desertvixen: (schroedingers cat)
desertvixen ([personal profile] desertvixen) wrote2009-07-21 04:38 pm
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Gets Sort of Rambly...


 Since I need to get the human-beings-are-depressing-me vibe out of my head (yes, maybe I am too sensitive sometimes), allow me to present some of the WTF-y links that have been collecting in my Bookmarks folder.

 These mock one or more of the following topics: anti-feminist views, anti-choice views, religious right-wing whack jobs, people who think Single Mothers are unmaking existence. 

 1. Contraception harms people, society, and civilization
Brought to you by the good people at ProNatal.org, this article features the following gem :
Millions of women feel they are goddesses, they control a man through his contraceptive penis. What a shame. What a low down shame people have gone today. Men submitting to women and thanking them for sex? Give me a break.
Top grade males are always in high demand. Top grade males do not submit to contraceptive slavery. A woman who partners with top grade males want their sperm, they demand it, top material to make their babies with.


 I have no issue with people who don't want to use contraceptives, for whatever their personal reason - but why must people try to use bad pseudo-evo-psych BS to make their "point".  Also, "contraceptive penis"?  Is this some kind of add-on we could buy?

 2. The prologue to #1
 The gist of this one: REAL men don't sleep with "contraceptive women". 

 3. Jack Chick tracts
 I don't really need to say anything else here, do I?  The general message of the tracts is that if you aren't a born-again, evangelical Christian, when you die, you're going to HELL. 

 Catholic?  Going to Hell.  (After you get done worshipping Mary and believing in your false religion) 
 Mormon? Going to Hell. 
 Muslim? Going to Hell.  
 Mason?  Going to Hell. 
 Atheist?  Going to Hell. 
 Pagan?  Going to Hell.

 Unless, of course, after reading one of these, you accept that you must give up your life to Jesus.  All you have to do is believe (and pass these out at Halloween instead of candy).

 Allow me to present one of my favorites, Why is Mary Crying? (Maybe because she's badly drawn and being used to scare people?)

Far too many of the links I have are dead, which should actually NOT be too surprising.

 However, because I promised [livejournal.com profile] garpu , I present a recap of the experience [livejournal.com profile] tepintzin and I had with Resa LaRu Kirkland, who calls herself  "America's War Chick", is a military historian, but doesn't believe women should be in the military, unless we're WACs or WAVEs.

 The original article (from September 2006) is here.

 This is the climax of the article:
Society has paid a dear price for women choosing to listen to these wretched individuals. Women are now in a far worse position than they were 100 years ago; back then, they didn't have many other choices than to be a wife and mother. Today, if they want to be a wife and mother, they can't unless they marry a very rich man. Feminism has enslaved us into the "SuperWoman" role-an impossible place to live. But I have a sick feeling that that is exactly their goal. You see, being pro-abortion isn't enough. They want motherhood and wife-dom to be so difficult, so back-breaking, so agonizing in modern living that women will choose not to marry and have children. For those who still don't grasp it, let me say it in plain speech: Feminism is the party of the "anti-child."

"Female Empowerment" was the shameful fantasy. Now for the harsh reality. Sisters, your babies are killing each other. They are having babies at younger ages and in record numbers in a desperate search for that unconditional love they couldn't find in the myriad of minimum wage babysitters and daycares they had growing up. They are turning to gangs and drugs to ease the pain of loneliness and the longing for Mommy-a longing which is innate, necessary, and good-and it is our fault. Our children are suffering; their tender feelings have waxed cold and all signs of humanity are dying off in agonizing death throes, and we women are the cause. Women. The givers of life have turned against their own offspring in a vain quest for self-fulfillment. It is madness.

Translation: You selfish bitches can't even take care of your own children.  It's all your fault for not devoting your entire life to your children, for daring to have a job outside the home (because yes, motherhood is definitely WORK).

Here's what you're gonna do. Women, go home. Get rid of the huge mortgage and move into a trailer. It's not the neighborhood-or village, idiot!-that raises a good child. Have two cars? Get rid of one and deal with the annoyance of having to drive more. It's not the car that makes the family. Fancy clothes and vacations? Trivial and silly... those won't be what your child remembers. Be the one who drops him off and picks him up from school. Those precious moments laughing and talking will always be remembered, I guarantee it. Be in the kitchen, filling a warm home with delicious smells, sounds, and memories, and bring the whole family in to make dinner again, cleaning up together afterwards and bonding over pot roast. It is simple, it is time tested, it is true. The hand that rocks the cradle did-at one time-rule the world. The cradle is silent because the hand is at work and the baby at an institution. Sisters, go home-too much is at stake. Your babies are dying and killing, and the only one who can stop this infanticide is you. The power is-and always has been-yours. Take it back now... it's almost too late.

 Yes, because it's completely impossible to raise children and work.  Not to mention the fact that this article overlooks many women - women who work because they are the sole support of their children (yes, the dreaded Single Mothers who are Unmaking Existence), women who work because their husband's income is not enough to support a family on.  I do believe there are women working who would rather stay home, or who would rather work less hours/more flexible schedule - but for some women, not working is not an option.

 Here's what we had to say in my journal the first time around.  Response to Ms. Kirkland are in the comments.

 When I wrote that response, I was a new mother (the MV was still somewhat of a MicroVixen), home on maternity leave from the Army.  I was a happily married woman, with a husband who respected me and treated me as an equal. 

 I still stand by what I said - Don't force your beliefs down my throat.  I have no problems with women deciding to arrange their life and family so that they can stay home - depending on the number/age/special needs of children, it may be the best choice for that woman and her family.  Maybe it's the man who stays home, because he has a job that allows flexibility, or because she is the "breadwinner".  Maybe she just wants to.  It's not my place to judge anyone for that decision.

 It's not my decision to stay home.  I don't deny there are times when I don't want to go to work, times when I fantasize about just staying home all day, taking care of Adrianna - but then I realize that it would likely drive me crazy.  I like to work.  I like my job.  I like my uniform.  I like having money to do what I want. 

 I just don't buy the whole "working moms/single moms are destroying America" thing. 

 I didn't ask to be a single mother, but that's what I am right now. My former husband, the father of my child, has decided that he no longer loves me, that I'm too pushy, too argumentative, and not for him.  I'm in no hurry to replace him just so my daughter has a father figure. 

 DV

 

[identity profile] cinchntouch.livejournal.com 2009-07-21 09:43 pm (UTC)(link)
OMG you read a lot of crap. I hate the people who act like women never "worked outside the home" before 1969. In my own family's history (Irish Immigrants three generations removed) my great Grandmother HAD to work (in her case as a maid for a nice respectable wealthy family, where no doubt the woman got to stay home) to help keep a roof over her families head, my Grandmother HAD to work and my SINGLE Mother HAD to work (though she could have had an abortion with her GODDESS powers but didn't cuz she's prolife). None of these three women would describe themselves as feminists and didn't see their jobs as a way to live extravagant lifesytlyes but necessity. None of these women had huge mortgages and frequently just trying to get food and cloting for their children was all the work they could handle.


The classist and unreal view of history that these "conservative" pricks choose to espouse is offensive to memories of many good mothers, wives and people who did what they had to make ends meet. They deny the experience of working class women, they deny the existence of Women of Color and they deny the experience of women from agricultural areas in order to perpetuate their myth of what America was and who women are.

I would like to remind these "Conservatives" that back in the days before women were allowed to vote the majority of labor in factories making clothes and other household items was provided by women and children at starvation wages and dangerous conditions (Triange Shirt Factory fire anyone?).

In the real world, I work with a lot of women who work. Their children aren't neglected, their husbands aren't sad or oppressed shells of humanity and they aren't living the "high life." They deserve better than to be slandered by extremist trash!

GRRRRRRR and then grrrrrr again.

[identity profile] desert-vixen.livejournal.com 2009-07-22 10:53 am (UTC)(link)

I've been putting off this reply, simply because it demands something better than flip remarks.

I think "Thank You" works.

DV

[identity profile] kishiriadgr.livejournal.com 2009-07-22 04:15 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, I've posted over and over about how bloggers like lily_maiden, Lady Lydia, and the whole Ladies Against Feminism types idolize the 19th century and decorate their blogs with pretty pictures of obviously rich Victorian and Edwardian ladies. Never mind that most women had to work like dogs, often outside the home, and if you were a black woman, forget it. So easy to point out the classicism and racism in this one.

[identity profile] desert-vixen.livejournal.com 2009-07-22 08:02 pm (UTC)(link)

Oh yes, the crew who thought Laura Ingalls was too progressive because she helped her father bring in the crops.

I haven't checked in on lily_maiden, mostly because I find it a little depressing.

DV
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[identity profile] raeyn.livejournal.com 2009-07-21 10:37 pm (UTC)(link)

My favorite Crackhead tract is Party Girl:
http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0099/0099_01.asp

We found it outside a Marilyn Manson gig; I treasure it always for the lulz factor.

[identity profile] desert-vixen.livejournal.com 2009-07-22 10:09 am (UTC)(link)

The Catholic ones sort of have a tendency to repeat themselves (faith alone for salvation - the doctrine of "works" is false - poor misguided Catholics, lied to by the Pope - so gullible) but the Mary one holds a special place in my heart.

Chick tracts bring the lulz.

DV
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[identity profile] raeyn.livejournal.com 2009-07-22 10:21 am (UTC)(link)

I actually ended up having a dream about Mary last night. I was in Israel for some reason, and was being permitted to see some relics, and to even handle them. For some reason, they were quite responsive to psychic activity (I could think them at me without even trying). But the big wtf thing was that my brother was trying to jump around and kick things... I had to drag him off a dresser, hold him tight behind the shoulders, and scream my head off until my mom came to claim him...

Most odd!

[identity profile] garpu.livejournal.com 2009-07-21 10:47 pm (UTC)(link)
I think far more children are damaged by being stuck in the middle of unhealthy relationships and constricting gender roles than single mothers.

The birth control rants shouldn't surprise me, but just look at what gets spewed every time it comes up in [livejournal.com profile] catholicism. I'd like to know, honestly, how many Catholics really believe everything the Judie Browns of the world say.

[identity profile] desert-vixen.livejournal.com 2009-07-22 10:21 am (UTC)(link)

I think I would have to agree with your first bit.

#1 and #2 just entertain me, partly through the whole misuse of the word "contraceptive" throughout - and the whole part where it's a threat to men. Also the statement that real men aren't cut out for monogamy.

DV

[identity profile] americanstd.livejournal.com 2009-07-21 11:43 pm (UTC)(link)
All men should be judged against me, for I am the American Standard!

20 more days of Go! Fight! Win!, then... hmmm... just being mom. Something tells me you'll fit right in.

If you come down to SD to see Shamu, let me know.

[identity profile] desert-vixen.livejournal.com 2009-07-22 10:25 am (UTC)(link)

Thanks!

However in addition to being mom, I also serve as the Senior Cat Servant (or possibly Lady-of-the-Litterbox?) to the furfaces.

I don't know that we're coming down to SD, but we should be able to work something out.

((( ))) How are you and Mei Mei?

DV
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[identity profile] lyssie.livejournal.com 2009-07-22 03:38 am (UTC)(link)
*shudders* Sometimes, humanity depresses me.

[identity profile] desert-vixen.livejournal.com 2009-07-22 10:40 am (UTC)(link)

Hear me loudly not disagreeing with you.

DV

[identity profile] gi-janearng.livejournal.com 2009-07-22 03:49 am (UTC)(link)
Holy shit, I remember Resa! She was briefly on a discussion site I help mod quite a few years back actually. I always wondered what happened to her. I remember her touting in her profile that "Vietnam vets called her the Kick Ass Army Chick" or some bullshit like that. "And believe you me, I earned that title!" she said. Yeah, whatever. I had no idea she was against women in the military. No wonder she never paid much attention to me. Man, I wish she'd come back to that site now. Just so I can go around the field with her with that shitstorm.

I'm bookmarking your entry. This is just too good not to have in hand if she ever shows her face again.

[identity profile] desert-vixen.livejournal.com 2009-07-22 10:35 am (UTC)(link)

Feel free! [livejournal.com profile] tepintzin looked to see what she's done lately, and the answer seemed to be, not much.

DV