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May

30

Jessica Valenti on “The fake feminism of Sarah Palin”

Filed Under Gender, Women | 4 Comments

Read it in today’s Washington Post and let me know your thoughts.  Cutting to the chase, so that you understand how Jessica Valenti defines “feminism”:

Feminism is a social justice movement with values and goals that benefit women. It’s a structural analysis of a world that oppresses women, an ideology based on the notion that patriarchy exists and that it needs to end.

What Palin is peddling isn’t feminism — it’s a manipulated buzzword being used to garner support for a party that time and time again votes against women’s rights. Palin isn’t trying to further a movement for justice or equality; she’s shilling for women’s votes — a “stampede of pink elephants,” she says — for the midterm elections.

I’ve just finished reading Click by Courtney E. Martin and J. Courtney Sullivan and will be interviewing the latter later this week. Jessica’s timing is impeccable.

And as food for thought, here’s a comment my friend, Gloria Pan, wrote on Facebook in regard to other comments about Palin and the label of “feminism”:

…What I like about Palin related to this whole feminist thing is that her marriage really does seem to be an equal partnership, with her husband giving her plenty of room to shine, and her not hesitating.

Even Joanne Punditmom Bamberger concurs:

Excellent point, Gloria. I could only hope to have my husband shoulder that much of the domestic load.

I have to tell you – this partnership thing with one’s mate, this is a big deal when it comes to striking out at the glass ceilings for those in my generation (DOB 1962).

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 2:44 pm May 30th, 2010 in Gender, Women | 4 Comments 

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May

30

VOTING ENDS 5/31: EfficientGovNow or never?

Filed Under Cleveland+, Economy, Energy, Environment, Government, Ohio, Tech, Voting | Leave a Comment

Nah – not really now or never, but definitely “now” if you are one of the finalists in NE Ohio’s online competition that seeks to encourage regionalism, EfficientGovNow.org.

EfficientGovNow is a competitive award and civic engagement program that encourages and accelerates government cooperation and efficiency by providing philanthropic funds to local government collaboration projects as selected by the residents  of Northeast Ohio.

Now is your chance, Northeast Ohio. We’ve chosen the best and brightest ideas presented by partnerships of local government officials and YOU get to choose your favorites to receive funding. Follow the three easy steps below to participate. Voting is open May 1 to May 31, 2010. Each resident (age 13+) may cast one ballot.

Announcement of the projects selected to receive funding, provided by the Fund for Our Economic Future, will take
place in early June 2010. Questions? Contact us at efficientgovnow@futurefundneo.org. Prefer a paper ballot?

Finalist projects include those that have to do with sharing services (fire, dispatch), renewable energy (solar) and technology (GIS).  The Plain Dealer gave this competition a boost in this editorial two days ago.

Good luck and good thinking.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 9:11 am May 30th, 2010 in Cleveland+, Economy, Energy, Environment, Government, Ohio, Tech, Voting | Please comment 

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May

28

Are Asian Carp NE Ohio’s BP?

Filed Under Environment, Ethics, Government, leadership, Ohio, Politics | 1 Comment

Read this and tell me we should wait and wait and wait until something happens.  People’s desire to ignore risk, anticipated, knowable risk, in exchange for putting off action, putting off cost, pretending maybe something won’t happy, defies all boundaries.  Just look at the Gulf Coast. Not just the BP spill, but Katrina.

All knowable risks.  ALL knowable risks.

And which factors got priority? What a surprise. Not.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 2:34 pm May 28th, 2010 in Environment, Ethics, Government, leadership, Ohio, Politics | 1 Comment 

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May

26

“The first problem is giving women authority…”

Filed Under democracy, Elections, Gender, Government, Israel, Law, middle east, Politics, Sexism, Social Issues, Voting, Women | 1 Comment

He did not say that, did he? From Ynet:

One woman, who remains anonymous, sent a letter to Rabbi Levanon asking whether she could run for the position [of community secretary]. “I am a young woman and I think I have the desire and energy to do things. I also believe there is a benefit to making a woman secretary, because it’s not right for men to be the only ones deciding how to run the community,” she wrote to the rabbi, asking his opinion.

But in his weekly column in the settlement’s newspaper Levanon wrote that the position of secretary was not fit for a woman, according to the teachings of the Rav Kook. He said women could participate in various councils, but not as secretaries.

“The first problem is giving women authority, and being a secretary means having authority,” he wrote….

And if I thought the stress on unanimity was strong in local politics:

The rabbi added that women who desired to affect public opinion should do so through their husbands. “Within the family certain debates are held and when opinions are united the husband presents the family’s opinion,” he wrote.

“This is the proper way to prevent a situation in which the woman votes one way and her husband votes another.”

Yeah, we won’t be seeing any local ordinance proposals that look like that.

Women are objecting and in part on the grounds I often mention as the place where I most disagree with how Israel’s government operates:

Nurit Tsur, who heads the Israel Women’s Lobby, said the rabbi’s decision was anti-democratic and medieval. “Its place is in a halachic state and not a democratic one,” she said.

“When things like this are taken out of the sphere of mere talk and made into a clear order for the Jewish female public in Israel, I expect leaders of the religious public to decry them and clarify that women’s place in local and national political discussion is necessary and vital,” Tsur said.

This 2010, people.  Come on!

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 4:33 pm May 26th, 2010 in democracy, Elections, Gender, Government, Israel, Law, middle east, Politics, Sexism, Social Issues, Voting, Women | 1 Comment 

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May

16

Damn, it’s a good thing I’m watching other people’s news again

Filed Under Cleveland+, Ohio, Sports | 2 Comments

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 10:30 am May 16th, 2010 in Cleveland+, Ohio, Sports | 2 Comments 

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