Since this happens to be the week on which Earth Day falls, and Earth has often been feminized as Mother, and my Mother also happens to be a woman and I know lots of awesome women (including my mother), I thought I would share a really profound piece of writing by a friend of mine.
Woman
They call her Woman
And it gives them satisfaction
To revere her
But only as an abstraction
Left feeling dumbstruck
No concordance between speech and conduct
Perpetual state of apprehension
Behind pretty words are
Derision and condescension
She did not ask to be placed on the pedestal
From which you say she fell
You venerate
Only to isolate
Unjust deprivation of dignity
As if she was meant to be
Defined only relationally
And not also born for autonomy
Her life
You do not contemplate
Her existence
You will not validate
Her perspective
You decline to incorporate
Her voice
You seek to relegate
Her intelligence
You deprecate
Her courage
You underestimate
But reality will dispute
The weakness that you impute
And you will find her resolute
Anticipate no mindlessness
And no resort to violence
Her power she will gather quietly
And confront you
With only silence
You will realize your mistake
And the justice that you failed to grant
She will take.
Showing posts with label POLITICS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label POLITICS. Show all posts
Monday, April 19, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
House passes landmark health bill - Patrick O'Connor - POLITICO.com
House passes landmark health bill - Patrick O'Connor - POLITICO.com
Not a "perfect" piece of policy legislation, but one that is a great reminder that (as Sam Cooke sang so beautifully) "A Change is Gonna Come". No policy is ever perfect, but one that honors the internationally mandated right to health care is not only long overdue, but a reminder that caring for all members of our communities means caring for their health.
Who are we, if not individuals recognized by those around us? And who of us could genuinely look another member of our community in the eye and say, "my right to health (and subsequently life) supersedes yours". It happens in less time than a synapse, that sometimes that member of your community is someone you love.. or maybe it's you.
There are some thing about this bill that will need fixing in time, but it's not about getting it perfect from the start, it's just about finally. getting. it. right.
I will do my best to remember March 21st: the day that being a woman stopped being a medical condition.
Not a "perfect" piece of policy legislation, but one that is a great reminder that (as Sam Cooke sang so beautifully) "A Change is Gonna Come". No policy is ever perfect, but one that honors the internationally mandated right to health care is not only long overdue, but a reminder that caring for all members of our communities means caring for their health.
Who are we, if not individuals recognized by those around us? And who of us could genuinely look another member of our community in the eye and say, "my right to health (and subsequently life) supersedes yours". It happens in less time than a synapse, that sometimes that member of your community is someone you love.. or maybe it's you.
There are some thing about this bill that will need fixing in time, but it's not about getting it perfect from the start, it's just about finally. getting. it. right.
I will do my best to remember March 21st: the day that being a woman stopped being a medical condition.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Think Global, Act Loco (and Local)!
As of today, I have nearly reached the one month mark since I did any kind of exercise. Heck, it's almost one month since I even walked from my vehicle to the front door of a store! It's been 21 days since I got my crutches, but aside from having to budget a little extra time to get from A to B, these weeks have been like any other.
I can't say that I am experiencing a lot of improvement in my symptoms, but I am definitely making the best of this experience and enjoying the extra time I now have to devote to other projects (ahem, grad school applications) and to my home life.
Speaking of home life, finding a sense of home in Calgary has been a slow and at times difficult process. I have a great partner and a sense of home that I carry within me, but discovering what I love most about this place has had a lot to do with learning about the agrarian culture that is the bedrock of this province.
I don't speak much about my food ethics on this blog, but suffice it to say that my ideas about what constitutes "healthy" food have seen some fairly dramatic changes over the past few years. Where I used to eat only egg whites, I know value the worth of the whole egg. Where I used to use protein powder, I now find my nourishment in real foods and am much happier without artificial sweeteners in my life. Where I used to eat meat from the grocery store, I now consume far less and far better quality meat that I buy directly from the farmer. Where I used to read labels for nutrition information, I now trust in my inner nutrition guide to make decisions for me.
In short, Manski and I chose local foods as often as we can. For us, this higher cost of food does not represent strike one for local (and mostly but not always organic) food, but rather, strike one for the industrial food chain. All of those shortcuts that lead to inexpensive food mean that most often, the growers (and consumers) lose out.
Food, as it was meant to be is astonishing. The heirloom varieties of vegetables are spectacularly beautiful, the flavors of local produce are more vivid and unforgettable and the relationship you share with those who tend to and harvest your food is a sacred one. Being able to learn about the methods and philosophy of a farmer allows you to (cliche but true) cast a vote for the politics and economy that you believe in, each time you buy or eat food.
The natural consequence (for us) of eating this way is that we consume a lesser volume of food. Sure, we love to drink Perrier and eat Liberte Yogurt (that is essentially a bit sweet bowl of cream!) and do pick up some staples from the local store, but we have inadvertently begun to eat in a more ecologically sustainable way. Is it sustainable for local farmers to grow enough chicken (using natural and organic methods) for everyone to eat chicken every night? Probably not! However, if everyone ate just a little less chicken, I think we'd realize just how much the prevailing sense about how much animal protein a person requires has been perpetuated by "big food" and its influence on health and food legislation in North America. We aren't just being fed low-quality "food", but we are being fed the information on what and how much we should be eating; information that is connected to the profit margins and pockets of massive food conglomerates.
Having said this, I still have a complicated relationship with the commodification of the term "organic". I don't buy products in the store simply because they are organic. My participation in the organic food sector (as a consumer) is not without some trepidation, as I can definitely recognize that many brands cater to the upper-class appeal of organic branding. Organic branding is like sex-appeal for the privileged buyer! What can I say, I'm a healthy skeptic and I've read Marx in SIX courses across Political Science and Sociology!
The sad fact is that we actually need a discourse on food because it has ceased to be something natural in society. Food movements and food politics, in general, are evidence that we have landed in such a distant place from our food origins, that we actually require concerted efforts and advents such as "organic", where (what we now call) organic is simply the default method and condition of old school agriculture and is the norm in many developing countries.
For anyone who is interested in learning some more about these topics, here is a list of some great resources.
Films
Frankensteer
Food Inc
SuperSize Me
Seeds of Change
Life and Debt
Death on a Factory Farm
Books
What to Eat by Marion Nestle
Stuffed and Starved by Raj Patel
The Omnivore's Dilemma by Micheal Pollan
Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser
In Defense of Food by Micheal Pollan
Food Matters by Mark Bittman
Confessions of a Sneaky Organic Cook by Jane Kinderlehrer
Hungry Planet: What the World Eats by Peter Mentzel
Food Politics by Marion Nestle
The Yoga of Eating by Charles Eisenstein
Please feel free to ask if you are seeking academic material in these areas. I have a lonnnnnnnnnng list of great articles by scholars across the social sciences spectrum who write to the tune of some very hot debates happening right now. The books and films cited above are all very accessible and mostly written by academics, but very user-friendly.
So, if you ever feel far from home or wonder where you can find the real culture of your surroundings, look no further than your local farmer's market. You are sure to meet people whose families have inhabited the area for generations! Eating well is as much about the relationships between those who share the land, as those who share a table.
These are just some of my views, and while I can't resist the urge to toss a dollop of persuasion overtop the information, I certainly respect every perspective on this issue. There are endless ways to regard food and I would love to hear your views, as well. Have you visited your local market? What are your favorite things to buy locally?
I can't say that I am experiencing a lot of improvement in my symptoms, but I am definitely making the best of this experience and enjoying the extra time I now have to devote to other projects (ahem, grad school applications) and to my home life.
Speaking of home life, finding a sense of home in Calgary has been a slow and at times difficult process. I have a great partner and a sense of home that I carry within me, but discovering what I love most about this place has had a lot to do with learning about the agrarian culture that is the bedrock of this province.
I don't speak much about my food ethics on this blog, but suffice it to say that my ideas about what constitutes "healthy" food have seen some fairly dramatic changes over the past few years. Where I used to eat only egg whites, I know value the worth of the whole egg. Where I used to use protein powder, I now find my nourishment in real foods and am much happier without artificial sweeteners in my life. Where I used to eat meat from the grocery store, I now consume far less and far better quality meat that I buy directly from the farmer. Where I used to read labels for nutrition information, I now trust in my inner nutrition guide to make decisions for me.
In short, Manski and I chose local foods as often as we can. For us, this higher cost of food does not represent strike one for local (and mostly but not always organic) food, but rather, strike one for the industrial food chain. All of those shortcuts that lead to inexpensive food mean that most often, the growers (and consumers) lose out.
Food, as it was meant to be is astonishing. The heirloom varieties of vegetables are spectacularly beautiful, the flavors of local produce are more vivid and unforgettable and the relationship you share with those who tend to and harvest your food is a sacred one. Being able to learn about the methods and philosophy of a farmer allows you to (cliche but true) cast a vote for the politics and economy that you believe in, each time you buy or eat food.
The natural consequence (for us) of eating this way is that we consume a lesser volume of food. Sure, we love to drink Perrier and eat Liberte Yogurt (that is essentially a bit sweet bowl of cream!) and do pick up some staples from the local store, but we have inadvertently begun to eat in a more ecologically sustainable way. Is it sustainable for local farmers to grow enough chicken (using natural and organic methods) for everyone to eat chicken every night? Probably not! However, if everyone ate just a little less chicken, I think we'd realize just how much the prevailing sense about how much animal protein a person requires has been perpetuated by "big food" and its influence on health and food legislation in North America. We aren't just being fed low-quality "food", but we are being fed the information on what and how much we should be eating; information that is connected to the profit margins and pockets of massive food conglomerates.
Having said this, I still have a complicated relationship with the commodification of the term "organic". I don't buy products in the store simply because they are organic. My participation in the organic food sector (as a consumer) is not without some trepidation, as I can definitely recognize that many brands cater to the upper-class appeal of organic branding. Organic branding is like sex-appeal for the privileged buyer! What can I say, I'm a healthy skeptic and I've read Marx in SIX courses across Political Science and Sociology!
The sad fact is that we actually need a discourse on food because it has ceased to be something natural in society. Food movements and food politics, in general, are evidence that we have landed in such a distant place from our food origins, that we actually require concerted efforts and advents such as "organic", where (what we now call) organic is simply the default method and condition of old school agriculture and is the norm in many developing countries.
For anyone who is interested in learning some more about these topics, here is a list of some great resources.
Films
Frankensteer
Food Inc
SuperSize Me
Seeds of Change
Life and Debt
Death on a Factory Farm
Books
What to Eat by Marion Nestle
Stuffed and Starved by Raj Patel
The Omnivore's Dilemma by Micheal Pollan
Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser
In Defense of Food by Micheal Pollan
Food Matters by Mark Bittman
Confessions of a Sneaky Organic Cook by Jane Kinderlehrer
Hungry Planet: What the World Eats by Peter Mentzel
Food Politics by Marion Nestle
The Yoga of Eating by Charles Eisenstein
Please feel free to ask if you are seeking academic material in these areas. I have a lonnnnnnnnnng list of great articles by scholars across the social sciences spectrum who write to the tune of some very hot debates happening right now. The books and films cited above are all very accessible and mostly written by academics, but very user-friendly.
So, if you ever feel far from home or wonder where you can find the real culture of your surroundings, look no further than your local farmer's market. You are sure to meet people whose families have inhabited the area for generations! Eating well is as much about the relationships between those who share the land, as those who share a table.
These are just some of my views, and while I can't resist the urge to toss a dollop of persuasion overtop the information, I certainly respect every perspective on this issue. There are endless ways to regard food and I would love to hear your views, as well. Have you visited your local market? What are your favorite things to buy locally?
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Should Feminists Engage with the State and Salmon.
The "F" word.
I could be referring to "feminism" or "fish" (or any other number of words beginning with this red-headed stepchild of the alphabet) but either word seems to provoke a twisted-nose "eww, that stinks" kinds of reaction out of some folks. I didn't realize the type of stigma that the feminist movement has incurred until I began exploring scholarly writing on feminism, the state and society writ-large. This course has been quite interesting and though the lectures could be a bit more engaging (though she does try hard, bless her heart!) it demands attentive discourse to areas that are often neglected by mainstream political theorists. The very notion of the state as a gendered concept has put some really crazy and interesting ideas in my head lately about how to resolve some of the socio-historical conditioning that seems to have laid a bedrock of patriarchy within the system.
There's only one solution. Fish. I believe wholeheartedly in the power of good, whole food for vibrant health. Although I do have a few staple supplements that I believe offer a whole host of benefits, there is really only one with which I could not willingly part: fish oil. Don't even get me started on the benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids. But even if you do want to get me started, don't. I have a paper to finish and you've never tested your tolerance for my praise of fish oil, so please, let's just stay friends! Having said this, the only thing better than those big, luminous, golden capsules full of magic is the real deal! Come to think of it, we may have stumbled up on a small fragment of the fountain of youth.
But back to feminist theories about state and society-centered approaches to change. The solution (if you'll pardon that innocent foray up there) is that we need to get everyone eating salmon. I really believe that this recipe not only brings out the glow between people, but the glow in people's skin, too! When our quality of life improves, our brains work better, when our blood-lipid profiles are at their best and when our skin, hair "and fingernails shine like justice" (to steal a line from Cake), can't we just put our differences aside and engage the salmon, which so obviously has more to offer us than the state?
I know what you're thinking: fish oils must be the reason why this girl is able to generate such sophisticated, methodological scholastic arguments. And you know what? You're absolutely right!
I'm going to share a recipe that was first made for me by my sister, Simmi. Now that she has deserted me to go be a towering resident alien in the Philipians, I have taken it upon myself to change things ever-so-slightly to challenge even the most severe cases of resistance to salmon.
Goan Fish Curry
Ingredients:
800g fish (I like salmon)
1 T olive or coconut oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 tomato, roughly chopped
4 green chilies, sliced
1 cup coconut milk
4T water
cilantro, a whole lot, finely chopped.
For Paste:
8 red chilies (dried)
1 tsp cumin seeds
1T chopped ginger
1T chopped garlic
1.5 tsp tamarind paste
1 tsp turmeric powder
10 tsp water
Combine all ingredients for paste in a food processor until you achieve...liquidation?
Rub the fish with turmeric and salt.
In a large, deep pan, heat the oil and sautee the onions until brown. Add the paste and tomatoes and fry briefly until colour just begins to change.
Pour in the coconut milk and water and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium, add the fish, green chiles and salt to taste. Cook about 6 minutes, or until fishes feel firm, baby.
Garnish salmon with fresh cilantro and serve to your wonderful Mom in a candlelit context, over rice, spinach or just by its lovely lonesome.
On the most unrelated note humanly possible, I am completely obsessed with vintage NBA highlight reels at the moment (much to the chagrin of my studies) but it would be criminal of me not to share what passes for motivation round here...Michael Jordan Top 10 Playoff Plays.
I could be referring to "feminism" or "fish" (or any other number of words beginning with this red-headed stepchild of the alphabet) but either word seems to provoke a twisted-nose "eww, that stinks" kinds of reaction out of some folks. I didn't realize the type of stigma that the feminist movement has incurred until I began exploring scholarly writing on feminism, the state and society writ-large. This course has been quite interesting and though the lectures could be a bit more engaging (though she does try hard, bless her heart!) it demands attentive discourse to areas that are often neglected by mainstream political theorists. The very notion of the state as a gendered concept has put some really crazy and interesting ideas in my head lately about how to resolve some of the socio-historical conditioning that seems to have laid a bedrock of patriarchy within the system.
There's only one solution. Fish. I believe wholeheartedly in the power of good, whole food for vibrant health. Although I do have a few staple supplements that I believe offer a whole host of benefits, there is really only one with which I could not willingly part: fish oil. Don't even get me started on the benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids. But even if you do want to get me started, don't. I have a paper to finish and you've never tested your tolerance for my praise of fish oil, so please, let's just stay friends! Having said this, the only thing better than those big, luminous, golden capsules full of magic is the real deal! Come to think of it, we may have stumbled up on a small fragment of the fountain of youth.
But back to feminist theories about state and society-centered approaches to change. The solution (if you'll pardon that innocent foray up there) is that we need to get everyone eating salmon. I really believe that this recipe not only brings out the glow between people, but the glow in people's skin, too! When our quality of life improves, our brains work better, when our blood-lipid profiles are at their best and when our skin, hair "and fingernails shine like justice" (to steal a line from Cake), can't we just put our differences aside and engage the salmon, which so obviously has more to offer us than the state?
I know what you're thinking: fish oils must be the reason why this girl is able to generate such sophisticated, methodological scholastic arguments. And you know what? You're absolutely right!
I'm going to share a recipe that was first made for me by my sister, Simmi. Now that she has deserted me to go be a towering resident alien in the Philipians, I have taken it upon myself to change things ever-so-slightly to challenge even the most severe cases of resistance to salmon.
Goan Fish Curry
Ingredients:
800g fish (I like salmon)
1 T olive or coconut oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 tomato, roughly chopped
4 green chilies, sliced
1 cup coconut milk
4T water
cilantro, a whole lot, finely chopped.
For Paste:
8 red chilies (dried)
1 tsp cumin seeds
1T chopped ginger
1T chopped garlic
1.5 tsp tamarind paste
1 tsp turmeric powder
10 tsp water
Combine all ingredients for paste in a food processor until you achieve...liquidation?
Rub the fish with turmeric and salt.
In a large, deep pan, heat the oil and sautee the onions until brown. Add the paste and tomatoes and fry briefly until colour just begins to change.
Pour in the coconut milk and water and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium, add the fish, green chiles and salt to taste. Cook about 6 minutes, or until fishes feel firm, baby.
Garnish salmon with fresh cilantro and serve to your wonderful Mom in a candlelit context, over rice, spinach or just by its lovely lonesome.
On the most unrelated note humanly possible, I am completely obsessed with vintage NBA highlight reels at the moment (much to the chagrin of my studies) but it would be criminal of me not to share what passes for motivation round here...Michael Jordan Top 10 Playoff Plays.
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Deconstructing "Ghetto Dude"
A quick debrief of the "ghetto dude" story:
Evon Reid, a (black) UofT Student and job candidate was described as "ghetto dude" in an internal email by a provincial government employee, to which he was mistakenly made privy. He was contacted shortly thereafter by the Premier of Ontario himself,(Dalton McGuinty,) who apologized for the descriminatory language used by the cabinet staffer who wrote the email. She is a political science student... zing!
Score one for civil libertarianism, score negative one for using it at work!
Anyhooski, a good friend from my high school days, Mr.Ike Awgu wrote a well-versed comment which is up on the globe and mail site. Check out "Discrimination: more than a matter of semantics" if you're interested in this story. Good to see my former schoolmates unleashing those smarts!
Evon Reid, a (black) UofT Student and job candidate was described as "ghetto dude" in an internal email by a provincial government employee, to which he was mistakenly made privy. He was contacted shortly thereafter by the Premier of Ontario himself,(Dalton McGuinty,) who apologized for the descriminatory language used by the cabinet staffer who wrote the email. She is a political science student... zing!
Score one for civil libertarianism, score negative one for using it at work!
Anyhooski, a good friend from my high school days, Mr.Ike Awgu wrote a well-versed comment which is up on the globe and mail site. Check out "Discrimination: more than a matter of semantics" if you're interested in this story. Good to see my former schoolmates unleashing those smarts!
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