Wisdom Quarterly: American Buddhist Journal: Going Republican on International Women's Day?

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Going Republican on International Women's Day?

Seth Auberon, Ashley Wells, CC Liu, Dhr. Seven, Pat Macpherson, Wisdom Quarterly; I.W.D.

The Goddess Pallas taming the Centaur (Botticelli, circa 1482, Getty/Guardian.com)

Maybe the real root issue is commuting, maybe. Maybe not (ozy.com/acumen).

The great Gina Guarnieri used to say, "What do we need a 'Woman's Day' for? It's an insult! We'll never be equal until there is no marginalized day or when everyday is [International] Women's Day." That's idealistic, I answered. The fact is there is sexism right now. Acting as if there isn't isn't going to make things better.

Maybe she was onto something with The Secret: fake it till you make it, be the change, use the Isaiah Effect (Gregg Braden), don't dream it, be it... All this time later, here we are.

We'd rather vote for screw-it-all-comedian Donald [Duck] Trump than war criminal and unindicted co-conspirator former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. We sing, "Dong-dong, the [w]itch is dead," when we hear Nancy "Just Say No" Reagan kicked the bucket at 94. She was still alive? You'd think Dick Nixon just died with all the revisionist history.

(Zero Media) Bye, Nancy Reagan: "The Witch" Trailer #1, Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Ineson movie

Buddhist Goddess Green Tara, Tibet

Today is International Woman's Day and it couldn't be more welcome with things the way they are. There is more sexism, more patriarchy, more misogyny and less awareness of what women go through.

It's systemic, just just a lot of eave teasing and workaday sexual harassment. There are accomplishments, of course. There is more lip service given to rape, campus sexual assault, depictions in porn, and "doing things like a girl."

We're far from equity, fairness, a level playing field, and why would men and their many sexist-allies (of female persuasion) give more than we demand? Is another revolution needed? Will things grind on with incremental improvement?

Do we need a P*ssy Riot and topless Femen protests (or is that part of the problem), and Katy Perry's whipping cream, Taylor Swift and Beyonce calling themselves "feminists" like the Spice Girls did with no one speaking up for feminism?

Kwan Yin, Buddhist Goddess of Compassion

In the past men in the West controlled females by keeping them in a perpetual state of infantilization, cute and dumb, helpless, in no need of education, wobbling on high heels. It's time we stop leaning on men and not be reduced to dummies, honies, and sexy things. Males can't change without our help, and too many women are keeping things just the way they are, like Nancy Reagan and Tipper Gore and now Mrs. Trump and Mr. Michael Obama...

Should we go Republican, get into football and the injurious sports? Listening to right wing radio is fun with all that yelling and just under the surface racism/sexism, Christian elitism, and white privilege.

Voting? Consider going GREEN: Jill Stein

There was a simpler time. Who knows when it was, maybe in barbaric biblical days. The Buddha did so much to advance the cause of women, but many of the monks in the Bhikkhu Sangha saw to it that things were turned back to a hierarchy and patriarchy. The least we can do is re-reform this liberating Dharma, restore it to the Buddha vision? Sounds like a plan. The first step is awareness; the final step is wisdom and compassion.

Vedic Hindu Lakshmi, Siri, Maa Laxmi, Buddhist Uppalavanna (godwallpapers4all)

Dark side of the Moon: Millions across the Pacific flock to see the only solar eclipse of 2016 as Asian countries are momentarily plunged into darkness Thousands of tourists and astronomy enthusiasts flocked to Indonesia to catch its first solar eclipse in nearly 33 years. The eclipse was also visible in parts of Australia and south-east Asia

Prayers, cheers as total eclipse darkens swathe of Indonesia

PALEMBANG, Indonesia - People gazed at the sky in wonder and cheered while others knelt in prayer as a total eclipse of the sun unfolded over Indonesia on Wednesday. The rare astronomical phenomenon was witnessed along a narrow path that stretched across 12 provinces encompassing three time zones and about 40 million people. In other parts of the Indonesian archipelago and Asia, a partial eclipse was visible (AP).