Something sprung me into action today, folks. I'm
usually not one to get too political, wishing to respect every person’s viewpoint,
and, as always, I do, but something needs to be said, and more importantly:
Something needs to be done.
Today I was when I working at my yoga studio as a
Zen Ambassador (front desk receptionist, but as a PR lady, I know how to spin
things), one of our students had a pin on that I'll post below. It said,
"We will do it again! Obama Biden" and had a picture of Rosie the
Riveter on it. I happen to be supporting Obama in this election, and I have
always supported Rosie the Riveter, so I commented that I loved her pin.
With that, she said the pin was mine. Generous
dame, she was. I was then commenting on how important it is to vote in general,
thinking of the women who were killed, imprisoned, beaten and starved in order
to get us the right. This is huge; so if there's anything you take from this, ladies,
even if you disagree with my personal viewpoint, please vote! Just do it. Don't
disrespect the women who came before us, it's a slap in the face to the trauma
they endured to get us the right to waltz right up and mark up that
ballot. DO IT!
So back to the story: we then spoke about the Lily
Ledbetter Equal Pay Act and how absurd it is that someone could object to a law
that would make our female citizens stand on equal ground with our male
citizens. Then she said something to me that really shook me up and I'm
paraphrasing here, I guarantee you whatever she said had much more power, but
here goes:
"I'm 75 and I thought
after we fought so hard in the 60s and 70s this battle was over. I never
thought I'd have to fight again, but in the last year there has been some of
the most sexist material and propaganda (speech, literature and laws) that I've
seen in my whole life. We have to keep on fighting"
WOW. This was shocking to hear. In my gender
communication class we spoke about the backlash that occurs after a minority
group gains power: could we now be experiencing a backlash 30-40 years in the
making?
Is this happening now because we allowed ourselves
to forget? We allowed ourselves to stop fighting, thinking what we had was good
enough? I, for one, am not satisfied with making significantly less than my
male coworkers; but what have I honestly done to fight this besides being a
good employee? Nothing. Working hard is not enough, we have to take to the
streets and remind people that we are worthy of TRUE and LITERAL equal status
when it comes to the dolla dollar bills (yallz) and all things.
I have wanted to fight for women's rights since
high school and looked up some organizations once or twice, but put it off,
declaring I was too busy. Well, no more. We cannot put off being equal citizens
any longer. This is serious. When there is a candidate who will unabashedly
denounce the right to equal pay for women, coverage on birth control, the right
to choose, the Affordable Care Act, which requires
insurance coverage for preventive services like mammograms& cancer
screenings, and more, I cannot abide.
Some of these issues are the very reason women were
able to rise up. Did you know there was a direct correlation between the advent
and use of the birth control pill and women's prominence in the workplace? When
we can control our reproductive system, we can control our professional lives.
How can we support someone or something that wants to take this away? Because
here’s the issue when it comes to someone being against a woman’s right to
reproductive control: all the signs point to root of the desire being to take
away power and clout from the female population. That’s a sizable issue in my
book. The book of Lo.
We’re all entitled to our personal views on birth control.
I personally am against abortion. I couldn’t do it except in an extreme
situation. But I think that it is a choice every woman should have a right to make
on her own, since the fetus is technically a part of her body until it comes
out. It’s also about the fact a government that should not be able to control a
person’s body. That is not their place.
Back to the cause of women’s rights: I stand by my
usual tenants of love and peace. Of course everything will be done with love
and with the hope to make a more loving, fair and peaceful planet. I have no
anger in my soul, only a passion for justice, and a deep, unconditional love
for people and for equal rights. Everyone should be able to start out on equal
footing regardless of race, gender, religion or any other characteristic that we
delude ourselves into thinking separates us.
Of course, it doesn't stop with women's rights.
There are many other things to fight for. This includes, but is not limited to:
Gay Rights, Minority Race Rights, taking care of the poor, Health Care,
cleaning up our food, taking the chemicals out of household products, and so
many other things that I truly believe will make a kinder country and make us
more able to help other countries. If we heal the hurt within this nation's
walls (holler to Hawaii and Alaska, also- we love you kids and we didn't forget
about you just because you're not technically in our walls!), just think of the
kind of help we can offer other Nations.
I think with the current state of the Nation, it
starts with voting for candidates that support laws that produce compassionate
results: whether it is the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act or anything else,
just think about what a candidate saying yes or no to these laws says about
them as a human being, and then think about whether or not you would want them ruling
your country.
I hear people say, "bleeding heart
liberals" a lot. But shouldn't our hearts be bleeding? I know I've been
alive a relatively short period of time, but I know enough about the world to know it's
in a state of disarray and has been for a while. There is enough pain and
suffering going on right now that everyone I know is going through something no
matter how tiny or how large. This goes beyond politics and into the need and
outcry for more compassion in the world. I think the Democratic Party
is doing a better job at this right now, but I am not saying that
Democrats are infallible. In fact, I voted for a couple of Republicans (GASP!) based on their personal viewpoint and issues, so I am still open to everything and attached to nothing.
Back to the point: I’m not thrilled with everything Obama
does--in a perfect world we wouldn't need parties, we would just do what's
right. But as far as doing what's best for a majority of Americans (AND HELLO:
WOMEN ARE A MAJORITY- 50.8% according to the 2011 USA Quick Facts from the Census Bureau) I
think that at this juncture, he is doing a much better job. It is just unthinkable
to me that as a sensible human being you'd allow yourself to vote for someone who would
purposely take away basic rights from your daughter, wife, sister, friend or
lover.
Think about it.
Love,
Lolo
No comments:
Post a Comment