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Salon's Rebecca Traister: The momification of Michelle Obama
delalluvia:
--- Quote ---For instance, I knew very little about John McCain before this election cycle, beyond his having been a POW for those years in Vietnam. (Another thing that is hard for Europeans to fathom right there: While it's impressive that he got through those POW years of terror and hardship, it's difficult to see why that in itself should make him more due respect and more qualified as president - the way US media and US public seemed to accept without question).
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This was due to the President's role as Commander in Chief. There are a great many people who feel that only someone with experience in war/military - the more the better - would be a better commander, with the ability to understand what it's like to serve, have empathy for the suffering of soldiers and would receive the instant respect of our military forces.
Mikaela:
--- Quote ---From the Audacity of Hope.
Barack continues, "No matter how liberated I liked to see myself as -- no matter how much I told myself that Michelle and I were equal partners, and that her dreams and ambitions were as important as my own -- the fact was that when children showed up, it was Michelle and not I who was expected to make the necessary adjustments. Sure, I helped, but it was always on my terms, on my schedule. Meanwhile, she was the one who had to put her career on hold."
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I am too tempted to prove that Brokeback Mountain is relevant to any situation. So in order to illustrate the above quote, I provide this image:
Seems far too little has changed from the mid-60's to this day, where married couples' relative priorities are concerned....
Mikaela:
--- Quote from: delalluvia on November 23, 2008, 01:51:35 pm ---
This was due to the President's role as Commander in Chief. There are a great many people who feel that only someone with experience in war/military - the more the better - would be a better commander, with the ability to understand what it's like to serve, have empathy for the suffering of soldiers and would receive the instant respect of our military forces.
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Thank you. Yes, of course. That is what we (well, at least I) just don't automatically remember - the importance of and pride in the armed forces in general US society. It's so very different over here, where the military forces and military issues just aren't important factors in elections and so forth - and where broad and general concensus (mostly) reigns. The military just isn't visible in the same way.
But, you know, the one thing I said before the campaigning started, was that I very much hoped McCain would be the Republican nominee - because I (naively) figured his stint as a POW would at least make him feel empathy with the poor unfortunate sods in US detention and make him put his foot firmly down where all kinds of torture were concerned. (Human rights is my Big Thing when it comes to politics.) Instead, he ended up not opposing the "enhanced interrogation methods" or whatever the euphemism for waterboarding and the like was. I couldn't believe it.
So whether he'd actually have had that expected empathy for the suffering of soldiers, well..... let's just say I'm glad it isn't going to be put to the test.
delalluvia:
--- Quote ---So whether he'd actually have had that expected empathy for the suffering of soldiers, well..... let's just say I'm glad it isn't going to be put to the test.
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I'm sure he would have - but only our own soldiers, not anyone elses.
Monika:
--- Quote from: Mikaela on November 23, 2008, 01:55:59 pm ---I am too tempted to prove that Brokeback Mountain is relevant to any situation. So in order to illustrate the above quote, I provide this image:
Seems far too little has changed from the mid-60's to this day, where married couples' relative priorities are concerned....
--- End quote ---
I love that scene and you´re right - it is still very relevent.
I hope that one day women can be more honest, also in public, about how they feel about many things.
I for one have never wanted children at all (it´s the stuff my nightmares consist of) and sometimes when telling people that, I definately see a reaction. That whole "every woman wants kids" mentality still lives on. But I dont get a reaction all the time so I think times are about to change.
But I think it´s important for women to stand up for what they truly think as well, and not always say what people expect to hear.
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