April 23, 2017

People on both sides need to recognize the relationship between feminism and progressivism

It seems to me that there are a lot of people - of all political persuasions - who haven't delved much into what Progressivism is. It is a legitimate political tradition that accomplished much in U.S. history.

Progressives don't bash feminists or sideline women's rights. Women's movements of the twentieth century CAME OUT OF the Progressive movement, particularly women's suffrage, but also economic reforms:

Reforming their World: Women in the Progressive Era

https://www.nwhm.org/online-exhibits/progressiveera/workingwomen.html

"At the end of the nineteenth century, women were considered the "moral guardians" and protectors of the home. During the Progressive Era, female reformers used this ideology to argue that in order to protect the home, women should move into the public sphere where they could exercise their moral authority over issues such as public sanitation and education, which ultimately affected the home. In massive numbers, women joined volunteer organizations to work for reform. Efforts often began at the local level, and expanded to the state and national level. Women conducted research, implemented programs, and lobbied for legislation to address social, political, and economic problems.
Middle-class clubwomen and settlement workers organized to address issues of education, healthcare, and political corruption. Working women organized on their own and in partnership with middle-class women to raise wages and improve working conditions. African American women organized to combat racism and provide mutual support. Together, their efforts led to real improvements in the lives of many Americans."

April 18, 2017

This is what "conservatives" say behind closed doors

My brother married a woman whose dad is VERY conservative. Most of my family is very liberal, and many of us are atheists. You'd think he would try to fit in with us. My brother participated in a gay rights protest against his church when they fired a gay music director, and the father-in-law was horrified. He won't accept that we just don't agree with him.

I am not boycotting the holidays, because 90% of my family is very liberal. My dad was very liberal and I miss him terribly. It hurts my feelings to have to listen to homophobic and racist shit at the holidays, all coming from one guy. It makes me angry, because my liberal, fun and cool dad is dead while this racist bore is still alive. How can this guy talk to me like this. It's rude. He also said condescending stuff about my dad after he was dead, like, "he sure was an interesting guy."

They think they're not racist, but this is what they say at holidays, "Black people say we're racist, but they have stuff like Black Entertainment Television and the Black Caucus. Can you imagine if there was White Entertainment Television and a White Caucus?" As if my family has no black friends or family on our side, and we do.

I mean, what nuttiness to think that BET and the Black Caucus is racist. Just because the Republican politicians don't say this stuff doesn't mean that their supporters don't think it.

These are people with mainstream Republican politics - middle-class church goers - and they say stuff that also comes out of the mouths of white supremacists. Never let them cow you into saying they're not racist. This is how they really are.

I'm thinking of writing a letter to this guy's pastor asking him why he does not condemn racism coming from his congregation. If religious leaders took a stronger stand against racism, these people might think twice before hurting people's feelings with their views.