Monday, January 23, 2017

I don't get it

While I completely respect and support peoples right to peacefully protest, I'm not sure I am understanding completely what the women's marches on Saturday were all about. From the signs and interviews I saw with some, their purpose seemed to be all over the place (except they didn't allow all women - pro-life women weren't welcome), which made it hard to follow and understand where they were coming from. From hating Trump, disavowing him as their president, abortion rights, equal rights, etc. Even my 21 year old daughter texted me that she just didn't "get it".

I'm not sure how dressing up as a vagina proves a point, but I guess others do understand it, so that's what counts. I'm not sure how having Madonna as someone who speaks for women's rights is making their point. She spent her career saying "look at me, the sex symbol". The upset and angry women are supposedly saying "don't treat us like were just a <insert lewd word>", yet are dressing up as one. I'm not getting the connection or I am misunderstand the message, I guess. Maybe I just don't care enough. I don't know.

I do know that I do not feel, as a woman, that my rights are less or that my rights will diminish. I work in what would be considered a male dominated industry. If women are so inferior, then why, out of the 4 executive managers at the company I work for, why are 3 out of the 4 women? Why, out of our sales force, are there more women then men? They all make the same salary and are on the same bonus program. My family has strong successful women. One (just retired early) was high up executive in a huge company. Another was a very high up newspaper editor. Another relative is a partner at a law firm. A good friend of DH's wife was (retired early too) a high up exec for a global company. Another wife of one of DH's friends was VP of an insurance company. Most of the women I personally know actually make more than their husbands. None of these women act like inferiors or act like they are being discriminated against or are a victim. Maybe it's just as simple as if you see yourself as as inferior and a victim, then that's what you will be.

Ahh well, that's the great thing about this country. We can all have different views.  The sad part is now it's apparently not ok to have a different view from some. I'm gonna go make my man a sandwich....because he's been doing laundry all day :)

30 comments:

  1. I too respect each others right to have their own opinion, but sadly, your experience is not the norm for most industries, and most women in the work place. Statistics document the income gap and the glass ceiling. I work in a female dominated industry but the majority of men are in the higher up positions, making the bulk of the decisions. I've literally sat in meetings making a point, have a man repeat what I say, and suddenly heads nod. I call theses situations out, which in my last job, got me put in an unfavorable light with my new, male boss, who came form a totally different industry and knew little to nothing about the field he joined. Again, I'm happy for you and for the state of America that there are forward thinking companies, sadly, I have not experienced much of that.P.S., Madonna doe snot speak for me, ever, and I will always do my own speaking on my behalf.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thanks for sharing your perspective. You are in Canada, right? My half sis lives in Canada and that kind of seems to be her perspective too...though she was rooting for Trump too (she was born in US).

      Delete
    2. Nope-The heart of the Midwest of the USA, my whole life. Not to debate, but I will add, I was not a Trump voter.

      Delete
    3. sorry I got your name confused with another blogger.

      Delete
    4. Sam - I am wondering what you feel you gained from Saturday's match?

      Delete
    5. I never said whether I marched or didn't, just my response to her post as based on my experience. What was gained? Whose to say for someone else. Perhaps a statement that while republicans and Trump hold all the leadership now, this is a democratic society and times can change. I don't believe it is just that Trump won and Hillary lost that moved so many to March, but what is already being witnessed in terms of cabinet choices, media battles, and conflict of interest/ethics ignorance. I hope for all of us his leadership language to date is nothing more than a gimmick and he can actually do at least a mediocre job. His sidekick choices and own refusal to separate his business dealings, so far, do not give me that hope. My humble opinion, no more or less important than another's. And a "well what about Hillary" retort has gotten old now as the defense of his irrational and ill informed statements and behaviors.

      Delete
    6. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    7. Thank you I was just curious since I don't know anyone that supported the March and was wondering if I was missing something :)

      Delete
  2. I totally agree. It really bothers me that pro-life women were not welcome at the march. I am 100% feminist who is pro-life. My husband says that doesn't jive but by definition, I am still a feminist who believes in a right to life.

    I outearn my husband by 3 times and I'm in a field dominated by men. I'm on the exact same sales contract as everybody else. I know because I ask them. I figure its up to me to bring home the bacon. I have an attitude of being able to do anything that I set my mind to and its paid dividends. And I grew up dirt poor so I get annoyed when they keep talking about giving more handouts to the poor. The poor don't need handouts, they just need jobs.

    Also, threatening to blow up the white house is deplorable.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I didn't get it either. (Actually, I DO get it...I just don't identify with it. The main reason for the March: people were mad that Trump was elected. Okay...I get that. But... what...We now protest anything and everything we don't like? Kinda like the young lady who was pissed I happened to be driving in front of her--didnt cut her off or anything, she's just one of THOSE drivers--and stalked me all the way back to my home. Irrational, unproductive and creepy.) In fact, if I didn't think it would make them even angrier, I would really like to point out to those women that have only themselves to blame for getting the result they so despise; by insulting, demeaning and belittling the other half of this country, those of us who are quietly conservative just had about enough. Trump was my dead last choice. And he was my second to dead last choice on November 9th. People need to start having civil, adult conversations again if they want to avoid drastic elections in the future. Having said that, I know it won't happen, but one can dream.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I think it's easy for people to not understand when it doesn't negatively affect them. I'm white, educated, married to a man, and personally wouldn't choose abortion unless necessary. Trump's changes probably wont negatively affect me. With that said, his proposed changes can affect many people I love. i am 100% for people choosing to live their lives how they want to and that's the main reason I align with the women's March because it's not just for women but equality for all.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. how could it be equality for all if pro-life women were banned from the march? As stated, it just didn't make any logical sense and nothing got accomplished.

      Delete
    2. They were not banned. The march just didn't accept donations from pro-life organizations.

      Delete
    3. I do completely understand. The liberal policies of the past 8 years affected me and my family greatly. It affected my pocket book, it affected my property values and it affected my safety in my own house that I lived in for 27 years.

      Delete
    4. I'm not trying to fight, just curious how it affected your property values? If you are referring to the crash of 2008, that was before Obama was in the White House. As far as safety goes, which liberal laws Obama passed made your house less safe? What will Trump do to make those better? It's not like we have no police now and all of a sudden we will have police. I truly am trying to understand the other side. Yes the new health insurance has been great for some and awful for others. I really wish both sides had come together to make it a better system rather than democrats just pushing forward as republicans dragged their feet. Our two parties are broken and refuse to work together so we all suffer.

      Delete
    5. That is a very good question. I lived in a VERY liberal area, run by majority liberal politicians and an equally liberal sheriff. The area (not just my old neighborhood) is over run by drug dealers, homeless drug addicts, theft, etc. They are all treated like victims and allowed to continue. I'm sorry - I could type pages of how these criminals are just slapped on the hand, but I'm sure I'd just be wasting my time. My DH has kept track of those involved in our old neighborhood, arrests, etc. The justice system is just a quickly revolving door for them at every step along the way. They are repeatedly offending and nothing at all is done to them. Obama's laws? I don't know, but I do know that more than one sheriff (even higher ups) had told us that since Obama got into office their "policies" had changed and the cops hands were basically tied on getting this cleaned up and making arrests and even when they do arrest, the person will just be back out in no time. Our county councilman confirmed this too. The small city I lived in (though we were just outside city limits) is currently (and I'm not being overreactive) over run with homeless camping all over the town. They steal, leave garbage, needles, defecate in public areas, etc. It has become a major major problem and the liberal city officials are just letting it get more and more out of control. The town's nickname is now "Needle Town". There is quite a feud going on right now between many of the citizens and business owners with the city officials over this. The city police are trying to get them out..their solution? tell them to "go up on hill (where I lived) past the city limits, and the county sheriff won't do anything to you up there". The county's "policies" on drugs, on property violations, on not arresting or prosecuting certainly affected my property values, no doubt. It was no secret that our neighborhood was a drug neighborhood and no one will convince me that did not affect what my property became worth because it was allowed, as well as the property violations that generally go along with these types of people. The walk up drug window across from our back yard could have been shut down, ALL the people (including the parents facilitating it all) arrested and put in prison. Never happened and never will.

      Delete
  5. I think the woman's march on Saturday was made up of all of Hillary Clinton's voters. It's obvious Clinton let down all these women. Hillary did not do her due diligence to get herself elected. In other words, she failed her base supporters. Just like she has failed every single endeavor she has ever undertaken. She's a loser and a lot of these women were disappointed that the women, Hillary, that they chose didn't deliver. They are misdirecting their anger towards Trump and it has no validation. Trump hasn't done a negative thing to them and he hasn't taken anything away.
    IMHO, Saturday was another wasted day, as far as these women were concerned.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hilary lost in three states by only 100,000 votes total. The election could have swung the other way so easily. If anything I blame the media. 40% of the voting population didn't even vote. Maybe if the media hadn't gone on and on with how Hillary would win by large margins more people would have voted.

    ReplyDelete
  7. 27% of the voting population voted for Trump, 40% didn't vote and the remaining 33% voted for someone else. Clearly the majority of Americans did not want Trump.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This is a popular argument on more populous states but Trump won fair and square with the electoral college. He was not supposed to win Florida, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan or quite a few other states. The media thought they could sway the vote and they tried so hard to do so but they failed. The electoral vollege is set up so that states like California cannot dictate the entire election. California is in no way like where I live nor like many other states. Trump was probably the most flawed candidate but he won because the Democrats cheated and made Hillary their nominee. If Trump would have been against Bernie Sanders, I don't think he would have won.

      Delete
    2. If those 40% that didn't vote all wanted Hillary (and I doubt that is the case. I'm sure just as many on the other side didn't vote either) then they should have gotten out there and voted. Trump won. The election results aren't based on who might have voted. He's our president for the next 4 years and if the country doesn't like him they can vote someone else in the next election. Clearly the voters of America want conservatives in the governments, as they now have the majority in Senate, Congress and governorship's.

      Delete
  8. I have just one question. Why didn't all these women protest against the actual sexual assaults of Bill Clinton? He made a complete mockery of the Presidency. Why anyone would have want a Clinton back in our White House is simply beyond me. No, this march did NOT speak for all women.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Very good point. So many people are upset about things Trump "said", but conveniently forget about Clinton's dirty "deeds". Personally, I don't have a whole lot of respect for someone who stayed with her husband after his numerous affairs. She was certainly capable of supporting herself and her daughter. Not a very good example of a strong woman in my opinion.

      Delete
  9. The speeches by Madonna and Ashley Judd were a joke. Many of the signs and costumes were ridiculous. I saw one sign that said something to the effect of "F---- Trump" while the mom holding it stood there with her little girl of about 5. I just shook my head and thought "well, hey, it's ok because it was decorated with sparklies and flowers!" LOL. I have a feeling most of the men that they are trying to raise their status as equal to and respected by (in their minds) are just thinking those women are just ridiculous.

    I also know that as much as I disliked Hillary, if she would have been president I would not be spouting hate and such. I would be sitting here praying and hoping (like I did for the last 8 years) that she would do a good job, allow our country to create jobs and keep our country safe.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I couldn't agree more! So many of the signs and costumes were disgraceful. Unlike their claim to be the party of love and tolerance, it was a vulgar display of hatred and intolerance. Never in my wildest dreams would I represent myself in that manner.

      Delete
    2. I was appalled by the signs and how nasty the signage and some of the women were - Pink Pussy Hats??? And these women want to be taken seriously? They think Trump will set women back but I think they are doing a bang up job of it all by themselves. I am pro life, believe a life starts at conception and couldn't see myself having an abortion when I was younger (past that now in age) but I wouldn't deny a woman the right to have one if they felt that was what they wanted but hey, I don't want to have to pay for it - especially if abortion is used as a form of birth control over and over again. If you want it you pay for it. I know this will make me wildly unpopular but that's okay with me. I too am entitled to a my own thoughts or else where is the equality? Sorry, ladies but you don't speak for me - as one woman said - I speak for myself. In my opinion you just set the women's movement back - not our current president. My favorite comment I saw on the news was when one woman at the march said we don't need a womanizer in the white house.... I laughed at that one. Look back in history lady! Take care.

      Delete
  10. I just cut and pasted this from a friend of a friends Facebook post. Not for sure if she wrote it or copied it from another, but this is exactly what I was trying to say:

    I am not a "disgrace to women" because I don't support the womens' march.

    I am not a "second class citizen" because I am a woman.

    My voice is "not heard" because I am a woman.

    I am not provided opportunities in this life or in America because I am a woman.

    I do not feel I "don't have control of my body or choices" because I am a woman.
    I am "not respected or undermined" because I am a woman.
    I AM a woman.
    I make my own choices.
    I speak and am heard.
    I VOTE.
    I can work if I want.
    I control my body.
    I defend myself.
    I defend my family.

    There is nothing stopping me doing anything in this world but ME.

    I do not blame my circumstances or problems on anything other than my choices. I accept in life, I may not always get what I want.

    I take responsibility for myself.
    I am a mother, a daughter, a sister, a friend. I am held back by walls only by choice.

    Quit blaming.
    Take responsibility.
    If you want to speak, then speak.

    But do not expect me, a woman, to take you seriously, donning a pink vagina hat, screaming profanities & bashing men.

    I will not change my beliefs to suit yours.

    If you want respect, speak to injustice of the truly oppressed women around the world, having neither the freedom nor the voice, you discredit with manufactured outrage.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This is an interesting read and something I completely agree with. It gives another prospective anyway.
      http://www.womenyoushouldknow.net/why-i-marched-a-letter-from-a-pro-life-republican-anti-government-making-womens-decisions-stay-at-home-mom/

      Delete
    2. let's hope she's also marching in the annual pro-life march this coming Friday

      Delete