Monday, September 26, 2011

Opinions are like....

That wild child
DISCOVERS DRUMS!
Kamryn hitting out the beat
ohhh boy
are we ever glad he
is
the next Michael Jordon!

It's Monday
and
I am hoping you are finding a
Joey Graff Desk to dance on
(even if it belongs to someone else)
GOOD MORNING MONDAY!
><
wELL the latest updates on
the Lily The Black Bear Facebook pages
update
by whoever is now writing those things
[I feel certain they are not penned by
Lynn Rogers or Sue Mansfield for a long time now]
has let over 100 thousand fans know
that
they are now awaiting confirmation
that
HOPE was shot by a hunter.
they now await that confirmation
from
the
MN DNR (Department of Natural Resources).
And
the sadness, the prayers, the candles
are filling the pages there.
The opinions
have folks on edge
and
someone even created an
"uncensored page called LTBB"
and
oh my did it cause opinions and upset
on
the Facebook!
So much so that
Sue Mansfield herself posted several times
and
finally made the statement that
"yes we do believe HOPE is dead"
although that had never been said
outright previously by her.
The person that created that uncensored page
is catching hell from folks
although
freedom of speech lives large in our country
and
other pages have cropped up before;
one had to go "private and closed"
it was so inflammatory!
folks there just fussed and cussed
and said terrible things about others
accusing and talking "scat"
it is a page that continues to do well
with
opinions
and
attitudes
each feeling free to express their rights under
the ole' constitution
and
yet they have closed their group
from the eyes of others to see what they have to say or to
share opinions on.
But this new "uncensored LTBB page"
it is open for the world to comment on
and
ohhh boy
have they ever
but
they are mostly sharing their opinions
for the person who opened it to begin with!
they are not happy
about the right to share opinions it seems
and
it seems that this page has inflamed many.
Opinions are interesting to watch
and
to read when emotions
or
feelings are involved.
When grief is raw
as
people try to sort things out
and
try to figure out if they are being told the truth
with
honor and integrity
and
when there are so many players involved.
Sometimes
all that can happen when there are only two people involved!
Remember that last argument or misunderstanding you had with a friend
or
loved one?
did it really matter in 6 months
or
6 days?
In the larger scope of things
when we sort back or look back
do those "knee jerk reactions"
really honor
us
in the grand scheme of things?
ahhh
we would do well to learn from
the
4 leggeds, the winged ones
and
the swimmers!

BUT
in the case of
a North American Black Bear named
HOPE
a little one that was seen being born in a den
out there in Ely MN
on a live web cam
by thousands across the world...
you can only imagine the
many
opinions now flying in cyber space
on the
"how/why/when/if onlys"
that are now filling the
Facebook pages
and
those who sit around the computer, burn up the phone lines and share a cup of coffee with others
and
wait for validation or confirmation!
The news of this
famous
HOPE
the
North American Black Bear
has now made the media
the newspapers
the
hunters have chimed in
and
those who are against hunting as well.
There is understanding
misunderstanding
there is
a want for more
for closure
for
magical fixes.
Brains are firing and the fireworks are flaring... across the world with each beat of the heart in the past days of perceived threat of loss....

It has brought with it: togetherness, anger, denial, bargaining, ugliness, deceit, opinions (some of which are just remarkable), and ohhh so much more!
LILY and HOPE
back in the day of splendor and awe

On the latest update
posted by who knows who
we were told that the
Moderators who have maintained order on the page had resigned
and
they were thanked for their time there.
It was no more than a line or two...
Those folks (whoever they were) dedicated probably 19 hours a day to keeping the page clean and safe from emotional eruptions
and
kept the researchers out of the
"ugly loop"
and
the press from seeing some of the
"rawness" secondary to heightened opinions and emotions of the
ability to watch the wild from a distance as folks put those human emotions on
Wild Bears in the Woods!
I think those moderators have been gone for several days now,
as the things that have been allowed on that facebook page
probably would have been not so much allowed over the last weekend
and the NABC and researchers and press not seen some of what was shown there!
It would have probably been better had those opinions not been thrown out into
cyberspace!
But again
that is but one opinion in the land of many.
AND
folks in this state of upset over a beautiful
North American Black Bear
that weighed about 120 pounds
who wandered into a
"bait station"
of a hunter
was
"legal game" in the state of MN.
Lynn Rogers has been in contact with this person about Lily, HOPE and Faith
and
the person did answer emails about seeing them at that bait stand,
about not shooting the collared bear and her cubs,
but when asked if that person
SHOT AND KILLED HOPE
there has been no further reply
to that email.

Sorta answered itself I am thinking.
And
the harsh reality is
HOPE was NOT wearing a collar, was NOT ribboned, did NOT have ear tags
that identified her as
a
research bear to anyone.
Opinions of hunters
of
bait stands
of
ethics
of
just about anything you can imagine
will be on the table and in the air
in the day and the days ahead.
Opinions will fly
including the character of each other
and those that are not known with exception of their words, and their emotions.
Folks will be spoken to harshly in one entry and one breath
while embraced in the next
and
HOPE
and
FAITH
those words (names of the bears)
will be written and read more times than we can count.

Prayers will be said, will be written, will be shared... candles will be lit across the world
for a beautiful North American Black Bear.

We all will wonder
and
some will still wonder what and where is the
North American Black Bear named Donna that went missing and that no one is speaking of
and
where are her cubs now.

Relax friends,
take a breath,
walk away from that which gets your heart racing and pulse going strong...
Embrace beauty and memories that sustain
and
preserve your dignity and honor
in all ways
on dreary and most remarkable days!

As for that Lily page on Facebook?
Oh boy is it hopping with
opinions, with photographs
with
opinions...

We will hear from new Moderators,
some will come on my "fan page of Facebook"
as will some fans
and
one will say simply
"I am a PHD WITH NO SOCIAL GRACE"
and
that will be her opinion
as
I will continue to keep it real
as I ask the question,
where has
Integrity and honor and honesty gone friends?

Folks deserve that when they invest time, emotions, money, dedication to causes, to events, to life...
The can handle anything
IF
they know WHAT it is they are dealing with.
Rather than "skirt an issue", let people know
the reality as you know it...
That is the
Opinion that I share with you on
this
Marvelous Monday

as
I wish you enough...

the fire is burning, its embers are hot...
the sage is filling the air, with thoughts on the wind to all and
HOPE that all will find the strength that is needed to move through the day and memories that will sustain.

Walk In Beauty,
DRSES





11 comments:

Anonymous said...

bravo doc, an opinion that has always been real and that we can "trust" thank you..have a blessed week

Anonymous said...

No social grace? whoever wrote that has NO IDEA of the warriors that stand by you DR Showalter... and stand strong we do... thanks for this page, we stand strong honoring and holding each other in dignity and often with humor here. those who have walked through hell with illness, with loss and many who have followed the North American Black Bears get it: the wild can be glorious but it is not without peril... we are privleged to walk and thank YOU for keeping us and this page here by keeping it real and safe with honor and truth today. "btw, that thank you to the moderators sounded like a passive aggresive bak handed thank you to me" (in my opinion anyway) watch that page and all that has been done now go down in some hot flames out here in the Northwoods

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much Sherry.....you have put into words what I , and I am sure, a lot of others feel. Great love and respect to you<3

Anonymous said...

Ps from 3rd comment......sadly I don't feel safe adding my name to the comment (what does that say about the state of things?) but I am one of the Mods who resigned - because the hypocrisy and back-stabbing has gotten too much - it's NOT just because I am upset over what has happened to Hope.

Anonymous said...

Oh what a sadness this following of North American Black Bears has turned into over the last 19 months or so... as one who has followed the emotional roller coaster, the emotional outbursts of fans, and one who has learned so very much through the screen of a computer and admired and donated and believed in the authenticity... of all that was being done on behalf of these beaiutiful bears. NOW I am having to wonder, and to reflect over the past months, the Bears, the intentions of man/woman and those who say one thing and get tainted by fame.. those who blat others for opinions and feelings and who demand from others while threatening others who try and protect the research and the facebook pages and somehow the mission and the focus of the bears has gotten lost along the way.. speaking of opinions today?
then I see your fan page, and I see where an ass presents itself with that comment on "PHD with no social grace" and I have to laugh out loud, as the page is now run by someone who was seen kissing lynn rogers in Ely MN last year and the rumors flew, and emails were flying and a group called Project HOPE was created and the "scat was flying", moderators were threatened on and off that wall, and HOPE was dressed in ridiculous photo shop outfits and treated as a doll and adults were using silly little converstaions in adult forums and such craziness was abided by the now so called moderators who are also posting the updates as they now allow all to post on everything ... and the person who posted before me is afraid to sign her name as am I for the "not want of others to harrass" or threaten or otherwise be of ill will and personally eat up air and HOPE is probably dancing across the galaxies with little Jason who was injured in the den, and (we didnt know the truth for how long again??) and so it goes, integrity and beliefs that we bought into just gone with the wind out there or out here in MN and we wonder why last year the press and others likened the lynn rogers/and his cohort as a "cult" rather than legit research and those who followed? Oh how hindsight is always 20/20, thank u Dr Sherry, one think is certain, you always had a way of speaking the truth there and here, with as you would say and as I find comfort in now, "blessings to all who gather here in kindess and compassion" I remember how comforting those words were then and I wondered about things when I no longer saw you post there a long time ago... Now I can see why, and I have to end by saying... I do appreciate what those moderators tried so hard to do, and I thank them... It is a sad day out here in the woods for many and I suspect all over the world as we wait, but no longer really wonder. I will STOMP as I think of all the North Aemrican Balck Bears and I thank u with great respect. to the above commenter, "i feel your pain and admire your honesty to keep your idenity silent, sad but true that it is what it is... there are some pathological folks out there saying they are fans of Lily the Black Bear... In My Opinion of course. Sure am glad this is a safew place to say that Dr Sherry

Anonymous said...

Hi there friend,
AWESOME BLOG!!! Integrity and honor are greatly underrated. And it is a sad statement for our society. Watching all you mentioned on the bears is like watching a hem unravel when you pull a loose thread. There seems to be no way to stop it.
It is time people stood up for what is right.

"Never be afraid to do what's right, especially if the well-being of a person or animal is at stake. Society's punishments are small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul when we look the other way." ~~ Martin Luther King, Jr

Saw this posted over there by people who are not attacking everyone. That is not standing up for what is right. People can not act like the ugly ones.

Thanks for the blog and for the safe haven to write on.

hugs on the wind friend
EE

Anonymous said...

oops EE error..should be "who are now attacking everyone"

Irene M said...

I am lost............... did I miss reading
something in the last 2 days ?
Sign me: wondering & confused

Anonymous said...

hellooooooooo.
very sad to hear the news of "hopeeven more sad to think that there are some truly ignorant people who cannot seem to get a grip on what is important here... research on the bears is much appreciated, lots of special moments shared and a lot learned.. wild life is just that and there is a line to draw when it comes to humans trying to manipulate nature.. " human nature" has a very ugly side, people whe feel it appropriate to insult Dr. Showallter are sadly mistaken that they may do so without hearing the wrath of those of us who disagree..
If you cannot take the heat, stay out of the proverbial kitchen...
Keeping it real is one of the most valued qualities ... we appreciate honesty and integrity here on this page.. and to Irene, LOL, don't blame you for feeling confused...
I am also wondering where all the whacked out remarks are coming from...
Wishing peace and serenity for all..
you rock Doc !!!
sign me, hugging my angels,
A. ♥ ♥ ♥

Anonymous said...

p.s. form Sign me, A.
I did not mean to say whacked out remarks as in
referring to any above comments..
referring to the one who referred to DRSES as
a PHD>> etc...
whacked out she is as well as foolish
to venture she could get away with such a
riciculous statement...
g'nite ♥

Anonymous said...

A lot of thoughts and words here today and grateful to come here to a place where it is friendly and caring. No yelling, bashing and blaiming. It has been difficult thinking about the other place and reading very few of the posts last night. I had to repeat the statement said above "blessings to all who gather here in kindess and compassion" Be well my friends and Dr. Sherry and all have a Blessed and Happy day - S♥