As some readers of this blog might know, I have blogging for a little over a year now on MySpace. Recently, I decided to move most of my blogs over to Blogger. Although I will post blogs simultaneously on both.
There are lots of reasons. First, Blogger is easier to navigate. Even if no one else reads my old blogs, I like reading my own writing. This lets me get to old ones fast. Second, Blogger has a lot more options for me. Third, Blogger seems to be a little more 'concrete'. It is the most popular blogging site on the 'net. So I can count on all of my writing not disappearing or some other freakish MySpace occurance. MySpace continues to be the buggiest site I have come across. And to think it is one of the most visited sites in the world!
To celebrate my copying-and-pasting of my past blogs, I put one of my favorite blogs up as "new". You can see it below, called "Anti-anti" It is almost a year old, but I felt it deserved revisiting.
Welcome to my mother-bloggin' Blogger blog.
Friday, August 31, 2007
Anti-anti
Originally written November 2, 2006
"u seem to be anti-alot of things these days."
A friend of mine spoke these words to me about a month ago, and I promised to write a blog about it. I thought it was an interesting comment and could make for a very interesting blog. It is also refreshing to hear another person's honest perspective on your own beliefs. It came up during one of the many debates on the message board in our fantasy football league. I try not to get involved in as many these days because I like to etch my words into something 'concrete' here on the blogs. I've written some long, essay-worthy arguments only to have them disappear into Yahoo heaven like a fart.wav in the wind.
It is a simple statement, but difficult to take on. It was hard picking a place to start. So I will first paint it with a very broad brush. It all starts with my leftist friend, Jesus. My world should be modeled after his teachings. As in the red font in the bible (Should it be blue?). I believe they should be applied to all economic, social, political, agricultural, and just plain moral issues in the world. That right there means you are anti-just about everything in the new millenium. The irony of it all? I was anti-WWJD bracelets back in high school! Now, my whole ethos is based on that acronym. [I thought they were too much of a flashy, religious diamond ring for my humble, traditionalist Christian ways. So my 1995 self was anti-my 2006 self! Of course, 2006 Wes turns the other cheek to 1995 Wes. Even though he can be a stubborn asshole. And was lazy.] It must be said that many of Jesus' teachings can be summed up with The Golden Rule. Something so basic it should be followed by the world's religions, atheists, and agnostics. Millions of people reach the same conclusion on issues that I do. They do so using many different beliefs and personal experiences. This is just one of the ways I reach that same conclusion.
With a broad backstroke of the brush, I say that contemporary society increasingly conflicts with the WWJD mentality. As the population grows, the majority cares less about their fellow man. They become more materialistic, self-interested, and follow the daily routine of a consumer. This whirlwind gets stronger with unchecked capitalism. Fact: This system in itself has no interest in mankind unless it is attached to a dollar sign. Any good deeds by a corporation are simply advertising in the form of P.R to make more money. I don't have to explain it all, because I think the consumer cycle is quite obvious. But with the passage of time, its' affect on mankind may not be so obvious. The wave will grow with the number of people that ride it. I personally choose not to contribute to the tsunami. You get to choose which side you are on. Just because there are less people that would agree with me, doesn't necessarily make me the anti-everything rebel. There are just more people on the other side.
Now back to the anti. When the majority of the world around me goes against the tenents of my belief system, I have no choice in being "anti-alot of things". Linguistically, for me to be anti- one side of things...it means the rest are anti- my side of things. For example, I am anti-Bovine Growth Hormones in cows. I insist on drinking organic milk. Therefore, I could say that everyone on the other side is anti-normal milk, or anti-nature. I would hate to be called anti-nature. But as Radiohead said, you did it to yourself.
There are also lots of little brush strokes all over the canvas. So it is more complicated than my previous 2 broad strokes. It takes them all to paint the entire picture. This blog post is definitely not anti-metaphor.
The "these days" portion of the comment also holds some merit. I have increasingly grown further anti- over the last 4 years (or so). It didn't come from nowhere. I have always been left-of-center and left-brained [but not left-handed]. It is the drive behind it that has grown over the years. The biggest motivator over the last 4 years has been reading. I have always been well-read, but never really read. If that makes any sense? Prior to my recent renaissance (that would be an undeveloped, Early 14th century Renaissance.), I never read with the same ferocity and volume.
Speaking of '1995 Wes', I wish I could smack him around. If I had the same motivation back then, I would be 10 years ahead of where I am now. That is a mighty fine prospect. But the past is the past, and in 10 years at age 38, I will be happy I started caring when I did. Even if the rest of the world has gone to hell in a handbasket.
Some Anti-
Anti-poverty Anti-anti-welfare Anti-processed foods Anti-genetically engineered foods Anti-corporate farms Anti-animal cruelty Anti-racism Anti-denial that racism still exists Anti-union busting Anti-red state Anti-blue state Anti-passive Anti-corporate corruption Anti-corporate Anti-beastiality (except chickens) Anti-ignorance Anti-hopelessly naive Anti-right wing fundamentalist Christians Anti-right wing fundamentalist Muslims Anti-any right wing fundamentalist Anti-hate Anti-violence Anti-fascist Anti-war Anti-evil Anti-college social organizations falsely masked under the guise of 'community service' Anti-giant corporate sports marketing machine Anti-Wes unsuccessfully trying to kick sports altogether Anti-marketing system that keeps people watching sports and consuming to numb them of the reality around them Anti-people that don't watch The Office Anti-Goliath Anti-you being anti this blog post Anti-Desperate Housewives Anti-emo guys that wear girl jeans Anti-people that sing at concerts Anti-unfair marijuana laws Anti-corporate prison-building machine Anti-those that don't question authority Anti-those that don't question history as it is written by rich white men Anti-pencils with hard erasers that don't erase Anti-out-of-state girls in lingerie that keep sending me friend requests Anti-dark at 6pm Anti-anti
Tracking my Anti-
As you can see, I didn't really jive with things from the get-go.
"Up the anti" - J.J.
Mozillin'
For anyone that uses Mozilla Firefox, I just found a great add-on that filters out all ads and banners from websites. Even MySpace.
You can find it here...
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/recommended
It is called Adblock Plus, toward the bottom of the page.
Now I can use the internet without hearing "CONGRATULATIONS! YOU'VE BEEN SELECTED TO WIN A FREE XBOX 360/IPOD/IPHONE!" Please stab me in the ear with a spork. (Speaking of spork, Julie had someone in the hospital that swallowed a spork. WHAT!?)
I love you, Mozilla.
If you don't use Firefox, millions of other people highly recommend it. My friends used it long before I did, as I was stubbornly stuck on Explorer for a little too long. It is the best "internet thing" I have discovered since Torrents. (I still love you more, Torrents!)
You can find it here...
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/recommended
It is called Adblock Plus, toward the bottom of the page.
Now I can use the internet without hearing "CONGRATULATIONS! YOU'VE BEEN SELECTED TO WIN A FREE XBOX 360/IPOD/IPHONE!" Please stab me in the ear with a spork. (Speaking of spork, Julie had someone in the hospital that swallowed a spork. WHAT!?)
I love you, Mozilla.
If you don't use Firefox, millions of other people highly recommend it. My friends used it long before I did, as I was stubbornly stuck on Explorer for a little too long. It is the best "internet thing" I have discovered since Torrents. (I still love you more, Torrents!)
Why all of Wal-Mart's meat weighs the same
If you haven't noticed, take a look next time you are in your friendly neighborhood Supercenter.
Here are three well-informed blogs by a Daily Kos contributor.
Wal-Meat, Part 1
Wal-Meat, Part 2
Wal-Meat, Part 3
Here are three well-informed blogs by a Daily Kos contributor.
Wal-Meat, Part 1
Wal-Meat, Part 2
Wal-Meat, Part 3
Monday, August 27, 2007
Fantasy Football-less Afternoon Delight
I recently posted this in a fantasy baseball league. I started explaining why I chose not to do fantasy football this year, then it got out of hand! So it probably has a better place here, where I can love it and caress it. Oh, sweet, sweet blog...
_________________________________________
Football gives me the creeps these days. Too much fantasy crack flashbacks. I shudder when there is a game on TV.
I have these recurring dreams that include a T-Rex. Not all the time, but at least a couple times a year. Every time I see a T-Rex, say if I were to watch Jurassic Park, there is that connection. It can be pretty scary. That beast once snorted by body over, while I remained as still as possible so his motion-sensitive vision wouldn't see me. His breath smells of rotting flesh. Seems real.
A more pleasant example...When you dream about someone and see them the next day. It is like you were hanging out all night in real life. Sorta like that.
But instead of a dream, it is football seasons past. Players that made my team suck last year are like little demons that terrorize my television. GET THEM OFF, NOW!
But after a good deal of pre-season analysis and games, it is just getting to the point of annoying. And there wouldn't be Wes without the anti-. Sports does a great job of 'manufacturing consent'. It is why this country has become a bunch of infantile pansies that allow themselves to be stepped on every day. They allow their rights and country to be stripped away from them. People are getting slapped around by their pimp, then turn around and give him a blowjob.
Because they would rather look the other way, watch sports, and buy [stuff]. "I LIVE FOR THIS, MAN!"
Fantasy football only perpetuates this. What better way to keep the masses hooked on a sport, in which many would only passively follow.
Back in 2005, I had "Sunday guilt"...I just couldn't pull myself away from the games and the StatTracker. [Then there was Sunday night. And Monday night. And Tuesday through Saturday updates.] I knew I was wasting away days of my life that I would never get back... on pure garbage. Last year, I said I wouldn't do it again. I caved in and joined a league. Then I found out I was right, and shouldn't have caved. So this year, the decision was easy. Convictions are part of it. There is also a baby girl and a hellish school schedule that will leave me with little time for things like leisure-reading on my own.
Fantasy baseball is a much more difficult battle...
No one asked for this, I just started writing and couldn't stop! I am gonna go put this on my blog where it belongs. This is like George W. Bush being the keynote at a GLAAD convention.
I am not trying to make myself out to be better. However, if I could have the magical power to make everyone choose the other path (something other than mindless entertainment), I would snap my fingers and make it happen. Mindless entertainment is OK in small doses. But a continual cycle of sports seasons that never ends?
So am I personally better? No. Is the path I chose better? Yes.
Watching porn all day might be entertaining for someone, but I think we would all agree that it is unhealthy. Is there a difference? Hmmmmm....
_________________________________________
Football gives me the creeps these days. Too much fantasy crack flashbacks. I shudder when there is a game on TV.
I have these recurring dreams that include a T-Rex. Not all the time, but at least a couple times a year. Every time I see a T-Rex, say if I were to watch Jurassic Park, there is that connection. It can be pretty scary. That beast once snorted by body over, while I remained as still as possible so his motion-sensitive vision wouldn't see me. His breath smells of rotting flesh. Seems real.
A more pleasant example...When you dream about someone and see them the next day. It is like you were hanging out all night in real life. Sorta like that.
But instead of a dream, it is football seasons past. Players that made my team suck last year are like little demons that terrorize my television. GET THEM OFF, NOW!
But after a good deal of pre-season analysis and games, it is just getting to the point of annoying. And there wouldn't be Wes without the anti-. Sports does a great job of 'manufacturing consent'. It is why this country has become a bunch of infantile pansies that allow themselves to be stepped on every day. They allow their rights and country to be stripped away from them. People are getting slapped around by their pimp, then turn around and give him a blowjob.
Because they would rather look the other way, watch sports, and buy [stuff]. "I LIVE FOR THIS, MAN!"
Fantasy football only perpetuates this. What better way to keep the masses hooked on a sport, in which many would only passively follow.
Back in 2005, I had "Sunday guilt"...I just couldn't pull myself away from the games and the StatTracker. [Then there was Sunday night. And Monday night. And Tuesday through Saturday updates.] I knew I was wasting away days of my life that I would never get back... on pure garbage. Last year, I said I wouldn't do it again. I caved in and joined a league. Then I found out I was right, and shouldn't have caved. So this year, the decision was easy. Convictions are part of it. There is also a baby girl and a hellish school schedule that will leave me with little time for things like leisure-reading on my own.
Fantasy baseball is a much more difficult battle...
No one asked for this, I just started writing and couldn't stop! I am gonna go put this on my blog where it belongs. This is like George W. Bush being the keynote at a GLAAD convention.
I am not trying to make myself out to be better. However, if I could have the magical power to make everyone choose the other path (something other than mindless entertainment), I would snap my fingers and make it happen. Mindless entertainment is OK in small doses. But a continual cycle of sports seasons that never ends?
So am I personally better? No. Is the path I chose better? Yes.
Watching porn all day might be entertaining for someone, but I think we would all agree that it is unhealthy. Is there a difference? Hmmmmm....
Sunday, August 26, 2007
KidNation!
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Blog Bouillabaisse
1. Lots of new Claire pics. Some on MySpace. Even more over at the DropShots. She is six weeks old today. Less than 4 more weeks in the brace [if our prayers are answered and she is fixed and ready to do her best Prefontaine].
2. Today I learned what primogeniture means. The first born son inherits everything. In 17th century England, that often meant Son 2 went off to the "new world" while Son 1 stayed in England with the stuff. Sorry Wyatt. Just remember, don't use your water source as a toilet.
3. Why does Papa John's, and other pizza delivery joints, always advertise 20oz. Coke products. Two 20oz. and a Large 1-topping for $14.99! ...or Add 2 20oz. for $2.50! Do any of you ever buy these? Not only is a 20oz. bottle the WORST tasting Coke you can buy, it is marked up 300%! Is 20oz. even enough tasty cola to supplement a pizza or two? Mine would be gone after 2 slices. In fact, I have a hard time doing business with any food joint that sells small-bottled beverages.
4. All these bad products from China, yet no one is questioning the fact that everything in our houses is from China. We need stricter standards! No, how about DON'T IMPORT FOOD FROM CHINA! I understand there are certain items that have been imported for many years. That is fine. But basic things that just 10 years ago were mostly grown in the U.S.A.? What about importing the worst ingredients in dog food from China? The stuff that has no nutritional value. The filler. Why should there be any ingredients in dog food necessary to import from China? Maybe Michael Vick shouldn't be so vilified, we should look at the shit we are putting in our animal's bodies...and our own.
Don't get me started on the toys. The CEO of Mattel issued an apology. That is nice and all, but the toys aren't made at Santa's workshop. Their ultimate goal is to have these toys made as cheaply as possible. They don't give a damn about working conditions or product safety...just do it cheap and meet the minimum. Companies don't love you or your children. If they did, they wouldn't have moved to China. They know they can do whatever they want and still get our money (another blog on this later). If something bad happens, just apologize and do some damage control. Then the majority of Americans think you are responsible, forgive you, and go buy more of your shit. Suckers.
2. Today I learned what primogeniture means. The first born son inherits everything. In 17th century England, that often meant Son 2 went off to the "new world" while Son 1 stayed in England with the stuff. Sorry Wyatt. Just remember, don't use your water source as a toilet.
3. Why does Papa John's, and other pizza delivery joints, always advertise 20oz. Coke products. Two 20oz. and a Large 1-topping for $14.99! ...or Add 2 20oz. for $2.50! Do any of you ever buy these? Not only is a 20oz. bottle the WORST tasting Coke you can buy, it is marked up 300%! Is 20oz. even enough tasty cola to supplement a pizza or two? Mine would be gone after 2 slices. In fact, I have a hard time doing business with any food joint that sells small-bottled beverages.
4. All these bad products from China, yet no one is questioning the fact that everything in our houses is from China. We need stricter standards! No, how about DON'T IMPORT FOOD FROM CHINA! I understand there are certain items that have been imported for many years. That is fine. But basic things that just 10 years ago were mostly grown in the U.S.A.? What about importing the worst ingredients in dog food from China? The stuff that has no nutritional value. The filler. Why should there be any ingredients in dog food necessary to import from China? Maybe Michael Vick shouldn't be so vilified, we should look at the shit we are putting in our animal's bodies...and our own.
Don't get me started on the toys. The CEO of Mattel issued an apology. That is nice and all, but the toys aren't made at Santa's workshop. Their ultimate goal is to have these toys made as cheaply as possible. They don't give a damn about working conditions or product safety...just do it cheap and meet the minimum. Companies don't love you or your children. If they did, they wouldn't have moved to China. They know they can do whatever they want and still get our money (another blog on this later). If something bad happens, just apologize and do some damage control. Then the majority of Americans think you are responsible, forgive you, and go buy more of your shit. Suckers.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Bears, stand up and unite!
Shocking Bears
For the last few days, this bear had been wandering a local neighborhood [which happens to be in our part of town, two miles down Dead Rd]. This is a relatively undeveloped area, with lots of woods still making their final stands before developers burn it down.
The bear reappeared today, and the cops were on the scene. They ended up shooting the bear with a taser gun, which killed it.
http://www.wftv.com/news/13901862/detail.html
What do they do in rural areas of America, where this is commonplace? Do they call the cops out to shoot a bear, because their kids have to play outside? Do they call Animal Control to move it somewhere "safe", as if it were by mistake it ended up where it did?
Is this acceptable treatment because you live in the sprawl of "Orlando", that bears are supposed to be rare? That bears must leave ASAP before we are forced to move it or kill it? Bears are only cute for so long, until they start affecting our American way of life, right? Put them in parks and zoos so we can watch them at our convenience. "Bears don't have to go to work and pay off debt! I have to take my 10-year-old son to football practice and my 8-year-old daughter to cheerleading practice. Isn't she cute in that cheerleading skirt? She will make a fine sexual object for high school jocks! Anyways, I don't have time to be trapped inside by a killer bear. Actually, when does bear-hunting season start? I want to supplement my 10-year-old son's football with some killing. I don't want him growing up some non-violent queer. Well, we better get going to church now..."
Back to bears. This isn't a grizzly bear, it isn't going to tear some child's throat out after a frustrating day of salmon-hunting. And what about the 4 people that were in the garage that the bear entered? The ones the cop decided he needed to "protect"? Were they really in danger at the hands of this small black bear?
I like how the story refers to it as a "small bear". Did you mean to say adolescent? Because I highly doubt this is the Muggsy Bogues of bears. And while sleuths of bears don't have geneologists to keep track of their heritage, they do have regional families and generations to go with. So while you may not kill off the species with this behavior, you may kill off a family line. Way to go, cops.
Is this where some guy in jean shorts starts talking about population management? This philosophy says we don't cut back on development. We just keep burning down the forests and building houses and strip malls. Orlando needs another AMSCOT. In the meantime, we have to kill a percentage of the animals that call these forests home because they get in our way. After all, God didn't know what he was doing when he gave animals penises and vaginas to have babies with. We must correct that mistake!
This makes me think of an idea that Jim Philips of 104.1 always speaks of, and that is baby liscenses. If we subject animals to this kind of population control...then maybe we should administer thorough tests to filter out unfit parents. If you aren't fit, you can't have babies. Of course, I don't believe in this because God has given all life the gift of reproduction [even if you still have Bush/Cheney '04 stickers on your SUVs]. And once that gift has been used, and when babies, puppies, and cubs aren't cute anymore...it doesn't mean you throw it out in the form of capital punishment, war, and food processing.
Oh! And alligator hunting season starts today! That is the next best thing to snake hunting season. The Palatka Snake Festival is always a blast. Snake-blood shots. Snake-dogs. Snake-burgers. Snake-hats. Snake-beer. Snake funnel cake.
I hate Orlando and can't wait to finish school so we can blow this joint.
The bear reappeared today, and the cops were on the scene. They ended up shooting the bear with a taser gun, which killed it.
http://www.wftv.com/news/13901862/detail.html
What do they do in rural areas of America, where this is commonplace? Do they call the cops out to shoot a bear, because their kids have to play outside? Do they call Animal Control to move it somewhere "safe", as if it were by mistake it ended up where it did?
Is this acceptable treatment because you live in the sprawl of "Orlando", that bears are supposed to be rare? That bears must leave ASAP before we are forced to move it or kill it? Bears are only cute for so long, until they start affecting our American way of life, right? Put them in parks and zoos so we can watch them at our convenience. "Bears don't have to go to work and pay off debt! I have to take my 10-year-old son to football practice and my 8-year-old daughter to cheerleading practice. Isn't she cute in that cheerleading skirt? She will make a fine sexual object for high school jocks! Anyways, I don't have time to be trapped inside by a killer bear. Actually, when does bear-hunting season start? I want to supplement my 10-year-old son's football with some killing. I don't want him growing up some non-violent queer. Well, we better get going to church now..."
Back to bears. This isn't a grizzly bear, it isn't going to tear some child's throat out after a frustrating day of salmon-hunting. And what about the 4 people that were in the garage that the bear entered? The ones the cop decided he needed to "protect"? Were they really in danger at the hands of this small black bear?
I like how the story refers to it as a "small bear". Did you mean to say adolescent? Because I highly doubt this is the Muggsy Bogues of bears. And while sleuths of bears don't have geneologists to keep track of their heritage, they do have regional families and generations to go with. So while you may not kill off the species with this behavior, you may kill off a family line. Way to go, cops.
Is this where some guy in jean shorts starts talking about population management? This philosophy says we don't cut back on development. We just keep burning down the forests and building houses and strip malls. Orlando needs another AMSCOT. In the meantime, we have to kill a percentage of the animals that call these forests home because they get in our way. After all, God didn't know what he was doing when he gave animals penises and vaginas to have babies with. We must correct that mistake!
This makes me think of an idea that Jim Philips of 104.1 always speaks of, and that is baby liscenses. If we subject animals to this kind of population control...then maybe we should administer thorough tests to filter out unfit parents. If you aren't fit, you can't have babies. Of course, I don't believe in this because God has given all life the gift of reproduction [even if you still have Bush/Cheney '04 stickers on your SUVs]. And once that gift has been used, and when babies, puppies, and cubs aren't cute anymore...it doesn't mean you throw it out in the form of capital punishment, war, and food processing.
Oh! And alligator hunting season starts today! That is the next best thing to snake hunting season. The Palatka Snake Festival is always a blast. Snake-blood shots. Snake-dogs. Snake-burgers. Snake-hats. Snake-beer. Snake funnel cake.
I hate Orlando and can't wait to finish school so we can blow this joint.
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Fuzzy Math - Power of 10 again
According to the show...
40% of women have rejected a man's marriage proposal? Almost half of the women in America have delivered that crushing blow to a man's heart?
Either I am WAY out of touch, or they are making stuff up. Maybe I watch too many movies?
40% of women have rejected a man's marriage proposal? Almost half of the women in America have delivered that crushing blow to a man's heart?
Either I am WAY out of touch, or they are making stuff up. Maybe I watch too many movies?
Nature Bouillabaisse
1. Thanks to Gina for sending me this...
This I Believe - "A Reverence for All Life"
2. For the non-YouTube internet whores that haven't seen this yet. Awesome. (Thanks to Joe for telling me about it.)
3. From the "Planet Earth" series. I gotta say, if there is something out there that can do this to an ant...there has to be something that can do it to humans....scaaaarrry.
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Power of 10 - Feminism is not a dirty word.
So, there is this new show Power of 10 on CBS hosted by Drew Carey. They poll Americans, and contestants have to guess what percentage an answer was given.
Tonight one of the questions asked American women if they considered themselves a feminist. I thought, surely that would be close to 50%. Wrong.
Only 29% of women polled considered themselves a feminist. 29%?!
Here is what Merriam-Webster says:
Main Entry: fem·i·nism
Pronunciation: 'fe-m&-"ni-z'm
Function: noun
1 : the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes
2 : organized activity on behalf of women's rights and interests
So 71% of women separate themselves from these two definitions. However, you don't have to organize and join N.O.W. to believe that sexes should be equal...thus considering yourself a feminist.
71% of women do not believe that women should have equal pay to their male counterparts? Because equal pay is a feminist goal. So long as you like making less because you are inferior...
Maybe these women should have their voting rights taken away, because feminists fought for that right, too. Oh, no? You still want to vote? OK, that's fine. But maybe you should start calling yourself a feminist.
The Christian right and Fox News have done a good job making the word "feminism" to mean "butch lesbian". That you have to shave your head, ride a motorcycle, wear a tanktop, and kick some ass. One of the results of this successful stereotyping, is that most people don't want to represent these polarizing images. So they "go with the flow" through their life, not giving a shit about anything.
[8/8/7 addition - An example of this "not giving a _ about anything", would be people's reaction when they see thousands and thousands of protesters taking to the streets, especially at WTO and G8 summits. They always seem to garner to most protest, and rightfully so! The people in those images have been successfully framed as "angry protesters that you have nothing in common with". Because the media won't explain to you why they are pissed, just that they are pissed. So from my witness, most people scoff at images of protest on TV. Sort of a "why do they care so much" attitude, instead of asking why they are so pissed off...and dare ask, should I be pissed off? Unless, of course, you already love globalization. To each his own.]
So that means roughly 2 out of 3 women that are reading this do not consider themselves a feminist. So I ask, what is it that doesn't make you a feminist?
By the way, the contestant answered it correctly within 10.
Tonight one of the questions asked American women if they considered themselves a feminist. I thought, surely that would be close to 50%. Wrong.
Only 29% of women polled considered themselves a feminist. 29%?!
Here is what Merriam-Webster says:
Main Entry: fem·i·nism
Pronunciation: 'fe-m&-"ni-z'm
Function: noun
1 : the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes
2 : organized activity on behalf of women's rights and interests
So 71% of women separate themselves from these two definitions. However, you don't have to organize and join N.O.W. to believe that sexes should be equal...thus considering yourself a feminist.
71% of women do not believe that women should have equal pay to their male counterparts? Because equal pay is a feminist goal. So long as you like making less because you are inferior...
Maybe these women should have their voting rights taken away, because feminists fought for that right, too. Oh, no? You still want to vote? OK, that's fine. But maybe you should start calling yourself a feminist.
The Christian right and Fox News have done a good job making the word "feminism" to mean "butch lesbian". That you have to shave your head, ride a motorcycle, wear a tanktop, and kick some ass. One of the results of this successful stereotyping, is that most people don't want to represent these polarizing images. So they "go with the flow" through their life, not giving a shit about anything.
[8/8/7 addition - An example of this "not giving a _ about anything", would be people's reaction when they see thousands and thousands of protesters taking to the streets, especially at WTO and G8 summits. They always seem to garner to most protest, and rightfully so! The people in those images have been successfully framed as "angry protesters that you have nothing in common with". Because the media won't explain to you why they are pissed, just that they are pissed. So from my witness, most people scoff at images of protest on TV. Sort of a "why do they care so much" attitude, instead of asking why they are so pissed off...and dare ask, should I be pissed off? Unless, of course, you already love globalization. To each his own.]
So that means roughly 2 out of 3 women that are reading this do not consider themselves a feminist. So I ask, what is it that doesn't make you a feminist?
By the way, the contestant answered it correctly within 10.
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