A couple of disclaimers before I really get started with the "good stuff". These points are particularly important for those of you who are reading this and did not (directly or indirectly) support my participation yesterday. I want to be clear about two possible misconceptions you may hold.
First, I did NOT plan to participate in yesterday's activities in protest of President Trump's Inauguration. If you know me, you know that I did not support his election. I also do not respect him. Period. I also know that as an American citizen I have the constitutional right to protest against him if I choose to; but that was not my purpose yesterday...too late for that, even if I had been so inclined. I do respect and honor the office of the presidency and most importantly I do respect our DEMOCRACY. Therefore, I do not use the popular phrase "Not My President." He IS my President because he is POTUS and I am an American citizen. (Thank you, dear husband, for helping me articulate this thought and feeling) I plan to do all I can, in my small ways, to hold him accountable to ALL the citizens of the United States of America. My ticket was purchased and my registration entered before Inauguration.
Naive as I can be sometimes, I was hopeful (beyond all evidence to the contrary) when I watched President Trump's Inaugural Address that he would be able somehow to come up with 15 minutes of grace, humility, gratitude, and dignity. I was devastated that he couldn't (or wouldn't). I was very sad for President Carter, President Clinton, President Bush, and President Obama when he chose to trash our great nation...right in their faces. So I was left with only one positive thought from the whole viewing experience. First Lady Malania's dress was STUNNING!
So, if I am being honest (which I'm TRYING to be), I will say that the longer I was there yesterday, the more aligned I felt with those (few...really...it didn't seem to be the main agenda of most of the people I saw and heard) who were there to protest President Trump.
My cousin, Sheba Lane, posted this on FB, "Trump, Look around. Stand up to a microphone and say that you hear, understand, and accept us all as your country's citizens instead of continuing to resent that we didn't vote for you. You won. Now lead. Learn the art of the new deal." I really wish he would...JUST ONCE...do that!
Secondly...and this disclaimer is most important for my children and grandchildren...I STRONGLY dislike and disapprove of the use of the word, "pussy," at any time and in any context. It's even hard for me to write it. My friends, Lynne and Leslie, and I talked about this. It's "complicated." We didn't like that it became a sort of anthem, but we understand how and why it did. We didn't use it; but again, I respect the constitutional right of others to do so. The pink hats, though I don't like what they are called, made quite an impression...and I know of many women that I love and respect who didn't hesitate to embrace their impact.
I must say that I don't know how we can be offended that President Trump uses the word (and so many others that are offensive to us) and then turn it around to our anthem. Here's a FB post from a friend, Eva Phillips (daughter of the late, great A. Craig Phillips, former State Superintendent of Public Instruction...and Eva is current Ready Schools Coordinator at Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools) who made a great point: Watching the live broadcast of the Women's March on Washington with our son. It's hard to wrap my head around the reality that we now need to explain and discuss vulgar words and topics that are being discussed regularly in society with our 11-year-old because of things our new President has said and done. So, young parents in my life, you have some 'splaining to do. It's important...do it! Don't ignore it...because your children won't understand how this word became part of the public discourse.
Wow! That's more than enough for now and I haven't even gotten to the GOOD STUFF. I'm going to take a break...and give my readers a break...I'll be back soon.
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts on your blog! With regard to the word you don't like and its use by the female resistance: I don't know if you're referring to an actual song that was sung at the march.....I didn't hear one but may be out of the loop. But with regard to the hats and the signs: I actually like it because it addresses the misappropriation of language and in this case even a female body part by men for a LONG time. At some point in time, men came up with the name (I am too lazy to research it), imbued it with crudeness and a mix of lust and disgust, and then even started using it to describe a man who does or says something that doesn't meet their idea of "manhood" as an insult. The recording of T's use of it just blew up long-contained frustration about it and was the tipping point for women to finally say, "Enough. That's our body part, and it has a real name, and we're going to turn your mean-spirited, hypersexualized name for it into something positive and friendly that will bind all of us women together. You don't own it any more." xo
ReplyDeleteThank you, dear Elizabeth, for even reading my posts. I am honored, as always, to call you my friend. I really do understand what you are saying. I did NOT hear a song...I should have chosen a different word. I also didn't hear very many verbal uses of the word. And I'm a big girl...I'm not all that offended. It's just that I felt that my adult children...and more importantly, my grandchildren...needed to visualize ME at the rally. I want them to understand the reasons I was there (explanations to follow). I know you get this! Also, if you have any knowledge of a PART of a sign that I saw, please share. I think I want to know what the whole sign said. All I could see was something like, "Why do we say, 'grow a pair...of balls'"? Did you see that one?
DeleteDear Jane,
ReplyDeleteYou are adept at "telling it like it is" -- as filtered through your eyes and ears -- without insulting anyone whose eyes and ears see other pictures and hear other sounds. Thank you for promoting, by example, graciousness in honest discourse!
P.S. I think that objecting to the use of crude language and explaining the meaning of a crude term to kids are not as important as helping them explore WHY someone (public figure or not) has chosen to use it.
Thank you, Risa! You know how much I value your thoughts and feelings. I appreciate your reading and commenting on my ramblings! As to your final comment...that's EXACTLY what I meant...not to object or explain the meaning, rather to explain the context!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this with me. I'm a little teary eyed, yes, really I am. I started with the first one and just finished with the young woman tying your shoe. Oh, I bought Charlotte the cutest pink kitty cat (I can't do the p word, I read your comments)toboggan.
ReplyDelete