Category Archives: News & Politics

Just my rants, raves & reflections on things that happen around the world.

Social Media & The New Feminist Wave

What an age we are now living in when it comes to communication. Con wise, we seemed to have become more partisan, but there is a greater awareness of issues that didn’t seem to exist before.

Looking at it through the issues that are normally swept aside because they are considered “women” issues and not humanity issues, social media has been huge.

I love the fact that a new generation of women and discovering feminism and learning and fighting against the misconception that it is about man-hating. That ignorance about feminism as always driven me nuts….

Women who have grown up being told by their parents that they can be anything, do anything are finding that the majority of the other half of the race doesn’t believe that. That it is institutionalized. They are finding that with social media they don’t have to be forced into silencing what they have experienced (rape, sexual harassment and now domestic violence (DV)). Many things that have been swept under the rug and ignored. They are tired of the double standards, the slut shaming, blaming the victim…they are making society notice them and the social ills we have and what they face.

If you would’ve told me a few years ago that colleges will be finally forced to face the rape culture or the due to the Rice video, that society is finally facing our DV culture I would’ve said “I hope so, but don’t hold your breath”.

It does bother me when people try to pigeon hole feminism. Just because you enjoy, celebrate your sexuality doesn’t mean you can’t be a feminist. Which some argue about Beyonce or Nicki Minaj…saying they help with the objectification of women. When you are controlling your own images and not allowing it to define you, you aren’t allowing others to objectify you. You are celebrating one of the many things that makes us human…..we are intellects, sisters, mothers, professionals, daughters, wives and yes, sexual beings. We should not be forced to deny that or any other part of us.

I love that we have such a diverse group of women finally standing up and claiming their feminism. From Beyonce (which is great on getting more and more younger women to explore and learn about it), Emma Watson speaking at the UN, Taylor Swift finally realizing and claiming the feminist label and men who freely claim the label, such as Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

The term Feminist has been so twisted and misused that it gives me hope to see being finally reclaimed for what it actually means :

“the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities” (Merriam-Webster)

Alan Grayson Email

Some Observations from a fund raising email of his :

A month ago, I wrote a note called “The Myths That Are Killing Us” – the hard myths that no Republicans, and very few Democrats, ever challenge. Here was my list:

The Government can’t create jobs. (Tell that to FDR, who created four million jobs in three months.)

Tax cuts reduce the deficit. (Doesn’t it bother them that a man named “Laffer” came up with this one?)

A fetus is a baby.

The poor have too much money.

Cutting the federal deficit will end the recession.

The rich are incentivized by tax cuts, while the poor are incentivized by lower wages, no benefits, an end to the minimum wage, and unemployment.

An unwanted child is God’s will.

Everyone who wants health insurance has it.

The problem with education is the teachers.

The “free market” satisfies every human need.

There is no discrimination in America anymore.

The distribution of wealth and income are irrelevant.

 

Well, this list seems to have provoked a lot of thought among us. Since I regard what we do as a collective endeavor, I want to share with you some of the best of this crowdsourcing by our audience – 20 more destructive myths:

 

One gender is better than the other, one race is superior to all others, and there is only one true religion.

You can get any medical treatment that you need, for free, in any hospital emergency room.

Ronald Reagan won the Cold War.

The environment can protect itself.

It is better for America to be feared than loved.

Only the wealthy create jobs.

America is a Christian nation.

Human beings are not the cause of climate change.

Minority women have children in order to qualify for welfare.

President Obama wants to take away our guns.

The more we spend on the military, the safer we are.

Corporations use tax cuts to hire people.

The unemployed are lazy and stupid.

Rich people are smarter than everyone else.

We will never run out of oil.

Invading foreign countries wins hearts and minds.

Science is a matter of opinion.

Instigating unnecessary wars shows your support for the troops.

Corporations are people.

Money is speech.

Every one of these myths is fascinating in its own right. You could write a whole book about each of them. So to the supporters who contributed to this list, thank you. I’m listening and learning.

 

And if we could just get past all of these myths, then think about what a great place this would be.

 

Courage,

 

Alan Grayson

Thoughts of The Day

“A religious person is a dangerous person. He may not become a thief or a murderer, but he is liable to become a nuisance. He carries with him many foolish and harmful superstitions, and he is possessed with the notion that it is his duty to give these superstitions to others. That is what makes trouble. Nothing is so worthless as superstition. . . .”

— Marilla M. Ricker, “Science Against Creeds,” I Am Not Afraid Are You? (1917). Read more about Marilla M. Ricker in Women Without Superstition: No Gods – No Masters.

 

“There is no such source and cause of strife, quarrel, fights, malignant opposition, persecution, and war, and all evil in the state as religion. Let it once enter our civil affairs, our government would soon be destroyed. Let it once enter our common schools, they would be destroyed . . . Those who made our Constitution saw this, and used the most apt and comprehensive language in it to prevent such a catastrophe.”

— Justice H.S. Orton of the Supreme Court of Wisconsin, concurring opinion in Weiss v. the District Board, decided on March 18, 1890, ruling bible readings and devotionals in public schools unconstitutional

Thought of The Day

“During almost fifteen centuries has the legal establishment of Christianity been on trial. What have been its fruits? More or less in all places, pride and indolence in the Clergy, ignorance and servility in the laity, in both, superstition, bigotry and persecution. . . .

Torrents of blood have been spilt in the old world, by vain attempts of the secular arm, to extinguish Religious discord, by proscribing all difference in Religious opinion.”
— James Madison, “Memorial and Remonstrance,” 1785

Been A While

I just discovered that tweets are no longer getting posted daily, I’m working on getting that fixed….no idea what happened and pretty annoyed by that.

Ok, what is going on in my little corner of the world……

We had a few days of sunshine and decent temps, now back to cold and rainy….it is Oregon, the normal.

Just received an email from my Aunt Debbie, my cousin Rodman (named after my late uncle) has been recommended to hospice.  =(  He doesn’t even hit 27 until June.  I didn’t grow up with him so wasn’t close due to that and age, but I have lots of memories of his mom and dad and me teaching his older sister how to walk.  Not sure what if anything I can do to help and feel totally helpless and crushed.  He is part of my family and it hurts.  My thoughts are with them, but that seems to be all I can do.  =(

Hubby and I have hit a rough spot economically but are doing well. Just needing to cut back and keep a closer eye on things.  We are grateful that we doing much better then many other people are nationally.

If you’ve been following my tweets, I’ve been getting very annoyed at the war on women that they right wing nut jobs are doing.  Limbaugh’s crappy comments just highlighted and showed it for what it was.  I’m really hoping that this wakes women up to start taking part.  So many laws have been passed to roll back our rights and treat us like imbecilic property it is astonishing.  And many have no idea how bad it has gotten, they are just trying to live their lives.  And my question is, where are the men in this?  The ones that don’t believe like the right wingers, why aren’t they speaking up?

At the rate this is going, they are going to take away our right to vote……ggeezz

Debating on going to Salem Apr 28th and take part in the March Unite Against the War on Women : https://www.facebook.com/UniteWomen

I know I do a lot of tweets and posts about issues, I hope that they are educational and make people more aware of how the government effects them more then they realize, but maybe it time to do a little more.  Even though, I’m a serious homebody and anti-social.

Not sure what to think about Peyton Manning.  I’ve always wanted him to retire as a Colt.  =(  But I understand why the Colts need to move on (they totally screwed up for not preparing in case he got injured) and start to rebuild.  Irsay and Manning did it really classy.  I really don’t see the Colts doing anything for the next few years.  I do hope, for Manning, that he still has a few more years left in him inspite of the injury and he can retire on his own terms.

We got ourselves IPad 2s for the holidays.  We are thoroughly enjoying them.  We love the surfing options, keeping up with twitter, but loving the ebook option more.  I like being able to update facebook/twitter from it, but for a lot of typing, such as this and skype, it has a lot to be desired.  I need my macbook for that.  We are debating (in the long term) of getting the wireless apple keyboard just for extensive typing.

I do love being able to have a small library in my hand due to my ipad.  I’ve already read the Hobbit & LOTR….being a few years since I have.  Currently going between reading Agathe Christie and “God Hates You : Hate Him Back” while using his arguments to highlight the bible I was given in ’89

Boy, reading this…..why would anyone want to be Jewish, Christian or Muslim??  “God” is such a hateful, murderous and jealous thing (where it acknowledges the existence of other “gods”.)  It teaches racism, genocide…..no wonder why religious nuts jobs feel comfortable in their hatred and bigotry…it taught all comes from the old testament……and I haven’t even gotten the new testament yet.  Like they say, you can’t fully read and understand the bible without becoming an atheist.

Joined the Freedom From Religion Foundation a few months ago.  Never been a fan of organized religion, especially have living in the bible thumping mid west.  Good way to turn you against religion.  But I always thought the bible and things were a log of history….but after actually reading and learning history, nope, it is nothing but a mythology…..just like the greek and roman gods.  Sad that the world still believes in it.

So now I’m reading up on the bible so I can understand and defend myself from the thumpers who have no respect for people who do not believe the same way.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve gotten to the point that I refuse to put up with the crap that I’ve tolerated over the years.  As I say, I’m old and cranky!  lol