Priorities and Patriotism

Last night's television news showed a stark contrast between the downtown celebrations of Mardi Gras in New Orleans, while only blocks away devastation and decimation reigned on the poor people. According to one news source, the city spent $2 million dollars to host this lavish spectacle, saying it was good for the people. Which people--the wealthy, or the poor needing their yards cleared of debris, who cannot find homes, who cannot find food, or jobs, or help? The same hold true about the needy and homeless across the country. Cities can somehow quickly come up with hundreds of millions of dollars for sports arenas, but cannot come up with enough money for social services programs, after-school programs, recreation programs, homeless shelters, good paying jobs, etc. I am very proud of our military--they have rallied and served our nation in this crisis. But we also need to fight at home for our neediest, our poorest, our most helpless, and our most homeless. Patriotism is wonderful when we fight abroad preserving democracy, but we also must put aside partisan fighting to give that same "liberty and justice for all" spirit to every citizen. People must be fought for at home--that every one has a good paying job--not outsourced for the sake of a few executive; People must have affordable housing--not luxury homes for just the wealthy. If we are so patriotic, why aren't we defending the rights to having products made at home here in the USA, real jobs get created, where people can afford to live comfortably, and where people can get good affordable medical care. American Patriotism means that we stand for our own citizenry first, not give it all to other countries. Our country is not capable of solving the world's problems--we need the remaining 150 or so countries to help--and we need to clean up our own homeland first. Poverty, discrimination, joblessness, homelessless and no affordable medical care, especially for anyone--is this the American ideal? Or is the the new patriotism--fighting to keep people living this way while doling out every tax dollar to every country around the world? When you look at your checkbook, even with "low" priced products, do you feel incredibly squeezed more and more? Do you feel that you have to work 2 or 3 jobs just to keep a low-income apartment? What about the 2.5 million individuals who filed a record number of personal bankruptcies in the U.S. in 2005--aren't these the real indicators that patriotism is mis-guided? If you do, write your congressional delegation where you live, your governor, and your local officials. Get involved-vote-take a stand, do something. If you fill a seat in your church--don't just give money--act for those who cannot get a voice or get heard. Stand for those who are not being taken seriously. Make it crystal clear that we need a new America--where we join hands with everyone, no matter how different they may be from us--we are Americans -- one and all. The next time you say the Pledge of Allegiance, say it not only to the flag, but to your fellow Americans. That is the real message of liberty and justice for all, and is the real spirit of Patriotism.

The Meaure of a Woman

Can you look back in your lives for a minute and ponder all the great influential women who graced your path? Sure, we can think of public amazing people like the late Coretta Scott King, Rosa Parks, Betty Friedan, Shirley Chisolm, Bella Abzug. They were and always will be admired for their unique blend of feminity, class, courage, and never-give-up attitudes. But, today I'm thinking about the women we will only know--the mothers, the women-who-mothered-us, the women we met for a reason or season, the women who we wanted to emulate. They gave us a view, an insight, a new paradigm, new hope, fresh outlooks, and helped us to believe, feel, and say that being a woman meant holding up your head high, defending your individual liberty/dignity and refusing to accept the societal lies that we were "second best". They showed us how to live in spite of adversity, discrimination, abuse, chauvinism with class, dignity, grace, polish, and toughness. Yes, toughness--a very important feminine quality--being a mother, being a woman in society requires the "stiff upper lip", the "steel backbone", and and "eagle eyes" to keep focus on what is important. Even today, in 2006, we need all these... and we need more--we need each others' mentoring, love, friendships, bondings, laughter, tears, strength, and stick-to-it-tive-ness. Unfortunately, freedom for women is still lacking around the world--even in the United States when a prominent religious leader in 1998 stated at its' religion's annual meeting that "women must submit to their husbands" clearly shows how religious in our modern times is manipulated so that women become "second best." We don't need to burn bras, dress like men, be obnoxious, or turn to anti-social means--we need to show strong character, keep demonstrating that we are complete equals -- not better nor worse than men-- and celebrate our beautiful differences. The women who influenced us were not pretty faces to us--they were our role-models, our heroes, and above all, the "mark" of the kind of woman we ourselves wanted to be. Let's make them proud by standing up, by reclaiming feminism to remind the world that we are very much here, alive, important, and deserve parity, egalitarianism, and protection of our character. Then, as we achieve these benchmarks ourselves, we will keep the circle alive when a younger woman looks up to us for her future goal. How do you wish to be measured by and how? That is clearly up to you. Make a difference--It still does count!

We Are the Holders to Our Future

We are the custodians of our choices, thereby making us the custodians of our consequences." This is an original of mine, which holds me accountable to the reality that whatever I say, do, act out, or not do/act/say will result in some kind of follow-on result. Sometimes we know what it is; sometimes we don't. Yet, as feminists we can choose to say that the "old" images and philosophies of the early Women's Liberation Movement are archaic, or we can embrace them in a whole new light. If we don't maintain vigilance; if we don't press for fairness, justice, egalitarianism, equal pay, workplace fairness, or gender dignity for all females worldwide, then we are choosing to go back to the dark days when women became property; when women did not get equal time or rights; when women could not decide for themselves their own paths and destinies. Being born female is not a reason that men can say we cannot serve as ministers, rabbis, priests, CEOs, leaders, heads of households, and anything else you think of. Digging in our heels doesn't imply the fashion shoe itself--it implies, Ladies, we have more work to do, and we must get about the business of defining feminism as that which emboldens and embraces the God-given dignity we share and own as women. Misogyny is a bad global infection, and the only way to cure it is to fight back against it. Our civil and human rights as women never included the permission to treat females substandardly. Nor do they grant anyone the right to harm, murder, maim or abuse women. There is much work to be done... In the spirit of those feminists before us....let's roll up our sleeves and get to it!

America the Poor....

Oprah Winfrey showed a startling show in September 2005 regarding the 37 million (yes, million) American citizens who live in poverty in this country. Knowing poverty existed here as nothing new; but the depth and extent of it was shocking--nearly 20 percent of this country's total population. Too many jobs are "leaking" away to other countries. Too many people hear what they "can''t" have or that they are not eligible. Doesn't it seem the political pendulum is swinging toward punishing people who can't get jobs, who need help the most? Our government sees fit to fund every other country, to fight every battle worldwide, but it is unable to fight for its' own citizenry who are seeing less and less benefits. Women and children are bearing too much loss so that the wealthiest are "blessed" for being filthy rich. Equal opportunities and equal justice seem to only exist if a person is affluent. People say they believe in "family values", but if they cannot afford a home, cannot feed themselves adequately or well-enough, or even have a job to go to, then saying the phrase "family values" is hollow, empty, and devoid of real compassion and caring. Patriotism is not complete if we don't take care of all our people. Our tax dollars need not be for a space mission to Pluto, or for a sports stadium. If we can come up with monies for that, then all that money can feed, clothes, house, and provide for every citizen first. We must stand together to make a statement that we want every person cared for, fed, and create better social services that help all in need. Charity should begin at home.