"Anyway, if the old rules don't apply, have any new ones been invented
yet?"
One of the many evils of patriarchy is the use of rules and laws to
control our lives :(
jen
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>From [EMAIL PROTECTED] Thu Jul 30 17:36:14 1998
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 1998 07:36:18 GMT
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
From: bunny <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Womens involvement in different issues and a poem
In Australia there are many women involved in animal welfare and animal
rights issues as well as environmental issues. There is a group here
recently formed to campaign for reform in intensive farming practices where
cruelty to animals abounds. Also we have another group actively campaigning
for change in the live sheep/cattle trade (thousands of live animals are
shipped from Australia on ships of shame - a term given to the ships on
which many animals perish due to various factors).
Another group here campaigns for proper labelling of genetically engineered food
so we can choose non-GE food if we wish.
At a recent conference of Animal Societies in my State (and these were
societies from around the country), I was proud to see a high proportion of
women involved
in these different societies and who spoke on different issues. I feel we
need to engourage young women to voice their opinions and take a stand on
the many issues around them including deforesting and other issues. Women,
in there many roles as wives, mothers and nurturers as well as in their
professional roles
where applicable should indicate strongly that we need to conserve what is
left of our Earth's wild areas.
In Western Australia our last stands of old-growth forests are under threat
of being turned into woodchips for a quick return and animals that rely on
old growth forests (they need old trees which develop knots and holes in
them - usually trees over 100+ years old) are under threat.
We also have disproportionately few women in parliament compare to men (i.e.
our Government representatives are predominantely men). I believe there is
bias in our election process from the time of pre-selection so that men are
continually favoured over women. Women who are aware of this may not even
bother to run as a candidate. If this state of affairs continues perhaps
there should be a quota system stating that 50% of parliamentarians have to
be women. Perhaps this is the only way we will ever have true representation
of women in our parliaments until it becomes the norm. Also, I believe that
there may be more chance of attaining change in many areas such as
environment if women had a more powerful political voice (although I have
seen some female politicians sell out to the male profit motivated ideals
because of their party allegiance in my opinion).
Here is a poem I received recently. I really enjoyed this poem but no-one
seems to know who the author is.
> The Paradox Of Our Age
>
> We have taller buildings, but shorter tempers;
> wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints;
> we spend more, but have less;
> we buy more, but enjoy it less.
>
> We have bigger houses and smaller families;
> more conveniences, but less time;
> we have more degrees, but less sense;
> more knowledge, but less judgment;
> more experts, but more problems;
> more medicine, but less wellness.
>
> We drink too much,
> smoke too much,
> spend too recklessly,
> laugh too little,
> drive too fast,
> get too angry too quickly,
> stay up too late,
> get up too tired,
> read too seldom,
> watch TV too much,
> and pray too seldom.
>
> We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values.
> We talk too much, love too seldom and lie too often.
> We've learned how to make a living, but not a life;
> we've added years to life, not life to years.
>
> We've been all the way to the moon and back,
> but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbor.
>
> We've conquered outer space, but not inner space;
> we've done larger things, but not better things;
> we've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul;
> we've split the atom, but not our prejudice;
> we write more, but learn less;
> plan more, but accomplish less.
>
> We've learned to rush, but not to wait;
> we have higher incomes; but lower morals;
> more food but less appeasement;
> more acquaintances, but fewer friends;
> more effort but less success.
>
> We build more computers to hold more information,
> to produce more copies than ever, but have less communication;
> we've become long on quantity, but short on quality.
>
> These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion;
> tall men, and short character;
> steep profits, and shallow relationships.
>
> These are the times of world peace, but domestic warfare;
> more leisure and less fun;
> more kinds of food, but less nutrition.
>
> These are days of two incomes, but more divorce;
> of fancier houses, but broken homes.
>
> These are days of quick trips,
> disposable diapers,
> throwaway morality,
> one-night stands,
> overweight bodies,
> and pills that do everything from cheer,
> to quiet,
> to kill.
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