Stolen from an Email...

"I just watched Osama and I'm deeply deeply pissed off and disturbed. I
feel like these past few months have been a lesson in the fucking
misogyny in this world and how unbelievably pervasive it is... and
this movie. Oh my God, this movie. I don't think I've ever
been this personally angry about any movie I've ever seen... it's so
powerful. I don't know if you've seen it... it's about this young girl
who dresses up like a boy to make money for her family under the
Taliban regime. It's incredible. Absolutely incredible, and
infuriating. And for some reason this is all just hitting me at the
right time... this fucking right some men assume and some women offer
up and give over. It's so deeply ingrained... even here, in *my* life,
in goddamn New York City in my empowered dress-how-you-like,
do-what-you-love family and culture and education and JESUS even my
profession. Why is it that since coming to NYU I've felt more limited
and frustrated by my sex and gender than I ever have before? Why is
this even an issue at this point?? How the hell is it that there are
women alive in this country who were born at a time when their parents
would not have assumed they would vote in this country? Why is it that
we're stuck in this bubble of fake power?? And the worst part of all
of this is that while I am shocked when I really think how long women
have been able to vote, or the civil rights movement, or gay rights or
anything, it makes so much sense that this world is just fucking nuts.
I want to know what biological seed breeds this bigotry. We must be
wired this way. WIRED. That's the scariest part. Society society
society, right right, women's studies. Whatever. We are wired to FORM
SOCIETIES. So we much also be wired to create all this maldistribution
of rights. That's horrifying.

Some thoughts at 3:11am. Remind me of the good people who live as good
examples. Because it's becoming glaringly clear to me that I've been
lying to myself thinking I've been living against it. I've contributed
to it... so so much, and mostly at cost to myself. What could possibly
be the evolutionary benefit of screwing myself over and handing over
my power and what I respect to other people? And I'm not the only one... so many beautiful people I respect and want to pattern myself after are sabotaging themselves on the basis of whatever "group" they belong to.

And now, this whole time, I'm afraid of what I must sound like. Not
just to you. To me, too... that I'm just becoming a feminazi or
something. And I want permission to be angry, to be really angry...
but I also know that my anger isn't going to accomplish much."


See this movie. Seriously. See Osama. Not just to look at your own life... but also it's a well-made movie. *sigh*
I wish I wasn't so tired, otherwise I'd write more vent. Possibly a play. Or a letter. OR A PLEA TO EVERYONE I KNOW.

I love you all. Fight by living the good example. Raise your children well, teach those who love you well, and know that FOR GOD'S SAKE YOU COULD BE WRONG ABOUT SOMETHING. Just because it's worked for you your whole life, it doesn't mean it's the best way to live.

/me hoards the soapbox

http://www.osamamovie.com/