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That’s what SHE said: mass murder and prayer, the psychology behind ritualized school shootings, white parents and the need to talk about racial violence, working while brown, climate change tips, Tina Fey & Amy Poehler farce it up and more…

December 6, 2015

PEOPLE REACT TO BEING CALLED BEAUTIFUL by Shea Glover | youtube.com


MASS MURDER AND THE PROBLEM WITH PRAYER | jonathanmerritt.religionnews.com

Jonathan Merritt calls out the GOP candidates who have offered lots of prayers for the victims of the San Bernardino shooting but no action…“Leaders will debate what should be done in the face of an epidemic of violence, but something must be done. A life of faith is a life of prayer and action, but never one without the other. Action without prayer is merely activism, and prayer without action is useless piety.” 

THRESHOLDS OF VIOLENCE: How School Shootings Catch On by Malcolm Gladwell | newyorker.com

Malcolm Gladwell breaks down the psychology behind the ritualization of school shootings comparing them to that of a riot – when a group of otherwise non-violent people take to violence.  He looks at the case of John LaDue, a teenager caught with explosives, ammunition, and a detailed plan of how he would kill his family and classmates. LaDue came from a loving family and showed no signs of violence or aggression. After a psychiatric evaluation, he was diagnosed with A.S.D. (formerly called Asperger’s syndrome) … “In the day of Eric Harris [Columbine], we could try to console ourselves with the thought that there was nothing we could do, that no law or intervention or restrictions on guns could make a difference in the face of someone so evil. But the riot has now engulfed the boys who were once content to play with chemistry sets in the basement. The problem is not that there is an endless supply of deeply disturbed young men who are willing to contemplate horrific acts. It’s worse. It’s that young men no longer need to be deeply disturbed to contemplate horrific acts.”

WHITE PARENTS NEED TO START TALKING ABOUT RACIAL VIOLENCE AGAINST AFRICAN-AMERICANS | chicagotribune.com

In racially segregated Chicago, a white mother gets into it with black protesters calling out the police over the shooting death of 17 year old Laquan McDonald, when her daughter cannot get into a store. Instead of using the experience as a teaching moment, many white shoppers out for Black Friday sales refused to converse or empathize with protesters…“It’s common in black households for parents to have frequent and necessary conversations about racial biases in hopes of keeping their children from becoming the next Laquan McDonald, Renisha McBride or Tamir Rice….But what are white parents doing to prevent their children from becoming the next Darren Wilson, Jason Van Dyke or George Zimmerman?” 

A COUPLE LETS THEIR DOG FILM THEIR SNOWY WEDDING  





WORKING WHILE BROWN: WHAT DISCRIMINATION LOOKS LIKE NOW | money.cnn.com


A look at how tone-deaf comments and microaggressions discriminate people of color in the workplace…”In 2014 alone, the EEOC received 31,073 charges alleging race-based discrimination, but dismissed 71.4% of them due to a lack of reasonable cause. While workplace discrimination can be as overt as moving an employee off of a key assignment, or failing to promote them even though they are qualified, it can also be very subtle and very difficult to prove, experts say. Take “implicit bias,” where someone of one race may unconsciously treat someone from another race differently. For example, a white worker who becomes anxious around a black person. Then there are “microaggressions,” or tone-deaf comments about a person’s race or ability, like expressing surprise at how articulate a Latino colleague is.”

MARK AND PRISCILLA: WELCOME TO PARENTHOOD- MOST OF IT WON’T BE SHARED ON FACEBOOK | qz.com

On the day Mark and Priscilla Zuckerberg welcomed their child into the world they also publicly posted a personal letter on Facebook about their $45 billion commitment to eradicate disease and reduce inequality. Jenny Anderson comments on the disconnect (for her) of making such a public statement within an intensely private moment and how the parents will learn that most of parenthood is not share-worthy and thankfully undocumented.

WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE | nytimes.com

Seven guidelines for how to help. “#3 – Eat everything in your refrigerator.”

SISTERS – The Farce Awakens

Amy Poehler and Tina Fey’s comedy, SISTERS, will open the same day as Star Wars. The dynamic duo has made the best of it with a brilliant farce.  

THINGS TO DO & THEATRE TO SEE

Santa has come to the Grove on 3rd Street & Fairfax but book your appointments now if you plan on seeing the big guy and purchasing photographs.  Also in the holiday spirit,  Knott’s Merry Farm , L.A. Zoo Lights, Disney on Ice presents Frozen,  Christmas plays include A Christmas Carol at A Noise Within and South Coast Rep,  and The Nutcracker at Long Beach Ballet and Orange County Festival Ballet. For the little ones, there’s Peter Pan and Tinkerbell: A Pirate Christmas at the Pasadena Playhouse. There are also several cool exhibitions currently running at several local museums. The Rain Room at LACMA should be at the top of this list and for older children, In Focus: Daugerreotypes and Ishiuchi Miyako’s thought-provoking Postwar Shadows at The Getty Center and the fall exhibitions at OCMA are some different weekend activities. 

 Christmas in New York is already in full swing with the Radio City Christmas Spectacular,  the tree at Rockefeller Center Plaza was lit this past Wednesday, and the holiday markets, fares, and ice rinks are buzzing.  For an added touch of whimsy, check out the Holiday Train Show at New York Botanical Garden or New York Theatre Ballet presents Keith Michael’s The Nutcracker.

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Hi, I’m Kristen. I’m a mom of four kids via birth and adoption and a writer living in Southern California. Read More.

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Rage Against the Minivan sometimes earns revenue through sponsored posts, which are clearly labeled, and occasional affiliate links to recommended products. I only feature products that I truly like, and my opinions are always my own.

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