tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61427435765845235332024-03-13T05:09:26.508-06:00The Feminist AgendaRachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203151255248154129noreply@blogger.comBlogger619125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142743576584523533.post-49521367326218551212016-11-09T10:45:00.000-07:002016-11-09T10:45:54.647-07:00Who we areLast night I was thinking about the message that this election sends to the world, and I was upset about the fact that we have elected a bully and a predator. Because I kept thinking to myself "this is not who we are." But this morning I realize - this <i>is</i> who we are. To some extent or another, America has always been a bully and a predator. Nothing has changed.<br />
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I'm sad that white men and evangelicals voted so strongly for Trump. I wanted people to care about sexual assault. I wanted people to be willing to defend me when someone grabs me by the pussy. I thought maybe I lived in a world where people would. But like many people, I've been living in a bubble. Evangelical Christians and white men don't care. They didn't care when I was six and they don't care now. And when it comes right down to it, they can swing an election and prevent their nightmare of a woman in office from coming true. Even if it means we have to have a bigoted sexual predator representing us as a nation.<br />
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So this is a sobering moment, but it's important to have a clear vision of who we are and where we are. And now back to the task of raising girls in a world like this...Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203151255248154129noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142743576584523533.post-47976915231431550792016-10-14T09:16:00.003-06:002016-10-14T09:38:43.884-06:00Surprise!I've heard from a number of people who are shocked - SHOCKED - that Jerry Falwell Jr. has said <a href="http://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2016/10/13/jerry-falwell-jr-vote-for-trump-sot-erin.cnn" target="_blank">he will continue to support Trump</a> even in the face of allegations of sexual assault. And Falwell's continued support is a number of thing, but it's not shocking. Falwell comes from a culture where it's very common to support men who are accused of abusing their power to engage in sexual relationships with adult women where there's a huge power imbalance, bringing the question of consent and coercion into play, and in cases where men have sexually abused children. This response is pretty standard in that culture.<br />
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There's a script. First the accusation comes out. Then the question of whether or not the victim is believable is raised, and discussed openly and repeatedly. Then the redemption narrative begins. He's a changed man. Our God is a powerful God and can bring about instant change in the heart of the man that has gone astray. And finally the victim is pressured to show a forgiving spirit and look for the sin in her own heart that caused the abuse. He hasn't quite gotten to the last piece of the script, but he hit the first part perfectly in stride.<br />
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It's not at all surprising. <br />
<br />Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203151255248154129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142743576584523533.post-71015001984971795052016-07-27T23:34:00.000-06:002016-07-28T00:43:57.273-06:00The white male privilege of Bernie or Bust Some disclaimers:<br />
<ol>
<li>I know that many Bernie or Bust-ers are neither white nor male. That being said, everyone in my social circle who's still Bernie or Bust is white and male. That's an admittedly small sample size of 8. But still. </li>
<li>I wholeheartedly agree that some of the shit that's gone down in the DNC is very fucked up. No argument there. Both the internal politicking and the Russian hacking... all very fucked up. But still.</li>
</ol>
After numerous conversations the past few days I'm thoroughly frustrated with the whole thing. First, let's be reasonable. You don't get to say #nevertrump and also #neverhillary. That's not how it works. In this case, #neverhillary just <i>is </i>Trump. And you can rail against the system (and I'll agree) and throw a giant tantrum (preferably not in my ear, but I've tolerated it before and can probably handle it again), but at the end of the day you still can't have it both ways. Depending on the state you live in, a #neverhillary vote amounts to a vote for Trump.<br />
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So maybe you're OK with that. Maybe you think we deserve a Trump presidency, or you want to kick-start the revolution, or you just want revenge on the DNC. The problem is, that's revenge on all of us. And it's disproportionate revenge on women, minorities, LGBTQI folks, and the working poor. A Trump presidency combined with a Republican Congress combined with a Trump supreme court justice spells the end of access to comprehensive reproductive care, for example. Maybe they can't make it illegal, but they can make it inaccessible, and that amounts to the same thing. A Trump presidency amounts to unequal pay (because, after all, women would get the same pay if they did as good of a job as men). A Trump presidency amounts to All Lives Matter. I could keep going here, but you get my point.<br />
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The privilege to not care where the chips fall is every bit as powerful as the economic and social privileges that come with being white and male. As a woman, I cannot afford to be Bernie or Bust. And as supporters of Bernie, all the B or B-ers should ask themselves "what would Bernie do?"<br />
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I think Bernie would stand with me.<br />
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#imwithherRachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203151255248154129noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142743576584523533.post-44681930018089329872016-07-21T10:04:00.002-06:002016-07-21T10:07:41.432-06:00When words countI'm guessing we all know by now that a speech writer on the Trump campaign staff issued an apology for plagiarizing Michelle Obama's speech. What's interesting is the wording she chose.<br />
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"I apologize for the confusion and hysteria my mistake has caused."<br />
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<i>Confusion </i>is just funny, because it doesn't seem to me that anyone was confused. It was glaringly obvious. But <i>hysteria </i>- that's an interesting word choice. There's a history behind that word - a history that even now makes it a convenient tool for dismissing the legitimate concerns and feelings that other people might have. It suggests that the problem is with the person on the receiving end of the wrongdoing rather than with the wrongdoer. It almost goes as far as suggesting that you're only responding the way you are because ... there's blood coming out of you.<br />
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Hysteria vs. Concern<br />
I would suggest that there are two underlying reasons many people feel uncomfortable with Melania Trump's speech. The first is that plagiarism is something we should take seriously, always and everywhere. Respect for the intellectual property of others is a basic democratic value. The second concern is that maybe the plagiarized speech is indicative of a deeper issue - an approach to the world and to other people in it that's shared by the Trump camp. Blatant disregard for others in small things is usually an indicator of blatant disregard for others in big ways.<br />
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The Trump camp hopes to paint this as an oops. Many people are interpreting it as an expression of character. That's harder to fix.<br />
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<br />Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203151255248154129noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142743576584523533.post-67836944951891817182016-07-05T00:32:00.001-06:002016-07-05T00:36:41.265-06:00Gag orders<span style="color: #990000; font-size: x-small;">Content note: sexual abuse, spiritual abuse.</span><br />
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I was at a casual gathering recently and found myself sitting around a fire pit with a group of friendly acquaintances. The mood was light and open, the conversation witty and engaging, and the night very pleasant. At one point one of the other people there turned the conversation to church and started advocating that the rest of us visit his church. I kept my mouth shut, waiting for the conversation to move on. It didn't. He finally asked me directly if I would be interested in attending his church, and I commented in an offhand way that church isn't really my thing and then tried to change the subject. It didn't work. I kept politely trying to dodge, and he kept pursuing the subject. I should have gotten up and left, but I didn't. Instead it got to the point where he directly asked what it is I don't like about church. I responded that I find evangelical churches to be emotionally manipulative in general, that I feel that at this point in my life I have a strong sense of what I think and feel about God, and that church has not been a positive experience for me. He pushed on this last point. Why wasn't it positive? What went wrong? I said I don't respond well to situations in which I feel that I'm being judged on criteria and values that I don't espouse for myself, and that appeals to emotion and fear turn me off. I also noted that the "support" one gets from a church community seems rather conditional, and I feel more comfortable forging my own support networks. He kept pushing on this last point and asking for examples, Finally I responded with several examples of how the church of my childhood as well as his own church in the town where I live now had not been supportive of individuals who were dealing with personal struggles, but shaming and manipulative. He wasn't going to let it drop, so I finally said "and then there's the fact that my own grandfather and uncle molested me, and everyone was more concerned with protecting the reputation of the church than with my well-being. That doesn't seem loving or supportive." This brought the conversation to a full stop, and made several individuals in the situation visibly uncomfortable. I had obviously crossed a line by mentioning my sexual abuse. But why? Why is this topic off limits?<br />
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My mom has cited a concern for my embarrassment or shame when defending the way the adults in the family <a href="http://thefeministagenda.blogspot.com/2010/06/some-thoughts-on-religion-and-sexual.html" target="_blank">handled the situation</a> when it all came out in the open. Their actions that looked like they were defending the perpetrators were really intended to protect the victims. But again, why? What do I have to be ashamed about? I did nothing that should invoke shame. In my mind, the shame lies entirely on the shoulders of my uncle and grandpa.* And yet there's this taboo surrounding any discussion of sexual abuse. One ought not to talk about it. Even though it informs so much about who we are, for better or for worse. It's a formative experience. And it seems to me that by having this taboo - by requiring survivors of sexual abuse to keep a lid on it - we impose a second burden. You have to figure out how to grow and mature through the damage that was done, to develop healthy coping skills and learn how to let yourself be vulnerable and take social risks in healthy ways. And you also have to carry the weight of this secret. You must protect the delicate sensibilities of others by never speaking of it except with your closest friends. This seems somewhat akin to a second victimization. I didn't ask for the abuse, and I also didn't ask for the weight of this secret. This secret that explains so much about me. And yet it's mine.<br />
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The phrase "gag order" has always seemed unnecessarily violent to me. It's kind of jarring. But now I see how appropriate the violence it evokes really is. He who controls the discourse wields the power, right?<br />
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I choose to speak about it when speaking seems appropriate. Try to stop me.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*Unless, of course you're of the opinion that a woman is damaged goods, and polluted in some sense, once she has been sexual in any way - even if she did not consent or was too young to even understand what was happening. Then, of course, she does have cause for shame. The source of her personal value has been compromised.</span><br />
<br />Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203151255248154129noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142743576584523533.post-83149685881185020482016-06-21T11:20:00.000-06:002016-06-21T11:26:53.482-06:00Let's not forget who's talking hereGenerally speaking I think there's not really much more to be said on the issue of gun violence in the U.S. But I think it is an interesting (and tragic) study in how commerce drives culture in our style of capitalism + democracy.<br />
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According to <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2016/06/20/3790477/gun-control-votes/" target="_blank">this article</a>, "the NRA has given more than $36 million to the 56 Republican senators who blocked the gun control measures on Monday." Where does that funding come from? The gun industry, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/gun-industry-funds-nra-2013-1" target="_blank">of course</a>. When the economic interests of our industries are more powerful than our collective beliefs and values, it's time to reevaluate how we do shit. Of course this has been said a million times before, but there it is. As long as we're willing to allow the industry to shape and dominate the dialogue, we'll continue to get what we've always gotten. In the meantime, Republicans can't claim to be the "pro-life" party as long as they're the minions of the firearms industry. And as a nation, we can't claim to value the lives of the people who are killed in mass shootings until we're willing to do something about it.<br />
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I'm sure this is what the founding fathers intended - aren't you?<br />
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Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203151255248154129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142743576584523533.post-89003975399558336422016-06-10T11:51:00.000-06:002016-06-10T12:05:15.901-06:00The perils of changing your brand midstream Now that primary season is effectively over, people are visibly shifting into general election mode. Most prominent Republicans have fallen in line and endorsed Trump, at least to some extent. And now there's some concern about broader appeal and independent voters and all that, and now it behooves the campaign to soften up on the racism and misogyny. Which is of course the strategic thing to do.<br />
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Unfortunately it's not a terribly realistic thing to do, from a marketing perspective. It helps to make a distinction here between a brand and a set of talking points. Your talking points can change from day to day. They reflect your current priorities - the things that you take to be important in the short term. In contrast, your brand is who you are - or at least the public perception of who you are.* <br />
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Given the timeline of a political campaign, the brand that brought you into the arena is crucial, because there really isn't sufficient time to change your brand in significant ways in a general election. This could be seen as a flaw in the primary system - the things that bring success in the primaries may not be the same things that bring success in the general election. <br />
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<a href="http://7768-presscdn-0-28.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/nbc-fires-donald-trump-after-he-calls-mexicans-rapists-and-drug-runners-e1449576133198.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://7768-presscdn-0-28.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/nbc-fires-donald-trump-after-he-calls-mexicans-rapists-and-drug-runners-e1449576133198.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
Either way, the pertinent question at this point is how will Trump go about changing his brand? It's clear that other Republicans want him to, as they recoil from his attacks on Gonzalo Curiel. But the racist and misogynist stances that Trump has always taken are not talking points for him. They're central to his brand. And this is not something you can change overnight. It's also not clear that he wants to change his brand. And in fact, changing brands midstream can be a very tricky and potentially disastrous thing. Can you work to place more emphasis on different aspects of your brand? Sure. But changing it wholesale on this kind of timeline is highly unlikely.
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So the only question is, how many voters outside of Trump's base can be persuaded to swallow the unsavory aspects of his brand in order to attain the benefits they think they'll get from his presidency? It will be interesting to find out... <br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*The distinction between who you are and how your brand is perceived is an endlessly interesting and important one, particularly in the context of conversations on business ethics and marketing strategies.</span>
Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203151255248154129noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142743576584523533.post-43174138322577162392016-05-25T00:18:00.000-06:002016-06-21T13:48:16.351-06:00Not the kind of change I can believe in<span style="font-size: x-small;">Content note: sexual assault</span><br />
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Remember a couple of years ago when the news stories came out about <a href="http://prospect.org/article/report-bob-jones-university-responded-rape-claims-woeful-ignorance-law-often-blaming-victims" target="_blank">sexual assault at conservative Christian colleges</a> and how extremely bad their response to sexual assault tends to be? And then shortly after that there were news reports about how the Duggar's had responded to their <a href="http://gawker.com/the-duggar-homeschool-programs-terrifying-advice-on-sex-1706406324" target="_blank">molestation (non)crisis</a>, and screenshots of pages from counseling textbooks used in conservative churches made the rounds and there was all kinds of shock and pearl clutching and hand wringing for about 10 minutes until the next news cycle hit?<br />
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Well, now it's the same song, second verse, but <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/apr/30/mormon-rape-victims-shame-brigham-young-university" target="_blank">with the Mormons</a>. I understand that if you didn't grow up in a conservative religious environment this stuff may continue to be shocking, but in fact it shouldn't be. And asking institutions like Bob Jones University and BYU to change their approach to sexual assault and sexual assault victims is asking them not to be who they are. It rests on a lack of understanding of the most fundamental views of these groups concerning women's bodies and sexuality. This is not a surface-level, cosmetic fix. It's deep in the roots.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VqAOmNjHyOU/V0U-KWY8ErI/AAAAAAAACD8/p4PzPV6fm4Id_A1-LR03l5vPX5NXEvn8QCLcB/s1600/gum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Used chewing gum, stuck to the bottom of a shoe" border="0" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VqAOmNjHyOU/V0U-KWY8ErI/AAAAAAAACD8/p4PzPV6fm4Id_A1-LR03l5vPX5NXEvn8QCLcB/s200/gum.jpg" title="" width="123" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Your vagina, on sex</td></tr>
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Think about how rape victims were treated in the Bible. Now think about the analogies that are most often used for women's bodies in purity culture. Women who have had sex are like pieces of used chewing gum. It's completely meaningless to ask chewing gum whether it consents to being chewed or not. Even if it could consent, whether it had consented to be chewed or not would not make even the tiniest bit of difference concerning the outcome. Chewed gum is no longer useful and can only be spit out in the trash.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6ZFSGLAnQCw/V0U-uJadaoI/AAAAAAAACEA/vFOB4N6wJpItTf2hU8aKYjZTUxqRiMaOQCLcB/s1600/tape.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Trash can with duct tape on it" border="0" height="150" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6ZFSGLAnQCw/V0U-uJadaoI/AAAAAAAACEA/vFOB4N6wJpItTf2hU8aKYjZTUxqRiMaOQCLcB/s200/tape.jpg" title="" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Used tape. Don't stick it on your dick.</td></tr>
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Similarly, tape cannot consent to being stuck to anything, much less a trash can. Even if it could consent, whether it had consented to be stuck to something or not would not make even the tiniest bit of difference concerning the outcome. Used tape is no longer useful so it can only be thrown out.<br />
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And so it is with women who have been used. In this culture it's just an odd thing to consider whether they had consented to being used or not. The simple fact that their bodies are no longer "pure" is taken as a sign of some sin, or a violation of the school code, or whatever. And the reality is, sin or no, their gum has been chewed. Their tape has lost it's stickiness. You don't want to stick your dick in <i>that</i>. (I maybe don't completely get how these analogies are supposed to work.)<br />
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What's surprising to me about these stories is that people who are from these churches go to these universities and are then shocked by the response when they get assaulted. The church is supposed to be a safe space - it's supposed to be about love and all that, so I get why you might expect a compassionate response. But these core beliefs make it so that, in my experience and in the experience of those individuals featured in these stories, these environments will never be a safe space for women.<br />
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So maybe what's more distressing about these stories is not just that the women who were assaulted found that is wasn't a safe space. It's that at the end of the day, it's not a safe space for any of the women there. Living your day-to-day life immersed in an environment that views you as being similar to a piece of chewing gum or used tape just isn't good for you, and kills you with a million tiny cuts that you barely perceive. Maybe you're better off to experience the big dramatic cut right away, so you become aware that you need to get out. Or you get expelled. Either way, at least you have a shot at recovery now.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203151255248154129noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142743576584523533.post-65448857196637204202016-05-19T15:54:00.002-06:002016-05-19T15:54:39.738-06:00What I'm reading<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3734317-delicate-edible-birds-and-other-stories" target="_blank"><img alt="Delicate Edible Birds by Lauren Groff" border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_8r_ChHK_iY/Vz40k_y9JXI/AAAAAAAACDg/jHBJpwTO_o42j9bBTmuciS3BXFGbT3rqACLcB/s320/delicate_edible_birds.jpg" title="Delicate Edible Birds by Lauren Groff" width="211" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20763766-information-doesn-t-want-to-be-free" target="_blank"><img alt="Information Doesn't Want to Be Free by Cory Doctorow" border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6jaufTOjIkg/Vz40k-d5epI/AAAAAAAACDc/CnGKg5J9TPwof9v39HfFtSkvesIyLHgaACLcB/s320/information.png" title="Information Doesn't Want to Be Free by Cory Doctorow" width="235" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/What-People-Directions-Critical-Theory/dp/0231168764/" target="_blank"><img alt="What Is a People?" border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MTUEFQ7W_fU/Vz40lJkI4GI/AAAAAAAACDs/tQ012mujJNEue4g2HJ8dEjIMbPk0mWY6gCLcB/s320/people.jpg" title="What Is a People?" width="213" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6829406-jesus-girls" target="_blank"><img alt="Jesus Girls: True Tales of Growing Up Female and Evangelical by Hannah Faith Notess" border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ezz9WoW7t7s/Vz40lCijxZI/AAAAAAAACDo/Rkr7SoI9x5AVYDSGRiMprHaAt82tSu7qACLcB/s320/jesus_girls.jpg" title="Jesus Girls: True Tales of Growing Up Female and Evangelical by Hannah Faith Notess" width="212" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23754479-purity" target="_blank"><img alt="Purity by Jonathan Franzen" border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kil5qi4mDPM/Vz40k9PnQ9I/AAAAAAAACDk/jT3dAO3K3E0Jazn_J2MKyCSMTTV_RFuwgCLcB/s320/Purity.jpg" title="Purity by Jonathan Franzen" width="217" /></a></div>
<br />Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203151255248154129noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142743576584523533.post-61421143589337421242016-05-18T08:30:00.001-06:002016-05-18T08:30:44.585-06:00Nuff said<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jOm0gH51UmE/Vzx8VNGnZBI/AAAAAAAACDI/mQA8eTTHukwfV9bAcX0Q0BzenYRPDaW9QCLcB/s1600/wednesday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jOm0gH51UmE/Vzx8VNGnZBI/AAAAAAAACDI/mQA8eTTHukwfV9bAcX0Q0BzenYRPDaW9QCLcB/s400/wednesday.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203151255248154129noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142743576584523533.post-27365661960891763402016-05-16T22:13:00.000-06:002016-05-18T08:31:00.071-06:00What you know vs. who you areI've heard this thing three times in the last two days now, and it's finally irritated me enough that I have to post about it. When asked about Donald Trump's record on "women's issues," conservative female politicians and pundits suggest that he can make up for his "weakness" in that area by surrounding himself with strong women in his administration. As if this is something like being weak on foreign policy.<br />
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Let's make a distinction here. Being weak on foreign policy is a matter of knowledge and experience. It's about your history and your background. You can learn that shit and rely on some good advisers. Every candidate is going to be weak in some area. But being a misogynist is an orientation. It's a stance and a fundamental way you approach the world. It's who you are.<br />
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Of course you can change your attitudes and your stance, but you have to want to do it, you have to work to educate yourself, and it takes time. Note Caitlyn Jenner's attitudes toward women's and transgender issues. That shit doesn't happen overnight, and surrounding yourself with smart and strong women doesn't make you smart about women's issues by some mysterious process of osmosis.<br />
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So for now, let the record be clear. Trump is an unapologetic misogynist, and that's not changing any time soon. It's about who he is, not what he knows. Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203151255248154129noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142743576584523533.post-52172823853552348182016-05-01T01:37:00.000-06:002016-05-01T01:37:28.115-06:00Death and TaxesOr maybe just taxes.<br />
<br />
I just got my tax return (yay!) and in honor of the event, here's a graphic showing where our taxes from 2015 went:<br />
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<img border="0" height="369" src="https://media.nationalpriorities.org/uploads/npp-where-2016b-v1-desk_large.png" width="480" /></div>
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You can read more <a href="https://www.nationalpriorities.org/analysis/2016/tax-day-2016/" target="_blank">here</a>.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203151255248154129noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142743576584523533.post-53306514912612831422016-04-26T22:47:00.001-06:002016-04-26T22:47:17.901-06:00Women of the Bible: RizpahI've been chided for discontinuing this series, so here's a new one.<br />
<br />
2 Samuel 21:1-14<br />
During the reign of David, there was a famine for three successive years; so David sought the face of the Lord. The Lord said, “It is on account of Saul and his blood-stained house; it is because he put the Gibeonites to death.”<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">2</span> The king summoned the Gibeonites and spoke to them. (Now the Gibeonites were not a part of Israel but were survivors of the Amorites; the Israelites had sworn to spare them, but Saul in his zeal for Israel and Judah had tried to annihilate them.) <span style="font-size: x-small;">3</span> David asked the Gibeonites, “What shall I do for you? How shall I make atonement so that you will bless the Lord’s inheritance?”<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">4</span> The Gibeonites answered him, “We have no right to demand silver or gold from Saul or his family, nor do we have the right to put anyone in Israel to death.”<br />
“What do you want me to do for you?” David asked.<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">5</span> They answered the king, “As for the man who destroyed us and plotted against us so that we have been decimated and have no place anywhere in Israel, <span style="font-size: x-small;">6</span> let seven of his male descendants be given to us to be killed and their bodies exposed before the Lord at Gibeah of Saul—the Lord’s chosen one.”<br />
So the king said, “I will give them to you.”<br />
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<a href="http://christianimagesource.com/rizpah__image_3_sjpg1973.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EUl2TUoR6Vk/VyBDxsSVETI/AAAAAAAACC0/RkLW6RPXvAQirB_gwCpTlFmClvgTdl-_QCLcB/s400/rizpah.jpg" width="287" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">7</span> The king spared Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the oath before the Lord between David and Jonathan son of Saul. <span style="font-size: x-small;">8</span> But the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons of Aiah’s daughter Rizpah, whom she had borne to Saul, together with the five sons of Saul’s daughter Merab, whom she had borne to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite.<span style="font-size: x-small;"> 9</span> He handed them over to the Gibeonites, who killed them and exposed their bodies on a hill before the Lord. All seven of them fell together; they were put to death during the first days of the harvest, just as the barley harvest was beginning.<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">10</span> Rizpah daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it out for herself on a rock. From the beginning of the harvest till the rain poured down from the heavens on the bodies, she did not let the birds touch them by day or the wild animals by night. <span style="font-size: x-small;">11</span> When David was told what Aiah’s daughter Rizpah, Saul’s concubine, had done, <span style="font-size: x-small;">12</span> he went and took the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from the citizens of Jabesh Gilead. (They had stolen their bodies from the public square at Beth Shan, where the Philistines had hung them after they struck Saul down on Gilboa.) <span style="font-size: x-small;">13</span> David brought the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from there, and the bones of those who had been killed and exposed were gathered up.<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">14</span> They buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan in the tomb of Saul’s father Kish, at Zela in Benjamin, and did everything the king commanded. After that, God answered prayer in behalf of the land.
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I guess the moral of the story is you're supposed to do a better job of choosing the man you're going to be concubined to (new word; you're welcome) so that your kids don't end up getting murdered after that man pisses off God. Lesson learned. The end.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203151255248154129noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142743576584523533.post-35468997862731759562016-04-12T13:40:00.000-06:002016-04-12T13:40:42.559-06:00Happy Equal Pay Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2014/04/08/editorial-cartoon-pay-equity-paternalism/2F2ZAhEGJwb6H5FQp3W9eP/story.html" target="_blank"><img alt="https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2014/04/08/editorial-cartoon-pay-equity-paternalism/2F2ZAhEGJwb6H5FQp3W9eP/story.html" border="0" height="310" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8WXEt8vxTTM/Vw1NaT1SXEI/AAAAAAAACCQ/7wczokEooB8cvYNFj5DtGtoTLaftE58tACLcB/s400/equal_pay.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Is it just me, or has there been basically no conversation on equal pay from the presidential candidates? In case you're wondering where they stand on the issue, <a href="http://www.cosmopolitan.com/politics/news/a56630/presidential-candidates-equal-pay/" target="_blank">here's</a> the most up-to-date summary I could find. From Cosmopolitan, no less. Don't say I've never linked to Cosmopolitan.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203151255248154129noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142743576584523533.post-9467355054542321412016-04-11T08:21:00.002-06:002016-04-11T08:21:25.318-06:00Monday fun postHere's something to geek out on. Hannah Anderson and Matt Daniels counted the number of lines in about 2000 movie screenplays by gender and age. You can check it out <a href="http://polygraph.cool/films/" target="_blank">here</a>. Even if you're not a data geek, I think you'll enjoy this one.<br />
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<a href="http://polygraph.cool/films/" target="_blank"><img alt="http://polygraph.cool/films/" border="0" height="167" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hj7IIRSXe6A/VwuyNN-CA3I/AAAAAAAACCA/fzWyoyUqWS0yJxaIGX3lRTrpNNIoK2aRQ/s640/films.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Happy Monday!
Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203151255248154129noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142743576584523533.post-73575715276158664412016-04-08T14:43:00.002-06:002016-04-08T14:46:32.380-06:00ImagineImagine a world in which we consulted the data and calmly made evidence-based policy decisions rather than fueling a bunch of unnecessary fear-mongering and divisive dialogue.<br />
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<a href="http://mediamatters.org/blog/2014/03/20/debunking-the-big-myth-about-transgender-inclus/198530" target="_blank"><img alt="http://mediamatters.org/blog/2014/03/20/debunking-the-big-myth-about-transgender-inclus/198530" border="0" height="496" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Zz0n8gh2B48/VwgXhPJYe3I/AAAAAAAACBw/_AZtXPsBbOsKO-XKODt2TUAV241mnxhaA/s640/States-transgender-law.jpg" width="480" /><span id="goog_621723690"></span></a><span id="goog_621723691"></span></div>
<br />Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203151255248154129noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142743576584523533.post-24539402369598143942016-02-03T23:04:00.000-07:002016-02-03T23:04:44.653-07:00The Radical Act of Being EnoughIt seems like everyone I know is trying to fix themselves - lose weight, get in shape, clear their house of anything that doesn't bring them joy, be more productive, be a perfect parent, etc. In this environment it feels like a radical act to say "I am enough." And yet, ironically, many of those things become unimportant or fix themselves once you decide that you're enough. Do you want to raise calm, confident, compassionate, creative kids? If they see you feeling that you constantly have to do, be, and have more, that's going to be a tough job. Do you want to be better at self-care? Starting from a place of emotional deficit and self-judgment makes that a steep path to walk. So be radical. Be subversive. Be enough. Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203151255248154129noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142743576584523533.post-89145264735800538562015-10-02T11:20:00.001-06:002015-10-02T11:20:11.691-06:00Friday fun post<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3tl-zPpM7u4/Vg68aBaB47I/AAAAAAAACBI/ydzC8U-E1I0/s1600/ideal-woman.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Ideal Woman, from a Man's Point of View" border="0" height="608" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3tl-zPpM7u4/Vg68aBaB47I/AAAAAAAACBI/ydzC8U-E1I0/s640/ideal-woman.gif" title="" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203151255248154129noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142743576584523533.post-16820418414715999172015-09-23T11:15:00.000-06:002015-09-23T11:15:12.204-06:00Easy granolaThe thing about homemade granola is that you can come up with an infinite number of combinations, and as long as your ratio of wet to dry ingredients is right, you can't go wrong. My kid needs a lot of protein in an easy, portable form, so we go through a lot of granola at my house. Here's the recipe we've been using the most lately (it's all very approximate - there's not a lot of measuring going on here):<br />
<br />
Mix these together in a bowl:<br />
3 cups of rolled oats or any combination of oats, barley flakes, quinoa flakes, buckwheat flakes, etc.<br />
⅓ cup pumpkin seeds<br />
⅓ cup sunflower seeds (or any kind of nuts you want)<br />
A generous sprinkle of sea salt<br />
½ tsp cinnamon <br />
¼ tsp nutmeg<br />
A dash of cloves (or just use pumpkin pie spice for all the spices)<br />
Mix these together in a glass measuring cup:<br />
¼ cup melted coconut oil<br />
½ cup maple syrup<br />
1½ tsp vanilla<br />
<br />
Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and mix well. Spread on a cookie sheet and bake at 300° for about 25 minutes.<br />
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You can also mix in a handful or two of dried fruit right when you take it out of the oven. We usually add currants or dried cherries.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S4-dMEY4Q1g/VgLd0Bolb9I/AAAAAAAACAw/fxEscAVGRmA/s1600/granola.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-S4-dMEY4Q1g/VgLd0Bolb9I/AAAAAAAACAw/fxEscAVGRmA/s1600/granola.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br />Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203151255248154129noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142743576584523533.post-52113741535524490642015-09-21T15:43:00.003-06:002015-10-02T11:17:35.995-06:00As a wife and motherSo there's this from Conan O'Brien:<br />
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<a href="http://libertyfirstnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Screen-Shot-2015-09-18-at-2.04.01-PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://libertyfirstnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Screen-Shot-2015-09-18-at-2.04.01-PM.png" height="215" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
And Jenna Lee's response <a href="https://www.facebook.com/JennaLeeFNC/photos/a.10150115055106627.285097.54022731626/10152977766226627/?type=1" target="_blank">here</a>, in which she admonishes O'Brien on the grounds that she's a wife and a new mother. And a daughter too.<br />
<br />
Many news outlets are pointing to the irony of her response, given that it's a standard practice at Fox News to feature female anchors in short skirts with heavy makeup, etc. And apparently there's a <a href="http://gawker.com/fox-news-uses-a-leg-cam-to-ogle-female-panelists-legs-1469841162" target="_blank">leg cam</a>!!<br />
<br />
But I think the interesting thing is how she frames her response: "as a wife, and a new mom, this trashy comment is not only inappropriate, it's clearly ridiculous. And not even funny! I'm also someone's daughter..." Because if you weren't a wife and mother and someone's daughter it would be OK to say inappropriate things about you? Because a woman's worth is entirely derivative of the social relations that legitimize her existence?<br />
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It's a very telling response, isn't it?Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203151255248154129noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142743576584523533.post-11546650434830416742015-09-01T22:56:00.002-06:002015-09-01T22:56:36.793-06:00The thing about the DuggarsSo, I've been thinking about the Duggars off and on lately. A lot has already been said about the apparent hypocrisy in the way they've handled the molestation situation they faced (and now the Ashley Madison situation), as well as the way sexual abuse is handled in their social context in general.<br />
<br />
I think all of these conversations point to some profound and disturbing problems in that subculture, but I'm not sure that all of the conversations are productive in that there's a lack of understanding of the worldview and motivations of the individuals in the situation. And without that understanding, the behavior of the adults involved is downright mind-boggling. Although I didn't grow up in a quiverfull situation, my church was very similar on many points of doctrine, especially where the role of women and family dynamics are concerned. So here are some thoughts from a former insider perspective. A sort of retroactive ethnography, so to speak.<br />
<br />
<b>The view of children</b><br />
The confusing thing about the rhetoric surrounding children in this culture is that conservative Christians take themselves to be the only ones with true family values. Children are precious gifts from God etc. etc. So when an abuse situation in the church comes to light (either sexual abuse or those surrounding <a href="http://www.examiner.com/article/another-child-s-death-linked-to-pearls-and-to-train-up-a-child" target="_blank">disciplinary abuse</a>) it's hard to understand how the individuals involved can't see the hypocrisy in their claims. But this is because in their worldview these things are not contradictory.<br />
<br />
Here's one way to think of it. A common (in our culture) view of parenting involves parameters for success such as a child who is confident, well-adjusted, thoughtful, creative, independent and who wants to have a relationship with the parent on her own footing. In this view, to value a child is to see her for who she really is, and interact with her accordingly. In this worldview, you could not adhere to abusive disciplinary actions in order to "break the will" of the child or minimize the impact of sexual abuse* and still see yourself as a loving parent. Contrast that with the conservative Christian worldview where children are tools in fighting the "good" fight (arrows in your quiver), and reflections to the world of the parents' faith and parenting ability, and little creatures to be controlled and directed into unquestioning conformity. In some conservative religious circles it's an accepted fact that a child would be better off dead than to be corrupted by a sinful world. Of course this sounds very black and white and in most cases you won't find these extremes. But generally speaking, that is the fundamental difference.<br />
<br />
Notice that in the conservative view there is very little thought to the inner life of the child. What do I care about what you're thinking or feeling as long as you are conforming to my rules? Why would I try to see you for who you are and value you as an individual when at the end of the day we were all made in God's image and our job is to obey?<br />
<br />
Of course, there is very little room in this view for the long-term impact on the victim of sexual abuse. On the flip side, there's no effective framework for dealing with the abuser either. In most cases the abuser is told "pray for forgiveness and stop doing that" as if it's a light switch he can flip off. The victim is told that she's being selfish and unforgiving because she's still dwelling on something that happened in the past. In this context it's impossible to discuss how the events in our pasts inflict emotional damage and change the trajectory of our development. Because at the end of the day, obedience is all that matters and power takes priority over relationships.**<br />
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<b>Advancing the cause of the church</b><br />
Add to this complexity the concern for the church. In the conservative Christian mindset the church is a lonely island in a sea of depravity, and it's at war on all sides with sin and secularism. Much is made of the scripture warning Christians that they will be persecuted. In this environment, acknowledging abuse or seeking outside assistance in handling it is an admission of a flaw in the church. The church must have a perfect image or it will harm the cause of Christ. Serving Christ is the highest calling of a Christian - even higher than the obligation to protect one's children. When the interests of the child and the interests of the church are pitted against each other, it's highly unlikely that the child will win. In cases where the parent refuses to prioritize the church, the family often ends up leaving the church. For families that live such an insular life (which is encouraged), this can be terribly devastating as well, since the church is your entire community.<br />
<br />
<b>Mutual Confusion</b><br />
So many things about the Duggar situation, and all of the recent news stories about sexual abuse in conservative Christian environments, is completely baffling to people on the outside of the conservative culture. It's just so hard to make sense of the conflicting narratives. But there's no doubt in my mind that it's totally baffling to those on the inside as well. When I see Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar discussing the way they handled the situation, I'm sure that they truly believe the seemingly contradictory statements they affirm. And I'm sure that our view of the situation is completely and totally baffling to them. Why would they have put Josh into treatment and gotten therapy for the girls? What would that have accomplished? That approach, which seems so reasonable and obvious to us, just doesn't make sense when you're looking at the world through their eyes.<br />
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<b>No change in sight</b><br />
At the end of the day, the conversations that seem to be going on are barely scratching the surface. We're simply not speaking the same language, and trying to understand their actions from an outsider perspective is futile. Pointing out the damage that has been done to individuals in their families proves nothing to them, since they'll either dismiss it or find other ad-hoc explanations (pornography, the devil made him do it, it was God's will somehow...) to counter every claim. And in fact, damage to individuals is not a reason to change your practices if they're serving some bigger cause in the long run.<br />
<br />
So there it is. No change to be made. No judging them on our terms (although they judge us on their terms). Just an attempt to understand what's going on.<br />
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<br />
*or squash the natural sexual curiosity of a child until it evolves into deviance, if that is what happened with Josh Duggar<br />
**I'm using "he" for abuser and "she" for the victim here for the sake of convenience, but also because this pattern does reflect the power structure of conservative Christian culture. A female child is in the lowest position on the totem pole, and the least likely to feel that she can speak up for herself.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203151255248154129noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142743576584523533.post-24729778981139747622014-12-31T11:02:00.003-07:002014-12-31T11:02:20.977-07:00New YearHappy New Year's eve, everyone.<br />
<br />
As promised in <a href="http://thefeministagenda.blogspot.com/2010/01/ethics-of-personal-growth.html" target="_blank">previous New Year posts</a>, no big resolutions or pronouncements of change coming from here. What will 2015 be like? I suspect we'll all acquire a few new good habits and maybe some that aren't so good as well. But I know we'll muddle through somehow. Which is totally enough. More than enough. If you think about it, flourishing and blossoming and soaring are all great, but how much of your life is made up of these soaring-through-the-clouds moments? Not very many. The majority of the time, we're muddling through. And we should give ourselves credit for being such damn good muddlers in a busy, complicated world. So I guess there's my New Year's message. Go forth and muddle through. Muddle through like a motherfucker.<br />
<br />
I feel like maybe that should be on a t-shirt.<br />
<br />
In other news, there were some great feminist moments in 2014. Plenty of other feminist sources have compiled lists, so I'll leave it to them. And I'll leave it to you to go find these fabulous lists.<br />
<br />
Today in baby animals, there's this:<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AYsb-RCXsBE/VKQyreDCquI/AAAAAAAAB-w/aVLjPdU9hNU/s1600/babyorca.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="baby orca with mom" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AYsb-RCXsBE/VKQyreDCquI/AAAAAAAAB-w/aVLjPdU9hNU/s1600/babyorca.jpg" height="245" title="" width="400" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Baby-orca-born-to-endangered-whale-population-287172721.html" target="_blank">Baby orca born to endangered whale population</a> <br />
<br />
and this, although this story is not actually about <i>baby </i>manatees, but it is an excellent excuse to post a picture of one:<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-D27bXl6IBDA/VKQzcOwnOVI/AAAAAAAAB-4/MYStDnpitV8/s1600/manatees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="manatee calf with mother" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-D27bXl6IBDA/VKQzcOwnOVI/AAAAAAAAB-4/MYStDnpitV8/s1600/manatees.jpg" height="261" title="" width="400" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/2014/12/30/manatees-died-lower-numbers/21063281/" target="_blank">Manatees died in lower numbers in 2014</a><br />
<br />
and this, although he is most definitely not a baby, he is the coolest dwarf elephant ever of all times, and he kinda look like a baby, so...<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-feey0DUeFn8/VKQ0QUxJWOI/AAAAAAAAB_E/8ag_QZppAZo/s1600/dwarf-elephant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="dwarf elephant" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-feey0DUeFn8/VKQ0QUxJWOI/AAAAAAAAB_E/8ag_QZppAZo/s1600/dwarf-elephant.jpg" height="270" title="" width="400" /></a></div>
<a href="http://hereandnow.wbur.org/2014/12/24/dwarf-elephant-big-attitude" target="_blank">A Dwarf Elephant With Outsized Attitude</a><br />
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And finally, today in things that are true:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Giving someone your full attention is every bit as valuable as giving them some material thing.<br />
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Exhale into cat, inhale into cow. </blockquote>
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Happy New Year<br />
<br />
Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203151255248154129noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142743576584523533.post-14103963523028279672014-11-27T11:22:00.000-07:002014-11-27T11:22:39.064-07:00Happy Thanksgiving<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.someecards.com/index.php/usercards/viewcard/937f26beeef9c8b6a3883d88f39c4b3fd5" target="_blank"><img alt="I'm thankful that no one has forced me to completely assimilate to their culture and then celebrated by stealing my land and killing my people" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5O9qzo2Arss/VHdrN-RTyhI/AAAAAAAAB-c/kEr_ndnG8gg/s1600/thankful.gif" title="" /></a></div>
<br />Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203151255248154129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142743576584523533.post-81661362851214769232014-10-03T16:46:00.000-06:002014-10-03T16:47:14.992-06:00Video of the Day<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/bvFLKyAGzzI?rel=0" width="480"></iframe><br />
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Happy Friday!Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203151255248154129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6142743576584523533.post-60683381348343584862014-09-16T22:29:00.000-06:002014-09-16T22:32:22.565-06:00I want to join this club<a href="http://online.wsj.com/articles/read-slowly-to-benefit-your-brain-and-cut-stress-1410823086">http://online.wsj.com/articles/read-slowly-to-benefit-your-brain-and-cut-stress-1410823086</a><br />
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<a href="http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/PJ-BX158_SLOWRE_GR_20140915163519.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/PJ-BX158_SLOWRE_GR_20140915163519.jpg" height="260" width="400" /></a></div>
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An excerpt:<br />
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Once a week, members of a Wellington, New Zealand, book club arrive at a cafe, grab a drink and shut off their cellphones. Then they sink into cozy chairs and read in silence for an hour.<br />
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The point of the club isn't to talk about literature, but to get away from pinging electronic devices and read, uninterrupted. The group calls itself the Slow Reading Club, and it is at the forefront of a movement populated by frazzled book lovers who miss old-school reading.<br />
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Slow reading advocates seek a return to the focused reading habits of years gone by, before Google, smartphones and social media started fracturing our time and attention spans. Many of its advocates say they embraced the concept after realizing they couldn't make it through a book anymore.
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Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08203151255248154129noreply@blogger.com1