Thursday, January 6, 2011
My Elizabeth Edwards rant
Am I in the minority of those who disapprove of Elizabeth Edwards's decision to leave her husband out of her will? If so, then at least there is comfort in the proverb "What is popular is not always right, what is right is not always popular."
I can't believe it is the year 2011 and I find the need to say this. Just because you've got breast cancer and your husband (reportedly) is a lying, cheating, overpaid scumbag doesn't take away from the fact that he's your husband, and as his spouse, you should think of your soulmate on your deathbed. At least that's what I would do if I were in her situation. But congratulations Elizabeth Edwards: by leaving your husband out of your will, you've just lowered yourself to the level at which a great deal of people view him: as a lying, cheating jerk.
"But John Edwards has plenty of money, so naturally his wife didn't see the need of leaving him anything."
Nonsense. Ever heard of the saying "money doesn't buy happiness"? That's number one; number two: stop making excuses for injustice. Just because you're living a crappy life doesn't give you permission to make others' lives worse. Injustice is no excuse for injustice. And yes, one of the worst things you can do to someone else (let alone your own spouse!) to make their life worse, regardless of how that someone else has treated you, is to exclude them from something that is good.
Finally, something for the record: if John Edwards was the one with cancer and people portrayed his wife as a lying, cheating, overpaid scumbag(ette), I would be slamming John Edwards if he left his wife out of his will. I hate double standards.
I can't believe it is the year 2011 and I find the need to say this. Just because you've got breast cancer and your husband (reportedly) is a lying, cheating, overpaid scumbag doesn't take away from the fact that he's your husband, and as his spouse, you should think of your soulmate on your deathbed. At least that's what I would do if I were in her situation. But congratulations Elizabeth Edwards: by leaving your husband out of your will, you've just lowered yourself to the level at which a great deal of people view him: as a lying, cheating jerk.
"But John Edwards has plenty of money, so naturally his wife didn't see the need of leaving him anything."
Nonsense. Ever heard of the saying "money doesn't buy happiness"? That's number one; number two: stop making excuses for injustice. Just because you're living a crappy life doesn't give you permission to make others' lives worse. Injustice is no excuse for injustice. And yes, one of the worst things you can do to someone else (let alone your own spouse!) to make their life worse, regardless of how that someone else has treated you, is to exclude them from something that is good.
Finally, something for the record: if John Edwards was the one with cancer and people portrayed his wife as a lying, cheating, overpaid scumbag(ette), I would be slamming John Edwards if he left his wife out of his will. I hate double standards.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
In Haïti, female victims given preference
Even though I haven't updated this blog in a while, surely this story is an example of female privilege rearing its ugly head once again (by the way, for the record, male privilege is equally ugly, but I digress). Privilege that, in a disaster, females are usually the first ones to receive aid. This is nothing new -- one only has to remember US Airways Flight 1549 for another recent instance of this phenomenon.
I should also say that words cannot express how not surprised I am at this news pertaining to Haitian earthquake aid. It was only a matter of time before some organization put a feminist spin on a human problem -- it was inevitable.
I should also say that words cannot express how not surprised I am at this news pertaining to Haitian earthquake aid. It was only a matter of time before some organization put a feminist spin on a human problem -- it was inevitable.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Columbine caveat
The tenth anniversary of the Columbine High School massacre occurs later this month, but when discussing this tragedy, I cannot overemphasize how important it is not to use it as male-bashing. In an episode of the TV show "Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher," this, sadly, is what Michael Moore does. In this video, about 1:45 through, he tries to make the implication that it is only men who walk into schools and open fire. True, Michael, but I got bad news for ya: that isn't going to help destroy the culture of man-bashing in this country that, I believe, is an indirect cause of massacres like the Columbine one.
Now, am I trying to make excuses for what the gunmen did on that day almost ten years ago? Of course not! What I am saying, however, is that we, as a society, should not be surprised if other future massacres like the Columbine one take place as long as there is plenty of "misandric bile," as YouTube user Argus Eyes calls it, to go around (by the way, more people need to watch his videos).
You may now be asking me, well, what should I do (that is, what should I do that could help prevent another disaster of that magnitude)? The best answer I can give you is one my choir director gave our ensemble a few days after Columbine took place, which is: look out for those kids whom you feel are ostracized, left out, or outcast. Talk to them. Lend them a writing implement or piece of paper and don't be offended if you don't get it back. Ask for their cell number, then give them a call every now and then just to see how they're doing. Or text them every once in a while if you're technologically inclined. Befriend them on Facebook... and so on and so forth.
If you think the foregoing sounds corny, I can assure you it's a small price to pay to avert a potential massacre. As the saying goes, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure". And though it is true that girls are under lots of pressure from the media, what few people are saying is that the media also pressure boys a great deal, and that like girls, it is easy for boys to become depressed by all this pressure. Another finding that people don't mention is that depression is one of the causes for violence in boys, so this underscores the importance of looking out for the outcast in our society.
The bottom line, therefore, is that for the sake of the safety of our society -- not just on the national level, but also worldwide -- it is necessary to do away with the evil that is misandry. If that cannot be done, then at least be a friend to those around you whom you feel are ignored.
Now, am I trying to make excuses for what the gunmen did on that day almost ten years ago? Of course not! What I am saying, however, is that we, as a society, should not be surprised if other future massacres like the Columbine one take place as long as there is plenty of "misandric bile," as YouTube user Argus Eyes calls it, to go around (by the way, more people need to watch his videos).
You may now be asking me, well, what should I do (that is, what should I do that could help prevent another disaster of that magnitude)? The best answer I can give you is one my choir director gave our ensemble a few days after Columbine took place, which is: look out for those kids whom you feel are ostracized, left out, or outcast. Talk to them. Lend them a writing implement or piece of paper and don't be offended if you don't get it back. Ask for their cell number, then give them a call every now and then just to see how they're doing. Or text them every once in a while if you're technologically inclined. Befriend them on Facebook... and so on and so forth.
If you think the foregoing sounds corny, I can assure you it's a small price to pay to avert a potential massacre. As the saying goes, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure". And though it is true that girls are under lots of pressure from the media, what few people are saying is that the media also pressure boys a great deal, and that like girls, it is easy for boys to become depressed by all this pressure. Another finding that people don't mention is that depression is one of the causes for violence in boys, so this underscores the importance of looking out for the outcast in our society.
The bottom line, therefore, is that for the sake of the safety of our society -- not just on the national level, but also worldwide -- it is necessary to do away with the evil that is misandry. If that cannot be done, then at least be a friend to those around you whom you feel are ignored.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Other issues I care about
By now, you can probably guess that I've issues concerning feminism, but that's not my only topic of worry. Though I believe we should eradicate sexism (all forms of sexism, not just sexism against women), there are other forms of injustice in the world that also attract my concern. Three of them are as follows:
Mixed-Race Rights. If there are history months or awareness months for African-Americans, Asian-Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Native Americans, then where is Mixed-Race Awareness Month? Part of the problem that is hampering development of such a month is that the term "mixed-race" is offensive to some of those who identify as biracial, triracial, &c., but nevertheless a month should exist for those people who identify with more than one race/ethnicity on official forms. This is one of the many issues that concern mixed-race rights.
Only Child Discrimination. There is a Chinese saying that describes an only child as a king of the house who hogs everything, or something along those lines. I have also overheard people on a bus talk about how spoiled only children are, and what's even scarier is that an actual psychology textbook says the same thing. Discrimination against the only child is not only unjust; it also constitutes a double standard, since such discrimination doesn't affect people who have siblings.
Age Discrimination. Unless an arbitrary 20-year old on April 3rd who cannot consume alcohol responsibly can magically correct his problem on his 21st birthday, April 4th, the law in the United States that says you have to be 21 or over to drink is age discrimination. A similar analysis applies to the age of consent, driving age, voting age, and gambling age.
These are just three of the several issues that attract my concern. My hope, succinctly put, is that all forms of discrimination stop.
Mixed-Race Rights. If there are history months or awareness months for African-Americans, Asian-Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Native Americans, then where is Mixed-Race Awareness Month? Part of the problem that is hampering development of such a month is that the term "mixed-race" is offensive to some of those who identify as biracial, triracial, &c., but nevertheless a month should exist for those people who identify with more than one race/ethnicity on official forms. This is one of the many issues that concern mixed-race rights.
Only Child Discrimination. There is a Chinese saying that describes an only child as a king of the house who hogs everything, or something along those lines. I have also overheard people on a bus talk about how spoiled only children are, and what's even scarier is that an actual psychology textbook says the same thing. Discrimination against the only child is not only unjust; it also constitutes a double standard, since such discrimination doesn't affect people who have siblings.
Age Discrimination. Unless an arbitrary 20-year old on April 3rd who cannot consume alcohol responsibly can magically correct his problem on his 21st birthday, April 4th, the law in the United States that says you have to be 21 or over to drink is age discrimination. A similar analysis applies to the age of consent, driving age, voting age, and gambling age.
These are just three of the several issues that attract my concern. My hope, succinctly put, is that all forms of discrimination stop.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
The presidential election
Though it's true, I haven't written in this blog in a while, let me throw in my own $0.02 about the election last month.
Barack Obama makes me ashamed to be mixed-race due to his misandry in the form of a hateful Father's Day speech that took fathers to task for not being there for their kids (this is only one example of Obama's misandry out of many). Also, Joe Biden makes me ashamed to be both Pennsylvanian and Catholic due to his VAWA legislation in conjunction with his outdated views on domestic violence. No wonder I didn't vote Obama/Biden last month.
Triple whammy aside, however, there is reason for hope. According to an article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Obama supports a requirement stipulating that both men and women register for the Selective Service. If such a bill is brought before Congress, I surely hope it passes.
Barack Obama makes me ashamed to be mixed-race due to his misandry in the form of a hateful Father's Day speech that took fathers to task for not being there for their kids (this is only one example of Obama's misandry out of many). Also, Joe Biden makes me ashamed to be both Pennsylvanian and Catholic due to his VAWA legislation in conjunction with his outdated views on domestic violence. No wonder I didn't vote Obama/Biden last month.
Triple whammy aside, however, there is reason for hope. According to an article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Obama supports a requirement stipulating that both men and women register for the Selective Service. If such a bill is brought before Congress, I surely hope it passes.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
The boy crisis revisited
Just to piggyback on my previous entry, Krista Kafer of the Independent Women's Forum stated the problem of the boy crisis better than I did. Here is an excerpt from her paper "Taking the Boy Crisis in Education Seriously: How School Choice Can Boost Achievement Among Boys and Girls":
The entire paper is available here. Undoubtedly it is required reading if you teach at the K-12 level.
Girls surpass boys in reading, writing, civics and the arts. Girls get better grades and more honors; they have higher aspirations, are more engaged in school and are more likely to graduate from high school and college. Boys, on the other hand, are more likely to be suspended or expelled, need special education, smoke, drink and do drugs, repeat a grade, commit suicide, become incarcerated, leave school without attaining literacy, drop out of school or be unemployed. Marginal advantages in math and science for boys pale compared to the sheer advantage girls enjoy throughout school. (pg. 1.)
The entire paper is available here. Undoubtedly it is required reading if you teach at the K-12 level.
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