Meanwhile, at the White House this week ...

[ysengrin]

A new dress code has been posted at the White House (Thursday); it is being applied to tourists viewing the White House as well as to other vistors and staff members. The forbidden items include jeans, sneakers and t-shirts.

I guess our current administration wanted to drive home how serious a visit to Mickey's the White House should be. Either that, or we just can't be allowing the common riffraff in.

Comments

[porsupah.livejournal.com]

I could be mistaken, never having been there myself, but I don't recall there being any such restrictions to British royalty venues, such as Buckingham Palace. Perhaps the ruler in question could be petitioned for a relaxation of these codes?

[ysengrin.livejournal.com]

I've seen a bunch of comments elsewhere that it's about respect -- and while I'll agree that someone trying to be disruptive should be removed, these are also *tourists*, not supplicants, and the occupants are *not* royalty.

At best, it's US Citizens coming to see from whence the country is governed -- and no citizen should be turned away from that without good cause (especially since that visit has to be approved long in advance). At worst ... well, they're expecting no more than a fancy version of Mickey's House at Disneyland, as disheartening as that is.

I don't care who's in office on this one -- the dress code has been set offensively high.

[chakawolf.livejournal.com]

I am so sick of your agenda. Goodbye.

[ysengrin.livejournal.com]

'Till we meet again, then.

[ours-garou.livejournal.com]

I am so not sick of your agenda. Thank you for posting things like this, in case I haven't said it before.

[flashfire.livejournal.com]

I suppose there's something wrong with expressing opinions in one's own journal now?

You could've just as easily left quietly and only you and ysengrin would've probably known.

Instead, you had to draw attention to yourself.

As for the dress code at the White House, it's just plain stupid. Since when were t-shirts, jeans and sneakers bad? It's not like people are walking around there looking like bums. Lots of people wear jeans. Something like this is sure going to make me less likely to want to go on a tour. I have polo shirts, slacks and work shoes, but to say "you have to have these just to see this place" - no thanks.

[chakawolf.livejournal.com]

Cry me a river.

[flashfire.livejournal.com]

What a thoughtful, intelligent retort.

[chakawolf.livejournal.com]

Here's another:

ban_set flashfire

[flashfire.livejournal.com]

Lot of good that'll do you here, since it's not like I care enough about you to go troll your own journal.

Apology

[chakawolf.livejournal.com]

I would like to apologize to you and to Ysengrin about the callous remarks I made. I feel I also owe you an explanation. I have been under a tremendous amount of stress lately, both at work and in my personal life. It is seriously affecting my health and my judgment. This malady, unfortunately, manifests itself as serious, mercurial SCARY mood swings. The replies I made to you, Flashfire, were from work, where I was trying to deal with two hot projects, one petulant co-worker, and a boss who couldn't care less. The reply in Ysengrin's journal was on Saturday night, drunk, and mad as hell at my ex-girlfriend. I am NOT trying to justify my actions, I just feel that you have a right to know the reasons WHY. (If you had met me just a year or two ago, you probably would have liked me. Ysengrin is probably wondering just WTF is going on with me.) I am under a doctor's care for severe depression, but all efforts on his part so far have failed. The only medication that works is a tranquilizer, and I can't take too many of those. These little hissy-fits of mine are bad enough in my OWN LJ, they sure as hell don't belong in someone else's.

Again, please accept my apologies.

Re: Apology

[flashfire.livejournal.com]

That's a pretty rough situation and I can understand how it affects your mood and stuff. I guess I got into a bit of a defensive/protective mode too (not that I think ysengrin needs it) because so much of the political stuff is such a big hot-button issue. I'm no fan of Bush, but for the most part I've decided to leave general political stuff out of my own journal lately because I'd rather focus on other stuff.

For what it's worth, I accept the apology and offer one too. I don't even know you and insults right off the bat aren't really a good way to start.

Re: Apology

[chakawolf.livejournal.com]

>For what it's worth, I accept the apology and offer one too.

Thank you. I accept as well, although you don't really have anything to apologize for. Your being a stranger to me somehow makes it harder. If I was being an ass in front of someone who knew me it would be easier to put things right.

Going to MFM? Look me up -- I'll buy you a drink. (If I'm not busy chewing some poor fur's leg off!) ;-) (Damn, I hope that's a joke!)

Hugs!

Re: Apology

[flashfire.livejournal.com]

Sometimes the internet just makes it way too easy to snap at others, since people aren't face-to-face. I can just be a blunt person when I'm in that kind of mood.

I've actually never been to a furry convention, even any of the local ones here. Part of it is I work weekends, but I guess another is that I've never really taken the leap and looked into trying to get a costume or anything like that. I like wolves a lot and love the stuff ysengrin works on, but I'm not really in a situation at home where I can easily explain any of my interests or keep something around.

Re: Apology

[ysengrin.livejournal.com]

No apology needed - and if you'd like to talk about any perceived agenda in comments or email, feel free. I'll admit that I've got blind spots and that I'm not always correct :)

My apologies to you for taking so long to respond; things have been busy here.

Re: Apology

[chakawolf.livejournal.com]

Thank you for being so understanding. I was hoping to apologize to you in person at FC, but my attendance at that con is far from certain next year. Life has been interesting lately, just not in a good way.

[schnee.livejournal.com]

That makes no sense, yes. I can understand dress codes that prescribe (oops, I almost wrote "proscribe", but then decided I'd better check the dictionary ^^) a modicum of modesty, but this does seem like a relatively transparent attempt to keep out certain people (young people, poor people, people of "alternative" political persuasions etc.). I wonder how long it'll be before you have to show up in white tie...

Personally, I don't even *have* any trousers that aren't jeans, for example, and I'm sure the same's true for most others as well.

(Or is this just another stab at the French, just like "freedom fries"? :P)