Business

I Refuse to Play Make Believe Any Longer

There are dozens of examples of things that are being pushed on society that we all know that they are entirely untrue, and yet they continue. They are make believe issues.

Published

3 years ago

March 1, 2021

Chris Widener

“When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.” I Corinthians 13: 11

If you are a parent or grandparent, you have probably at one point or another had one of your daughters or granddaughters come up and ask you if you would like to dress like a princess and have a tea party. Or perhaps your son or grandson has asked to dress up and play Cowboys and Indians. And of course we all did (to be clear though, I did not dress up as a princess). At some point, however, those children stop playing make believe. Or at least they should. Imagine if your 40 year old daughter came out dressed like a princess and asked you for a tea party. It would be even more disturbing if she dressed like a princess every day and went to work that way, demanding that everyone call her “Princess.” Or if your 40 year old son wore a sheriff’s uniform to work each day. We would say that something was a little “off.”

Unfortunately we have tens of millions of people still playing make believe, pretending that something is true when it absolutely isn’t. The simplest example on this is this whole idea that a teenage boy can declare himself a girl and now join the high school girls track team. This requires everyone around him to suspend belief and pretend that he isn’t a boy. In fact, they DEMAND that we do so. Even when it is patently obvious that it is simply not true. Think about it. If they can make you go along with the idea that a human body with a penis is actually a girl, in spite of all science saying otherwise, they can make you believe anything. The make believe is designed to destroy the concept of absolute truth. (And let me say right here, so as not to be accused of “transphobia,” that I believe every transexual has the exact same rights as any other American citizen. Nothing less but nothing more either. They can do what they want to their bodies and call themselves whatever they want. I’m just not going to play along with their desire to claim something that isn’t true.)

And this is just one example. In preparing to write this article, I asked my Facebook friends what other games of “make believe” we are being demanded to play. Here are some of their answers (You will note that I have GREAT Facebook friends):

That we canceled the Pipeline project for the good of the climate but it’s ok that foreign countries produce our oil (like we don’t share all the same climate!)

Just because socialism has failed everywhere else doesn’t mean it won’t work here, because we’ll do it “right.”

You can sit inches from someone on an airplane for four hours, yet it is dangerous to not “social distance” while deplaning.

A higher minimum wage will lead to more opportunity and prosperity and not inflation.

That people crossing into the country illegally should not be referred to as illegal.

That the left can destroy monuments, burn property, destroy businesses, take over municipal and federal buildings but it is called a protest.

How more gun control leads to less violence.

That late term abortion is ever necessary to save a woman’s life.

That we should not defend our property, because the thieves need it more than we do.

That Trump is a white supremacist or a Russian asset.

That at elementary age children are old enough to give sexual consent.

That Democrats are for the common man.

That personal wealth is built on the backs of the working poor.

That young black men – or any race for that matter – are being hunted down in the streets by police.

That two million poor immigrants can be admitted into the country to be fully supported at public expense and it will have no economic impact on the people who are already here.

That science is an oracle with all the answers instead of a process for exploring questions.

That banning plastic bags and straws, particularly in cities hundreds of miles inland, will save the lives of sea turtles.

That you are selfish if you support capitalism and want to see our country prosper.

That requiring ID to vote disenfranchises minorities. The implication being that minorities just aren’t smart enough to know how to get a driver’s license or personal ID.

We need TSA security and proper identification at our airports, but not at our borders or at polling places.

That just because I was born white, I’m automatically racist.

The X and Y chromosome are irrelevant when determining male or female.

Extended lockdowns were necessary or effective.

There you have it. Those were generated from just one Facebook post. I am sure that you may be able to come up with even more. But the point is that there are dozens of examples of things that are being pushed on society that we all know that they are entirely untrue, and yet they continue. They are make believe issues.

The question is why do they continue living in their fantasy land? I think they continue because we play along. They pretend and we go right along and pretend with them.

Well folks, I’m through.

I am by profession, a speaker. I have written 22 books, I am in the Motivational Speakers Hall of Fame, and have spoken all over the world at conferences. I was having a Facebook discussion around the way people are now choosing pronouns that are not accurate at all. For example, a man now requires you to call him “her” or “she.” It is not true and it is therefore not even proper english. Especially when that man wants to be called “they.” It is absurd. One man or one woman is a single, not a plural. In this conversation a friend of mine from the National Speakers Association declared that most corporations are moving this way and if they require me to call their Male CEO “her” or she” or “they,” that he would do so.

That was the straw that broke the camel’s back for me. Why that? I don’t know, but it did. I said that I am done playing make believe. Sure, if their male CEO wants to be called Sheryl or Margaret, I would be happy to do so (although I would snicker in my head every time I did). But I will not play make believe and call him a woman.

In fact, I won’t be playing make believe in anything, ever again. You can pretend whatever you want. I won’t be joining you. Instead, I would encourage you to stop pretending – or even just being silent when they pretend – because allowing them to pretend without speaking up and challenging it has consequences. How bizarre is the make believe we’re talking about? Consider this:

The story I’m about to tell you is from a friend of ours. It happened to her. This is not a secondhand story.

She was at a major clothing retail store and was going to go into the dressing room to try on some clothes. When the person who disinfects the room after someone uses it came out, she started moving toward the dressing room but was told to stop. She was told she had to wait for two minutes.

When she asked why, she was told that it took a couple of minutes for the coronavirus to fall off the surfaces and drift to the floor. Apparently, if she went in too early, she might bump into it in the air and catch the virus. (No mention of whether or not you can catch it on the soles of your feet)

You can’t make this stuff up. And I’m not.

What have we come to?

Until those of us who are concerned with the truth stand up and fight in the marketplace of ideas, we we are doomed because there are enough uninformed and gullible people who will follow right along with the make believe fairy tales being thrust upon the masses. We cannot allow ourselves to be canceled or dismissed.

America was built on the free flow of information and the exchange of ideas. America is a place where everyone’s voice can and should be heard and the goal is that the truth will win out. We must battle for the truth and make sure that every step of the way it is heard.

One of the greatest speeches ever given in a film was Al Pacino‘s character in Any Given Sunday. Right before a big game he tells his team that football and life is a game of inches. You have to battle for every single inch you take. The other team is going to battle fiercely, and we see that each and every day as they flood the airwaves with lies, half truths, misinformation, and disinformation. All of it make believe in order to deceive the masses. We must battle them every single inch of the way. For if we do not, eventually we will lose.

Today is the day to make your voice heard. The left RELIES on your apathy. I get it. I know how difficult it is when somebody is saying something stupid to open your mouth and raise your voice and say the truth. It is a lot easier to just roll your eyes and consider them a moron.

We must make our voices heard. Quit going along with their fairy tales and speak up!

We'd love to hear your thoughts about this article. Please take a minute to share them in the comment section by clicking here. Or carry the conversation over on your favorite social network by clicking one of the share buttons below.

Chris Widener

Chris is the Founder of PolitiCrossing, one of the World's Top 50 Speakers and a member of the Motivational Speakers Hall of Fame. He considers it a privilege to be able to speak to people, help them lead successful lives, become extraordinary leaders and, masterful salespeople. Chris has authored twenty-three books with three million copies in print in 14 languages and over 450 articles on success, leadership, sales and motivation.

Join the conversation!

We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.

Up Next

The Gaslighting of America

Don't Miss

Donald Trump States: “I Just Might Have To Beat Them A Third Time”

Business

Productivity in Flight

You can handle so much in the air that you’ll have less to do going forward

Published

2 months ago

July 16, 2023

Jeff Davidson

When you are flying and told to put your cell phone in airplane mode, you might think that your productivity will suffer. However, when I turn on my email function and dictate into the phone, even surrounded by the heavy airplane noise, my cell phone, an Android model, works well with few transcription errors.

This particular article was written at 35,000 feet. I was in airplane mode at the time, with all kinds of sounds around me. Yet the phone faithfully recorded my dictated words.

If I have notes with me, and enough time on the flight, I’ll be able to dash off three or four articles in one sitting. Chances are you have the same capability.

Maybe you’re not writing articles per se, but you could be creating future blog entries, making notes to your staff or to your boss, or writing messages that you’ll send to friends and relatives. So what if you can’t send them at the moment that you finished dictating? You’ll be landing soon enough, and you’ll have the capabilities to resume sending and receiving email. Then, bingo! You’ve handled so much in the air that now you have less to do going forward.

– – – – –

Business

The Cancel Culture at Artspace in Raleigh, North Carolina

Making a federal case out of a 20 second, honest mistake

Published

3 months ago

July 7, 2023

Jeff Davidson

American Thinker — The USA, the land of the free and home of the brave. With its weaponized DoJ and FBI, are we truly free? And what about tyranny at the state level? As part of their pro-LGBTQ+ agenda, the House Democrat Party in Michigan has passed a law to fine or incarcerate residents using the wrong pronouns in addressing another person.

The bill, HB 4474, criminalizes making somebody “feel threatened” by terminology including employing the wrong pronouns. The proposed legislation would replace the current Ethnic Intimidation Act. If enacted, it will be a felony hate crime in Michigan, with up to five years in prison or a $10,000 fine, for causing protected classes to “feel terrorized, frightened, or threatened,” regarding gender identity or sexual orientation.

I Am a Fugitive from Justice

I am blessed to reside in North Carolina, not Michigan, where my recent crime is not yet a felony. My letter, directly below, to the Artspace Board of Directors and, below that, the correspondence leading up to my letter, spell out the grievous sin for which I am guilty! As you will see, clearly, I am a lost and nonredeemable soul:

Greetings Artspace Board Members,

I am a six-year volunteer with Art Space of Raleigh, having started in March of 2014, and serving through March of 2020 until COVID-19 shut us down. I resumed volunteering once the “First Friday” visitors were back in swing.

During my time as a volunteer, I was on site, perhaps 60 to 64 times, missing about 10 First Fridays due to my travel as a professional speaker and cruise ship speaker. My volunteer experience initially included serving wine and beer. I then became the food server for many years. The supervisors, including Mary Kennedy, were glad because I was one of the few who never consumed the Artspace food!

During some First Fridays, I stayed on for a second 3-hour shift, on short notice, when other scheduled volunteers did not appear.

In addition, I served as a volunteer on some weekends during Family Days directing a variety of activities for kids. I also volunteered at the annual benefactors banquet – a black tie affair with lavish hors d’oeuvres and entertainment.

After COVID-19, I was assigned to the education room. During such sessions, parents with children or children on their own would create some type of art or craft. The new supervisor was David, who praised me on several occasions during my nights of volunteering, as I always arrived early, took few breaks, did not require refreshments, and handled crowds of all sizes.

In March 2023, I was a volunteer once again. Then, I was traveling on the first Friday in April and in May, so I was not available again until June. hen I signed up for June weeks later, I saw that my sign-up had been removed. When I re-signed, I was informed by David via email, out of the blue (see below) that I had committed a grievous sin 10 weeks before and could no longer volunteer. Ten weeks.

I have included, verbatim, sequential correspondence between myself and David.

Jeff Davidson

Hi Jeff,

I apologize for not responding to you sooner. I am going to politely ask that you no longer volunteer with Artspace moving forward. We have appreciated your support, but my colleague Danny reported that you used inappropriate language that could’ve made attendees feel uncomfortable while volunteering during March First Friday.

At Artspace, we’re striving to create a space that people from all walks of life can feel comfortable in and we need volunteers who reinforce that culture. Again, thank you for the support but I feel its best if you no longer volunteer with Artspace.

Best, David

Greetings David,

I did not knowingly use any inappropriate language at any time. Before you came on board, I was a volunteer for 6 years every First Friday at Artspace, and was widely acknowledged as an asset on First Fridays.

Now, I hear this kind of accusation. What specific language does Danny have to report? I would be most interested in knowing the specifics as opposed to some general accusation. If you’re going to make an accusation, let me hear what it is.

Jeff,

I’m happy to give you a call later today to discuss. However, as the Director of Community Engagement and the person who manages Artspace’s volunteer program this is my final decision. Please let me know the best time to call you today.

Thank you, David

David,

You can call me anytime {he never did, I had to force a call}, I’m interested knowing a couple of things:

* What does Danny say that I said, verbatim?

* Next, if I happened to say something that he thought was inappropriate, why did he not tell me at the time?

* Why does it take 3 months to find out such news?

* Also, don’t be concerned that I’m going to attempt to continue to be a volunteer.

* Nobody, including me, wants to be around anybody that does not like them.

I received praise from you the times we’ve encountered each other, and now you’ve taken the word of an associate that I’ve done something so terrible that I must be banned forever from Artspace, without even first talking to me about it.

This is leadership?

Jeff Davidson

No News by Phone

On the phone, I could not get him to give me any specifics or even anything of substance, just vague utterance about some terrible faux pas that merited instantly canceling me. So, I called to his boss, who he had not informed. She was surprised because she had seen me many times on the job and knew that I was on asset. To follow up, I sent her the email trail:

Greetings Ms. Jones,

Here is the email trail [all included above] leading to the phone call in which David would tell me nothing and when I attempted to gain any useful information about the alleged faux pas, he hung up on me. In my 20+ years of volunteering for WUNC, the Flower Shuttle, Tunnel to Towers, Cystic Fibrosis, March of Dimes, and the NC Museum of Arts, I have never experienced anything remotely like this.

Thanks for your attention, Jeff Davidson

At the request of his boss, David sent me a formal letter, now adding on other previously unannounced “multiple reports on your inability to follow instructions during volunteer shifts.” You and I have seen this before: someone has a weak case so they throw in more vague, (bogus) assertions to “shore up” their argument. Then, when they stonewall you by phone and you get upset, they throw that in as well.

Case closed: looked at all the infractions!

Dear Jeff,

Thank you for your six years of service to Artspace. Our organization appreciates your continued support over the years assisting with First Fridays and other programs. Unfortunately, we no longer see Artspace’s volunteer program as a good fit for you, and we will no longer need your assistance as a volunteer.

We have come to this decision after we received multiple reports on your inability to follow instructions during volunteer shifts. A staff member reported you made inappropriate comments related to gender in reference to a family visiting Artspace during First Friday on March 3, 2023. Everyone is welcome at Artspace and our staff strives to create a safe space that is welcoming to people of all ages, abilities, genders, and backgrounds. We want to retain volunteers who will reinforce that expectation and respect the culture that has been established.

Not only did your comments make that staff member feel uncomfortable, but dismissive comments related to gender identity could have jeopardized that family’s positive experience at Artspace. The hostile behavior you displayed when confronted about this incident over the phone only further displays that it is time for us to part ways. For those reasons, I am respectfully requesting you no longer volunteer with Artspace moving forward.

We thank you for your service and hope you find success volunteering with another local organization. Please know you are still welcome to visit Artspace and attend our community programs.

David,

Multiple reasons? Hardly. Thanks for your continued non-explanation. If you’re referring to the two little kids, dressed in bright colors, with long flowing hair, giggling at the back table for over an hour, who I mistook as girls, it was an honest mistake that anyone could have made. There was zero malice on my part. I was seeking to help them with their art project, as all other youths required, roughly, only 30 to 40 minutes.

I said to them, verbatim, “Ladies, can I help?” They had been unsupervised for at least an hour, and then a parent, apparently their parent, seated nearby said, “They’re boys.” I immediately told them I was sorry for their error. Not the world’s worst offense, and highly likely not the first time someone has erred in relation to them.

I then went immediately to Danny and asked him about the two youths and he said they were boys. I told him that I had mistook them. That is the whole incident.

You, David, apparently want to make this a federal case, and make defamatory statements as if I’m some type of troglodyte with a history of bad behavior. I strongly sense that you were looking for a way to depose me as part your personal brand of cancel culture.

As for the phone conversation, you were intentionally vague and unresponsive when I had a legitimate right to know what I had done that was worthy of your punishment. I asked for any type of detail and you offered next to nothing. And you kept accusing me of pressing you, and then you hung up on me. Even now, it has taken several more weeks to get any kind of information from you and I had to go to your supervisor, at that.

For shame, David.