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GoCubsGo

(32,086 posts)
Wed Oct 18, 2017, 11:15 AM Oct 2017

Karen Pence: Let Them Eat Clay

WASHINGTON — When Karen Pence found out that an art therapist in hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico couldn’t afford the clay her clients needed, she sprang into action.

A trained watercolor artist and advocate of the little-known mental health profession, Vice President Mike Pence’s wife went to the Virginia art supply store she frequented when they lived in the state during his tenure in Congress, bought 120 pounds of self-drying clay and packed it aboard Air Force Two for their flight down to survey the damage...
Lots more here:http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/karen-pence-outline-goals-art-therapy-initiative/

Talk about misguided priorities. I guess they can use that clay to make a power plant or a water purification system?
27 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Karen Pence: Let Them Eat Clay (Original Post) GoCubsGo Oct 2017 OP
Art therapy doesn't help much if you don't have food and water. The Velveteen Ocelot Oct 2017 #1
Perhaps a bit misguided given the current devastation in a Puerto Rico, but... Freethinker65 Oct 2017 #2
At least she seems to have some sort of concern, however misguided. AJT Oct 2017 #9
What goes thru these peoples' minds. PR needs food and water not effin clay. brush Oct 2017 #22
well...... i have done art therapy before and its a good way... samnsara Oct 2017 #3
Not so good if they die of lack of potable water, or something like cholera. longship Oct 2017 #5
It isn't meant to save lives. It was to help one person she met and do what she personally JI7 Oct 2017 #6
And, it's more effective when those kids know where their next meal GoCubsGo Oct 2017 #7
She isn't an elected official. I don't have a problem with this JI7 Oct 2017 #4
She's not elected but she's part of the program defacto7 Oct 2017 #25
I don't have a problem with this. WhiskeyGrinder Oct 2017 #8
No problem with this. Beakybird Oct 2017 #10
good for her! renate Oct 2017 #11
It's self drying clay... is it also self wetting? defacto7 Oct 2017 #26
At least it's not therapeutic horse dressage. forgotmylogin Oct 2017 #12
Are the citizens of PR going to put all this clay in their beautiful DK504 Oct 2017 #13
A couple MILLION plus without electricity awesomerwb1 Oct 2017 #14
Reminds me of Christ and the ninty and nine. defacto7 Oct 2017 #15
Can anybody tell me what is standing next to her? or is it a statue? snooper2 Oct 2017 #16
It's a gift. Perhaps not the best gift for the Ilsa Oct 2017 #17
I agree. n/t demmiblue Oct 2017 #19
Later. Now.. food and water. defacto7 Oct 2017 #23
Well, I suppose it's slightly better than tossing paper towels like you're Billy the Marlin. Tommy_Carcetti Oct 2017 #18
something she could relate too, more than anyone else on the plane did dembotoz Oct 2017 #20
While it is clearly not the top need, the effort was made in good faith and to remedy a need that karynnj Oct 2017 #21
I'll give her this one. It was an act of compassion. nolabear Oct 2017 #24
I understand, in a pinch, you can actually eat Play Dough Brother Buzz Oct 2017 #27

The Velveteen Ocelot

(115,774 posts)
1. Art therapy doesn't help much if you don't have food and water.
Wed Oct 18, 2017, 11:19 AM
Oct 2017

She should have spent her money on some cases of bottled water or non-perishable food, instead of clay to make little pots that they could put food in except that they don't have any.

Freethinker65

(10,027 posts)
2. Perhaps a bit misguided given the current devastation in a Puerto Rico, but...
Wed Oct 18, 2017, 11:19 AM
Oct 2017

I give her a pass on this.

brush

(53,801 posts)
22. What goes thru these peoples' minds. PR needs food and water not effin clay.
Wed Oct 18, 2017, 01:04 PM
Oct 2017

This in not rocket science — FOOD AND WATER.

WTF kind of people have we put in charge?

samnsara

(17,624 posts)
3. well...... i have done art therapy before and its a good way...
Wed Oct 18, 2017, 11:20 AM
Oct 2017

...to help kids who may be suffering from ptsd or just the general fearfulness of the situation down there.

longship

(40,416 posts)
5. Not so good if they die of lack of potable water, or something like cholera.
Wed Oct 18, 2017, 11:25 AM
Oct 2017

All the clay won't help then.

Recommended: first save lives, then do the art therapy.

Might as well throw paper towels.

JI7

(89,254 posts)
6. It isn't meant to save lives. It was to help one person she met and do what she personally
Wed Oct 18, 2017, 11:26 AM
Oct 2017

Was able to do for that person.

GoCubsGo

(32,086 posts)
7. And, it's more effective when those kids know where their next meal
Wed Oct 18, 2017, 11:28 AM
Oct 2017

and next drink of clean water are coming from. Which STILL isn't the case.

JI7

(89,254 posts)
4. She isn't an elected official. I don't have a problem with this
Wed Oct 18, 2017, 11:24 AM
Oct 2017

She did this herself with her own money based on personally speaking with someone.

Its not like she told others to send this over other products.

defacto7

(13,485 posts)
25. She's not elected but she's part of the program
Wed Oct 18, 2017, 01:40 PM
Oct 2017

whether she wants to be or not. What message she sends counts.

renate

(13,776 posts)
11. good for her!
Wed Oct 18, 2017, 11:34 AM
Oct 2017

That was a nice thing to do. And it sounds like she, at least, recognized that people in Puerto Rico were traumatized and needed whatever kind of therapy could be made available.

DK504

(3,847 posts)
13. Are the citizens of PR going to put all this clay in their beautiful
Wed Oct 18, 2017, 11:47 AM
Oct 2017

homes to help their thirst and hunger? Oh wait they don't have homes. Couldn't pack Air Force 2 with water, food, medicine?

awesomerwb1

(4,268 posts)
14. A couple MILLION plus without electricity
Wed Oct 18, 2017, 12:07 PM
Oct 2017

very, very, very, very little clean water, if any.....and 120lbs. of clay are gonna help? Come on DU people.

defacto7

(13,485 posts)
15. Reminds me of Christ and the ninty and nine.
Wed Oct 18, 2017, 12:17 PM
Oct 2017

One lamb had gone astray so he left the other ninty nine to find the one lost sheep. 1% of the sheep get the Christ treatment while the 99% are left to survive on their own. I bet the wolves lurking on the edge of the flock following their natural instincts had quite a lunch. Or maybe a lot of sheep died of dysentery or dehydration for sake of a media op for the 1%.

Ilsa

(61,695 posts)
17. It's a gift. Perhaps not the best gift for the
Wed Oct 18, 2017, 12:27 PM
Oct 2017

Moment, but it will come in handy later as children use it for recreation and therapy.

I'll give her a pass.

Tommy_Carcetti

(43,185 posts)
18. Well, I suppose it's slightly better than tossing paper towels like you're Billy the Marlin.
Wed Oct 18, 2017, 12:30 PM
Oct 2017

So there's that.

dembotoz

(16,811 posts)
20. something she could relate too, more than anyone else on the plane did
Wed Oct 18, 2017, 12:35 PM
Oct 2017

if i were a teacher i would give her a c

her hubby and the rest a solid F

karynnj

(59,504 posts)
21. While it is clearly not the top need, the effort was made in good faith and to remedy a need that
Wed Oct 18, 2017, 12:38 PM
Oct 2017

exists. Admittedly, that need is not a primary need, like shelter, food, clean water, electricity etc, but it is something that has a use - and I would bet the need for therapy might be higher than before.

Here the intention was kind - unlike many things done by this administration. Attacking her on this may lead to claims that we are attacking them on everything just because we do not like them.

nolabear

(41,987 posts)
24. I'll give her this one. It was an act of compassion.
Wed Oct 18, 2017, 01:36 PM
Oct 2017

If there's an art therapist the people she's working with have been provided food, water and shelter and it might well help them, especially kids, to know someone is interested in helping them talk about it.

In this don't give a fuck bunch any act of trying to help is welcome. I'll be mad at her for all the other things she's involved in that are worthy.

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