The Personal is Political
The Personal is Political by Ragen Ashlie Roberts is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Furthermore, traditional marriage
Define traditional marriage.
is not private, it is a symbol for the community. It is furthermore not something the government has any place in defining and so government has got to leave marriage to the Church, where it belongs.
Fuck you. The “Church” does not own marriage; by leaving it to “the Church” you would be erasing all non-Christian marriages. Most of my friends are atheists, many of whom are married.
They also define their own marriages; not the fucking church.
Also, if you take the government out of it you can say goodbye to all the legal benefits that come along with a legally recognized marriage. Like being able to see and make medical decisions for your spouse when they are unable too.
Why is anyone even surprised by Nikosnature being an asshole anymore? Look. If the community rejects me as a human being, why should I give a fuck what they think I should do if it doesn’t affect them in any way? If I marry a woman someday (thank you, Massachusetts!), how the hell does that affect you in anyway?
Know a liberal who’s feeling down in the dumps? Cheer him up by sending him a link to this story!
Yes, because all liberals hate newborns and children. I’ve read this story and here’s what should have happened:
- The couple should have been able to get affordable contraceptives so they could have sex and be intimate without worrying about a pregnancy.
- If they still became pregnant, they should have been able to get an affordable abortion at a clinic where they are not harassed by protesters screaming “don’t kill your child,” “god doesn’t want you to do this,” and carrying signs of aborted fetuses.
- Finally, if the two still had the child, she should have been able to give it up for adoption and know that her child would go to a good home and would likely live a good life.
Instead, you take a tragedy and make it into a joke about how liberals love crime and dead newborns. Congratulations.
^
- AND if they wanted to have/keep/raise the child they should have had legitimate access to a) jobs that pay decent, living wages working a standard 40hr work week and, failing that, b) legitimate safety nets helping them provide for any of the needs that child has that they are unable to provide themselves
(via sanityscraps)
I’m about to get all sorts of political. If you don’t like it, this is not the blog you’re looking for. Move along.
Four years ago, I voted for a man who promised to bring change to our country. This year, I am planning on making the exact same vote. Plenty of people have many negative things to say about Barack Obama. Out of everything that has been said throughout not just this election year, but throughout the last four years, there is one simple statement that I absolutely cannot stand…
“Obama hasn’t done anything the entire time he’s been in office.”
(well, that and the whole, “OBAMA IS A MUSLIM TERRORIST” because believe it or not, there are still some idiots out there that truly believe this…)
Here I have for you, ladies and gentlemen, is a list of 108 things Obama has accomplishedduring his presidency so far.
1. Saved the collapse of the American automotive industry by making GM restructure before bailing them out, and putting incentive money to help the industry
2. Shifted the focus of the war from Iraq to Afghanistan, and putting the emphasis on reducing terrorism where it should have been all along
3. Relaxed Anti-American tensions throughout the world
4. Signed order to close the prisoner “torture camp” at Guantanamo Bay
5. Has made the environment a national priority, and a primary source for job creation
6. Has made education a national priority by putting emphasis and money behind new ideas like charter schools, but speaking directly to school children in telling them they have to do their part.
7. Won the Nobel Peace Prize
8. $789 billion economic stimulus plan
9. Appointment of first Latina to the Supreme Court
10. Attractive tax write-offs for those who buy hybrid automobiles
11. Authorized construction/opening of additional health centers to care for veterans
12. Renewed dialogue with NATO and other allies and partners on strategic issues.
13. Beginning the process of reforming and restructuring the military 20 years after the Cold War to a more modern fighting force… this includes new procurement policies, increasing size of military, new technology and cyber units and operations, etc.
14. Better body armor is now being provided to our troops
15. “Cash for clunkers” program offers vouchers to trade in fuel inefficient, polluting old cars for new cars; stimulates auto sales
16. Changed the failing/status quo military command in Afghanistan
17. Closed offshore tax safe havens
18. Deployed additional troops to Afghanistan
19. Ended media “blackout” on war casualties; reporting full information
20. Ended previous policy of awarding no-bid defense contracts
21. . Ended media blackout on war casualties and the return of fallen soldiers to Dover AFB.
22. Ended previous policy of cutting the FDA and circumventing FDA rules
23. Ended previous practice of forbidding Medicare from negotiating with drug manufacturers for cheaper drugs; the federal government is now realizing hundreds of millions in savings
24. Ended previous practice of having White House aides rewrite scientific and environmental rules, regulations, and reports
25. American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has created 2.1 million jobs (as of 12/31/09).
26. Ended previous policy of not regulating and labeling carbon dioxide emissions
27. Ended previous policy of offering tax benefits to corporations who outsource American jobs; the new policy is to promote in-sourcing to bring jobs back
28. Ended previous policy on torture; the US now has a no torture policy and is in compliance with the Geneva Convention standards
29. . Launched Recovery.gov to track spending from the Recovery Act, an unprecedented step to provide transparency and accountability through technology.
30. Ended previous practice of protecting credit card companies; in place of it are new consumer protections from credit card industry’s predatory practices
31. Ended previous “stop-loss” policy that kept soldiers in Iraq/Afghanistan longer than their enlistment date
32. Energy producing plants must begin preparing to produce 15% of their energy from renewable sources
33. Established a National Performance Officer charged with saving the federal government money and making federal operations more efficient
34. Established a new cyber security office
35. Expanded the SCHIP program to cover health care for 4 million more children
36. Expanding vaccination programs
37. Families of fallen soldiers have expenses
38. . Provided the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) with more than $1.4 billion to improve services to America’s Veterans.
39. Federal support for stem-cell and new biomedical research
40. Funds for high-speed, broadband Internet access to K-12 schools
41. Responded with compassion and leadership to the earthquake in Haiti
42. Immediate and efficient response to the floods in North Dakota and other natural disasters
43. . Launched Business.gov – enabling conversation and online collaboration between small business owners, government representatives and industry experts in discussion forums relevant to starting and managing a business. Great for the economy.
44. Improved housing for military personnel
45. Improved conditions at Walter Reed Military Hospital and other military hospitals
46. Changed failing war strategy in Afghanistan.
47. Improving benefits for veterans
48. Increased infrastructure spending (roads, bridges, power plants…) after years of neglect
49. Donated his $1.4 million Nobel Prize to nonprofits.
50. Increasing opportunities in AmeriCorps program
51. Provided tax credits to first-time home buyers through the Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009 to revitalize the U.S. housing market.
52. Increasing pay and benefits for military personnel
53. Increasing student loans
54. Instituted a new policy on Cuba, allowing Cuban families to return “home” to visit loved ones
55. Cracked down on companies that deny sick pay, vacation and health insurance to workers by abusing the employee classification of independent contractor. Such companies also avoid paying Social Security, Medicare and unemployment insurance taxes for those workers.
56. Limited salaries of senior White House aides; cut to $100,000
57. Limits on lobbyists’ access to the White House
58. Protected 300,000 education jobs, such as teachers, principals, librarians, and counselors through the Recovery Act that would have otherwise been lost.
59. Limits on White House aides working for lobbyists after their tenure in the administration
60. Children’s Health Insurance Reauthorization Act on February 4, 2009, provides quality health care to 11 million kids – 4 million who were previously uninsured.
61. Lower drug costs for seniors
62. Making more loans available to small businesses
63. Many more press conferences and town halls and much more media access than previous administration
64. . Signed the Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act, the first piece of comprehensive legislation aimed at improving the lives of Americans living with paralysis
65. New Afghan War policy that limits aerial bombing and prioritizes aid, development of infrastructure, diplomacy, and good government practices by Afghans
66. Announced creation of a Joint Virtual Lifetime Electronic Record for members of the U.S. Armed Forces to improve quality of medical care.
67. New federal funding for science and research labs
68. New funds for school construction
69. Ordered all federal agencies to undertake a study and make recommendations for ways to cut spending
70. Ordered a review of all federal operations to identify and cut wasteful spending and practices
71. . Negotiated deal with Swiss banks to permit US government to gain access to records of tax evaders and criminals.
72. Phasing out the expensive F-22 war plane and other outdated weapons systems, which weren’t even used or needed in Iraq/Afghanistan
73. Reengaged in the agreements/talks on global warming and greenhouse gas emissions
74. Provided tax credit to workers thus cutting taxes for 95% of America’s working families.
75. Reengaged in the treaties/agreements to protect the Antarctic
76. Removed restrictions on embryonic stem-cell research
77. . Helped reverse a downward spiral of the stock market. On January 19, 2009, the last day of President Bush’s presidency, the Dow closed at 8,218.22. In February 2010, the Dow closed at 10,309.24
78. Renewed loan guarantees for Israel
79. Restarted the nuclear non-proliferation talks and building back up the nuclear inspection infrastructure/protocols
80. Provided attractive tax write-offs for those who buy hybrid automobiles.
81. Returned money authorized for refurbishment of White House offices and private living quarters
82. Sent envoys to Middle East and other parts of the world that had been neglected for years; reengaging in multilateral and bilateral talks and diplomacy
83. Unveiled a program on Earth Day 2009 to develop the renewable energy projects on the waters of our Outer Continental Shelf that produce electricity from wind, wave, and ocean currents. These regulations will enable, for the first time ever, the nation to tap into our ocean’s vast sustainable resources to generate clean energy in an environmentally sound and safe manner.
84. Signed national service legislation; expanded national youth service program
85. States are permitted to enact federal fuel efficiency standards above federal standards
86. Students struggling to make college loan payments can have their loans refinanced
87. Successful release of US captain held by Somali pirates; authorized the SEALS to do their job
88. The FDA is now regulating tobacco
89. Ended the previous stop-loss policy that kept soldiers in Iraq/Afghanistan longer than their enlistment date.
90. The missile defense program is being cut by $1.4 billion in 2010
91. The public can meet with federal housing insurers to refinance (the new plan can be completed in one day) a mortgage if they are having trouble paying
92. The “secret detention” facilities in Eastern Europe and elsewhere are being closed
93. US financial and banking rescue plan
94. US Navy increasing patrols off Somali coast
95. . Signed the Weapons Systems Acquisition Reform Act to stop fraud and wasteful spending in the defense procurement and contracting system.
96. Visited more countries and met with more world leaders than any president in his first six months in office
97. Improved relations with Iran
98. Improved U.S. policy on climate change
99. Set timetable for exiting Iraq (already started removing troops)
100. Improved relations with Russia
101. Improved relations with the Islamic World
102. Made progress towards greater cooperation on limiting nuclear proliferation
103. Economic stimulus plan has created jobs. (Unemployment rate decreasing)
104. Drastically slowed down the recession
105. Saved Wall Street
106. Passed the Lilly Ledbetter Act (equal work for equal pay)107. HEALTHCARE REFORM
108. Ordered the military operation that killed Osama Bin Laden
On top of all of this, Barack Obama has just become the first president to endorse gay marriage.
Yup, here we have just described a man who has clearly done nothing but sit around the oval office and twiddle his thumbs the last four years. Obviously, voting for someone who is for universal equality and bettering not just this country, but the entire world, is the wrong way to go. -___-
OBAMA 2012
Just gonna leave this here, dudes.
Obama needs to be president of the world so that he can be my president too.
(via dougcmatthews)
Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton of D.C. received 89 percent of the vote in her last election, yet anti-choice lawmakers refused to allow her to testify on a bill that specifically targets women in D.C.
This is another Sandra Fluke moment.
Oh, look, DC women being used as a political pawn by fucking assholes WHO DON’T LIVE HERE.
I PAY MY FUCKING TAXES, I WANT MY FUCKING REPRESENTATION.
Stay classy, Republicans. Stay classy.
A recent study by the Pew Center shows that young women are more ambitious than men their age across the board; women are placing both career and family high on their list of life priorities, with an increasing percentage of women claiming having a successful marriage as one of the most important things in their lives and more young women than men caring about being a good parent.
But a closer look into the issue reveals that this higher ambition in women may be rooted in necessity as marriage, parenthood, and career usually work out better for men in the long run. As women start to age they take on kids and maternity leave and stall their career or get passed over for promotions, and the pay gap between them and men widens, reaching 75 cents to their male peers’ dollar at the age of retirement, a relatively steep drop from the 95 cents to dollar ratio at the start of their careers.
Studies also show that “married men are happier, live longer, make more money, and experience less stress, while married women are rewarded with more housework, less money, worse sex and a few extra pounds.” All the while, women are still taking on the majority of parenting responsibilities, regardless of their jobs and strive towards work-life balance.
So while it is great that women are firing up their ambition and life priorities, it appears this is what it takes to succeed as “the sexual economy, as well as the professional one, are simply skewed in men’s favor.”
Source: Good
(via pallas-athena)
I like that this article seems like it was written by a pretty normal guy, in terms of how well versed on feminist arguments he is.
(via tooyoungforthelivingdead)
(via tooyoungforthelivingdead)
If you want to witness the collision of poverty in America, sexual health stigma, and the fissures in our healthcare system, volunteer for an abortion fund. Granting money is a privilege, and doing it for something so critical as abortion access – so heavily under assault in this country – is an honor. And if you want to counteract anti-women sentiment and policies in this country, donate to one. Abortion may be legal, but if you cannot afford it, it is not accessible.
…
The idea that an abortion shouldn’t be paid for by the government comes from the broader stigma of abortion – that it’s a luxurious service we seek after we (women) do something bad. It’s this notion that receiving financial aid for the consequences of our promiscuity or carelessness only reinforces for lack of virtue. Or, more simply put, it’s a financial slut- shaming.
Jessica Mack
from What One Week on an Abortion Fund Hotline Taught Me About the Economics of Stigma
(via pleonasticfantastic)
UNF. THIS QUOTE.
Love,
Rabble
(via rabbleprochoice)
(via rabbleprochoice)
Okay.
I realise that there is probably a tiny percentage of girl gamers that like to point out that “omg I’m a girl and I play video games look!”, but I’ve never met a girl like that. Every girl I’ve met that plays video games is just like every other gamer.
And while a small amount of girl gamers might be shoving it in your face, ahuge amount of guy gamers will attack any girl who mentions she’s a gamer. It’s fucking disturbing. These are the same guys that will harass the fuck out of a girl, but the moment she says “Yes, I’m a girl, you can stop it now”, suddenly she’s the fucking bad person.
No. Listen. Girls play video games, and nothing gives you the fucking right to tell them what they have to do to earn the title of ‘gamer’. I don’t give a fuck if they play video games because their partner does, or because they think certain characters are attractive (I mean, guys totally never do that).
Why a girl plays video games is none of your goddamn business. Most of them play video games simply because they enjoy them, and even the ones that do it for ‘attention’ (which is hardly any) shouldn’t have to put up with your shit.
You know what is a massive problem that I see in gamers? Misogyny. Homophobia. Racism. But nobody bothers to attack these fucking gamers.
So, in conclusion, if you have a problem with girl gamers:
EDIT: I’d like to make a clarification and state that I only mention “some girls might be doing it for attention” because I believe that even if some girls are doing that, it’s still a completely valid reason to be a gamer, and it still doesn’t give you the right to attack them.
(via nounbeast)
Movement among black North Carolinians on gay marriage - Public Policy Polling (via dendroica)
“On a side note 8% of North Carolina voters, including 13% of Republicans, think being gay should be a felony.”
Dude.
(via ragingbitchfest)
(via pallas-athena)
armor that doesn’t have boob cups
second version of this i’m reblogging today but whatever DAMN GIRL
hot.
Ok so I like kstew sure but I’m like normally not attracted to her. But there is something about a really badass lady in practical armor that gets me all tingly.
The armor! The practical armor! It’s so beautiful.
yes omg i almost cried when i saw her armor negl
unf tbh
The more I see of this movie, the more I am developing a complete crush on Kirsten Stewart.
….yeah, okay. This kind of solidifies it for me. I’m going to see this movie.
I was already going to see this for Chris Hemsworth with long dirty hair, but the practical armour (and I assume shoes!) has won me over.
I’m so fucking sick of people shitting on Kristen Stewart for having “no facial expressions” - LOOK AT THESE GIFS! Do you see all the emotion there?! In her eyes, in her face, in her every nuanced movement about the stage and these are just gifs! People need to stop being such sexist shit heads about her! It’s not her fault she played a shitty character who’s emotional range was virtually non-existent and basically resembled that of a potato. Bella Swan is a shitty character and, frankly, I think it’s damn impressive that an actor with such a stunning range and ability to convey emotion was able to convincingly play the one-dimensional robot that is the Twilight “heroine” so well that people actually believed it wasn’t acting at all.
“Ay, man, what’s wrong with you?” The tallest young MOC asked the slow-moving pack of white men directly ahead of me.
“Oh, I didn’t see her…” One young white guy responded, turning to face us as he raised his hands in a gesture of defense and began walking backwards into the lobby.
“How could you not see her?” The tallest one asked as the other two young men of color propped the heavy glass door and helped me gather my things. “She’s a walking pile of books!” The tallest says. “You need to learn some manners. And pay more attention!”
“…Sorry.” The white guy says to me, hands still raised, still walking away in reverse like he was in danger of being harmed.
I let the socialized compulsion to say “It’s okay” pass. Because it wasn’t. And I didn’t feel like lying in furtherance of convention. Instead, I thanked the guys again for their help.
“Don’t worry about it.” The shorter of the three said as he replaced the final book on my stack.
“You got it?” The tallest one asked.
“Yup.” I say and trundled off, delighted as much for what had just happened as I was by what hadn’t.
Specifically, that their aid didn’t seem predicated on some ‘girls need help from guys!!’ and ‘if I’m nice to her, maybe she’ll allow me to holler…’ bullshit. But, rather, the idea that when ppl need help- and you are able, you should give it. As well as a rebuke of the kind of callous disregard that makes women like me LITERALLY invisible in most contexts to white ppl of all genders.
Doesn’t happen often- this being treated like a Regular Person. But when it does I feel like I need to make note.
(via bad-dominicana)
With the virtual uses and changing of language online it’s important we note how we are using the @ symbol in our name and in the things we are creating and writing. For many of you this is “common knowledge,” but the reality is that some folks have not ever really thought about why this symbol is important.
We think the @ symbol is important because it represents gender neutrality, gender inclusion, and disrupts the misogynistic ways language privileges men, masculinity, and things that are considered “male.”As many Latin@ scholars have stated and argued, especially Anzaldua, “Language is a male discourse” (p. 54, Borderlands/La Frontera). In the Spanish language, grammatically, if there is one man present in a room or area filled with women (a man of any age, a boy, a child, etc.) instead of using the “feminine” form of the language often using an “a” (i.e. una or nosotras) a masculine “o” is used (i.e. nosotros or the absence of the “a” such as un).
Utilizing the @ in this way challenges these grammatical “rules” that are embedded in a legacy of privileging men, masculinity and maleness. It is also part of a legacy that includes and recognizes our gender queer and trans* community members versus erasing them by constantly using a language embedded in a gender binary/dichotomy.
The @ is useful not only in discussing Latinidad, but also discussing how Blackness and African identity intersects as well. Often when we see terms discussing LatiNegr@s in various ways and using other self-identifiers they are still using a masculine version of “Afro” such as “Afro-Latin@”. This is a preference by some, and I’d like to argue this is also a way of privileging men and masculinity in the English language. Afr@Latin@ is a valid term and form to use when discussing our identities as well. Just as AfraLatina is valid. Why must the African in us also remain masculine?
The questions still exist of how to actually speak the @ sign and this has yet to really be resolved. How have others negotiated this?
(written by Bianca)
(via strugglingtobeheard)
Sometimes its really hard to be a vegan.
Like, for example, when other vegans flaunt their privilege all over the place and refuse to recognize it. Or when they assert their own unquestionable moral superiority and try to shame non-vegans. Or when they compare the conditions of factory farms to the rape and murder of human women.
That stuff makes it really hard for me to want to call myself a vegan, or defend veganism.
Because, you see, the thing is veganism can be a big commitment. You really should understand this. It takes a lot of time and effort and often a lot of money. Some people cannot feasibly adhere to a vegan diet for any number of reasons. Other people simply choose to send their energies fighting other battles. Both of these things are perfectly okay. There are many good people who are not vegan, and there are many vegans who are not good people. You do not have the right to tell other people what they should/should not eat, it is none of your business. Yes, factory farms are bad and they do bad things. They are not, however, responsible for the very real rape and murder of human women and girls that occurs everyday. So let’s never compare these two things again and while we’re at it why don’t we also stop exploiting the suffering of women to give arguments emotional impact?
Yes, wonderful, good. I’m glad we had this talk.
All of these things.
(via sanityscraps)
If you hold your ‘freedom of speech’ above the right of trans people to defend themselves in a world that is murderously inconvenienced by their existence, what you’re actually working toward isn’t ‘freedom’ but maintaining your privilege by any means necessary.
If you see people being trampled and erased and murdered and your first reaction is to whine about how their tone is off, you don’t actually give have half a fuck about freedom, and you’re just an asshole with a blog and no conception of other people’s pain.
Now please. Go forth and die. We don’t need you.
Bold mine. Yes, I know I bolded the whole damn thing.
*Just read the bold parts. Those are the important points.
