immigration: yet another example of sexist piggybacking on racism

i do not have a witty title for this.

A great introduction to and reposting of an equally-great article in Latina Magazine, embedded ironically amongst adverts featuring toothpick-skinny white models and french-sounding perfumes.

Let’s call it the intersection of racism and sexism, via immigration.  I fully and whole-heartedly support this blogger’s message to “these people condemning refugees,” amounting to a resounding

 

fuck you for every asylee you want to send home. These people need help, and you are sending them back to hell and, in many cases, certain death. I am not exaggerating to make you feel guilty — this is truth, and I hope you never have to live in the same terror these people do[...]

I will leave the story as to why there was even a copy of Latina Magazine in my house in the first place for another day…

Quote of the day: Banned Books

Banning Maya Angelou from school libraries and curricula is like banning Jesus’ crucifixion from Bible studies because it is “violent” and possibly “gory.”

Here is the relevant quote:

While you’re at it OC, ban the bible too. There’s a lot more rape and killing in that horrid book.

No, I don’t think the Bible should be banned.  I think every school should have important religious and cultural texts in its library, for students to access and study (including important books of other religions, such as the Torah and Qur’an).

For the same reason, Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings should be in every school library.  It is a relevant, timeless classic that can help us learn about ourselves, including how to develop empathy and compassion.  For example, to overcome internalized homophobia (that says gay people somehow want or need to become straight, rather than asking us to accept them for who they are).  And isn’t that what Jesus was all about?

“The books that the world calls immoral are the books that show the world its own shame.”   –Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray, 1891

two satires and a funeral

It’s time to for a good ol’ post-presidential election unwind.  Here’s three questions (and answers) to help y’all out:

Sign the Petition: Censure Bachmann

Rep. Michelle Bachmann (R-MN) was just re-elected. Let Bachmann know you disagree with her opposition to the First Amendment:  Sign the Petition.

“just thinkin’ out loud…”

One of the main reasons I started this blog was to talk about my trip through Kuwait, Jordan, the West Bank (Palestine) and Israel [for the record, I'm still not done typing everything up and publishing it].  Lately, though, the blog has taken a deep dive into the tepid cesspool of crass political commentary.  Funny how priorities change like that…I’m still planning on finishing my writeup of the trip.  Not in the least because, hey, you gotta come up from the depths of the tepid cesspool for a breath of air every now and then (real life notwithstanding).  I also owe FoEME (Jordan) my notes from our conversations and brainstorming at the ‘Amman office.

However, the title of the blog itself hints at a different purpose.  When I started this blog, I also promised myself that I would use it as an outlet for my poetry.  That’s been a difficult promise to fulfill. 

fear tactics

It’s damned near impossible to have an honest policy disagreement in the political mainstream these days.  Fear spreads like a disease.  People who are afraid will try to make others afraid.  Often, this is unintentional.  Sometimes, though, it is deliberate.