the immeasurable importance in being a person of your word and avoided the pain his deception has caused. If we as a society embraced the value system of Magna Sententia, we would no longer live in a society where suspicion is the norm for good reason.
Please remember: What we say and do does matter, and anything short of the truth only causes problems.
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
Tonight at 10 p.m. ET, Barbara Walters’ interview with Thomas Beatie, the “controversial ‘pregnant man’” who is currently expecting his second child, will air on the 20/20 special “What Is a Man, What Is a Woman? Journey of a Pregnant Man.” (“Barbara Walters Exclusive: Pregnant Man Expecting Second Child“) This will be Beatie’s first interview since giving birth just four and a half months ago (June 29, 2008) to his first child, a daughter named Susan.
Beatie’s first pregnancy provoked an array of differing emotions and reactions worldwide, with responses ranging from “death threats, and thousands of hateful comments” to “letters and gifts from all around the world, from gays, lesbians, mainstream American and beyond.” Closer to home, he and his wife, Nancy, “found acceptance among their Oregon neighbors who threw a baby shower for [him] a few weeks before his due date.” Now, his second pregnancy seems to be getting equal, if not more, interest, and all that we ask is for you to please take a moment to look at the entire situation rationally before forming your opinion of the Beaties:
“Thomas Beatie was born Tracy and grew up in Hawaii. A beautiful young girl, Thomas Beatie says he never felt particularly feminine growing up. ‘I felt rough and tumbly. I didn’t like frilly stuff. [. . .] Back then I did not see an attractive young girl. Putting on makeup, I felt like I was putting on a costume.’”
“In 1998, Thomas Beatie decided to change genders. Psychological testing confirmed that he identified with being a male and he began to medically transform his body.” After surgery, he “was legally allowed to change his birth certificate from female to male and his name from Tracy to Thomas.”
“In 2003, Thomas and Nancy Beatie were legally married, and like many couples, they decided to start a family. The couple wanted to have a biological link to their child, but Nancy Beatie had a hysterectomy. The couple did not want to hire a surrogate to carry Thomas Beatie’s harvested eggs, feeling no surrogate could be as conscientious as he.”
After great lengths, the couple finally became pregnant. Interestingly, Beatie “says that pregnancy did not make him feel more like a woman. ‘I did not feel maternal or motherly or womanly and pregnant. I felt like Nancy’s husband, and I felt like the father of my child.’”
Admittedly, for many in our society, this all sounds a bit over the top, but regardless of how individuals feel on a personal level about Beatie’s decision to bear children, abiding by Magna Sententia means treating him (and his wife and children) respectfully, just as we treat everyone else. Doing so may be challenging for some; however, we hope to aid in this process by providing some understanding about Beatie’s transsexual history and what that means.
At the same time, it is our hope that the Beaties conduct themselves in an exemplary fashion in all areas of their lives, from the way in which they present themselves and their situation to the public to how they raise their children. Due to the overwhelming attention his pregnancies are receiving, Beatie bears a great responsibility to the transgender community, as his actions will reflect on them as a whole. Unfortunately, this is a community within our country that is terribly misunderstood, and the “gradual acceptance” that they have worked so hard for and justly deserve can easily be marred by Beatie and his choices.
As Americans, we must treat all of our citizens respectfully as we work to understand those who are different from us: It is our duty, our privilege, and a course that unites our country and makes it stronger.
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 was a day for the history books: Barack Obama became the first African American to be elected President of the United States of America. And regardless of your personal politics, we must all recognize the significance of this and be proud that America, our country, has once again proven to be a place where anything is possible, where all people are considered equal, where freedom and democracy give everyone a voice.
Needless to say, this entire election process has been hard on American unity, and now that it is over, everyone has to remember that whether we are Democrat, Republican, or Independent, old or young, rich or poor, black, white, Hispanic, or Asian, gay or straight, religious, agnostic, or atheist, we are all Americans and that which we have in common is more important than our differences.
America and her ideals of liberty and justice are what tie us together, and as we look ahead, we must keep in mind that the brightness of our future hinges on whether we can unite as a people.
There are many wounds to heal, and this is exactly why both of us spent two years writing Magna Sententia: The Logical Cure for Our Society. In order for our society to achieve harmony, we have to move beyond the old argument of “traditional” values vs. “feminist” values, and reach a place of united American values, namely responsibility, respect, and realistic expectations, which President-Elect Barack Obama referenced in his historic victory speech:
As Americans, we have to do our part: “So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism, of responsibility, where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder.”
We must treat each other respectfully despite our differences: “As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, we are not enemies but friends. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection.”
In the difficult times ahead, we need to have realistic expectations: “We know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime — two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century. [. . .] The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep.”
While Democrats and Republicans will surely continue to have differing opinions when it comes to policy (which is healthy and necessary for our nation’s success), we have to look into our hearts and know that, in the words of our newly elected leader, “we are, and always will be, the United States of America” and that we must always treat one another accordingly.
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 
