injaynesworld "It Bears Repeating: Race and Politics...""

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This post was first written and published on this blog in March of 2010. Today, over two years later, not much has changed.  As we head into what may be the most defining presidential election of our time the subject of race is more prominent than ever.  On Tuesday, October 16th, PBS will air "Race 2012:  A Conversation about Race and Politics in America," a one-hour documentary that looks at race in the 2012 election and beyond.  This post joins the Race 2012 Blogging Project as part of that important discussion. 

This is what America looks like.  Notice the diversity of tush tones.

In contrast, this is what a large swath of Congress looks like.

I grew up in the 50’s and 60’s in a suburb of San Francisco that was as white bread as you could get.  Black people lived in the next town over.  There were a few Hispanics in my school, a Jew here and there, and the oddball Asian kid.  If there were any “queers” we didn’t know about them. 

Back then few ever questioned the notion of a male-dominated white majority rule or what that meant for others.   What we saw in our lives and on TV pretty much represented the world as we knew it and everything seemed to be going along well enough.  

Then came the civil rights era and, much to my surprise, I learned that blacks were pretty pissed off and had been for some time.   I think I knew that the reason no black people lived in our town was because had they wanted to buy a house there, no one would have sold them one, and I’m pretty sure that deep inside I also knew there was something fundamentally wrong with that, but I was a child and bought the grown-up reasoning that “People are really happier living with their own kind.”

Now, of course, I realize that was just code for “People fear those who are different from themselves.”  

It’s no coincidence that the current explosion of hate-speech and fear, fueled by the likes Limbaugh and those fine folks at Fox, comes at a time when we have our first black president, our first female Speaker of the House, our first openly-gay Congressman, Barney Frank, and oh-my-God there’s an Hispanic woman at the Supreme Court and she’s not the cleaning lady. 

When the right wing shouts about “taking back America” this is who they want to take it back from.  But that ship has sailed.  Within three decades whites will no longer be a majority in this country and that will make for some pretty interesting times.   

I’m not a hypocrite.  Growing up in the era that I did I’m happy to have had the privileges that my lily white ass afforded me, but I’m not so happy with the way my white brethren have handled a lot of things over the years.   With corporate greed, questionable wars, oppression of women and minorities, climate change, not to mention Faux News, it doesn’t seem like we of the pale skin persuasion have done the rest of the population, not to mention future generations, many favors. 

It’s likely that I won’t be around in three decades to see how this whole cultural shift plays out, but I do believe that as the face of Congress changes to more accurately reflect the face of America, the moneyed and powerful will no longer be able to rule by manipulating and exploiting our fears of perceived “differences.”   Then maybe we will finally see the reemergence of a strong middle class to challenge the destructive Reagan legacy of corporatism, and the creation of a more equal, just and compassionate society for all.  I hope so.

Be sure and "like" Race 2012 on Facebook and follow on Twitter.

injaynesworld it's the "Sunday Recap..."

Whitney Houston sang, “You can’t take away my dignity…”

But some lowlife, dirtbag gave it his/her best shot, snapping and selling this photo of Houston as she lay in her casket at the visitation.  What’s even worse?   I looked.  Yeah.  I did.  And she looked beautiful and finally at peace.  But I was not entitled to see her that way.  In falling to the temptation of some parasitic, scum-sucker who walked away with probably a million bucks, I sold Houston out, too... and lost a bit of my own dignity.

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Because no female is ever too young for the crosshairs of the GOP…

dickwad

Those damn Girl Scouts trying to fool us with their innocent smiles and sugary treats, while all the time out to earn their merit badges in depravity by transforming the unsullied daughters of Christian families into radical, abortion-seeking, pregnant homosexuals.

From Fort Wayne, Indiana, comes the tale of (R) Rep. Bob Morris, who refused to sign a state resolution celebrating the 100^th anniversary of the Girl Scouts, calling them a “radicalized organization of feminists and lesbians” that supports abortion and promotes the “homosexual lifestyle.”  It seems Bob’s been doing some web surfing and found allegations that the Scouts are actually a tactical arm of Planned Parenthood (“Get a free box of Thin Mints with every abortion”), because they were using informational pamphlets from PP as part of teaching sex ed. 

I strongly suspect Morris is just suffering from a repressed desire for nubile young women in uniforms.

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The intitials “V.P.” took on a whole unpleasant meaning for rising Republican star and oft-mentioned candidate for vice-president Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell this week…

 … when the media and Internet started referring to him as the “vaginal probe” guy for his support of a bill that would require Virginia women seeking an abortion to first have a vaginal probe ultrasound against their will.  To the governor’s credit as a political animal, he quickly backed away from the intrusive legislation, stating that instead Virginia women will only have to have an abdominal ultrasound -- against their will.  

GOP women’s health cartoon

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Finally, it seems the whole country is vagina-obsessed these days.  From Wasilla, Alaska -- the town that brought us the Palins -- “warrior spirit” or “lady’s periwinkle?”   You decide…

If you like it, then by all means (and I literally mean "by all means") "like" it.   Thank you.  

injaynesworld "It Takes Two To Tango..."

If given my druthers, I would have stayed home prone on the couch in comfy sweats, wine in one hand, remote in the other.  It was a cold, windy night and going out would require a lot of damn effort.

My tight-knit group of friends known as “The Usual Suspects” were coming together to celebrate the birthday of one of our own.  “Tapas and Tango” was to be the theme for the night and the host and hostess, who’d started taking tango lessons a year ago, had hired their teacher to come give us all a lesson.  While it sounded like fun, the reality of having to shower, wash my hair, put on makeup, and get dressed had me in more of a funk.   “What does one even wear to a tango party?” I groused to no one in particular.  

These days, I find myself assessing my participation in any activity according to the level of effort it will require.  Am I getting lazier or, as I traverse the path of time, just a lot stingier with how I choose to spend what is rapidly becoming a declining resource?   On most days, I’d be happy to stay up here on my hilltop and look out upon the world rather than to engage in it.   Were it not for horses that require care and the need to replenish my wine supply, I might do just that.   It’s a good thing I have these fun-loving friends who force me to dislodge my lazy (size 4) ass from time to time because the truth is I’m always happy when I’ve done so.

Much wine and food was consumed before we took to the dance floor, ready to risk making complete fools of ourselves in the name of a good time.   You could tell how seldom some of the couples went dancing with each other by the number of times “Let me lead!” was heard shouted across the room.  Being the token single of the group, I was partnered with the host, while the hostess danced with the teacher.   This gave me a clear advantage.   As with sex, it’s always good if at least one of the participants knows what they’re doing. 

The Argentine tango is different from the ballroom type.  Once you learn a few key steps, improvisation is the name of the game.   I was fine letting my host lead.  It required less effort (there’s that word again) on my part and, by the end of the evening, I was ready to sign up for lesson two. 

Yes, I could stay here on my hilltop, up to my (say it with me) size-4 ass in lethargy, but any endeavor requires some kind of effort, with the possible exception of death and even I’m not ready for that kind of inertia… although the dress code is appealing.  


Reposted June 3, 2012 as part of the 30-day blogging challenge at We Work For Cheese.  The prompt:  "They played my song."   God bless Nicky & Mike for the "no rules" part of this challenge.   

injaynesworld it's the "Sunday Recap..."

The level of crazy this week proved too much, even for me.   It’s getting more and more difficult to write these Recaps when the strange and unusual stories on which I rely to spin for your enjoyment become only ho-hum when compared to the nut job crap that's actually going on at the highest levels of power in this country.

Congressional all-male panel discussing women’s lady parts.

Media all-male panel discussing congressional all-male panel discussing women’s lady parts.

The guy who wants to be president.

The guy who wants that guy to be president.

The panel I'd like to see.

Stop the madness!

No offense meant to all the my highly-evolved, lovely male readers.   You know who you are and I adore you.

injaynesworld "No One Can Match Me..."

Recently, eHarmony – the no-photos-because-we’re-all-deep-and-meaningful dating site – was offering free sign-ups for three days.   Since I am nothing if not a ho for free stuff, I figured what the hell?  Besides, I always wondered about that magical questionnaire they tout so highly – the one that supposedly reveals the “real” you and promises to match you with someone compatible and, presumably, also real.  

Have you ever filled one of those things out?   It took over a damn hour.   There was stuff on there that even I didn’t want to know about myself.   But hey, I’m a good sport, so I fill it out, hit “submit,” pour myself a glass of wine, and sit back to wait for my Mr. Right to come tumbling out of my computer screen asking, “Where have you been all my life?”

Imagine my surprise when I get this message:   

       

             “Sorry.   We’ve found no matches for you in our database.”

WTF!

They have a data base of millions of people the world over and not one of them was a match?    Not ONE?!   How hard is it to find a rich, old, impotent guy with a heart condition and no heirs?   Seriously.   I’d be a real prize for a guy like that.

I guess it just goes to show, you do get what you pay for.

Happy freakin’ Valentine’s Day.

injaynesworld it's the "Sunday Recap..."

This recap was written prior to the sad news last night about the death of Whitney Houston. 

I was dismayed and disgusted to see some very callous and cruel judgments being made about her on some social network sites almost immediately following the announcement.  She was given a great gift, which she shared with the world while dealing with pressures and personal demons few of us can even imagine.  I prefer to remember her for the beauty of her soul, the talented little girl in the church choir who grew up to be the legend and did the best she could.  

May you find the peace in death that often eluded you in life, beautiful lady.

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If we’re going to revisit the 1970s, I want my perky boobs back…

Hard to believe that in 2012 we are still arguing issues about a woman’s right to control her own body. 

Catholic bishops expressed outrage this week when the President announced that Catholic hospitals, like all other institutions employing and serving the general public, would have to offer health plans with free contraception coverage to its female employees.   Birth control has long been against the teachings of the Church, possibly due to a concern about a diminished supply of altar boys. 

While that bastion of old white men cries "foul," it's no secret that the majority of Catholic women have been telling the Church to shove it on this issue for decades.   

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Republicans in Congress, recognizing a good diversion from their failure to create a single jobs bill despite having control of the House since 2010, jumped on the bandwagon accusing the President of “declaring a war on religion.”

The Republicans would know a lot about war, having created the current one on the middle class.

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Meanwhile, GOP flavor-of-the-week Rick Santorum did them all one better by declaring contraception to be a “danger to this country,” and “counter to how things are supposed to be.”   Apparently, “how things are supposed to be” are embodied in the revolving door vagina of TV’s most-prolific-family-not-on-Animal Planet, the Duggars, who have publicly endorsed Google-Me-Elmo, calling Santorum “the next best thing to Jesus.”

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“Personhood” legislation defining life as beginning at conception continues to pop up on state ballots despite having been defeated even in Mississippi, a state abundant with the spawn of first cousins.   

Women are not taking this lying down.   In Oklahoma, state senator Constance Johnson added her own amendment to the legislation:  “Any action in which a man ejaculates or otherwise deposits semen anywhere but in a woman’s vagina shall be interpreted and construed as an action against an unborn child.”

Nothing like the potential criminalization of her male colleagues’ favorite pastime to get their attention.

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While at CPAC, the yearly gathering of the right-wing’s most-likely-to-assassinate-a-doctor, among the freebies lucky attendees could score were these tiny rubber fetuses.  Take two!  They’re small!   Do these people know how to have fun or what?  And just to make sure no one accused them of racism, notice the diversity of color, because these whack jobs are nothing if not sensitive.  Just imagine the delight of their children when they greet Mom and Dad at the door, jumping up and down and shouting, “What did you bring me?” 

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Monty Python said it best.  Every sperm is sacred.

If you like it, share it.  Thank you.

injaynesworld it's the "Sunday Recap..."

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If you’re like me, you’ve got whip lash from the speed with which the Susan G. Koman Foundation was able to spout policy changes out of both sides of their mouth this week, all while having their head up their ass.  Quite a feat.

No one put this kind of bullshit into perspective like George Carlin…

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Mitt Romney receives taxpayer-paid Secret Service protection.

Because a personal fortune of $190 million dollars apparently isn’t enough to pay for it himself.  Yeah, I know, this is standard operating procedure, but we’re broke.  Ask any Republican.  We have to cut, cut, cut!   Oh well.  I guess we can always take it from that well-funded “safety net” for the poor.  

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From Arizona, the “good judgment” state, comes this story… 

Guys, the next time you want to impress your girlfriend with your great “daddy skills,” do not do so by sexting a nude photo of her underage teenage daughter.   Eugene Foster insisted he was just trying to teach the girl a lesson by shaming her when he found the nude photo she’d taken of herself and blasted it out to all the contacts on her phone. 

I'm thinking that did not get him laid that night.   

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Ellen also made news this week…

… when she signed on to be the face of J.C. Penney, sending the polyester pants of the group “One Million Moms” all up in a major wedgie.    But she kisses girls and she likes it!!!  An offshoot of the right wing-nut “American Family Association,” the group vows to boycott the store until Ellen is fired. 

Funny, I didn’t hear this outcry when Ellen became spokeswoman for Cover Girl.   Oh, sure.  It’s easy to just go shop at another store.   Not so easy to find a great mascara, is it ladies?   

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I couldn’t help thinking of those frightened “one million” moms when I saw this video…

Finally...

Each month I donate a portion of the proceeds from my book sales to a different non-profit.  For February, the recipient is the Santa Ynez Therapeutic Riding Program for special needs children and adults.  

You can buy my book by clicking the image at the top of the page.   In fact, buy two.  It is, after all, “Suitable for Giving.”   Thank you.

injaynesworld the "Komen Foundation Has Some 'Splaining To Do, Lucy..."

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Clearly, this story is no where near over as new information on the Susan G. Komen Foundation continues to emerge.  

Click here for link to larger image

Perhaps the best thing the Komen Foundation could do right now to preserve their rapidly declining credibility is to fire their anti-choice, right-wing senior VP Karen Handel who tweeted about the controversy:  "Just like a pro-abortion group to turn a cancer org's decision into a political bomb to throw.  Cry me a freakin' river."

Just my humble opinion and I'm sure you have yours.