Well before the Trayvon Martin verdict, I had seen, heard and read about white people dismissing the racial context of the case. Some do this artfully and skillfully; others, not so much. I’ve been wanting to explore some of these maneuvers more closely for a while now. (more…) Read more
So, you know how so many people post Facebook status updates the night before the first day of school? “Lunches are packed! Kids in bed! Backpacks ready! Forms filled out! Relaxing with a glass of wine and hubby!” And it’s only 8 p.m.? Some dear friends of mine – and I hope they still are after reading this – but please indulge me in a rare public bitchy moment. I frikkin’ HATE those status updates. They shouldn’t, but they make me... Read more
Well, there was no Captain Steubing, and it was not the Love Boat, but we sure loved the boat that took us on vacation. Here’s a random re-cap. 1. No wi-fi and/or texting is a blessing. The end. 2. Just kidding!!! There’s more! Angel (pronounced “Ahn-HELL”) was our dinner waiter, and Marko was his assistant. I learned halfway through the trip (and that was too late) that I should not ask Angel his opinion about more than one entree. This... Read more
A week or so ago, I saw this on the “Being Liberal” Facebook page, and loved it. Today, I was driving down the main street of my hometown and got stuck in traffic for no apparent reason. Then, I drove by the reason. (TRIGGER WARNING – Disturbing abortion photos. I am inserting many empty lines so that in order to see them, you must scroll down. If you wish to leave this post, now is the time.) **** **** ****... Read more
We truly are an entitlement-driven culture. I’m not talking about welfare or tax breaks–I’m talking about people feeling entitled to KNOW things they have no business knowing. I recently wrote about politicians’ infidelity (and how it is or isn’t relevant) in this post at The Broad Side. I could blame it on the internet, or too much information, or Facebook for encouraging over-sharing. Truthfully, though, this sort of butting in happened waaaay before the internet age made everyone experts on any number... Read more
A couple of years ago, when former California Governor and movie icon Ahnohld Schwarzenegger’s revealed his dalliance with one of his domestic employees, I wrote a tongue-in-cheek response to the “shocking” news. I framed it as a letter to those opposed to letting gay people marry, and suggested that the crowd to whom we should deny marriage is the group of people who, historically, had proven themselves really, really bad at it. I am talking about superstars in the businesses of entertainment, politics and... Read more
Well, folks, it’s June 24, 2013, and I’d like to welcome you to a little feature I call “Rape Culture Round-up.” Progress on the War on Women front? Let’s just say any moves have been lateral at best, rather than forward. We can start with this little gem from conservative talking head Laura Ingraham. When discussing how Plan B (emergency contraception) will likely soon be available over the counter, she opines thusly: ” It’s a good deal for pedophiles, a good deal... Read more
…I’d want Plan B to be available over the counter. I say this realizing there are great moral complexities involved here. I’ve thought about it a lot regarding under-age girls seeking abortion. When it comes to abortion, I ask myself, “Would I want to be notified if it were my daughter? Would I want the doctor to insist on my consent if it were my daughter? My husband’s consent? If my daughter was 15? What about if my daughter was 13? 12?”... Read more
A gender re-imagined parody on the New York Times laughable article, “Purse Politics”: WASHINGTON, DC — Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL), was sitting in his large, sunny office recently, riffling through the contents of his black leather briefcase. After several moments, he laughed and produced a neon-pink earplug. “Here’s an earplug from the helicopter,” he said, still searching through the briefcase he had bought from the Coach store in Tyson’s Corner, VA. “That is not a normal thing that a man might have in... Read more
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A White Girl and the “N” Word
When I was in elementary school in 1970’s Brooklyn, NY (maybe third grade?) a kid (who was white) told me I had “n*gger lips.” It felt weird, because I wasn’t sure if it was a compliment or not, but I kind of knew something wasn’t right about it. Honestly, I don’t remember how I responded. Maybe I looked confused or maybe I tried to be cool about it. I was seven or eight. I was also kinda socially awkward and, frankly,... Read more