Happy All The Time

Christian Blame on Women in History

            In the articles assigned on Gender and Sexuality in the Middle Ages, there is a pattern of blame that is all too apparent and completely one sided. The blame placed on women of the ages began with Eve in the Garden of Eden and continues on throughout history. The argument made placed men in a position of weakness and women in power, which is ironic because it was supposed to be the opposite. According to Genesis, Eve was born from Adam’s rib and according to Galen, “female is less perfect than the male,” but only because a woman’s “parts” are within the body while a man’s are on the outside (Galen 141). It would appear that men in history spent much time formulating ideas to propel themselves into a higher status than women, which means it must have been an area of insecurity.

            It would appear that in our current society, there is a struggle between men and women that is also shown in the reading. In The Middle Ages, women were blamed for tempting men and forcing them to be filled with lust. In the current era, women are still blamed for “bringing it on themselves,” (i.e., rape, domestic violence, sexual harassment victims alike) by both men and women accusers. Ways to “bring it on yourself” include dressing provocatively, which is also addressed by Tertullian in “On the Apparel of Women” where it is said that women are “the greatest temptation” and must not dress ostentatiously as a means of seducing men (Tertullian 23). The sick and twisted idea that a woman is asking for anything harmful that comes upon her is unfortunately a pattern in history, and although there has been some progress, it has certainly not been enough.

            The first male in the assigned reading to not place blame upon a woman was Jesus in The Gospel According to John. In John 8:1-12, a woman was brought forth to Jesus for her sin of committing adultery. The men who brought her claimed that in the law, Moses commanded that a woman who committed such an act should be stoned. Jesus responded with, “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her” (John 8:7). As they all left, Jesus assured her that he would not condemn her.

The most interesting part of the current followers of Christianity is the differentiation between what is thought to be the word of Jesus and the important factors of every day life. More often than not, one is more likely to hear a Christian quote “Leviticus” than s/he is to quote “The Gospel According to John.” It would appear that Christians pick and choose their beliefs based on what condemns another’s lifestyle more than s/he looks inward at their own “sin.” Rather than being convinced that women are to blame for men’s concupiscence or those who commit adultery should be stoned, perhaps Christianity would gain from looking inward and focusing on bettering the individual to better society, rather than condemn the “other” to better society.  

Tagged: christianitywomendomestic violencesexhistorythe middle agescontemporary society

Source:

Time is of the Essence

Herman Cain, Mitt Romney, Michelle Bachmann… Don’t Quit Your Day Jobs.

Wow, what a whirlwind this past couple weeks have been. The media finally started paying attention to the civil unrest that has taken the country and the world by storm, yet they fail to cover the movement in an honest and objective fashion. The protesters are painted as angry, over-dramatic, violent hippies who need to get a grip and find something else to do with their bundles of time, while the NYPD has been painted as “just doing their job.” As I have mentioned before, I fully support the NYPD and respect them for all that they do to protect us; however, beating a woman with a night stick for stepping off the curb and pepper-spraying three others for wearing V for Vendetta masks seems excessive, no? Don’t even get me started on the 8 officers who dragged a cognitively impaired man off a bench with major force because he was playing on his drums 2 minutes passed curfew. Not acceptable.

What is to come of the future? Elections are not far off and politicians keep pointing fingers and kicking sand in each others faces. This is not a popularity contest, folks, this is our country, so stop trying to “win it” like its a Homecoming game. I heard Herman Cain and Mitt Romney on the news talking about how the protesters are “jealous” of the rich and if they are unemployed and poor, “take a long look in the mirror,” because it is their own fault. These politicians are so disconnected from the realities that “regular people” face every single day. It is disgusting that with a 9.1% unemployment rate, Pizza Man Herman Cain thinks its appropriate to call all of those unemployed “lazy.”

I can understand the frustration that many feel towards President Obama. He’s a cool guy, I like him, but let’s face it: he spends our money on stupid shit just like every other president has and nothing has gotten better, if anything, it has gotten worse. However, let me bring you in on a little secret that Obama knows and the Republican nominees don’t: he is humanly accessible, he listens, and can articulate the issues without condescension. He’s not perfect, but neither are any of us. He didn’t get elected because he’s the smartest guy who has all the answers, he was elected because he is the most human.

Lastly, let me remind the future nominees that while they may get the giggles from calling the people in this movement “lazy” and “hippies,” among other names, they need to remember that we are all voters and y’all ain’t gettin’ no brownie points by hurtin’ on my homies. I wasn’t sure about whether I’d vote for Obama in 2012, but now it is clear to me that whoever I decide to be the most capable of representing America and it’s people, it certainly won’t be someone who condones the kind of language the current nominees find acceptable.

And that’s my rant for this week.

Tagged: occupy wall streetgovernmentobamaherman cainmitt romneybachmannwe are the 99%

October 1: Occupy Wall Street “We are the 99%” March from Zuccoti Park to Brooklyn Bridge Park

Ok, so after sleeping for 12 hours and decompressing from a very long day yesterday, this is the conclusion I have come to about our day spent with the Occupy Wall St. Movement: finally, our country has had enough. The gap between the super rich and the middle/lower class continues to grow and it’s sickening. Generation X (the 50 and early 60 somethings) are completely tied in upside down on their mortgages, and our generation is going to be in debt forever due to student loans and most likely, only a fraction of us will ever own a house because of this. If you marry someone who also has student loans up the ass, I’m crossing my fingers for you. This country needs to reform the tax system and we need to make this a country of manufacturing again – not a country of outsourcing, and companies who do outsource should be punished with taxes, but instead, as of now, they are given tax breaks. This country needs healthcare. Socialist healthcare is not the answer, because overseas and in Canada, the government controls what medicine doctors are allowed to prescribe and the lack of specialists and surgeons causes people to wait on lists for months before getting properly treated. However, there are other options, but I know that in this country, which is supposed to be the country of opportunity, it is UNACCEPTABLE that a man has to rob a bank for a dollar in order to go to jail to receive proper healthcare. Google that shit and look at the humiliation and despair on the man’s face, it’s devastating. There are a lot of things wrong in America right now that need fixing, and FINALLY people are starting to get it and stomp their feet. I heard several times in the last 24 hours that there are “other ways” to create reform rather than throwing a tantrum and marching through the streets. I ask you this, when were revolutions ever worthwhile when they were started over an intellectual conversation over brunch and a round of golf? Never. To create change, the masses have to stomp their feet and open their mouths, and take their heads out of the sand and be ready to take some heat for it. It aint pretty and it aint easy, but if you dare complain about they way your country is running you better be willing to do something about it, and if you’re not, close your mouth; sounds harsh, but its true. Stop getting your information from only the media, try engaging in life and getting your information first hand. As for the NYPD arrests on the bridge yesterday, I will tell you this: the police were doing their jobs. There was no police brutality, and as I walked by with my sign saying “110K in student loan debt so I can teach your kids cuz I love what I do even if it means I can never retire. I am one of the 99%” they all smiled and nodded their head. I spoke with many and thanked them for protecting us while we marched and they smiled. Stop putting this on them, they have a job to do and it is in fact illegal to march in a highway that isn’t shut down with permits. In my last comments about this for now, I will tell you this: if you want to “peacefully” protest, then by all means, please do so. However, remember that to be peaceful means to be respectful – even if the other side isn’t respecting you.

Tagged: occupy wall streetwe are the 99%zuccoti parkbrooklyn bridgegovernmentcapitalism

9/11 Unplugged: No excuses.

Over this past weekend, I felt extremely uncomfortable in my skin thinking about the anniversary of 9/11: would there be another attack? How are the people who lost loved ones coping with day to day life, knowing that (mom, dad, brother, sister, spouse, daughter, son, etc) will never call again, their seat at the table will remain empty; has the feeling of loss gotten easier to deal with after ten years? Somehow, I don’t think it has.

In my experience, losing someone to old age is no doubt devastating, but it is expected, we all die and if we are very lucky, we die when we are old. But what about losing someone unexpectedly, no closure, no last kiss “goodbye,” no chance to say to them how much they are loved. I recently saw posts on Facebook regarding 9/11 and I found these posts to be incredibly offensive: one person posted the question, the day before the 9/11 anniversary, “what is the most beautiful part about death?” If there was an app to jump through my computer screen and punch this girl in the face, I would have. This person, relatively famous in her community, posted this question to all of the NY, NJ, CT tri-state area, where almost everyone knows someone who has been effected by 9/11. After I lost my shit, someone told me that she is trying to bring “positive” out of a negative event, which annoyed me more, and let me tell you why: the title of my blog is “Happy All The Time” but I need to tell you the truth behind what it takes to be happy all the time: the truth is that it takes being realistic and empathetic to the world at large, realizing that sometimes using positivity and making light of a tragic situation is not only inappropriate but is illogical.

I am positive that the victims of 9/11 would have found it much more “beautiful” to go home to their loved ones after work that day, see their children grow up, fall in love again, and GROW OLD. There was nothing beautiful about the 2,819 deaths that occurred that day; it was tragic. Do me a favor and keep your insensitive, philosophical bologna at bay and show some respect to the men and women who were murdered that day and to their loved ones who every single day have to remember that they are gone.

Tagged: 9/11memorialgriefterrorism

How to be an advocate for yourself

1. Identify what it is you want/need.

2. Educate yourself. Get on Google. Find out EVERYTHING there is to know about what it is you need, from ALL angles, even those of which you don’t agree with.

3. Get in touch with people. Make yourself heard. The squeaky wheel gets the grease, kapeesh?

4. Don’t whine. That’s annoying.

5. Don’t give up on it even if your alone in it. Push your way through the bar baby, don’t wait for a crowd of drunk, sweaty people to hear you and move over.

6. Having said the above #5, don’t be a jerk about it though. Nobody likes a jerk.

7. Be kind. People want to help other people who are nice. Not people who practice #4 regularly or are nasty.

8. Smile, man, cuz everything’s gonna be alright.

Tagged: self helpadvocacy