Yes, ALL Women

By now, you’ve probably all heard about Elliot Rodger, who went on a murderous rampage last weekend, killing six students from the University of California, Santa Barbara and leaving thirteen others wounded.  In an over 100-page manifesto, Rodger detailed his plan to ‘destroy everything I cannot have,” blaming the “cruelness of women” for leading to his “day of retribution.”  Unfortunately, I’ve blogged numerous times about gun violence and mass shootings, so that’s not what I’m dedicating this post to.  If you’re interested in reading any of those posts, you can use the word “shooting” in the search bar. 

Rather, what struck me about this incident was the Twitter conversation #YesAllWomen that sprung up shortly after the shooting and has continued trending all week.  The conversation centered around the fact that obviously not all men sexually abuse or kill women, but ALL women have dealt with gender discrimination, sexual harassment and/or sexual abuse.  You can check out the conversation on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/hashtag/YesAllWomen?src=tren

I found this conversation to be disheartening.  I already knew women are making less than men with the same education and skills.  I knew rapes and sexual assaults occur more frequently than any of us know, and often go unreported. And yes, I knew that women are oftentimes harassed, catcalled, and taunted just for being women, but I hadn’t really thought about the systematic, widespread culture that works against women on an everyday basis. Yes – ALL women!

So my question to you this week is two-fold: For the ladies – “Do you agree that all women face these kinds of issues? Have you had any experiences like the ones in #YesAllWomen that you would like to share?”  For the men – “Do you feel like all men get a bad rap, based off the actions of a few?  What do you think can be done to ensure equality in all aspects of life for both men and women?”  Answers are due no later than Wednesday, June 4^th, 2014.

To kick off the conversation, I’ll start!  In college, unbeknownst to me, a guy followed me home from the club one night.  When he knocked at my door, I thought it was a friend who had just dropped me off, so I opened it.  He was very drunk, and very forceful in his demands that “I wanted it and had been asking for it all night.”   Thankfully, I was able to get out of his grasp and run outside where my screams alerted my neighbors.  I’d like to think that if I had been raped that night, I would’ve instantly reported it and submitted to a rape kit, but honestly, I’m not so sure.  Perhaps I would’ve been so mentally and physically broken that I wouldn’t have had the strength to do just that.  It makes my heart hurt for all women who’ve had to endure such assaults.  Since I’ve started my professional career there have been numerous occasions in which I’ve seen gender discrimination in the workplace.  No, it hasn’t been blatant – but then again, it doesn’t have to be.  I’ve been in meetings in which as the only woman, I’ve been asked to get the coffee.  I’ve made executive decisions, and then had individuals go to my male counterpart for confirmation.  It doesn’t make me a victim – it just means I have to work that much harder to be successful.  It makes me stronger, and it makes me look for ways in which I can help other young women succeed in the workplace.  I don’t know if ALL women have faced these issues, but I know for sure, me and my friends have.

 

 

Celebrating a Three-Day Weekend? Thank A Veteran!

I have been looking forward to the three-day weekend coming up for a long time. This year, I'm hosting a big cookout at my house for family and friends. The pools re-open, I get a free day off of work and more importantly, summer begins!

It dawned on me as I sat down to write this post, that the true meaning of Memorial day is often lost. Most people know that Memorial Day is to honor soldiers who have died in combat, but did you know that a national moment of remembrance, in the form of a moment of silence, takes place at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time? Another tradition is to fly the flag at half-staff from dawn until noon local time. Many people observe the holiday by visiting graves and cemeteries to honor family members who have died. Hundreds of volunteers place American flags on veteran grave sites across the country.

Both of my Grandpa's are WWII veterans. I remember how seriously my grandma took Memorial Day and her responsibilities to honor my Grandpa, the flag and our country. I realize that those duties have been lost on my generation, in lieu of BBQ, beer and the Indy 500. It made me realize that it is time to step up to the plate. So, this weekend, I pledge to do something to honor my grandpa's and others who have died in service of this country. My question to you this week is "How do you celebrate Memorial Day? Do you do anything to honor it's true meaning?" Answers are due no later than Wednesday, May  28th, 2014. To those of you that have volunteered to serve our country so that life is better for all of us - I honor and salute you! Have a happy and safe holiday weekend!

Fed Up!

This week, the documentary, "Fed Up!" opened in selected theaters. The film is co-produced by Katie Couric, and Laurie David - the same producer of "The Inconvenient Truth," which we watched in class last week.  The film attacks both the food sector and the federal government for playing a significant role in the obesity crisis.  Those of you who know me, know I love to cook.  I particularly focus on making things from scratch, using local produce and poultry, and avoiding dyes and preservatives as much as possible.  I do this mainly for environmental reasons, although I do agree that the dyes, preservatives and pesticides are also contributing to our allergy epidemic.  So, I was pretty interested when I came across an article detailing some of the statistics in the movie.  Consider the following:

• The average kid would need to ride a bike for 1 hour and 20 minutes to burn off a 20 ounce Coke.
• Sugar is one of the few things that isn't required to have a daily recommended intake label on food.
• In 1980, there were zero cases of type 2 diabetes among 8-19 year olds.  In 2010, there were 57,638 cases.
• Most nutritionists agree, we need 6-9 teaspoons of sugar each day.  Our grocery stores have over 60,000 products and 80% of them have added sugar. 
• The current generation of kids is expected to have a shorter lifespan than their parents.

Obesity is often described as a personal problem - that is, the person lacks exercise or self-control.  Honestly, I've been guilty of that too.  I've spent hours running at the gym, and feeling really depressed when I don't go, or when I succumb to a craving and have a cookie...or two.  The movie isn't saying that exercise and self-control aren't important for weight management and overall health.  Rather the film argues that the food industry and the federal government, contribute to our obesity crisis by lax public policy and regulations.  It's not just as simple as avoiding sugary foods.  Almost everything has sugar in it nowadays - muffins, granola, pasta, juice - even things you think are healthier options.

Industry experts claim the film oversimplifies a complicated issue.  They point out that organic and natural labeling are on the rise, and more kids are exercising - thanks in part, to Michele Obama's "Let's Move!" campaign.  So my question to you this week is, "Do you think the federal government plays a role in our obesity epidemic, or does it come down to personal choice?  Do you think all this sugar is really a  problem - or is it just another scapegoat like fat or carbohydrates have been in the past?"  Answers are due no later than Wednesdays, May 21st, 2014.

The Mile High City May Be Higher Than We Think - Part 2

This week, I traveled to Denver, Colorado for business.  I’ve been before and have always enjoyed my time there, but this was the first time I’ve been since they legalized marijuana. Colorado’s law legalizing the drug for recreational use became effective January 1^st of this year.  As much as we've heard about their new drug laws, I expected to see signs of it everywhere, but I was wrong.  There were no advertisements, no smoky air and no dazed and confused people walking around.  Just a beautiful, diverse city filled with music, good food and public art.  

Colorado residents can purchase up to 1 ounce and out-of-state visitors can buy .25 ounce during their stay.  Colorado expects to take in $184 million in tax revenue in just the first 18 months. Think of what that kind of money could do here in Indiana!

I’ve blogged before about the economic benefits of legalizing marijuana, even if only for medicinal uses.  If you’re interested in reading my thoughts and your fellow students’ comments, you can click here: http://historicalandpoliticalissues.blogspot.com/2009/10/can-marijuana-save-te-economy.html

However, despite the fact that legalizing marijuana may provide much needed revenue, opponents say legalizing pot will only add to social woes; increasing crime, drug addiction, mental health disorders, and driving up insurance rates.  So my question to you this week is "Should the United States legalize marijuana, medicinally or otherwise?" Answers are due by Wednesday, May 14th, 2014.   

Should A Free People Be Armed?

Many of you probably saw the displays downtown last week, when Indianapolis hosted the National Rifle Association convention; one of the largest in the city’s history.  Over 70,000 people were expected to attend the convention to strategize on gun rights, view the guns and ammunition exhibit, and network with other gun enthusiasts.

I’ll be frank – I’m torn on this issue. I don’t come from a family that owns guns. I don’t think I would want one in my home. Every time there has been a mass shooting – and there have been far too many in my opinion, it has made my heart heavy.  If you’re interested in reading any of these other posts, you can use the word “shooting” in the search bar at the top of the page.

That being said, I strongly support the U.S. Constitution and the people’s right to bear arms.  Restricting people’s freedom’s (in any sense), is a slippery slope to start down.  I know that most people who buy guns, don’t intend to use them to harm people.  I just think there should be better background checks, waiting periods, etc.

This is a pretty controversial issue that is heating up all around the country.  It’s also one that many of you said you like to discuss.  So my question to you this week is, “What do you think about our nation’s gun laws?  Do you think they relate at all to the mass shootings we have had over the years – or are those isolated incidents?”  Answers are due no later than Wednesday, May 7^th, 2014.

P.S.  Last week in class we briefly discussed the Gainful Employment Rule.  If you’re interested in reading my previous post and your fellow students’ comments, you can access it here:  http://historicalandpoliticalissues.blogspot.com/2014/02/gainful-employment-and-you.html