UPDATE: Melody left such a nifty comment on this post that I felt I had to bring it forward so it wouldn't get buried:
I learned how to lie in self-defense in kindergarten. It went something like this:
"Melody," said the teacher, "what do you want to be when you grow up?"
"I want to take care of a pretty house." (Keep in mind that I was only 5 years old.)
"But you can do anything you want! What do you want to do?"
"I want to take care of a pretty house!"
"Sweetie, you can be anything you want to be - you don't have to be a (insert derisive tone here) house wife."
"But I want to take care of a pretty house!" (cue tears)
So, in self-defense, whenever asked, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" I would answer, "I want to be a lawyer."
It took a while, but I finally reached my dream - I get to take care of a pretty house, teach my children, take my time to cook nutritious meals and pamper my husband. THAT'S truly "having it all."
Melody
Whoo-hoo Melody! You rock, woman!
Feminism didn't enable men to stop supporting women and children. Modern feminism attaches government enforced financial chains so the men still have to support them but now there are no strings attached. In fact these men must now compete against women, with special government enforced privileges, to support the family they are sometimes physically kept from seeing.
ReplyDeleteAlso even traditionally raised women will embrace any movement that gives them minority perks while being the actual majority. Even those who see it as unfair will still routinely embrace the perks when it means getting them a good government job or a lucrative divorce ruling.
I believe you are on to something. Feminism was begun by those women who were lacking what it took to be real women. They also realized the only way to get those women who did have the skills to follow was to make it a play land of unlimited choices, entitlement and no consequences.
With the help of our government they succeeded.
Sadly, many people in America are easily swayed by whatever may be the current fad or politically correct notion that comes along. They fail to look at the bigger picture, or to contemplate the potential unintended consequences. Instead, they embrace the new fad and run with it, actly very smug as they do so. This, I believe, is exactly what happened with "feminism."
ReplyDeletePeople, particularly women, jumped onto the bandwagon and failed to see where the bandwagon was headed. All they cared about was the symbolism and the false sense of freedom that the "movemennt" gave them. These women never thought about the consequences to their own children, nor did they see that both a father and mother are vital to rearing happy, stable children. Many grandparents wound up raising the children of those women, they raised their grandchildren, because their daughters could not manage to raise their own kids. And because their daughters chose to live a life of selfishness rather than one of love for their own children. Those children raised by their grandparents were the lucky ones, as it turns out. The children raised by their selfish, myopic mothers suffered the lack of a strong male in their lives. As your article said, those children failed to become responsible, caring, independent citizens. We all suffer for the short-sighted, misguided, and thoughtless choices made by "feminists."
As a woman who came of age in the 1960s, I can tell you it was very difficult to resist the pressures to be a "feminist." It was pushed through the media, through public schools, universities, friends, and even some so-called religious leaders promoted the notion of "feminism." Thank goodness the ERA failed to pass.
I see a new fad on the horizon, one that will have just as many unhealthy ramifications, but from a different angle. There is a segment of the population pushing for "animals' rights." Lest anyone get the wrong idea, this is a push to give animals the right to sue people. The right to not be eaten or used in any manner other than as pets. This is not some joke, this is real and frightening. And like "feminism," this new fad may sweep the country because there is always a segment of society that just doesn't get it. Beware of your dog, soon he could be suing you for better food and accomodations. Cass Sunstein of the current administration and PETA are big proponents of this idea.
Anonymous Patriot
USA
I learned how to lie in self-defense in kindergarten. It went something like this:
ReplyDelete"Melody," said the teacher, "what do you want to be when you grow up?"
"I want to take care of a pretty house." (keep in mind that I was only 5 years old).
"But you can do anything you want! What do you want to do?"
"I want to take care of a pretty house!"
"Sweetie, you can be anything you want to be - you don't have to be a (insert derisive tone here) house wife ."
"But I want to take care of a pretty house!(cue tears)."
So, in self-defense, whenever asked, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" I would answer, "I want to be a lawyer."
It took a while, but I finally reached my dream - I get to take care of a pretty house, teach my children, take my time to cook nutritious meals and pamper my husband. THAT'S truly "having it all."
Melody
Another well written expression of truth about a major part of what ails us as a nation, Patrice.
ReplyDeleteAnd once again A.P. hits the nail on the head. I encourage everyone to pay heed to her warning about the "animal rights" movement, as I've had first hand professional experience with the very effort she wrote about, i.e. giving legal status to animals.
We were one of the first communities hit by this juggernaut after it was launched in Kings County, Washington and began spreading across the U.S. A sure sign it's hit your community is any public discussion or proposed legislation that includes the term animal 'guardian' rather than animal owner. This seemingly innocuous term spells disaster for your civil rights and your animal's well being, and should be loudly confronted and stopped in its tracks. Your legal ownership of an animal is the only thing that enables you to protect it from the intrusive and often tragic interference of the anthropomorphically inclined do-gooders that infest radical groups like PETA. And by the way...who do you think were the first people labeled as domestic terrorists and placed on watch lists in the U.S? If you answered animal activists like PETA you are correct. They are among some of the most irrational and destructive elements among us, and again, I speak from direct experience, both legally and practically.
It may seem odd that A.P. and I bring up this issue in relation to this women against women series of Patrice's, but there is a seeming nexus. In my experience I've found a disproportionate number of the most rabid and aggressive animal rights activists to be people, especially women, without children, who consider their pets as their children. This is another glaring and dangerous example of the distorted mind set growing out of the feminist movement.
Yes, we love our critters...except poor Lydia who never gets fed or loved or treats or anything..lol..and we dote on them with great affection, but we know the difference in a pet and a child. The same cannot be said for some folks.
OK...enough from me on my soap box. I'll shut up and go address some Christmas cards. I've probably said enough here to flood Patrice's e-mail box with vitriol and nasty messages for days. If so I do apologize.
A.McSp
Patrice,
ReplyDeleteAnother super article in this very important series! Your summary at the end about the mess of broken children (growing up) going on to procreate and have a new generation of broken children is so so so true.
I would be so bold as to say that "most" young men and young ladies today don't even know what a real man or a real woman looks like! Sadly, "immature boy-men" and their female counterparts are everywhere. The overall immaturity of adults nowadays is definitely disconcerting (and only getting worse).
I am glad you are choosing to take feminism to task for the consequences we live with today. Keep up the good work!
Mara :)
A female co-worker came into work on a Mother's Day past and wished a couple of moms a "Happy Mother's Day." So far so good. Then she proceeded to do the same with a woman everyone knows is childless. Someone raised an eyebrow or made a comment and so she explained that the woman's dogs were her "children." I went ballistic. I stood up and made a rather forceful little speech (eloquent too, I'm sure) about understanding the idea of loving and caring for animals as pets, but vehemently decrying ANY comparison between the duties and responsibilities of a pet owner and a mother of children, labeling any such comparison as the mindless blather of a certifiable idiot. I don't get offended easily, but I made it clear this was a "no quarter" subject, and that wishing a dog owner a Happy Mother's Day was a grievous insult to moms everywhere. I don't know if anyone took my little outburst to heart, but I can assure you they won't make the same mistake in MY presence again. Hee hee.
ReplyDeleteBack in the '70s when feminism was really hot my mom, who was a stay at home mom most of my life, always said "I'm not burning my bra for anyone. I know which side of my bread is buttered." A big applause to all of those who know just where the "good life" lies.
ReplyDelete