What is it about this culture of fear in our society? What Prof. Barry Glassner explored so well in The Culture of Fear: Why Americans are Afraid of the Wrong Things has another dimension that he refuses to admit: that there is indeed a patricarchy that oppresses and marginalizes women. (To be fair, he seems to have a rather level-headed view of individual issues, like rape, but views much feminist talk as fear-mongering talk: "...feminist spokeswomen have mongered fears about sinister breeds of men who exist in nowhere near the high numbers they allege." He scoffs at "proof of the ravages of patriarchy and the need for fundamental social reform." [p. xxvii, paperback edition] And this is from the introduction, setting the tone for this whole book!

To be sure, everyone can get carried away. But what is it about men that makes them so g.d. blind to the privileges they enjoy over women? Glassner, for example, seems to believe that indictment of the patriarchal culture requires firm evidence of high percentages of men of evil and malicious nature, and seems entirely blind to the fact that it does not take a majority to oppress and abuse women, and it does not take evil and malice to behave in ways that degrade, devalue, and, yes, oppress women.

What makes men so blind to things like not taking women seriously, or valuing women by physical attractiveness, or how men like to place themselves in the role of arbiter of what is right and wrong? (They will listen to women, and pat themselves on the back for doing so, but will never question their assumption of the role of judge as to whether the woman's perspective has merit, let alone whether it should be applied to action.)

I suggest that there is something to fear about the patriarchy. There are a lot of things to fear. For women, the reasons are legion. (Read D.A. Clarke's poem, privilege, for a most-eloquent list.)

But what about our society as a whole -- the whole world, for that matter? Are there not aspects of the patriarchy that have potentially dire consequences for the future of our civilization?

Let's look at war, and how so much of it is wrapped up in macho posturing and grossly violent attempts to get the other guy to back down. The Clauswitzian notion that war is politics continued by other means is limited in that it fails to recognize how much of war is a matter of men acting on feelings of insecurity -- feelings caused in part by the actions of other men, but arising largely out of their own unrequited desires for security through total control and needs to be the most manly man among men.

Look at our culture, and how so many men today consider compromise as failure, and see men who do not operate by aggressiveness and attempts at domination as "girlie men." Look at how they consider "girlie men" to be inferior by merit of being like women, like girls.

Let's look at the religious right, a culture built up and around a view of the world with a man as Creator. Look at the culture where men are the arbiters of the Creator's intentions. Look at a patriarchy within the patriarchy where maleness creates all life, nurtures all life, defines all life, and judges all life. Look at the church building, the male womb with its gothic pubic decoration, its gilted vulva (doors), its long vaginal canal that leads to the cerivcal altar, where the insemination by the Creator's word, performed by a man, takes place for all, often echoed with a physical insemination of the body of the Son into the receiving egg of the parishoner, so that he (and she, too, in limited ways) can go forth to inseminate others with the male seed of the church.

Let's look at how this religion emerged from cultures with both matriarchal and patriarchal traditions and was coopted by the patriarchal (and pagan) Roman Empire into a misogynistic dynasty that made women into property to be owned and controlled. Let's look at how Islam offers a divergent view, where several men are arbiters of the Creator's word, and how women are still made into property to be owned and controlled.

Let's look at our modern nation, which rejected a Constitutional Amendment that simply codified what seemed so obvious: that women are equal to men under the law. Look at how the patriarchal religions led the greater patriarchy in a charge to prevent the the ERA from passing. Look at how the slave states were the ones resisting the ERA.

Let's look at how the patriarchy that claims to be so suspicious of government (for it violates their own authority) refuses to even see the same issue when it comes to governmental authority over a woman's body. Look at how the patriarchy villifies single women who are mothers, condemning them for having their babies, and condemning the rest for not having babies.

Let's listen to how the leaders of the patriarchy speak of how other cultures do not respect women, and let's look at these same leaders refuse to provide foreign aid unless these other cultures enact policies and laws that disempower women and take away women's control over their own bodies. Look at how teen pregnancy has become a moral issue rather than a health policy issue.

Let's listen to these spokesmen of the patriarchy rant and rave about how our culture, in this season of giving and charity, is failing not by too much crass commercialism but rather by not embracing enough the Son. Let's listen to the patriarchal leaders call women who reject their authority "feminazis" and "witches." Look at them rail against Madonna for making money on their lust, and then again with renewed vigor when she dares embrace the Kaballah. Look at them rail against Martha Stewart for daring to do what they do, and criticize her for not being a nice (billionaire) woman. Look at them spit and sputter over Hilary for ... well, being smart and being a woman and not playing the role of vacuous first lady. Look at how they did the same with Teresa.

Let's look at the supposed defenders of women's rights and how they dismiss feminist concerns about violence against women in our own country. Look at how they, too, love to strike the manly pose. Look at how they bow to the manlier men and strive to play their game so they, too, can be manlier.

Let's look at how women can play the babe and create money-making deals for the men in Hollywood, but female directors are mistrusted and marginalized. Let's look at the groping reputation of Hollywood's Republican Governator.

Let's look at how the woman who claims sexual assault is put on trial because she dares accuse the sports star who happens to be the darling of the liberal establishment. Let's look at how only one woman's name comes up in any discussion of the next generation of network news anchors. Let's look at how Janet Jackson's breast is more of an obscenity than the killing done on the same day.

Let's look at all these things, and so many more, and consider: Is it blindness or misogyny that produces these things?

Fear-mongering happens a lot. But sometimes there really are scary things, and when it comes to issues like these, it seems that men, even well-intentioned men, are deaf, dumb and blind to them. Individually, men can be quite wonderful. But our culture does need some fixing.

Of course, men will have to weigh these words and pass judgment. Who am I but some uppity bitch?

/rant

p.s. - I know this could have been more cheerful, given the season. But there's always egg nog, bourbon and chocolate.

If you haven't seen the trailer yet, it's here. Hysterical!

Found on Mouse Words.

My mother taught me Tarot. She was taught by the Gypsies - back in the old world. ALL cards are drawn at random from the deck. I will explain no more about me and cut to the chase.

President George's Bush's tarot for the rest of 2004.

First look at the Cards Bush will be playing with and their positions.

The Significator, this is what the Tarot reading speaks to: The Two of Wands is the Lord of Dominion. The picture says it all. The world in his hands, the two poles (wands) suggest a weighing of alternatives. Two factions within the administration are fighting to get his ear on where to take matters in the remaining days of his existing administration.

Covering Card, this covers him: The Three of Cups. Celebration to be sure what with the victory and the inaugural coming up. Yet, President Bush would be wise to be wary of his insiders. They may appear in harmony in front of him, but behind the scenes some of them are not pleased and have reservations about policy.

Crossing Card, behind the scenes - everything has a secret side: Queen of Swords. This is a powerful woman who wields the sword. Though she is a queen, she is old school and works to the benefit of conservative forces. She is deep in this mix of cards and working behind the scenes and she has as much to celebrate as Bush himself. Is this Condoleezza Rice? Whoever she is, she is far more powerful and central than even the President suspects.

The Foundation, this is below him on which he stands: Seven of Cups. Sometimes called Megalomania, this card is particularly troublesome, especially in this spot. This is not Bush himself, necessarily. It is the atmosphere around him as well. It verges on the Crime of Hubris. All things are possible, or so it seems, but after Hubris comes Nemesis and the President should be on guard against getting carried away.

Behind, this is finished business: Ten of Swords. Almost sacrificially, the figure lays on a lonely beach, stabbed in the back. The figure serves as an example to others. Kerry is out of the way as is Sadam. So is Colin Powell. The new Bush administration is truly going to go in new directions. Bush is sincere when he says he believes he has a mandate and he intends to make his second Presidency more vital than his first. The Queen of Swords survives while others are no longer part of the inner circle.

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Above, what is hanging in the air: Five of Wands. A quarrel, an argument, a feud. Remember the crossing card? The inner circle's possible disaffection. Well, it may break out openly that the power struggle will erupt openly and the President may have trouble keeping the lid on. Certain factions within the administration are pushing for the President to act now, while he can, and rid himself of certain individuals who are a liability. Now's the time to do it as later it will be more obvious. What better time than during the appointments for the new administration - and it may be more than Donald Rumsfeld who is under fire.

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In Front, this is right in front. Queen of Cups. The Queen of Hearts, as it were - an important woman, but not like the Queen of Swords. My take is that Laura Bush will be more important in this than people realize. The President found she was a valuable ally during the election, not only in getting votes, but also in thinking things through. The President and First Lady are discussing developments and those who do not take Laura into account are misunderestimating her influence.

The Outcome, the future: The High Priestess. Hidden forces at work. This goes well beyond the inner jockying for power within the administration. Notice the two pillars of power that we saw in the Significator - the two wands. The wood turns to marble. The woman holds the Torah. The B stands for Bereishith, the beginning, Genesis, J for the Prophets, Joshua being the first of them. Prophecy is being fulfilled. The crescent moon of Islam is also in the picture. The only card in this reading that is not a sword, wand, or cup. In Tarot this is called a "Higher Arcana" card. The week's events are minor, but they add up to something major for the future.

The Meanings

The President is feeling very upbeat and feels boundless optimism as the year ends. He is making the decisions he feels will assure his place in history and he is surrounding himself with like minded people. Laura Bush is his closest confidant in this and he believes he owes his re-election to her guidance.

The President wishes to consolidate his power and he knows that with the right team, his second term will assure his place in history.

The mid-East, obviously, is much on his mind, but it is so central to him that it crowds out most other things. For example, the reading drew no pentacles - coins, as it were - and so his concerns about money are in the background. The issues Bush wants to grapple with are those of Realpolitik. Like his father, international politics are far closer to his heart than those of the American economy and he is thinking that the American economy is best served by expanding America's might and influence overseas.

His Achilles heel is pictorialized in the Seven of Cups, the Foundation Card. The infinite possibilities are not as infinite as the President may believe. With the election over, the opposition is laying low and licking its wounds. Inauguration is always a time of celebration. All things seem possible.

And yet, the President does have his eyes square on the mid-East and he sees himself in prophesy and his political appointments also fulfill his religious vision of the future. Look to the last books of the New Testament if you want to understand what the President may be thinking. He is not going to force the end times, but his plan is to have the machinery in place if that should turn out to be so. But this is a minor note in this reading at this time.

This week will have longterm consequences and there will be some shifts of power, but the President at this moment is supremely confident and has every right to feel that way.

And the strange insight? For a President who is not for ERA, this man is very influenced by women and he trusts them more than he trusts men.

This one is worth revisiting ... from Mel Gilles, posting on Matthew Gross's blog just a few days after the election:

The Politics of Victimization

Watch Dan Rather apologize for not getting his facts straight, humiliated before the eyes of America, voluntarily undermining his credibility and career of over thirty years. Observe Donna Brazille squirm as she is ridiculed by Bay Buchanan, and pronounced irrelevant and nearly non-existent. Listen as Donna and Nancy Pelosi and Senator Charles Schumer take to the airwaves saying that they have to go back to the drawing board and learn from their mistakes and try to be better, more likable, more appealing, have a stronger message, speak to morality. Watch them awkwardly quote the bible, trying to speak the new language of America. Surf the blogs, and read the comments of dismayed, discombobulated, confused individuals trying to figure out what they did wrong. Hear the cacophony of voices, crying out, “Why did they beat me?�

And then ask anyone who has ever worked in a domestic violence shelter if they have heard this before.

They will tell you, every single day.

The answer is quite simple. They beat us because they are abusers. We can call it hate. We can call it fear. We can say it is unfair. But we are looped into the cycle of violence, and we need to start calling the dominating side what they are: abusive. And we need to recognize that we are the victims of verbal, mental, and even, in the case of Iraq, physical violence.

As victims we can’t stop asking ourselves what we did wrong. We can’t seem to grasp that they will keep hitting us and beating us as long as we keep sticking around and asking ourselves what we are doing to deserve the beating.

Listen to George Bush say that the will of God excuses his behavior. Listen, as he refuses to take responsibility, or express remorse, or even once, admit a mistake. Watch him strut, and tell us that he will only work with those who agree with him, and that each of us is only allowed one question (soon, it will be none at all; abusers hit hard when questioned; the press corps can tell you that). See him surround himself with only those who pledge oaths of allegiance. Hear him tell us that if we will only listen and do as he says and agree with his every utterance, all will go well for us (it won’t; we will never be worthy).

And watch the Democratic Party leadership walk on eggshells, try to meet him, please him, wash the windows better, get out that spot, distance themselves from gays and civil rights. See them cry for the attention and affection and approval of the President and his followers. Watch us squirm. Watch us descend into a world of crazy-making, where logic does not work and the other side tells us we are nuts when we rely on facts. A world where, worst of all, we begin to believe we are crazy.

***

Even if you do everything right, they’ll hit you anyway. Look at the poor souls who voted for this nonsense. They are working for six dollars an hour if they are working at all, their children are dying overseas and suffering from lack of health care and a depleted environment and a shoddy education. And they don’t even know they are being hit.

Read the whole thing

I'm filled with emotion and find it hard to find words. I had been focusing on the victim mind of the radical right, how they claim that they are victims of this, that and the other thing. But this puts it all into place -- the abuser claims to be the victim. "You're making me beat you, damn it!" And the biggest mistake is to try to engage in that game, to play on that level of discourse, from the assumption that somehow you are wrong.

Somehow I missed this when it was posted. I need time to digest this. I wish I wrote this.