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HO HUM, MORE ELEPHANT DUNG
You
may have heard about the New York museum that has opened an art exhibit
which includes a representation of "The Virgin Mary covered in elephant
dung." As with anything happening in New York now, it has blown
up into a political storm and Catholics are throwing pissy fits over it.
Now one might think that they have good reason to be upset and we could be most sympathetic except that they are claiming it is religious discrimination. They are all over the talk shows complaining bitterly that "religion is THE ONLY THING left that can be discriminated against and they are being unfairly picked on. They insist that a dung covered Martin Luther King or a positive presentation of the K.K.K. in a museum would cause riots but their religion is fair game.
Well, gee whiz! We notice they never protest the *very common* artistic representations of naked, tortured or pieces and parts of women. But now they complain that their religion is being selectively dumped on -- obviously any kind of degradation of women appears to be O.K. with them but don't mess with their icon.
When did it happen that single mothers are not discriminated against, or for that matter, gays, or for that matter, women's clinic workers, or for that matter, self-defined women?
While we're on the subject, why is this religious denomination, led by a Bishop, engaged in canvassing every home in the State of Vermont (and in your State, maybe?) for the religious preference of the occupants? Well, yes, they SAY that they are just visiting each home to locate Catholics.
However, we KNOW that this religious group is mounting a strong effort to DENY CHOICE for women and to ABOLISH Vermont's liberal laws relating to EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN. It is determined also to weaken Vermont's strong enforcement of HATE CRIME LAWS. It appears that the intent is to make Vermont more like Florida where a sheriff is using his official government Web site to denounce abortion and attack gays, feminists, atheists and the American Civil Liberties Union.
Excerpts from the AP -- Fort Myers, Fla:
After quoting the preamble to the U.S. Constitution, Lee County Sheriff John McDougall takes a stab at what he calls "the diabolical forces of moral corruption" -- Planned Parenthood, politicians, liberal judges, cybernation, music videos and "United Nations one-world government radicals," among others.
"To our disgrace as a nation we have caved into the wishes of the depraved," he writes. McDougall, 57, said he posted the letter as a crime prevention document about two weeks ago. I wanted to get the message out there," McDougall told the Fort Myers News-Press.
The Florida attorney general's office wouldn't comment on the legality of McDougall's use of government property to express personal views. Lee County Commissioner John Manning said McDougall is entitled to his views, "but when it comes to taxpayers paying for the web site, there has to be a question ... of the appropriateness of that activity."
The fundamentalist and religious organizations that seek to impose their edicts on everyone, are conflicted by the recent remarks by Gov. Jesse Ventura. They were upset when he called religion a crutch for weak-minded people, however they just love him when he disparages women.
His latest remark was that TAILHOOK was much ado about nothing, asserting that men who had dangerous jobs had a perfect right to feel up any woman any time. "Planetman Gray," who contends that women are here just to put up with that sort of behavior from men, would also agree with Ventura.
The Anties (anti-woman, anti-abortion, etc.) have succeeded in training most everyone in this country to think "partial birth abortion" whenever they hear the word "abortion." They have published by media, by talk shows, by internet and by Congress, masses of horrible, fictitious images of a process that is seldom used.
By their diligence, they have made a large percentage of people think the use of the procedure is widespread and unnecessary.
They have concentrated the attention of the country on the "child." Education, health care and PROTECTION OF CHILDREN. Sounds good? Think again, because they have placed that "child" in the womb FROM THE MOMENT OF CONCEPTION.
In case you haven't noticed, women are still left out of their rhetoric. Whether fundamentalists or Catholics, women are not accepted as equals to men on any level. Even an icon of faith like the "VIRGIN" Mary would never be allowed in the church leadership which has always been open only to males.
The House has passed a law giving a fetus some of the same rights as those already born, under the guise of protecting pregnant women. Now, where have we heard that one before? If the Senate also passes this bill, our President has promised to VETO it.
There
is NO Republican presidential candidate that would VETO this bill so if
one of them is elected in 2000, BE ADVISED! It is claimed that
GW Bush has already bought the year 2000 election. The Unchristian
Coalition has endorsed our next President "W," who told them,
"We should have this goal: Every child, born and UNBORN, must be *protected
by law* and welcomed into life."
Women do not even figure in the birth equation except as defined by these men. To them, WE ARE ALL COVERED WITH ELEPHANT DUNG -- an inferior gender born to service and procreation.
They are closing in on our freedom, on our human rights, on our very body parts. This is not a drill. Be afraid, be very afraid. Give up and run and hide, or else, get out there and fight with the SWORD of words and the SHIELD of the ballot box.
1999-041
Copyright 1999 Renee T. Louise and Ruth M. Sprague, Ph.D. These articles may be republished for noncommercial use only, provided that they are copied intact, and that this copyright notice is attached. Address all queries to: twanda@ConnRiver.net.
G e n d e r G a p p e r s T M
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