Happy Womens' History Month!

As I write this, I'm listening to Liz Phair's "Extraordinary" and feeling just that! I'm excited by the idea of started a new stage in this year of revolt. For March, and it couldn't be planned better, I'm researching the fight for Women's Rights, both domestically and internationally.

This, I've found out, is the fun part. The research month is full of reading all the books I want, watching all the documentaries and talking to as many people I can.

I've got a few books on my list to check out:
Cinderella Ate My Daughter
Factory Girls

On my list of YouTube Videos are a couple of brilliant young women:

Nineteenpercent is a smart outspoken feminist who cares about the state women are in today. Check out her Tumblr too!

feministfrequency voices all the crappy things wrong with today's media and how they damage the image and self-esteem of women. Check out her website too!

Wish me luck with finding more resources!

Why Revolt?

When I tell people about my year long project, they are amazed by my lofty plans and my commitment. Some days, I am too. When I first got started, I told my therapist: "I don't think I'll be able to do it." She nodded politely and asked what could possibly hold me back.

I knew that there were some days I wouldn't want to think about revolution. I would settle back into day to day living. I knew I could get tired or bored. I also realized there could  be a point where it would seem overwhelming. What could one person change? I can't shoulder this responsibility all by myself. What if no one follows me?

She told me to calm down, get out of my head and take it day by day. Change is slow. Change is difficult. "This must not be whim, right?" she asked me. "This has been weighing on your mind for awhile, right?"

She was right. Nancy is usually right.

I've always been ripe for a protest, but was never in a position to protest. I grew up in a sheltered and strict household where questioning authority wasn't an option. I had jobs where I was exploited for my time and speaking up to defend myself wasn't an option either. School was my only outlet.

It started in high school when I wouldn't stand for the morning Pledge of Allegiance. My ceramics teacher noticed me sitting in my seat, arms crossed, looking stolid.
"Halliburton!" he barked. "Stand for the Pledge."
"No."
"Why not?"
"I won't salute a flag that supports racism and exploitation," I told him defiantly. "I don't pledge to a country built on the backs of slaves."
For some reason, this explanation angered him. "If you won't stand in my class, then go out in the hallway."

I sat in the hallway for every pledge for the rest of that semester. Luckily, he didn't report my protest to the principal or my parents and I felt pretty good about myself.

Well I'm 27 years old now. I'm married, I pay bills, I take care of rabbit. I'm a full grown adult according to the law, but I feel like I have some time to make up for. Now that I'm free to reach my goals. . . I think it's time.

Conclusion

My month of Animal Rights protest is over. What have I managed? I read about the use of animals in our culture and watched what animal cruelty looked like. I learned something that will carry me through the rest of the year: nothing is black or white.

We all believe in something and most of the time we have a strong opinion about it. When I first started out, I knew I didn't like how animals were treated in our country and I was gung-ho about doing something about it. Along the way, however, I found out there wasn't a PETA persona hidden within me.

Revolt Gone Terribly Wrong

I love animals and I will protest for them, but I'll never do something so psychotic as kill someone. Today, I saw the news report about a woman named Meredith Lowell from Cleveland, Ohio hiring a hit man (FBI agent) to kill anyone randomly wearing fur. It's so bizarre how she laid out the plan for the would be hit man who, I'm sure, was recording her in disbelief.

Source

 Lowell identified with the animal rights group Animal Liberation Front, ALF, which is widely known for using violence to prove their point. These are people that can ratchet the protest to a dangerous point. They are considered a domestic terrorist group. The young woman also compared her liberation of animals to the WWII troops "liberating people from Nazi camps."

The whole story is just plain disturbing. Her reasoning is disturbing as well. Although not uncommon. Animals have been compared to a lot of oppressed people in history. It's an interesting tactic that's very exploitative and jarring. Lately, PETA has made a point to compare whales in captivity to America's history of slavery. It's a very irresponsible claim to make. Although I don't like the oppression of any living thing, the timing of their statement is disrespectful. It's Black History Month! As a black woman I sometimes feel like: "Damn, can't I just have small amount of time for recognition?" No, cause PETA's taking that away from me.

The gimmicks, the shock and the disturbing are taking away from all of these people's message. What starts out as well meaning work and protest gets out of control. At the end of the day, these people look like fools and make the rest of look like dangerous quacks. Here's that clip about PETA:

Petland: Stop Selling Rabbits

I'm still reading and signing petitions but I thought I would try my hand at creating a petition for change.org.
My love for rabbits was the catalyst for this:

 

I have petitioned the pet shop chain Petland to stop selling rabbits in all of their locations in America. Honestly, Petland is also known for getting dogs from puppymills and I would like to put a stop to that too. But I have to start small and make a precedent with the corporation. It's my hope that Petland will eventually stop selling animals in general and just stick to pet supplies.

Here's what my letter looks like and you can visit my petition page to read more and sign up!

Greetings,
I just signed the following petition addressed to:

Petland USA
Ed Kunzelman, Founder and CEO
Frank Difatta, President
250 Riverside St.; Chillicothe, OH 45601
ph: 740-775-2464 or 800-221-5935

----------------
Dear Ed Kunzelman:

As the founder and CEO of Petland Inc., I know you must care a great deal for animals big and small, because you bring joy to plenty of customers each year by offering a new addition to their family.

However, I am not satisfied with the manner in which you sell animals, especially rabbits. Easter is right around the corner and I'm concerned by the means with which you procure your rabbits and the treatment of the rabbits once they are in your stores.

The drowned rabbits incident in Akron, OH is still fresh in our memories and can be called a symptom of a much greater problem:
--Your baby bunnies, from rabbit mills, are collected and sold at too young of an age.
--Your baby bunnies are kept in living areas too small.
--Your baby bunnies don't go to the vet upon getting sick. Instead, your employees dispose of them at your stores.
--Your employees are not knowledgeable enough to give advice to potential bunny owners. They don't prepare owners with the necessary information to maintain and care for rabbits.

After this Easter, your Petland locations will be responsible for the deaths and the abandonment of hundreds of rabbits.
If you stop selling them at your stores, you will save lives. I know you are in the business of saving lives, not killing them. Please to an end to this.
----------------

Sincerely,
[Your name]