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Failed Conservative Values: Elaine Charkowski on Patriarchy Family Values
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Women cannot serve two masters at once who are urgently beaming antithetical orders.... Either we believe in patriarchy the rule of men over women -- or we believe in equality. Sonia Johnson
Elaine Charkowski talked to me about how conservative values have failed. She says, Conservative Family Values is about patriarchy and fear of authority. It’s about not using your own mind and woman are to be subservient to the man. The type of power used is random punishment and reward, which studies show is the best way to drive animals crazy.
Failed Conservative Values: Elaine Charkowski on Patriarchy Family Values
My name is Elaine Charkowski. I’m a feminist and an environmentalist, because I believe that both go hand-in-hand. An issue that goes beneath politics are universal human rights. Sure, family values, but they don’t go deeper.
When you say family values, you picture a Walt Disney nice little family. Everybody is happy with the kids and the dog. But they are talking patriarchal family values, with the male leader of the household who gets to set the tone, and the wife and the kids just have to play along and listen.
So those are the kind of family values they’re talking about, and that’s why they just hate feminists, because feminists say women have a right to live their own life as they see fit – which is opposed to their definition of family values.
Like, for instance, women are coerced by society to bear children, like, to give honor to the guy, which is an old-fashioned macho value. Like the man who depends on how many children you have. And you see where this has gotten us today. When I was born there were two billion people. Now there is more than 6-1/2 billion people.
I was raised as a Roman Catholic, and since then I have rejected it, because it is all about fear of authority, God’s punishment. I found a book by Erich Fromm called To Be Or To Have, and he says that there never was any separation of church and state – it’s all about fear or punishment from the state or from God. Either you go to jail or you go to hell.
It’s about guilt. It’s about not using your own mind. It’s blind faith. You have a blind faith in God. We have blind faith in the fearless and the all perfect leader. And you’re supposed to just shut up and obey.
And also, the God that most conservatives believe in is a punishing God and a rewarding God. See, we have random punishment and reward, which is the worst way to drive animals crazy when they experiment on the animals, because it is a random punishment. And so God is either a god or a demon, whatever he chooses to be.
I was in an abusive marriage the first time, and there wasn’t enough of money, and this guy tried to push me around and run my whole life and was jealous. And so I was basically a non-autonomous human being, because he was stronger than me. And we had a lot of physical fights. And so I left him, and I realized how I was under control.
"In our patriarchal world, we are all taught -- whether we like to think we are or not -- that God, being male, values maleness much more than he values femaleness . . . that in order to propitiate God, women must propitiate men." Sonia Johnson
Definition of Patriarchy
A social system in which the father is the head of the family and men have authority over women and children.
A family, community, or society based on this system or governed by men.
Patriarchy at Wikipedia
Patriarchy is the structuring of society on the basis of family units, where fathers have primary responsibility for the welfare of, hence authority over, their families. The concept of patriarchy is often used, by extension (in anthropology and feminism, for example), to refer to the expectation that men take primary responsibility for the welfare of the community as a whole, acting as representatives via public office.
Some Questions for Discussion:
What is the Progressive alternative to Conservative Family values?
What is the Progressive alternative to Patriarchy?
Failed Conservative Values
Assist us in systematically building the arguments and telling the stories that reveal how Conservative Values have Failed. Join in our effort to create a documentary and book on the subject by contributing articles, posts, chapters for the book and video clips. Check our website for more information and a growing outline of tasks that need to be done on this project.
See More Progressive Values Stories
Edwin Rutsch
What Are Progressive Values? Documentary Project
http://ProgressiveSpirit.com
and Study Group
Tanks big time.
Get used to it folks. Bernanke has destroyed the dollar to buoy the market, but even that isn't working now.
And inflation is going up, even if you use the government's bogus numbers (Fuel, food and housing are exluded from the CPI-our gift from Bubba)
Rescind the Bush Tax Cuts and the dollar will jump, oil prices will fall and the Dow will recover.
just do the right thing and see what happens instead of the temporaily painless politics of pass the buck
You have to raise interest rates too--otherwise no foreign investment
http://www.blackagendareport.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=673&Itemid=1
Give AIPAC everything they want and then some. Check.
Slander black men. Check.
Continue illegal government surveillance. Check.
Surrender to telecom lobbyists. Check.
Endorse conservative white Congressman against black progressive challenger. Check.
As soon as Hillary Clinton ended her battle for the nomination, Barack Obama discarded his well marketed image as a "change agent" and showed his true colors. No longer in competition for Democratic support, he threw off the already thin veneer of a progressive politician. In just two weeks he has given a clear indication of where he stands on a variety of issues, and the news is not good.
Barack Obama isn't even president yet, but he has informed anyone who is paying attention that there will be no change at all in the way Washington's politics are conducted. He has also made it clear that there will be change for black people in the political process, but it won't be for the better.
Perhaps Hillary Clinton can be persuaded to resume her campaign. While she was still in the hunt, Obama obscured his true agenda with occasional nods to good politics, but only because he was forced to fight for progressive Democratic support. Consider his flip flop on legislation that legalized domestic spying. In October 2007 an Obama spokesperson made this unequivocal statement. "To be clear: Barack will support a filibuster of any bill that includes retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies."
Fast forward to June 2008, and the Democratic leadership decision to give President Bush everything he wants on government surveillance, including giving immunity to telecoms who conducted illegal surveillance. All pretense was gone. "So I support the compromise... " Obama claims he will work to remove the provision granting immunity to law breakers, but the fact remains that Obama has gotten away with making a 180 degree turn because he is now the only Democratic game in town.
The treachery didn't stop with illegal government surveillance. Regina Thomas is a black State Senator in Georgia, running in a Democratic primary against white conservative Congressman John Barrow. Obama recently endorsed Barrow and recorded a radio ad in support of his campaign.
Thomas had this to say about Obama's endorsement of her opponent. "That's the best thing that happened to me! People are angry about this! Here's a man who has not served his district, and Obama is messing in our local business."
It isn't clear if Thomas is whistling past the graveyard or if she is indeed getting more support in her race as a result of Obama's newsworthy but shady politics. In any case, the story of Thomas and Barrow is just the latest in a long list of events that should have been scandals.
Worse than Obama moving to the right of Bush on Israel, worse than publicly diminishing all black men, worse than backing a pro-war candidate over a true progressive, is the continued silence and acquiescence of the black community.
office holders should not be involved in the campaigns of candidates, other than their own.
Unfortunately it is not the Republicans doing the gutting.
Amendment 2 saved by Supreme Court...Amendment 4 being gutted by our party.
"Unfortunately it is not the Republicans doing the gutting."
Are you sure? I thought 128 Democratic House members and 1 Republican voted against the FISA Amendment Act.
The Democrats allowed it to come to the floor. They did not have to do that.
Here is the vote change from last year:
"FISA
2007 total: 227 aye - 183 no - 23 NV
Dems in 2007: 41 aye - 181 no - 9 NV
GOP in 2007: 186 aye - 2 no - 14 NV
2008 total: 293 aye - 129 no - 13 NV
Dems in 2008: 105 aye - 128 no - 3 NV
GOP in 2008: 188 aye - 1 no - 10 NV"
Link for the 58 Dems who changed from no to yes.
<a href="http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/2276"> Fisa vote means government can keep spying even if the court says no.</a>
The vote is no doubt embarrassing, but what occurred is a bunch of cowed Democrats from conservative districts, fearing reprisal from constituents, joined Republicans to look muscular on a national security vote. That is, 105 Democrats joined 188 Republicans against 128 Democrats and 1 Republican. I would suggest that actually reveals that Republicans are doing the gutting, but that's a rhetorical distinction. Some Democrats had to help them do it.
The larger point, to me, is that Dean's 50 state strategy, with which Obama has aligned himself, means that Democrats will seek out voters, and office holders, in much more conservative areas of the country than they have bothered to before. The upshot of this is that Democratic legislative majorities will grow, but only at the expense of having an increasing number of moderate Democrats in Congress. Securing a liberal legislature will, of necessity, be a function of longer term efforts by the DNC and Democratic Party. The strategy is designed to be effective over time, but there's no question that we will see other growing pains like this one.
Is Edwin Rutsch a conservative? I don't understand where the failed conservative values is coming from. An example of a conservative is radio talk show host Laura Ingraham. She is a conservative, a feminist and she dated MSNBC host Keith Olderman. Ingraham is unmarried, a pro-life Roman Catholic and she adopted a child. She is not under a man's thumb...
Is the poster child wingnut, as looney as they get, and you would have to have real head problems yourself to hold her up as an example of anything other than a failed mental health care system
Olderman's quirky humor must have come from the "whew" he must have felt when he escaped Ingraham
"I don't understand where the failed conservative values is coming from."
Take your pick:
1) So-called "populist" Republicans who favor unending tax cuts are really elitist snobs forking tax relief to their tiny cadre of mega-rich friends;
2) National security conservatives who bang on us to support our troops never stepped foot in the armed services, won't lift a finger to help protect ports, and vehemently oppose benefits for veterans;
3) The supposedly business savvy Republicans can't control a federal budget and spend money they don't collect in revenues like drunken sailors;
4) Freedom loving conservatives out to protect individual liberties actually intend to dictate to people when and if they will be able to get an abortion, marry a same sex partner, or travel to places like Cuba;
5) Family value Republicans and evangelicals are a bunch of wild sybarites who trade partners, patronize call girls, and dump their spouses for something more adventurous, of the opposite sex or not;
6) Conservatives rig and exploit the market, or simply defraud shareholders, in their crusade for free enterprise;
7) Compassionate conservatism reserves compassion for wealthy benefactors only; or
8) The administration is tough on terrorists if their Islamist, except for Bin Laden and other Saudis, not if they're convicted mass killers opposed to Castro like Orlando Bosch, for whom Jeb Bush lobbied the George Bush Justice Deptartment to set free and grant U.S. residency, pocketing a great deal of money and influence in the process.
The point is Rutsch is trying to pigeonhole conservatives. Some Democrats are conservative and some Republicans are liberals.
Democrats have not been doing so well either. I thought the idea was to change the face of politics, but what I'n seeing here is the same old game. Sen. Chris Dodd wants to bailout the mortgage lenders at the expense of taxpayers. Is he a conservative of what?
Marty wrote "Some Democrats are conservative and some Republicans are liberals."
Some members of the Ku Klux Klan are black. What do you want us to do about it?
- I'm just asking the question: Have conservative values failed?
By Edwin Rutsch on Jun 26, 2008 10:19 PM EDTConservatives claim their policies are based on their values.
70-80% of the American population say this conservative administration is going in the wrong direction. So, it follows from that. Have conservative values failed? Marty and Tom, What would you say to the question?
I agree that conservative values have failed in their execution.
what were the actual values behind the execution?
I don't necessarily question that actual values, like some of those identified above including populism, individual liberties, or fiscal conservatism, are invoked by Republicans. I'm not even opposed to many of them.
However, I'm certain most of the conservatives in power are hypocritical and espouse such values for marketing purposes. Their actions belie their propaganda, as the list above well illustrates. Hypocricy is one dearly held and well executed conservative value. If it wasn't, Republicans could not have held national power as long as they have.
Catholic nuns are conservative--subservient to the dictactes of the Church hierarchy.
"I don't support families taking turns at the Presidency."
Are you saying the reason you wouldn't prefer Robert Kennedy for the vice presidential slot is because his uncle was president in the 60's?
- EU moves to ban more pesticides; CA Moth spray cancelled; Bhopal protest arrest; and more...
By Fred from Oregon on Jun 26, 2008 7:15 PM EDTJune 26, 2008
- EU Ag Ministers move to ban hazardous pesticides
Urban moth spraying cancelled in California - Diane Wilson arrested for Bhopal protest
- Greens push pesticide reforms in Cyprus
India's cotton belt rife with cancers, deformities, infertility - Croatian president links food crisis to trade and finance policies
http://www.panna.org/resources/panups/panup_20080626
EU Ag Ministers move to ban hazardous pesticides
On June 23, the agriculture ministers of European Union nations agreed to target pesticides linked with cancer, mutation, reproductive toxicity, and hormonal disruption. If the EU Parliament agrees, around 5% of pesticides will be removed from the market. The stage was set by major supermarket chains that have already committed to removing produce with residues from a list of hazardous pesticides from their stores. Environmental organizations have been...
- India's cotton belt rife with cancers, deformities, infertility
By Fred from Oregon on Jun 26, 2008 7:19 PM EDTIn the cotton region of southwestern Punjab, couples are childless, babies are born deformed, and cancer kills both young and old. Nadar Singh recalls how 20 people in his village of 3,200 suffered cancer-related deaths during the last five years. "Such news has stopped shocking us," Singh says. "Here even kids have cancer." In May, a government study found chemical fertilizers and pesticides had seeped into Punjab's groundwater causing cancers and mental retardation. The Centre for Science and Environment found residues of as many as 13 pesticides in villagers' blood. Other researchers have found...
http://www.panna.org/resources/panups/panup_20080626#5
=================
there is hope. Organic cotton farming is growing at phenomenal rate in India thanks to NGO promotion and the high cost of petro-based fertilizers and pesticides. Look for organic cotton when you shop.
"" It's often said that there is no difference between Democrats and Republicans. False. The vast majority of honest public servants in Congress are Democrats. However, it would not be safe to say that the majority of Democrats are honest public servants. About half of the Democrats and a small handful of Republicans take seriously their sworn oaths. The rest would be arrested in any other walk of life. ""
http://www.truthout.org/article/congress-still-corrupt-and-useless
Republicans, when they are on the losing end, like to repeat the false statement that Democrats and Republicans in Congress are both to blame for whatever it is that is pulling the Republicans down.
There is not an ounce of truth in this. There is so much difference between the parties these days and most days that you could spread an ocean between them.
The real problem is that the Republicans refuse to stop filibustering and/or blocking every bill they don't like that comes before Congress and they refuse to compromise on most of them.
Have a good night all
The Howard Dean Nominee
Howard Dean was supposed to be finished back in January 2004, when his once-overpowering presidential campaign collapsed in the cornfields of Iowa – and when he let out a scream that made him as much laughingstock as loser.
Excellent article about Dean and Obama continued at:
http://www.observer.com/2008/howard-dean-nominee
Just talked with my son in Anchorage. Rasmussen Jun 16 poll has Obama only down 4%. My son is pretty excited, talk is Obama is going to campaign in AK.
Go Obama.
painting all 'conservatives' with such a broad brush and going to such great lengths to define them and insult them doesn't seem very progressive to me. it's kinda like comparing Joe Lieberman with Bernie Sanders... I can't think of anything those two have in common, except they have an 'I' after their names. and until Joe started campaigning with John, I doubt too many conservatives thought any more of him than they do of Russ - he's a damm liberal!
one could apply comparisons like this over and over again - and I think this struggle to define conservatism says more about the folks who feel the need to do so more than it says about the folks who are being defined - it's what people of all political persuasions do to make themselves feel superior. I simply cannot for the life of me see any positive result from this activity of trashing conservatives. it doesn't teach us anything - we all know what we don't like about the voting habits of most conservatives. but I happen to believe that many if not most folks who vote with the repubs don't understand how that choice affects their everyday lives - there are generations of good people still pulling the lever for the 'R', because that's they do. and I think it's up to we 'liberals' or 'progressives' to teach them the difference. this constant trashing of our fellow Americans diminishes the true meaning of progressive as much as it poorly defines conservative. and it does nothing to solve the problems you seem to be blaming almost entirely on 'them'.
but if it makes ya feel good.....
I'm waiting for a progressive party and candidates who will run honestly to the left of the current "Center", which by global standards, is bordering on fascist.
I don't buy this "Failed Conservative Values" Bullshit
When you look at the blue dogs, yeller dogs, and other aberrant Democrats, you can find enough failed values to overstuff a doublewide
You should probably stay in Canada in that case.
I'm still in Port Huron Tom. And Canada's full of hypocrites too!
Still, "waiting for a progressive party and candidates who will run honestly to the left of the current 'Center'" is virtually bound to be a frustrating enterprise here. I think your chances of finding one is better in Canada. It's a hunch.
The future of this country appears increasingly grim. Untrammeled free market capitalism, coupled with unscrupulous heads of state with the ambition of assisting their wealthy base and shredding the ability of government to address social concerns, is draining this country of its ability to survive. Even the stewards of the free market don't give a shit about the health of the economy. They will gladly destroy the middle class and the consumers that have unnaturally bouyed the economy for years in order to increase profits and secure their fortune in the short term. After that, everyone's on their own.
boy, you are a real depressing (glass is always half-empty) dude
as I mentioned above:
Conservatives claim their policies are based on their values.
70-80% of the American population say this conservative administration is going in the wrong direction. So, it follows from that. Have conservative values failed?
see my next post.
The Failed Conservative Values of James Dobson
http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2008/06/26/olbermann/index.html
On January 31 of this year, Keith Olbermann donned his most serious face and most indignant voice tone to rail against George Bush for supporting telecom immunity and revisions to FISA. In a 10-minute "Special Comment," the MSNBC star condemned Bush for wanting to "retroactively immunize corporate criminals," and said that telecom immnity is "an ex post facto law, which would clear the phone giants from responsibility for their systematic, aggressive and blatant collaboration with [Bush's] illegal and unjustified spying on Americans under this flimsy guise of looking for any terrorists who are stupid enough to make a collect call or send a mass email."
Olbermann added that telecom amnesty was a "shameless, breathless, literally textbook example of Fascism -- the merged efforts of government and corporations that answer to no government." Noting the numerous telecom lobbyists connected to the Bush administration, Olbermann said:
This is no longer just a farce in which protecting telecoms is dressed up as protecting us from terrorists conference cells. Now it begins to look like the bureaucrats of the Third Reich, trying to protect the Krupp family, the industrial giants, re-writing the laws of Germany for their benefit.
Last night, Olbermann invited Newsweek's Jonathan Alter onto his show to discuss Obama's support for the FISA and telecom amnesty bill (video of the segment is here). There wasn't a syllable uttered about "immunizing corporate criminals" or "textbook examples of Fascism" or the Third Reich. There wasn't a word of rational criticism of the bill either. Instead, the two media stars jointly hailed Obama's bravery and strength -- as evidenced by his "standing up to the left" in order to support this important centrist FISA compromise:
OLBERMANN: Asked by "Rolling Stone" publisher, Jann Wenner, about how Democrats have cowered in the wake of past Republican attacks, Senator Obama responding, quote, "Yeah, I don't do cowering." That's evident today in at least three issues . . .Senator Obama also refusing to cower even to the left on the subject of warrantless wiretapping. He's planning to vote for the FISA compromise legislation, putting him at odds with members of his own party . . . But first, it's time to bring in our own Jonathan Alter, also, of course, senior editor of "Newsweek" magazine.
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Leave aside the fact that Jonathan Alter, desperate to defend Obama, doesn't have the slightest idea of what he's talking about. How can a bill which increases the President's authority to eavesdrop with no warrants over the current FISA law possibly be described as a restoration of the Fourth Amendment? That would be like describing a new law banning anti-war speech as a restoration of the First Amendment. <script type="text/javascript" src="http://s20.sitemeter.com/js/counter.js?site=s20unclaimed"></script>
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