Political

I'm not sure when politics became part of my everyday life.  One day I'm climbing a tree, desperately trying to deny that despite my most fervent prayers, breasts had traitorously sprouted on my chest. The next day it's all mortgages, teaching, loving, family and politics. Here are some ways that politics affect my life- whether or not I want them to.

I am bothered by oppression.  Any oppression.  Oppression of teachers by districts under the control of legislators in the pockets of testing companies. I am bothered by this especially because children lose. When you spend more on prisons than education *cough*OklahomaTexas*cough*, your state is in ideological trouble.

I am bothered by legislature affecting marginalized groups. I'm glad that DOMA was struck down. You can't legislate against something because you think it's yucky.  I think lots of things are yucky- eating meat, living beyond ones means, and snorting cocaine off of a hot guy's backside. But I avoid those things.. I don't try to pass laws about it.

I am bothered by misogyny. As the Texas state legislature has demonstrated by killing their 500th inmate, a woman by the name of Kimberly McCarthy, they don't like women.  There are few enough women in politics as it is, and as Wendy Davis filibustered a restrictive and breathtaking law to shut down most of the abortion clinics in Texas, that hatred showed itself again and again.  Over 600 bills were introduced in 2013 to regulate a woman's body in Texas.  It's only June, people. How many have ever been introduced to regulate men's bodies? Oh yeah, zero.

It bothers me even more when women participate in this perpetuation of misogynist culture. Because it wouldn't exist if women didn't somehow get duped into falling for it and being "good" women. I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints anyway.

Emotions are running high lately, something I can't afford right now. I'm heading to a family reunion this weekend and thankfully, my husband has volunteered to go with me.  As my friend Cathy advised, he is offering a cocktail of wine, valium and chocolate.  Wish me luck.

I'm one of the three Independent/Freethinker/Democrats in the family.

Maybe we'll talk about politics.