Reasons To Kvetch

Not that it takes much these days...

I wasn't aware of this latest bit of crap from our latest Phyllis Schlafly-esque female presidential candidate until I saw Ayelet Waldman going off on how little morality had to do with HPV and its treatment. Frequent check-ins on Twitter yesterday saw Erin, aka, Queen of Spain, agonizing over what she eventually spoke of so beautifully in Embarrassed By That Mom On Stage. It takes my recent complaint about being unable to cheer for current high-profile female presidential candidates to another level: that of how concepts of motherhood are used and abused by moms like Bachmann and Palin to get them ahead. Check Athenae for more spot-on analysis of what Erin says...and please remember this:

So keep in mind as you see female after female take to the cable news shows calling themselves feminist pundits and politicians that these women do not speak for me. They do not speak for the women I know who call themselves feminists, truly fighting each day against the patriarchy (not submitting to it) and working hard for equality. An equality that includes more than one path for women and girls who wish to be anything they want to be, under terms they, themselves, set. 

Because despite all the rhetoric you hear from these women on stage and tv claiming to be champions of all females, the absolute only thing we have in common is the name ‘Mom.’

This wasn't the only thing that got my ire up yesterday, amazingly enough. My Queens synagogue listserv is currently abuzz with back-and-forth tussling over GOP (and Tea Party-leaning) candidate Bob Turner winning former representative Anthony Weiner's congressional seat. This got me angry at three different things right off: former rep. Weiner, then the orthodox and ultra-orthodox Jewish constituents of the district who happily got used by the NY Republicans to supposedly send a message to Obama that he isn't taking Israel seriously enough, nor is he taking enough of a stand against same-sex marriage (which only further proves that getting out the vote is very important to ensure that you are, indeed, spoken for by you), topped by the milquetoast Democratic Party for being such wusses in this whole thing. Obama not being supportive enough of Israel? Spare me. Not enough support from the POTUS against same-sex marriage? Clear case of fear being greater than good sense. Kvetch, kvetch, kvetch. Moan, moan, moan.

At least The Lens' charter school reporting corps website is up and at 'em...although it will probably present even more opportunities for kvetching...but they will be informed opportunities.