I've been watching the news and reading the blogs on this whole Women's Healthcare Controversy. It is SO OBVIOUS! Many Men DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE!Every morning I listen to right wing radio (so you don't have to) so I can research what the Right Wing Extremists are talking about. (Bill Bennett in the Morning) This morning, an ole boy was talking about Rush and Ms. Fluke. He agreed with Rush. "The dame was a floozy. Why do we have to pay for her sex. I bet her parents are ashamed of her."
As you all have heard, Rush Limbaugh called a brave law student, Sandra Fluke, who spoke before Congress supporting Women's Healthcare, a SLUT and a Prostitute. The next day he doubled down and said she should show her Sex Tapes on the internet since taxpayers have to pay for her sex. (Ow! It hurts my fingers to type Limbaugh's spew)
I've also been reading Men's blogs about this issue. Blogger Daniel Sobieski voiced his support of Rush. He said, "Rush Limbaugh, the usually unapologetic conservative pundit, has apologized for using language to describe Sandra Fluke, a 23-year-old Georgetown University law student (she's really 30) whose resume reads more like that of a political activist than a victimized student. He labeled his description "insulting." On the other hand, one wonders what words would apply to a law student in need of $3,000 worth of taxpayer-paid contraceptives as she learns how to handle briefs, no pun intended. Limbaugh's apology came after advertisers began withdrawing their sponsorship. It is their right to do so, and one appreciates that conservatives have often organized boycotts of sponsors of programs whose content they find questionable." (Ahhh, the real reason he apologized - lost advertisers.)
Next, a Male Progressive named Ian commented on My Blog viewing this as a "Feminism" issue vs a Healthcare issue. Ian said: "This is just one more piece of evidence that feminism is a gynocentric ideology with only the interests of women in mind. This is why men even in Progressive circles are finding it hard to reconcile feminism with their other beliefs."
What is becoming abundantly clear to me is, Many MEN DO NOT HAVE A CLUE about this issue and do not view this as a Healthcare issue at all.
Let me take apart these pundits, commenters perspectives, ONE AT A TIME:
Republican MALE PERSPECTIVE 1: The More Birth Control Pills You Take, the more Promiscuous you are.
Answer 1: Birth Control/Contraceptives are NOT like Viagra. You have to take them every day for them to be effective. Contraceptives are prescribed for many female illnesses, including severe cramping, clotting and more.
Republican MALE PERSPECTIVE 2: Lots of Women Don't Want to Take your Birth Control/Contraceptives.
Answer 2: Having Contraceptives on a Health Insurer's formulary does NOT mandate anyone has to prescribe them nor take them.
Repubican MALE PERSPECTIVE 3: I'm NOT going to Pay for your Sex or your Birth Control!
Answer 3: Healthcare involves co-pays, deductibles paid for by the Employee.
Healthcare is viewed as a Benefit paid to the Employee by the Employer, NOT the taxpayers. The issue is, Healthcare providers should include Contraceptives on their Formularies. Then, when contraceptives are prescribed by a Doctor, the employee may obtain the prescription from their pharmacy, paying the established co-pay. By removing Contraceptives from Healthcare Providers' formularies is discrimatory and harmful to women's health.
Republican Perspective 4: The Blunt/Rubio bill goes even further. This bill allows for Employers to remove prescribed medications from their formulary simply by saying these medications are against their beliefs.
Answer4: This opens the door for Employers to remove other prescribed medications from their formularies, including: Aids medication, Cancer medication and additional Female medications.
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No one should support Rush Limbaugh for demonizing a brave young woman like Ms. Fluke for telling the truth. Let's all stand strong and help all Americans -- and let's help the Men we know who don't understand that this issue is very important to ALL WOMEN!!
That is incorrect. In fact while I did make that quote, it had nothing to do with Limbaugh, the law student, or anything in this blog posting.
ReplyDeleteMy comment was directed to the ill-conceived, misandrous and gynocentric idea of a "Sex Strike" to "teach men a lesson" about women's healthcare you featured in a previous post. I find that idea sexist and repulsive -- using sex as a weapon to further a cause. Your mischaracterization of my comment is one of the many reasons why even men of conscience are distancing themselves from feminism and feminist rhetoric at this point. The idea that "men don't get it" is manifestly ignorant and seems purposefully designed to provoke a negative response. In point of fact most men do "get it", and only a tiny minority of conservatives are agitating against these issues.
I'm a Progressive. I'm a Humanist. I believe in equality. But these kinds of tactics are ignoble and disrespectful, chastising my entire gender for the acts of a few. Worse, you encourage women to use their sexuality as a weapon. These are the kind of tactics that make even good Progressives eschew feminism. These are Tea Party style tactics.
Ian,
ReplyDeleteNo chance of passing? You obviously missed the Senate 51 - 48vote for the Blount/Rubio bill. A mere 3 votes difference. If a Republican is elected President and they win the Senate, these types of bills are sure to pass.
Additionally, the idea of a "No Sex" week -- a metaphor - is meant to bring attention to All Americans that this is NOT about Sex but about Women's Healthcare.
I like the idea of women joining together to voice their concerns about issues that impact their Health. This is so much like the Civil Rights Movement and earlier renditions of the Women's Rights Movement.
You've heard the Republican debate and their agenda. They have vowed to overturn what they term "Obamacare" which includes many positive policies for all Americans, including Women and those who utilize Medicare. The Republican Agenda also calls for the end of Medicare and Social Security as we know them. (and take us into a war with Iran)
This next election is the most important election in our lifetimes. We are at the proverbial crossroads -- which of the Roads into a yellow wood will be taken?
As for me, I plan on continuing to stand on the rooftops and voice my concerns until we re-elect our President.
Anyone with a lick of political sense understands that the Obama has election in a walk. Obamacare will be thoroughly institutionally entrenched beyond the point of major overhaul by the time election rolls around -- the insurance companies have already accepted it and moved on. The Tea Party is thoroughly discredited as a political force, the GOP is in chaos and anarchy, and is using this kind of blather as a culture-war rallying-cry to get their few remaining stalwarts to the polls and donating. And you are doing their work for them by reacting so strongly and so . . . colorfully to them. They are debating issues of ideology in front of a public that is hungry for pragmatic solutions, and with every word that falls out of their mouths they are being taken less-seriously as a political force. And every time you take them seriously because of their "vows to overturn Obamacare", you give them energy and credibility that they haven't earned by the strength of their arguments. And freaking out about Social Security, Medicare, and war with Iran is just pointless. The first two won't be tampered with without a clear political mandate (which ain't happening) and the last one is utterly out of anyone's control. Indeed, it's more likely that Obama will get us into a war with Iran for completely non-political reasons.
ReplyDelete"No Sex Week" wasn't proposed as a metaphor. And it remains insulting to the intelligence and integrity of men. I'm glad you like the fact that a lot of women can get together for the express purpose of not having sex, regardless of the consequences, and I'm happy that it makes you feel good. It's making some of us feel bad, however. This is not like the Civil Rights movement, or even the earlier Women's Rights movement. This isn't female suffrage, this is a minor point of healthcare regulation in the context of a far more complex healthcare retrenchment.
So stand on your rooftop and continue your shouting, but remember that shouting doesn't win an argument. It might stop one, but it won't win one. It might "rally your troops" and gin up their enthusiasm, but if it alienates as many people as it excites, what is the use?
Either you're for real, practical, pragmatic solutions or you want to be a cheerleader for an ideology, irrespective of its utility.
Ian,
ReplyDeleteI agree with much of what you said. I think we disagree on style. Let me share some info with you that will help you understand why I choose to blog as I do. Most of my followers who have followed me for years know this.
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I am a Mexican American. My family has lived here 200 years. Yet, as a child, we were very poor, migrant laborers, working in the fields. My father knew and lived through decades of discrimination. His way of ending discrimination was to bring workers to Michigan, then once working and living here, helping them find jobs in the factory, desegregating areas of our town, helping our church include spanish and helping workers as they strove to achieve the American Dream. I am very proud of what he did.
He instilled in all of us that we could achieve our Dreams. I wanted to be "That Girl." I believed in the Civil Rights Movement, Women's Rights Issues. Through my twenties and thirties, I marched and volunteered as well as finished my education and became a career woman. I encouraged others to continue their education, never do drugs, enter into careers. In my forties and fifties, I worked with several volunteer organizations to support College Funds (fund raisers/donations/writer and as speaker); volunteer reading programs (elementary school programs) -- this in addition to being a full time mother, wife and friend.
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In my fifties, as I was about to retire from my career, I eased back, became a grandmother, began writing again.
part 2:
ReplyDelete--
In 2000, I was a bit like you. I thought Gore was a shoe in. Who would vote for George Bush? Then in 2004, I thought, after 9/11 and the wrong turn to Iraq, who would vote for George Bush again? Then when supporters of the McCain/Kennedy bill peacefully marched, I thought it would be wonderful and all of America would support the passage of Comprehensive Immigration Reform.
Instead, what happened? Bush won. Bush won again. The right wing media and the Minutemen (pre cursor to Tea Party) bamboozled the American public and led this tsunami of hate. They infiltrated the internet - and manipulated and controlled it through their blogs, monopolization of newspaper comment sections and other forms of miscommunication. They have created this underground manipulation of faxes to congress, transformed hate groups to politically correct minutemen who have now transformed into the tea party. They became so successful they won Congress in 2010, even taking over Sen. Kennedy's seat.
The right wing conservative movement is smart and they plan well. When one tactic loses support, they morph it into something else, as they did with the Minutemen transformation to Tea Party. So we can expect the Tea Party to morph / repurpose themselves soon.
Plus, they have billions and billions of dollars from supporters. Plus they own the Supreme Court.
I don't underestimate them one bit.
I also don't take the election of Barack Obama in 2012 for granted. This is way too early. They have so much time.
Now, as to why I blog as I do.
I am passionate about the Immigration Issue and support Comprehensive Immigration Reform. I support the passage of the Dream Act. I oppose Racial Profiling and Hate Crimes as is occuring in Sheriff Arpaio's Maricopa County. I oppose all sb1070 like laws that are popping up in states across the country. These laws were written by Kris Kobach and backed by the Tanton groups including FAIR and NumbersUSA.
Politically: I support President Obama in 2012. I oppose all 4 Republicans who have all voiced their opposition to Comprehensive Immigration Reform, Mass Deportation and Sheriff Arpaio. The 4 of them have said they oppose the Dream Act.
I blog the way I do to gain first attention then support for the issues I support. This is the new way of marching. I have studied the Methods of the most successful bloggers on the internet and I mirror them. I provide factual information. I inform. I speak passionately. Some call me a provocateur - this is on purpose (to 1st Gain Attention). I share my heart. You may disagree with some of my provocative metaphors, but overall, I did get your attention and engaged you in this discussion. I also blog to "stir the pot" with the opposition. (Believe me, I get plenty of their attention including many, many hate-mails from them).
My readers and followers know me. They understand me. They know my blog is their blog. I speak for them. I research for them. I stand on the rooftops for them.
They made my/our blog one of the most popular Mexican American blogs on the internet. I have tens of thousands of viewers each month from every state, from many countries. Google "Mexican American" and see where our blog comes up. Do a "Google Fight" and see how many hits I've had. I have thousands of followers on facebook and dedicate followers on eblogger.
I thank my loyal readers. Our blog would not be successful without them. Together, we will all register to vote, elect our President again, and finally pass the Dream Act and CIR as well as continue to improve our economy so that we call can all aspire to achieve the American Dream.
I am a European-American. My family has lived here for 282 years. For most of that time we were very very poor, and discriminated against because of our Irish heritage. We were dirt farmers in the upper midwest, and barely made it through the Depression. In fact, a lot of my family didn't.
ReplyDeleteBut after WWII, things got a little better. My great-grandfather went to work at a carriage shop and was able to buy a house with a wood floor and indoor plumbing. My grandfathers went to war for their country and then worked in the factories to rebuild the war-torn world. They organized, they struck, they fought bitter fights with management to secure decent pay and safe working conditions, so that they could send their sons and daughters to college.
But somewhere along the way, someone started importing workers from other countries who would do the work more cheaply. All the hard fighting my families had done to secure their jobs and their homes was put into jeopardy by immigrants eager to work for less pay. And in Michigan, factory jobs are a premium. My ancestors felt that the time that they had devoted to their jobs and improving their communities should count for something, but management was all too eager to find reasons to replace them with machinery or foreign labor. Yet despite the constant threat of lay-offs and replacement, they continued to faithfully serve their country, pay their taxes, and raise their families in the central Michigan area. When they began working in factories Fisher Body still made horse carriages. When my grandfather retired they were a billion-dollar company with a state-of-the-art factory. I am very proud of what they did.
While I can appreciate the power of the dream your father instilled in you, my father also instilled dreams in me, but he also salted it with a healthy dose of responsibility and wisdom. For instance, being skeptical of all ideologies as an answer to problems. The dangers of employing simplistic analogies to complex issues. And the importance of looking at the world not as we would like it to be, but as it is.
While he instilled in us the idea that we could achieve our dreams (and, I'm happy to say, I have) he also warned us that we faced opposition and conflict from nearly everyone. He warned us that we, as men, would be discriminated against (he was correct), that being white would make other people think that we were oppressive racists bent on world domination (also correct), and that it didn't matter what we believed. What mattered was what we did.
Management collusion with corrupt unions, computerized manufacturing and cheap labor have pretty much destroyed whatever legacy my grandparents left me, but I cling to the legacy of wisdom my father gave me.
In the meantime, let's look at what feminism gave me:
Feminism taught me that if I was a male, I was an oppressor and a potential rapist.
ReplyDeleteFeminism taught me that I had to defer to women in every arena, or I was an oppressor.
Feminism taught me that thinking that pretty girls were pretty was wrong. And that saying that pretty girls were pretty was a criminal offense.
Feminism taught me that even if I did everything I could possibly do to help further the human rights of women, that my gender still made me culpable in their suffering.
Feminism taught me that masculinity is wrong and evil and destructive.
Feminism taught me that my natural inclination to want sex is violent, anti-social, and borderline criminal no matter what the circumstances.
Feminism taught me that it's OK for a woman to divorce her husband and take half of his stuff because "she's not happy" . . . but if he's not happy, she still gets to divorce him and take half of his stuff.
Feminism taught me that fathers are unnecessary encumbrances on the life of a child, save for the need to pay for them. And that fatherhood was evil masculine indoctrination.
Feminism taught me that boys and girls are equal . . . but girls are always more equal.
Feminism taught me that the proper role for a man in society is ATM and sperm donor -- beyond that, I have no value.
Feminism taught me that if male and female issues are in conflict, that female issues must always be the dominant force to be considered. Masculine issues aren't really "issues", they're "whining".
Feminism taught me that women want kind, stable, sensitive men who are good fathers and good providers . . . who feminist leave in droves at the first sign of a sexually exciting alternative.
In short, Feminism has sapped whatever energy I had in supporting all Progressive causes.
I not only voted for Obama, I fund-raised and organized for him. But his election was a foregone conclusion. As is his re-election.
Consider: since the 1960s, in every single presidential contest the candidate with the highest attractiveness to women wins. And Mitt Romney still looks like a tool with a Wal-Mart face compared to Obama -- I'm not worried.
If you want to support Mexican American causes, be my guest. But when you start taking strong, alienating stands on women's issues, don't be surprised if you get some opposition from the very people you're trying to convince.
You're from Michigan too? I have family who worked at Fisher Body. My Dad and brothers - Motor Wheel.
ReplyDeleteMy Dad loved the Union.
All the union workers worked so hard, but they were glad to do it. They were glad to be working to support their families.
We agree to disagree on your views about Feminism.
I believe in Women's causes.
I believe in Equal Rights for all.
I believe as my Dad believed that if you work hard enough and do your best, you can achieve your Dreams.