My father remembers the duck and cover exercises he and his elementary school classmates underwent in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to protect them from a nuclear attack. I remember the duck and cover exercises I practiced in California to shield me from the ever-present threat of earthquakes (and nuclear attacks). My children have ducked and covered … Continue reading
Until now, I’ve resisted writing about Sandy Hook. What can I possibly write in the wake of the unimaginable pain of the families involved? We may empathize, but we’re far removed from the shroud of grief that covers them. On the other hand, the reason this shooting has elicited such strong reactions across America is … Continue reading
This post and co-blogger Aimee Whetstine’s post have been syndicated on BlogHer as “Point-Counterpoint: The War on Men.” Please feel free to engage in comments there as well. Talk about an uproar. You might have seen it. Recently, Suzanne Venker, the niece of anti-feminist Phyllis Schafly, wrote an article on FoxNews’s website called, “The War … Continue reading
This post and co-blogger Lisen Stromberg’s post have been syndicated on BlogHer as “Point-Counterpoint: The War on Men.” Please feel free to engage in comments there as well. Suzanne Venker’s recent article The War on Men sparked an uproar among feminists. But Venker’s ideas and upcoming book How to Choose a Husband (And Make Peace with Marriage) come as no … Continue reading
I have been accused of being a one issue voter. My one issue? Women. Why? Well, it is quite simple. I believe (and research shows) when women are empowered, society wins. What does empowerment mean to me? It means access to education, job opportunities, pay equity, and control of our reproduction in order to take … Continue reading
What ever happened to Hilary Rosen? You remember Rosen. The Democratic strategist who said Ann Romney never “worked a day in her life.” Yep. But that was way back last April. Can’t we just let bygones be bygones? So much has happened since then. Barack Obama respects all women. The Democratic party is THE party … Continue reading
I’m a label reader. I try to avoid high fructose corn syrup, sodium, and red dyes in my food because I have convinced myself it is healthier. I have to avoid peanuts, shell fish, and strawberries because I am allergic. My children and husband also suffer from food sensitivities. Reading labels allows me to protect … Continue reading
Have you heard about Proposition 37 in California requiring mandatory labeling of biotech foods (GMO) foods? It’s a measure Golden State voters will decide November 6th. I’m a label-reading mom who buys organic and conventional, heirloom and biotech, domestic and international food. I like to have choices. I understand the logic of wanting to know … Continue reading
Last night after Obama tried to blockade the Romney train barreling down on him, I told my girlfriend I wasn’t sure the POTUS was going to win another four years. I explained that despite my myriad concerns about his positions (or lack of positions) on most issues, Romney is looking awfully presidential theses days. “Oh, … Continue reading
Given that the two candidates are so similar on foreign policy, attitude becomes the critical difference. Barack Obama and Mitt Romney closely align on foreign policy. Both espouse defeating terrorism, bolstering burgeoning democratic societies, and protecting the homeland from attack. Their ideas for how to accomplish these goals differ, but the goals are the same. … Continue reading
President Obama and his feisty competitor, Mitt Romney squared off again last night. They pecked and clawed their way over key issues including immigration, energy independence, the tax code, gun control, and the economy, to name a few. As they debated whose policies would be better for our country, they went at each other like … Continue reading
Barack Obama and Mitt Romney said what we expected them to say in last night’s debate. There were a few zingers, a few odd questions from the “undecided” town hall audience members, but each candidate held his own. To me, the most striking thing to come out of the debate was the behavior of the … Continue reading
“You should terminate this one,” the doctor said. I was 37 years old, ten weeks pregnant, and suddenly faced with an unexpected life or death decision. An ultrasound revealed the fetus I was carrying had implanted at the top of my uterus. If it grew up towards my stomach, it threatened to burst a large … Continue reading
Abortion. The word ushers tension into any conversation. No matter what I write, someone will be offended. It’s a sensitive, complicated subject and a tough post. This election season, I’ve been surprised by the ease with which some pro-choice women assert they speak for all American women when, in fact, they don’t. Gallup reports 50 percent of Americans … Continue reading
Like many children across the nation, my neighbor Jin’s ten-year-old daughter was required to watch the vice presidential debate for homework last night. This morning when I saw him walking the dog, I asked what she thought. He said, “She couldn’t really understand the ins and outs of the conversation. Mostly, she just wondered why … Continue reading
It was a classic comic book matchup. Joe Biden playing the Joker. Rudely interrupting. Flashing a toothy smile. Laughing at the most unprofessional times. Condescendingly referring to Paul Ryan as “my friend.” Dude, this is THE vice presidential debate. This is serious business, not Let’s Make a Deal. Biden’s behavior threatened to steal the show and not in … Continue reading
Look, I am not generally a conspiracy theorist. But, I’m always more than a little suspicious when legislation is roundly proposed by one party or another and even more suspicious when a single organization seems to be behind the lawmakers who sponsored said legislation. Let’s take the latest 62 voter id laws that have been proposed … Continue reading
My husband and I recently relocated to Kansas from Missouri for his job. Yesterday I went to the Driver’s License Office in Kansas to trade my Missouri license in for a Kansas license and register to vote in this November’s election. There was a long line of people for a Tuesday. I had to wait … Continue reading
Facing Each Other… There they stood, two men, one in red tie, the other in blue, facing off, facing ahead, facing away from each other; our future. And I knew the “who won the debate” verdict would soon be dancing its way across the airwaves and coursing along the superhighway. As I watched the two presidential … Continue reading
Last night at my house we turned on the television five minutes before the start of the first presidential debate, watched the match in its entirety on C-SPAN, and turned it off the moment it concluded. We didn’t need to get the spin because we witnessed what really happened. Like many Americans, I saw and … Continue reading
