Current Events

Accusations of Intolerance

Recently, my stepfather and I were having a discussion about Phil Robertson and the Duck Dynasty controversy. He expressed disgust with some of Robertson’s remarks but also told me he felt that Christians were often called intolerant for upholding the tenants of their religion.

I understood his point. Many of you know that I was raised Southern Baptist and for most of my adolescence was a devoted evangelical Christian. I remember feeling persecuted for my beliefs during that time in my life. I always felt like I was on the losing end of the culture wars and that no matter what I did or what I said I would always be the outcast who wasn’t having sex before marriage or who would prefer reading her Bible to late night partying.

Of course, in reality, it doesn’t take much to make a teenager feel persecuted and I realize now that often people took real issue with my beliefs but never singled me out merely because of my identification as a Christian.

Will personal choice end the mommy wars?

If you’ve been on Facebook recently you’ve probably seen these photos. Connecticut Working Moms launched a photo series entitled “End the Mommy Wars” in which mothers with “warring” ideas are photographed together with placards representing the two sides. The idea being that we can all peacefully coexist and there’s no reason to judge one another.

It’s a really nice thought. At the risk of sounding a bit like George W. Bush, being a mother is HARD. Every day there seems to be endless ways to screw your kids up and get it all wrong. The guilt-ridden voices inside your own head are enough to deal with without the judgmental voices on the street or the playground adding to the cacophony.

However, I’m not sure that the answer to the “mommy wars” is embracing every parenting decision as an individual choice.

Government Shutdown: What's the REAL problem?

The government shutdown is over. Two weeks and 20 billion dollars later, there are several stories coming out of this debacle. Americans are angry at Congress. The Republican party is divided. Obamacare still exists. 

However, buried within each article I’ve read is what I consider the real cause of this debacle and the current political cold war.

Here it is in New York Times article today entitled Losing a Lot to Get Little:

The worry among many Republicans is that the Tea Party flank will not get the message, mainly because their gerrymandered districts are so conservative they do not have to listen.

Maria Kang and Mommy Body Shaming

You know what the mommy wars needed? A big ole dose of body shaming! 

Oh, wait. 

Fitness blogger Maria Kang posted the above image on Facebook this week and the image went VIRAL. 16 million views viral. 12,0000 comments viral. People reacted strongly - both in support and in disgust - to the image of Kang in a bikini with her three small children surrounding her under the caption, "What's your excuse?" 

The implication is clear. If you have recently given birth or have young children, that is not excuse from being fit (if we're being generous) or thin (if we're not).

I HATE CHEVRON

I’m sorry. I know it’s bright and cheery and oh-so-very graphic but I AM OVER CHEVRON.

I’m not a monster. I loved it at first, too. Chevron looked modern and hip. A pillow here. A curtain there. I especially loved it in kids’ rooms. I remember thinking chevron ceiling fan blades were the cutest thing I’d ever seen.

Then, chevron started to spread. Suddenly, it was filling entire walls. It was on wreaths and picture frames and bedspreads. 

Chevron was not to be contained. People started putting in on their nails and wearing it EVERYWHERE. Chevron dresses, chevron scarves, chevron purses.