April Reign

Speak your mind even if your voice shakes

activism

Mothers

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An interesting article at Women’s Enews on mothering and the value placed on it. While much lip service is given to the undertaking, little is done to actually support those choosing to have children.

(WOMENSENEWS)–The news media loves stories about highly educated mothers opting out of rewarding careers to stay at home with their young children.

Anecdotal evidence unsupported by serious research is also constantly drumming home the idea that women consider themselves the best providers of child care. For example, a 2006 Salary.com survey of what mothers do “on the job” leads with the headline “Dream Job: Stay at Home Mom.” Although the survey claims that equal numbers of working and stay-at-home mothers participated, quotes from the happy, at-home mothers dominate the report.

For instance, working mothers are “horrified” at the thought of hiring strangers to care for their children, they believe that mother’s care is “priceless” and that motherhood is the “greatest job in the world.” It’s easy to stay on message: Women must choose between work and family.

But the opposite message is sent to low-income mothers.

The recent debate over the welfare-to-work provisions of Temporary Assistance to Needy Families–or welfare–captures this difference. Congress did not debate the best means to provide even minimally adequate day care to the children of single parents. Instead they wondered whether or not the required hours of paid work should be increased!

Why does popular sentiment portray some mothers as virtuous when they drop out of the labor force to care for their families, while others are responsible only if they work for pay outside the home?

With Mothers Day coming up and the usual platitudes running rampant trying to get you to spend spend spend to show mom how much you love her, and with the forced pregnancy folks all creamed up about Bushie and company and their anti choice stance, I thought it might be interesting to see just how much mothers are valued once those sacred womb contents are born. [Read more…] about Mothers

I’d like to thank…

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Thinking Blogger AwardI was honoured to have been chosen by Peri’s Wrinkle for this award. If this blog isn’t on your reading list it should be.–see how I managed to make her part of the list and still keep 5 mwhahaha–
You can read about me here {I feel all narcissistic!}

The rules are as such;

The participation rules are simple:

1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think,
2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme,
3. Optional: Proudly display the ‘Thinking Blogger Award’ with a link to the post that you wrote (here is an alternative silver version if gold doesn’t fit your blog).

That was that! Please, remember to tag blogs with real merits, i.e. relative content, and above all – blogs that really get you thinking!

Narrowing down to five eek, if I missed you I deeply apologize it is hard to only pick five out of the hundreds of blogs I read.

in no particular order then

1. POGGE, always a thoughtful and informative narrative. Reading this blog is both a pleasure and an education. If I may I would also like to single out skdadl and pogge who are both fine* writers and we get to read them for free.
*Of superior quality, skill,

2. Unrepentant Old Hippie. An irreverent straight shooter jj doesn’t pull any punches. She writes with humour but if you’re not careful you just might find yourself learning something.

3. Birth Pangs I sometimes write to this blog but won’t discount it for that reason as the main writers are fern hill and deBeauxOs. Their dedication to women’s rights and women’s choice combined with their fantastic writing talents make this blog a must read.

4. Verbena-19 Verbena’s blog is an amazing resource for those concerned with activism and human rights. I’m going to sneak liberal catnip in here too for the work on behalf of Kevin and because she has a damn good blog.

5. Betty’s Early Edition I actually only found this blog yesterday. However, this is written by a woman who truly puts “her money where her mouth is” I hope I have half her passion and courage when I grow up.

If you can, take a minute and send her a message or a few funds.

As I said at the beginning this was very hard. Took hours in fact. There are so many great writers, researchers and activists out there, this is but a sampling.

For more great blogs check out my blogroll, Blogging Change, and Rose’s Place.

Earth Day

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earth.jpgI remember when Earth Day was quite an event, even here in nowheresville. The local conservation area handed out little trees, there were school events it was written up in what passes for a local paper.

Now it is pretty much a non event. The trees have long since ceased to be handed out, the schools seemed to have missed it, you would think that things have improved.

I personally marked Earth Day by buying reusable shopping bags and more earth friendly cleaning products. I don’t have a car so I’m already doing my part year round that way. I recycle, garden organically, and try to be energy conscious.

Funny how none of those things will net me any tax credits or other forms of bribery that seem to be the only weapons in the environmental arsenal at the moment.

Lots of good info including this video at Earth Day Canada

June Callwood

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Canadians lost another important voice this morning. June Callwood passed away at the age of 82.

It is only April of 2007 and we have already lost two very special, strong, dignified and inspirational voices. At a time when the same fights these women fought are being revived we can only wonder at the statements of some politicians that equality has already been won.

Callwood
June Callwood 1924-2007

CBC

Star

Don’t feed the pigeons..er people

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feedthem.jpg
Surreal bizarre or dreamlike

One might expect to read an article such as this.

Today Eric Montanez, 21 was honoured for his work in helping the homeless. Reporters filmed him Wednesday as he served “30 unidentified persons food from a large pot”.

Locals say they are impressed with this young man’s initiative and good works.

However this is the true story

MIAMI (Reuters) – Police in Florida have arrested an activist for feeding the homeless in downtown Orlando.

Eric Montanez, 21, of the charity group Food Not Bombs, was charged with violating a controversial law against feeding large groups of destitute people in the city center, police said on Thursday.

Montanez was filmed by undercover officers on Wednesday as he served “30 unidentified persons food from a large pot utilizing a ladle,” according to an arrest affidavit. The Orlando area is home to Disney World and Universal Studios Florida.

Utilizing a ladle. My Gawd the absolute horror. 16 to base 16 to base, we have man in possession of ladle here, request backup immediately, hungry people are being fed, move the terror alert to orange.

the rest is here: Rueters

The Staff of Life and other Poisons

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From Futurama

FRY: What if the secret ingredient is people?
LEELA: No, there’s already a soda like that. Soylent Cola.
FRY: Oh. How is it?
LEELA: It varies from person to person.

The current recalls on pet food are finally bringing an awareness to the vulnerabilities in our food system.

We have slowly allowed corporations to control our entire food chain. From Monsanto declaring patents on life to water privatization to factory farming.

Are any of these things actually benefiting us? [Read more…] about The Staff of Life and other Poisons