Wal-mart Waltz

Most activists recognize it: Walmart is evil. Their stone-aged views of women as second class, offensive treatment of minorities and immigrants (documented or not), poor economic policies that hurt their distributers (and ultimately the economy as a whole), their bible-belt like censorship of music and other media, and painfully blatant abuses of mentally and physically challenged employees (documentation anyone?) should sicken any socially concous individual to action. But in the face of today's news aboutWalmart's new drug program what's an activist to do?

This type of drug-price busting should be applauded - helping their customers with a genuinely too-high cost and potentially saving the elderly and unhealthy hundreds of dollars a year, reguardless if they are insured or not, should be commended - but due to Walmarts track record I can't help but ask myself "what is the ultimate cost?".

Often when people ask my about my 2 year boycott of Walmart, and I start to list my reasons, they get agressive and defensive about their own reasons for shopping there. The good things that walmart does, but almost every time they have been misinformed or succomed to Walmart's propaganda (my own grandfather's personal hero is Samuel Wal, so he will hear no evil of him!!). So what do you tell someone in the face if this news? What do you tell your grandmother who needs that break in her spending? And what about my own drug costs? It's hard to make ends meet in this economy, fresh out of college with few job prospects...it's tempting, I tell ya, (don't worry...we shall not be overcome...besides, as far as I've heard the breaks will not be given to birth control...big surprise right?).

It seems that few people bother to consider what Walmarts 'rolled back' prices have cost them in the long run in the past...think about it - if you're paying less for retail items, just so Walmart doesn't have to provide healthcare, and they're telling their employees to go to the state for said healthcare, you're ultimately paying for their employees medical coverage out of your tax dollars (meanwhile, Walmarts tax payments have dropped and dropped and their profits have rised astronomically until very recently). So while I'm glad that these people in need, most of whom are already at a marked disadvantage to society, are getting a much-needed break, I admit that I am concered about where in society this is going to bite us?

So what's an activist to do?

Woah Willie

This my not seem relevant - but I really couldn't resist!

A headline from this mornings edition.cnn.com (CNN international):

Willie Nelson cited for pot, mushrooms

LAFAYETTE, Louisiana (AP) -- Willie Nelson and four others were issued misdemeanor citations for possession of narcotic mushrooms and marijuana after a traffic stop Monday morning on a Louisiana highway, state police said.

The citations were issued after a commercial vehicle inspection of the country music star's tour bus, state police said in a news release.

"When the door was opened and the trooper began to speak to the driver, he smelled the strong odor of marijuana," the news release said.

A search of the bus produced 11/2 pounds of marijuana and 0.2 pounds of narcotic mushrooms, according to state police.

Now, one has to wonder, was that cop really suprised? I somehow don't think so! I laughed right out loud when I read this. ;)

How John Spencer just lost NY State (as if he ever had a chance anyway)

So John Spencer should know something - he's got an up hill battle in front of him and pissing of the Dems of NY isn't going to help.

For those of you who haven't heard of him (and trust me you are not alone) the former Yonkers mayor is currently the Rep. nominee running against Hillary for Senate. Woo hoo, good for him, right? Well I was watching an interview with him on CNN Headline News on one of their evening shows and he's doing a 'yes' or 'no' style answer game where he's rapidly asked questions. Here's a real example:
"Is immigration a huge problem in this country?"
Spencer: "Huge might be an exaggeration, but it is a problem."
"The President has got this right:"
Spencer: "Terrorism"
"The President has this totally wrong:"
Spencer: "Spending"

Now, up till this point I had very little problem with the man, he sounded like ever other middle-of-the-road politician that I've had to pick the lesser of two evils of in the past...until the next Q&A:
"What does the other side have right?"
Spencer: "Nothing (pause) I don't follow the other side."

And that right there folks is how Spencer lost the vote in good ole NY - way to fuck it for yourself.

As a side note, I should've known I didn't like him when last night, when they announced his primary victory, he said he was going to win because he wasn't running for the White House. Man, those pot shots didn't take long to start, huh? At least Hillary wont have to resort to that because she probably doesn't even realize he's running. Ha!

Where Have the Feminists All Gone: Bringing children into the fold of the next wave

Unless you are a student or staff at a college or university you experiance it...you know what it feels like - you've seen the nasty looks from coworkers and felt the negativity from aquainances when you utter that o so powerful phrase "I am a feminist".

But what does that mean today? And where should our movement be going? I have a new charge tonight - based on current events in the news, my own opinions, and some ideas from Pete Seeger.

I was listening to DemocracyNOW! early this summer and heard him say something I had never heard before - here's the quote:

I'm of the opinion now that if the human race makes it -- I say we've got a 50-50 chance -- if the human race makes it, it'll be women working with children, these two very large oppressed classes in the human race. Children, doing what the grownups say they're supposed to do, and yet they're going to have to pay for our mistakes. They're going to have to clean up the environment, which had been filled with chemicals, the air being filled with chemicals, the water being filled with chemicals, the ocean being filled with chemicals. And they're going to have to clean it up. And I think it will be women working with kids that'll do this job. In millions of little ways, maybe done in your hometown. In my hometown we're starting a project to put in a floating swimming pool in the Hudson, because now the Hudson is clean enough to swim in. Let's swim in it. And if it works in our little town, maybe other towns will do it. In fact, if this swimming pool idea -- it's like a big netting in the water.

So, I confess I'm more optimistic now than I was 58 years ago, 59 years ago, when the atom bomb was dropped.

It's the idea that it's not just women, but children also as an oppressed class in society worldwide. So it's not a new idea - just new to me - but it makes so much sense! If 51% of any given society is female, and 25% is under 18, then approx 60% of society is dominated by the other 40%; across the boundaries of culture, region, and argueably time.

Is it possible for the next wave of feminism to include in its mission the advancement and representation of children? I have come over to Mr Seeger's point of view - it is our responsibility as feminists, not just the female members of the movement but also the males, to create a world where we dont simply destroy our planet and our future for our own ends and claim it is for our children, we dont just focus on our own childs trust fund - but desire to include their vision for the world and their desires for the future that we are molding for them.

So where does news tie in you ask? Today I learned of a new trend in girls fashion - padded bras and thongs aimed at 6 year old girls! You may ask (though I can't imagine how) what this has to do with feminism.

If we accept this call for a true unity then the sexsploitation of our children can not be tolerated - how can we be looking to a new future and allow our kids to be brainwashed by a need to be "fashionable"? This is just another marketing ploy by another company to tap into a new demographic without careing about the social impact of their product. Did the jerk who designed these at all consider the image she/he is putting out there? I mean, WTF!?!

Over the summer my 12 year old sister,STICK thin(!!), bikini clad with a little tiny skirt on refused to show us the bottom of her bathing suit because her "legs were to fat"; and the other women in my family responded with "where did that come from?". Well DUH!! If every image she sees is about some anorexic model complaining about their weight then how is she supposed to appreciate herself?

But ya, we've all heard that before - so what (right?)? Well maybe I'm just saying it's about fucking time that we stop talking and talking and talking and finally do something about it.

A glimmer of hope for equalists everywhere:
You dont have to have studied feminism to know that men's sexuality and sexual health has always been of more value than women's - and though it's not law yet, a new Michigan bill introduced today would require girls entering 6th grade to get the HPV vaccine because it is proven to be more effective if administered before women become sexually active (ie. before they have a chance to be exposed to the damn infection). (For those who dont know, HPV is one of the top causes of cervical cancer and sterility among women and can be undetected without regular testing. It is also the #1 most common sexually transmitted infection in this country - effecting 3 out of 4 Americans. Now, one has to wonder - in a country where so many people go uninsured, and we claim to have a commitment to preventative health care, wouldn't you rather have a vaccine than pay for chemo?) While I do not condone young women having sex before they're ready (and even when they think they are they're probably not) , I DO think it's a good idea to protect them from cervical cancer and sterility - and we could wipe out HPV in this country if the vaccine were prevalent enough.

I doubt it will pass - the conservatives in this country will say it is an excuse for young women to have more sex even younger - but it puts an important issue into the mainstream and brings the arguement up and in that way we're taking some baby steps.

43 Things

I've recently moved to a new city and begun a new life, and I've been kind of bummed because the job market in this city is awful and I'm worried about work. As a consequence I've spent the majority of my time floating around on the internet looking, not only for work, but inspiration. It's kind of depressing to be fresh out of undergrad and not have a job you love.

I found a glimmer of inspiration this evening as I listened to my obnoxious neighbors party & play football in the street - 43 Things & it's sister website 43 Places. They're both based on the simple idea that writing down what you want in a list helps you reach the goals you didn't even know you had, but the part that inspired me the most was the homepage...a list of the things people wanted to do most and the sense of community it gave me. Everyone's life sucks a little bit sometimes, and their are louder neighbors in the world, but if we keep our eyes on the prize (and write about our progress on the community pages so we can support one another) maybe it will suck a little less in a little while.

(Token Sappy Moment of the Month)