I was faced with this slogan today on a young mans t-shirt. Its an army recruitment shirt I suppose, with a lovely if not diluted, fear tactic emblazoned on the back. The slogan is a powerful one- bringing to mind men on a blood soaked battle field risking life and limb for liberty and justice. Except... thats not what its really all about is it? We don't fight for freedom with guns and bombs anymore- we fight with words and legislation.
FISA. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. The executive and legislative branches of our government have been battling over our constitutional rights in regards to FISA for several weeks now. Battle lines have been drawn- the executive branch maintains that government MUST have unfettered access to citizens communication (your phone calls, emails, etc) in order to prevent terrorism. Further, The King threatens to veto any legislation that does not include retroactive immunity for telecom companies (AT&T, Verizon and Sprint) who cooperated with big brother sans warrant to spy on American citizens. Theres one small* problem, the Constitution of the United States forbids agencies to spy on Americans without probable cause (See Fourth Amendment). This is, in fact, why the FISA courts were created, so that government agencies with valid evidence could quickly obtain warrants in pursuit of justice.
Most FISA warrants can be obtained in less that 10 minutes. Most FISA warrants are granted, with approvals in the 90 percent range. The King and cronies in Congress claim that the telco's acted in good faith and have broken no laws. They are patriots! Esteemed members of the party who do not consider that silly piece of paper more important than security.
They want us to choose between Freedom and Safety. The party wants us to believe that if we don't abandon our principles, our children will not be safe. We will not be safe. There will be bigger and more devastating attacks on American soil. Its a false choice- a hypothetical that doesn't exist. There is no dichotomous relationship between privacy and liberty. To imply otherwise is to employ the fear tactics we have subjected to for the past 7 years. Its working. Both houses have already passed bills that include conglomerate immunity for trespasses against the constitution.
I've been emailing, calling and writing letters to pertinent individuals in the House and Senate for weeks now. It only takes a moment to make a phone call. House representatives will discuss the matter of telco immunity today March 14.
We dont need guns to fight for our freedom, we just need a voice. Call your represntative and leave them a message letting them know you DONT support telco immunity, and these people should be held responsible for violating the constitution.
Its really that simple. Find your rep here http://www.house.gov/
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Carried Away
It happens to the best of us. I cant help but be filled with rage and a sense of powerlessness sometimes. A moment of clarity as it were, came upon me today, the 35th birthday of my (tentative) legal right to make my own reproductive decisions. Blanket statements are typically prejudiced and fallacious, albeit cognitively convenient. Every single person on this planet with testicles doesn't hate women. Hugo Schwyzer seems to empathize and raise up the feminist movements. After reading several of his blog entries Ive deduced he has a firm grasp on reality- he understands the patriarchal rape culture, his role and privilege in it and how to address these issues. Men Can Stop Rape is another brilliant organization founded and run by members of the patriarchy that works in the community to raise awareness and address their role in the degradation of women. Women and men must work together and tackle the inequalities that we all suffer from in a gender biased society.
In any event, here we are, 35 years later, and my right to a safe abortion still up for debate. Legislation passes dangerously close to law that restricts our rights, and people came out is droves today in support of the "Anti Abortion" movement. Oh the horror- most of these people are women. Not only do we have to fight the sex hierarchy, we have to fight each other.
Imagine if those people protested the war instead of rallying together to oppress themselves. Epiphany.
In any event, here we are, 35 years later, and my right to a safe abortion still up for debate. Legislation passes dangerously close to law that restricts our rights, and people came out is droves today in support of the "Anti Abortion" movement. Oh the horror- most of these people are women. Not only do we have to fight the sex hierarchy, we have to fight each other.
Imagine if those people protested the war instead of rallying together to oppress themselves. Epiphany.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Perpetual Consent
Contrary to what the world community believes, women are not in a perpetual state of consent. We are not simply receptacles available for male pleasure accessible should they desire.
I know it sounds crazy. The media inundates us with girls gone wild advertisements and images of fabulous twenty-somethings that embody impossible standards of the patriarchy. Its manipulation, brainwashing. This pornography based culture systemically degrades and dehumanizes women. Its a deliberate, methodical method to keep women in lower class of oppressed people. Their execution is FLAWLESS. Look at how effective misogyny is! We are responsible for mens desires, and yet our rights to our bodies are still up for debate. We still make less money, regardless of education, compared to men. Ultimately men fear and hate women.
ALL MEN HATE WOMEN. Need proof? Look at your husbands porn collection. He is turned on by a person who is humiliated and forced into submission by his misogynistic wage hierarchy. If that woman were to put put on some clothes, go to college and choose to climb the corporate ladder instead of lying on her back, she still wouldn't make the wage he could. That makes your husband feel good. Still think that porn collection is harmless and innocent? Consider this- The percentages vary by study, but up to 85% of prostitutes/ porn stars were victims of sexual abuse or incest as children (1,2,3). This sort of sexual abuse psychologically damages a woman, takes away her humanity. Pornography is the theory, rape is the practice.
The world we live in doesn't punish rape, its excused away if not blatantly encouraged. This allows them to keep the powerless underclass of women in a state of fear which leads to submission. Rape trials are notorious for criminalizing the victim and putting her on trial for the crime committed against. She is questioned about her sexual history, how many drinks consumed and what she was wearing preceding the crime. Its presented in a manner that suggests women are ultimately responsible for the transgression against them. On a larger scale, rape is used as an instrument of war. The UN fails to recognize state sanctioned rape as a crime.
I informed a colleague that I was a feminist. With a raise of his eyebrows, he expressed sympathy for the movement and thought he was a feminist also. However, he indicated he didn't approve of women receiving or asking for "special privileges". Fucking really? What about the PRIVILEGE of walking to your car without looking over your shoulder, car keys ready? The PRIVILEGE of making decisions in regards to your reproductive rights? How about the PRIVILEGE of innate uncontested societal value?
Oh yes, men fear and hate women. It would suck to not have those privileges handed to you at birth wouldn't it?
I know it sounds crazy. The media inundates us with girls gone wild advertisements and images of fabulous twenty-somethings that embody impossible standards of the patriarchy. Its manipulation, brainwashing. This pornography based culture systemically degrades and dehumanizes women. Its a deliberate, methodical method to keep women in lower class of oppressed people. Their execution is FLAWLESS. Look at how effective misogyny is! We are responsible for mens desires, and yet our rights to our bodies are still up for debate. We still make less money, regardless of education, compared to men. Ultimately men fear and hate women.
ALL MEN HATE WOMEN. Need proof? Look at your husbands porn collection. He is turned on by a person who is humiliated and forced into submission by his misogynistic wage hierarchy. If that woman were to put put on some clothes, go to college and choose to climb the corporate ladder instead of lying on her back, she still wouldn't make the wage he could. That makes your husband feel good. Still think that porn collection is harmless and innocent? Consider this- The percentages vary by study, but up to 85% of prostitutes/ porn stars were victims of sexual abuse or incest as children (1,2,3). This sort of sexual abuse psychologically damages a woman, takes away her humanity. Pornography is the theory, rape is the practice.
The world we live in doesn't punish rape, its excused away if not blatantly encouraged. This allows them to keep the powerless underclass of women in a state of fear which leads to submission. Rape trials are notorious for criminalizing the victim and putting her on trial for the crime committed against. She is questioned about her sexual history, how many drinks consumed and what she was wearing preceding the crime. Its presented in a manner that suggests women are ultimately responsible for the transgression against them. On a larger scale, rape is used as an instrument of war. The UN fails to recognize state sanctioned rape as a crime.
I informed a colleague that I was a feminist. With a raise of his eyebrows, he expressed sympathy for the movement and thought he was a feminist also. However, he indicated he didn't approve of women receiving or asking for "special privileges". Fucking really? What about the PRIVILEGE of walking to your car without looking over your shoulder, car keys ready? The PRIVILEGE of making decisions in regards to your reproductive rights? How about the PRIVILEGE of innate uncontested societal value?
Oh yes, men fear and hate women. It would suck to not have those privileges handed to you at birth wouldn't it?
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Stuff you may not know
Because as usual, even the 'liberal' media chooses not to report on the important shit.
The Washington Post reports that the Iraqi Health Ministry has been instructed (by the 'Prime Minister' al-Maliki) to desist supplying mortality figures to the United Nations. 100 Iraqi civilians are dying EVERY DAY you say? Well lets just hide the death counts from this unpopular war from the world community and opposition will just go away! The surge is working we swear!
The polar ice caps are melting. In fact, the North Pole ice sheet has decreased in volume by 23% in less than 2 years. Yeah, global warming rears its ugly head in mythical proportions.
CNN allegedly reported on the National Snow and Ice Data Center report, but I couldn't seem to find a working link to it. They did a great piece on Greenland though.
The Washington Post reports that the Iraqi Health Ministry has been instructed (by the 'Prime Minister' al-Maliki) to desist supplying mortality figures to the United Nations. 100 Iraqi civilians are dying EVERY DAY you say? Well lets just hide the death counts from this unpopular war from the world community and opposition will just go away! The surge is working we swear!
The polar ice caps are melting. In fact, the North Pole ice sheet has decreased in volume by 23% in less than 2 years. Yeah, global warming rears its ugly head in mythical proportions.
CNN allegedly reported on the National Snow and Ice Data Center report, but I couldn't seem to find a working link to it. They did a great piece on Greenland though.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Feminists do it better
Like you didn't know that already! Yeah, people that have integrity and self esteem tend to be happier.
ScienceDaily reports on a Rutgers study that demonstrates the obvious- we have better relationships, "greater life experience". Sexual satisfaction? Even our male counterparts enjoy their feminist lovers- they report more stability AND GREATER SEXUAL SATISFACTION.
Feminist stereotypes are the result of fear. Open your eyes and see the homophobic patriarchy for what it is- a bunch of scared, gun owning, uneducated racist repugs who know damn well their grip is slipping in the name of reason and rationality.
Is this why King Bush hates teh science?
ScienceDaily reports on a Rutgers study that demonstrates the obvious- we have better relationships, "greater life experience". Sexual satisfaction? Even our male counterparts enjoy their feminist lovers- they report more stability AND GREATER SEXUAL SATISFACTION.
Feminist stereotypes are the result of fear. Open your eyes and see the homophobic patriarchy for what it is- a bunch of scared, gun owning, uneducated racist repugs who know damn well their grip is slipping in the name of reason and rationality.
Is this why King Bush hates teh science?
Monday, October 15, 2007
Blog Action Day- What You Can Do
Together, we can make a difference.
CFL's- If every American household replaced just one regular bulb with a compact fluorescent it would be comparable to taking 1.3 million cars off the road.
No more Plastic bags- We use them for no more than a couple of hours, and yet they take more than 500 to degrade. Recycling, in this case, isn't much help- it's expensive and uses excessive energy. Speaking of energy, we use up to 12 billion barrels of oil producing these things. Use green bags. They are available at most chain stores now- Stater Bothers, Ralphs, Trader Joes, even Target for about a buck. Some stores have incentives to using reusable bags in addition to how good you will feel! Ralphs takes 5 cents off your bill for each green bag and Trader Joes enters you into a weekly contest with cool prizes.
Go Veggie- Factory Farms are not only cruel and unethical, they are gross polluters. We decimate rain forests and exhaust resources like water and grain in disproportionate amounts. Run off with hormone filled animal waste infects our water ways. Even reducing your families meat intake by one meal a week can have an impact on the environment.
Every single human being on this planet is responsible for Global Warming. This is a global problem, and we have to address it globally. I've listed just a few small things you can do... nothing to life altering or drastic.
Give it a shot. And drop me a line if you have any other simple ideas to add to the list!
CFL's- If every American household replaced just one regular bulb with a compact fluorescent it would be comparable to taking 1.3 million cars off the road.
No more Plastic bags- We use them for no more than a couple of hours, and yet they take more than 500 to degrade. Recycling, in this case, isn't much help- it's expensive and uses excessive energy. Speaking of energy, we use up to 12 billion barrels of oil producing these things. Use green bags. They are available at most chain stores now- Stater Bothers, Ralphs, Trader Joes, even Target for about a buck. Some stores have incentives to using reusable bags in addition to how good you will feel! Ralphs takes 5 cents off your bill for each green bag and Trader Joes enters you into a weekly contest with cool prizes.
Go Veggie- Factory Farms are not only cruel and unethical, they are gross polluters. We decimate rain forests and exhaust resources like water and grain in disproportionate amounts. Run off with hormone filled animal waste infects our water ways. Even reducing your families meat intake by one meal a week can have an impact on the environment.
Every single human being on this planet is responsible for Global Warming. This is a global problem, and we have to address it globally. I've listed just a few small things you can do... nothing to life altering or drastic.
Give it a shot. And drop me a line if you have any other simple ideas to add to the list!
Friday, October 05, 2007
You can do something
about the humanitarian crisis in Burma.
Pictured is a monk who was beaten to death for speaking out against injustice. This isn't just a police state. There are several police states on the planet, for shits sake we are becoming one. But the Junta are targeting monks. These men are so far above your typical bible thumping hypocritical god bag it sickening. These men live and breathe the path, they are truly good and holy men. You don't hear about monks molesting children or dictating morality to others- this behavior is beneath them. They dedicate their lives to the cause.
Monks are fierce. They wont stop until their goal is accomplished. The people of Burma want their country back, they want democracy. The Junta are behaving in a manner befitting of the Gestapo. People are being imprisoned for protesting, torn from their homes in the still of night and 'disappeared'. Our present government must be forced to act. You see, unlike Iraq, the Burmese dictatorship is friendly to American oil and natural gas interests therefore its no use for the U.S. to 'liberate' them. So lets make them care, lets hit them where it hurts.
Over at daily kos the net roots communities are gathering to force our government and the corporations that fund to act against this humanitarian nightmare. In a nut shell, Dont go to Chevron for gasoline, and call this number 925-842-1000 on Tuesday 10/9 and raise some hell. Let them know you wont be purchasing their products until they stop funding a military regime in Burma. You can also flood Chevron fax machines with pro- democracy messages here 415-894-6817. For more info and ideas, keep up with daily kos or the kids over at white rose society.
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