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« Ocean Songs. | Main | Rethinking education conference »
Wednesday Morning Linky Love
February 22, 2006
First of all, you need to go read my friend Michael's new blog, The Tiny Revolution. I've been reading it from the beginning, and I haven't linked to it yet because I've been too busy with other stuff. Michael rocks, and I'm totally bummed that I'm not going to be able to see him next month as I had originally planned.
****
Roadmap to more discord and war!
"You know very well that Hamas is a genuine popular movement which has always pursued the objective of recovering the rights of the oppressed Palestinian people; but unfortunately the Americans have never paid any attention to this matter," he said."The US decision to stop financial aid shows that they are not seeking to promote democracy in the region, contrary to their claims on the Middle East [road-map] proposal."
What a fucking surprise!
***
Maybe we should take a fucking hint!
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit said it was premature to cut off international aid even if Hamas is at the helm - dashing the Bush administration's hopes for a unified front against the militant Islamic group."We should give Hamas time. I'm sure that Hamas will develop, will evolve. We should not prejudge the issue," Mr Gheit said.
Egypt, which receives $2bn (£1.1bn) annually in military and economic aid from the US, acts as a mediator in the region.
***
Ms. Pansy links up this fucked up Marriage Contract from Smoking Gun. WTF?
***
So encouraging early marriage and large families (the conservative suggestion) isn't, in and of itself, an adequate response. The conservative argument is that what the report calls "reduced prospects" are really just the trappings of success in a materialistic society. Women should come to terms early with the notion that they will have to make hard choices, and "reduced prospects" are the inevitable price that must be paid for the far more sublime and enduring delights of bearing and raising children. Feminists respond by rejecting what they see as a false dichotomy; only in a society where there are no communal and governmental responsibilities for helping families raise children will women be forced to choose between motherhood and independence.
Thank you. The same argument applies to single motherhood - and the fear of such that traps us in unhealthy or even abusive relationships.
And then, of course, there's Twisty's take. Being a good little article skimmer, I never even considered the implication that women are somehow responsible for repopulating the nation. Next time, I'll blame the patriarchy first!
And zuzu at feministe points out the racist implications of the study.
See, if I read enough blogs, other people will do all of the analytical heavy-lifting for me!
***
RJ drops some more dead-on words about victim blaming and rape. The question I have, too, is why are women's bodies equated with money in all of the examples he gives. I mean, the examples aren't his...but it's curious that we would even entertain the notion that flashing some skin is the equivalent of flashing some cash. Are women's bodies really that much of a commodity that we don't even balk at that comparison?
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Dude!
Second, even if the deal went through the process perfectly and the laws were followed to a tee, that doesn't mean this debate isn't healthy. Port security needs to be improved, and if Congress is paying attention, it's to all our advantages. And if they change the rules based on concerns about foreign interests (Arab, Chinese, British, whatever) exerting control over our ports, that's certainly within Congress's power, and I don't see how it merits a veto (unless there's a photo somewhere of the President and someone in the UAE holding hands).
[for a roundup of posts on the port issue, see this post and the links contained therein]
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Uffish has redecorated! It's gorgeous!
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I think I've been hanging out with too many boys lately, because...yeah...I can see these ads selling lots of Volkswagens.
***
That's all I got. I hope this posts! I've been getting some errors lately.
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Comments
it's curious that we would even entertain the notion that flashing some skin is the equivalent of flashing some cash. Are women's bodies really that much of a commodity that we don't even balk at that comparison?
Yes. And given the society in which we live, I think it's not that far off. I mean, it's sicker'n shit, but our culture is shot through with messages that a woman's body is a commodity. We don't literally exchange women much anymore in this country (although it does happen--Google "FLDS"), but the mentality is still very much there. Women's bodies, sex, and virginity are things that men are both taught to desire as commodities and taught that they can acquire those commodities.
Hell, maybe the biggest sign of progress is that men are taught that they can acquire those commodities through interactions with women. It wasn't that long ago that the woman's role in the transaction was considered to be no more than a blender's role in its sale. And we still see the imagery every time someone has a traditional wedding: the woman is walked up the aisle by her father, whose act of "giving her away" clearly implies that she is his to give. When the groom comes up the aisle, he usually stands so that the father is between his property/daughter and her new owner/husband. Then, he steps back, and often takes his daughter's hand, and literally "gives her hand" to the groom. Then he receeds from the picture, and the pastor finalizes the transaction.
Ugh.
Ugh, indeed.
Hey, rj, any suggestions for how to explain the patriarchy to a well-intentioned someone who feels that he can somehow exist outside of it, and therefore bears no responsibility for challenging it?