OnLine With Zoe

A Poem I could not resist

Wear Your Good Bra Everyday

Email Conversations

This has been a very interesting week of email.  I began writing to women I admire asking about a women’s debate.  From my perspective – the news stinks.  Many of them want to ride under the radar and elect Hillary – as if once elected she is going to rise up and meet the unspoken expectations.  Gee – do ya think that’s gonna happen?  January 20, 2008 the campaign begins for January 20, 2012 and the winner is going to do what was required of them to get elected ~ actually it may decline as the years peel by – afraid of serving only one term.

A few truly understood my request – that women, as a force in the US needs/ deserves/requires a debate.  Women should be the leaders in a debates.  Women should be asking the questions.  Women should be the subject of the questions.  Women will VOTE when they are represented.  (some women I wrote to this week responded by telling me the dreadful statistics on women voting – What is that?  Why not respond by ASKING WHAT WILL BRING IN MORE WOMEN TO VOTE????)  The answer is that women will vote in droves when they perceive themselves as represented.

Let me take are wild leap here – Hillary should be encouraging a Women’s Sponsored Debate!  Ya Think?  This is not the time to duck and cover.  This is the time to embrace Equal Rights, Pay Equity, Reproductive Freedom, the privacy of women and their doctors, the needs of women immigrants, family health, education, women in prison, campus safety, the right to make a dollar on the dollar. 

I believe that if Hillary Clinton stood center stage and said that she would develop and support a national program to make campus safety a priority, college women would elect her.  I truly believe that if Hillary Clinton stood center stage and said that she would develop and support a national program to permanently establish pay equity, working women would elect her.  I truly believe that if Hillary Clinton stood center stage and talked openly, pointedly about the hundreds of thousands of Iraqi (find and replace Sudanese) women and children without water and safety, American women would elect her.  I would be proud to campaign for her, to vote for her, to support her.

PS Happy Women's Equality Day.

What a Luxury

Dear Veteran Feminist Friends,

I have just returned from a powerful weekend of feminism with California NOW.  The young (under 40) women teach me so much about the world they face.  My legacy to them is to forge onward, pick up their flags and never stop putting women first. 

The number one issue they face on a daily (hourly) basis is safety.  The numbers are so shocking; one in three will be sexually attacked.  One college student told me that she chooses her classes based on daylight, parking and safety.  It is so prevalent.  One of the campaigns we spoke of is distributing drink coasters to bars – which actually can indicate if a drink has the “rape drug” in it.  We can only imagine living such a world.

            I only go into all of this to explain why I am so driven as to rock the Hillary boat.  Aside from my personal pacifism, I will vote for the Democratic candidate – we can start from there.  But there is open statement circulating that Hillary has stated unequivocally that she will not be discussing feminist issues publicly. What a luxury! 

Most women in America are facing feminist issues everyday, at the market, at the bank, in the streets, blinded by the media, at the pharmacy – where are they not devastated by sexism?  Maybe Senator Clinton does not want to be taken off course with question about marriage equality, don’t ask – don’t tell, or choice BUT what of abstinence only campaigns, availability of Emergency Birth Control in big box stores, families torn apart through immigration laws, women in prison ripped from their babies, women in Congress, the recent rulings in the Supreme Court and so many more I could go on for hours. 

I simply cannot believe I am wrong in being shaken to the core that a woman running for President is moving along, maybe barreling along, without addressing specifically the lives of American women – AND FEELS CONFIDANT AMONG FEMINISTS – to say that she will not be addressing feminist issues.  I have to ask – what does she think a feminist is?  Though I am not entirely comfortable with the analogy ~ would Obama tell Black Americans that he will not be addressing issues germane to Black Americans?  How about Biden or Dodd not addressing old White men? 

Originally my concerns were all about the war – but now they are about political abandonment.  I will not be assuaged with her co-sponsorship on the ERA – that is so fundamental and, even that, she has stated she will not be discussing publically.  Sounds like a very big , VERY BIG, closet to me – I got out of the feminist closet at age eight and most likely so did you. 

I want my candidate to stand proudly and shout clearly, I AM A FEMINIST. 

Your sister,

Zoe

I may need something

As the days toward the elections fly by, I am thinking I may need something from all of the feminists, the humanists, the progressives, the people who are in the center and all to their left.  I am sincerely worried that IF Hillary wins there will be a collective sigh and everyone will take a break.  Maybe the battle will be so bloody, so vicious, filled with nasty hurt that all of us will want a break from politics; as if our elected representatives are supposed to take over and we can go out for cocktails.

What got me thinking about this is the news of considering a draft and the grilling of Candidate Romney about his five sons not serving the country in a war he supports.  My thinking is that a draft will set the country on fire - my shallow mind wants to celebrate that a draft might finally get us off our asses.  But my wakeful mind felt shame that we are not so incendiary over the economic blackmail we hold over the heads of America's poorest citizens (and some seeking citizenship) to fight Bush's oil war.  What is the condition of our interior fabric when drafting the wealthy would finally draw us to the streets.  Ah ~ so it is complacency or relief that someone else is doing the heavy lifting. 

I am surrounded with people who believe that if Obama or Clinton is elected President all will be fixed.  Whew, job well done.  No one would think that if we were putting together a committee or a company.  We would know that the choosing and seating of people would be only the beginning.  Specifically I am worried that if Hillary is elected (as I believe she will be) all of the people who mobilized to get that done will be happy, be relieved and go on political holiday. 

Now we have seen what a maniacal idiot can do in the White House.  Let's never again have the conversation that it doesn't matter who is in the White house. That object lesson is done, delivered and received.  But it is going to take a vigilant nation to undo it.  It is going to take the citizenry to require and support Congress in diminishing executive power, strike the patriot act, end the war, return the troops to their families, re-order national priorities and offer a diplomatic handshake to the world.

The percentage of women in Congress is 16.1 %.  Pelosi becoming the speaker did not change that at all but I heard dinner table conversations across the country where smug conservatives said to their progressive family members, upon her appointment, "Well I hope you are happy now, stop your complaining about women in office."  A woman speaker only means that we don't have to battle the traditionally male ownership of that chair. 

So roll up your sleeves.  Campaign for your candidate.  Once elected, let the work begin.  Maybe you will have a ship captain who wants to go where you want to go, but this ain't no resort cruise - its a working freighter.  Only an idiot believes, "Mission Accomplished."

Where is MY debate?

I am sitting at my desk watching the AFL-CIO debate for all of the Democratic presidential candidates.  It is taking place in Illinois, which is the largest industrialized state that voted AGAINST WOMEN BEING IN THE US CONSTITUTION.  Let me repeat that, it isn't just that they did not pass the ERA ~ IT IS THAT THEY VOTED AGAINST THE ERA.  This is not a fine, hair-splitting distinction - this is FUNDAMENTAL.  Could they possibly consider boycotting states which voted against gender equality?

The debate is being held in the new Soldier's Stadium (soldiers?) which cost millions of taxpayers' money. Obvious questions are about bridges, mines, war, universal health care, NAFTA, WTO - it is a debate hosted by the unions after all.  As Hillary boasts and beams about being a daughter of Illinois; her father a Bear's fan.  Really!  Oh, and is this Obama land?  What did he do for women while in public service to the people of Illinois?  He proudly stated that he voted to build the stadium but what did he do to ratify the ERA in Illinois? 

The subtitle of today's debate is WORKING FAMILIES VOTE 2008.  What families?  Women-head-of-household families?  Soldiers' families whose primary wage earner is on the third tour overseas?  LGB families who are denied the benefits of federal and state recognized marriage?  The families of the 2 million people who are in US prisons? 

Please pardon my language but WHERE THE FUCK IS MY DEBATE?  Where is the debate hosted by women for women, about women.  I am not stupid, I know that every issue is a women's issue but we have watched debates by CNN, Youtube, LOGO, AFL-CIO, Christians and Howard University (just heard about a debate in Spanish).  Between both of the main parities there are 16 men and one woman.  There have been no women moderators.  20% of the Youtube questions aired were by women. 

I want a WOMEN'S DEBATE.  I want it hosted by women, with women in the audience, all questions about how every issue is a women's issue.  I want to see an audience of women from the military, the clergy, teachers, nurses, doctors, attorneys, manufacturers, law enforcement officers, etc. and the unemployed.  I want to see mothers; single, married, gay, straight.  I want to see seniors and students.  I want it on a women's campus.  I want questions about the Supreme Court, reproductive autonomy, pay equity, marriage rights, prison reform, immigration as it affects families.  I want questions about THE NUMBER ONE WOMEN'S ISSUE IN THE US AND THE WORLD ~ SAFETY: sexual safety, public safety, in-home safety.   We must begin to talk publicly about VIOLENCE against women.  (how can we make this happen? ~ please help make this happen.) 

WHERE THE FUCK IS MY DEBATE? 

better get your application in ASAP

       Have you noticed that China has been a bit of a problem recently?  Just this summer it has exported melamine tainted pet food, tooth paste laced with anti-freeze and Thomas Trains, Dora the Explorer and our beloved ELMO decorated with lead paint.  Of course that is what they sent here.  They have really been on a nasty kick over there with forced abortions, child labor, religious persecution, jailed and executed dissidents.  As most of you know, they are a premiere violator of human rights with both Africa and Tibet.  Since 1950 they have murdered and tortured thousands of Tibetans, destroyed over 6,000 monasteries and, in 1995, kidnapped Panchen Lama, age six.  He has not been seen since. 

     Now they have issued a new requirement ~ as of September 1, 2007, Tibetan living Buddhas will have to apply for reincarnation to the Chinese government.  The new rules are "an important move to institutionalize, the management of reincarnation of living Buddhas," the Xinhua news agency said.  According to the regulations, all applications must be submitted to religions affairs officials for approval.  Aside from communist China blatantly self-described as atheist, this is peculiar beyond comprehension. 

     As I often say when speaking publicly, I can explain it but never defend it.  I imagine that this is their way of being able to unseat a Tulku before they are even born.  And, though it is a terrible reality, His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama may be leaving in the next twenty years and China won't be sending out a welcoming search party for the Fifteenth Dalai Lama as the Tibetans did in 1937.  The good news is that His Holiness has stated that he won't be taking birth in communist China. 

     My belief is that we are all living Buddhas, so we need to get this paperwork together pronto.  I don't want to take an incarnation that I spent all these hundreds of lifetimes developing and have this murderous, torturing, godless government deny my identity.