MyDD :: We Need a Nonviolent Revolution, Not Family Squabbles

We Need a Nonviolent Revolution, Not Family Squabbles

by redstocking, Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 10:58:13 AM EST

I am new here, and I am trouble. You should stop fighting with everyone else and concentrate on me. I do believe that she who laughs, lasts, so humor will temper my arrogance. My fellow Clintonistas have been talking about MyDD for weeks, but I have resisted temptation. My name is Mary Joan, and I am far more a Joan than a Mary. Imagine how much more fun Western art would be if Mary, the mother of God, and Joan of Arc had exchanged wardrobes.

I am one day older than the atom bomb, born the day after Trinity (I expect birthday greetings very soon if you know your history.) I was a 1960s radical nonviolent pacifist. I can go spectacularly limp if you try to drag me from the demonstration. I have not changed as I raised 4 daughters, took care of my dying parents, worked as a public librarian and social worker. I am not a dried up old crone. My English husband, 16 years younger, gave up job and country to swim the Atlantic to marry me.

We need a nonviolent revolution to transform America into a children-friendly, family-friendly, elder-friendly, human-being friendly society that is not the disgrace of most of the world. If you want to have children or take care of your aging parents, you would be better off moving almost anywhere in the world.

I supported Hillary and I am now supporting Obama by holding his clay feet to my progressive fires. I am a million percent sure the US will be better off with him as president than McCain as president. But I have no illusions he is a liberal or a progressive. He will only be as liberal as the country forces him to be.

Let's stop squandering the ideas, energy, passion needed for the revolution on destructive family squabbles. I thought the feminists of my generation would change things so that our kids could combine careers and children and elder care. I intend to dedicate the rest of my life to making sure my grandchildren can. I have a 14-month old grandson with a granddaughter due in August and another one due in December.

If you think managing careers and child care is difficult, wait until a phone call in the middle of the night plunges you into the nightmare of combining elder care and your career. And no, Medicare or Health Insurance does not pay for custodial care and help with the activities of daily life for failing or demented elders who are going to die of their illness. They might spend hundreds of thousands on death bed heroics. but they won't pay for an aide willing to change adult diapers. I hope you all are practicing.

I have been a feminist since my brother was born when I was 18 months old. Having 4 more younger brothers reinforced it. The culminating moment was when I was preparing for First Communion and the nun informed me that boys went up first because they could be priests and were closer to God. !6 years of misogynistic Catholic education guarantees radical feminism for life.

I was the only girl in my political science classes at Fordham and I especially love to argue with men. I don't do tact. So when is my birthday and why do I call myself Redstocking Grandma? If you can't answer those two questions, you undoubtedly need to read more history and do less blogging and commenting. Ask me for a reading list. I give lots of homework.

I blog as redstocking grandma. My blogs are Feminism in 2008 Election and Beyond http://feminism2008.blogspot.com and Obama--Criticism and Support http://obamacriticismsupport.blogspot.co m. Time will tell if I moderate my blogs, censoring people who can't pass my history test:) That is a joke people.

Tags: Nonviolent revolution, feminism, history, ignorance (all tags)

Permalink :: 19 Comments :: Post a Comment

woohoo. (2.00 / 3)

you posted! rec'd.

"Democracy! Bah! When I hear that I reach for my feather Boa!" Allen Ginsberg

by canadian gal on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 11:07:48 AM EST

My sentiments... (2.00 / 2)

EXACTLY! I can hardly wait to see more Redstocking here at MyDD. This community is in for a real treat... ;-)

No way, no how, no McCain! :-)

by atdleft on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 12:06:07 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Sorry, even if yours truly and my wife are the... (none / 0)

last holdouts, neither of us will be voting for Obama to signal to the mainstream Clinton-hating press (that means you Chris Matthews) what we thought of their coverage. And many Obama voters would be doing the same-don't deny it.

by handsomegent on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 11:09:20 AM EST

Strange strategy (2.00 / 4)

The mainstream press won't notice. And they certainly won't credit frustration with them as a reason for Obama's loss. You'd do better writing to them and their advertisers.

by JJE on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 11:29:24 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Strange strategy (none / 0)

We've done that already.

by handsomegent on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 11:57:35 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Strange strategy (none / 0)

Ok, but that doesn't mean your strategy is good. There is still more that you could do in effective protest. You could boycott their stations and advertisers.

But I have an honest question for you. Do you truly believe the msm actually cares if Obama gets elected? Don't you think Obama just made for a good narrative for extended news cycles? I think it has more to do with the fact that he was a long shot who came from behind to win the game.

From the opposing viewpoint (that of an Obama supporter)it looked like the media were in Clinton's corner from the beginning. They were carrying the inevitability torch for her initially and then continued to report her as a serious contender after she clearly wasn't going to be the nominee.

Okay I'm with you, the media sucks and their reporting doesn't speak to our true concerns and beliefs. But really don't you think it would be more productive to complain about the lack of serious Iraq war coverage or good reporting about the economy. To compare it to the true concerns of the American people, casualties in Iraq, poverty, women's right to choose--it does seem rather silly complain about something as insignificant as election coverage.

But then again maybe I hold that view because I so rarely watch tv. It does seem that tv negatively alters people's perceptions of reality, rather than the other way around.

by Tenafly Viper on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 06:51:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]

That'll show 'em. (none / 0)

I look forward to a repentant Matthews and suitably conciliatory overtures to you on an upcoming Hardball segment.

It is not because I cannot explain that you won't understand. It is because you won't understand that I cannot explain. - Elie Wiesel

by Sumo Vita on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 11:51:58 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: That'll show 'em. (none / 0)

So do I, can't wait! Just hope he pronounces my name correctly like he does Chee ney.

by handsomegent on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 11:58:43 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: That'll show 'em. (none / 0)

I once worked with a fellow (a client of my company) from Caspar, WY, who went to High School with our current VP. According to him, the way Matthews pronounces it it correct, but the family is used to the mistake so never bother to correct anyone.

He had other interesting stories to tell. Some surprising, some not so. He said Cheney was always an asshole (not surprising) and that his brother took their sister to the Prom (oddly surprising).

I'm as strong as a bull moose, and you can use me to the limit. - Teddy Roosevelt

by fogiv on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 01:33:37 PM EST
[ Parent ]

At least be honest..... (2.00 / 1)

So, let's follow the bouncing ball of logic:

The press treated Senator Clinton unfairly (given)

The press LOVES John McCain, and gives him a free pass despite gaffe after gaffe after gaffe (given)

John McCain, representing the party of entrenched sexism, the guy who gets a free pass on his horrific stance on women's issues wins the election (God forbid, but clearly the desire of bitter PUMA's)

And, this punishes the media HOW?

Now, at least be honest. This punishes the Democratic Party, us Obama supporters and Obama himself.

Don't lie about your anger, embrace it.

The sooner you do, the sooner you can come to grips with the cognitive dissonance that has overcome you.

My mom believed in Jesus, the Pope and FDR..... Just not necessarily in that order.

by WashStateBlue on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 02:43:07 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Finally! (2.00 / 3)

Redstocking Grandma at MyDD.

Full Disclosure: We are co-bloggers as Clintonistas for Obama.

Another Clintonista against John McCain

by psychodrew on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 11:15:12 AM EST

Haha... (2.00 / 3)

Yes, we must remember to give our full disclosure constantly... Or else "BN" will show "concern" our way. hehe ;-)

No way, no how, no McCain! :-)

by atdleft on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 12:11:04 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re:Intelligent People Are Educable (2.00 / 3)

Intelligent people are educable. Obama said some promising things about family and women's issues this week The one Obama story that gives me hope is that he called Michelle exalting over his legislative victory, and she demanded he make sure to bring home the ant traps. I do have some faith in Michelle and his daughters.

Idiots are not educable. In my era, in Catholic schools at least, you wouldn't get out of 8th grade if you didn't understand Social Security. Our 8th grade nun hated FDR, and all 60 of us were liberal enough to wear black armbands the anniversary of his death and sniff collectively every time his name was mentioned in history class.

"For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbors, and laugh at them in our turn?"

by redstocking on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 12:17:41 PM EST

Re: Disclaimer (2.00 / 2)

The Clintonistas should not be held accountable for my outrages. I did indicate I could take some of the heat off them:)

"For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbors, and laugh at them in our turn?"

by redstocking on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 12:22:24 PM EST

Re: Stop Wasting (none / 0)

Your description of Non Violence sounds a bit In Tolerant in tone, and even like their might be some Spanking involved.

by QTG on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 12:28:09 PM EST

Hmmm (2.00 / 2)

Something tells me I am going to like you.

John McCain wants to stay in Iraq.

by ihaveseenenough on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 12:36:37 PM EST

Rec'ed but... (none / 0)

On this comment:

"He will only be as liberal as the country forces him to be."

I respectfully disagree. I don't think his voting record as most liberal is based on politics. If he were voting to establish his moderate cred all along, I'd say you were right. But I honestly believe he voted his heart during those years and only this time around, on FISA, let politics interfere. Not that it's right that he did, it isn't, but I see this vote as a real outlier.

I'm with you though, let's hope we get the chance to find out how liberal a President Obama will be.

Welcome. Great diary, gram.

Let's elect a Dem President!

by SpanishFly on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 03:02:03 PM EST

Re:I am Red, not gran, gram, granny (none / 0)

I would rather be called red than gran. Only one person has the right to call me gran and he prefers to say "da da" Sure Obama is liberal on some things. Compared to McCain, he is a flaming red. My criteria for liberal is probably more stringent. I very much enjoyed Paul Krugman's Conscience of a Liberal. Unfortunately Obaa grew up in an era where liberal was a dirty word. I very much enjoyed Paul Krugman's Conscience of a Liberal. I grew up in an era where there were real, live liberal Republicans.

"For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbors, and laugh at them in our turn?"

by redstocking on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 03:35:47 PM EST

Please write more diaries, (2.00 / 1)

we could really use some humor around here; It's been rather dreary lately. Your diary is fabulous and I suspect you are too.

by Tenafly Viper on Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 06:59:05 PM EST

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