Politics and stuff

I haven't been on the blog for a couple years, but I've just recently I decided to pick it back up again. 

I've still been writing. A lot. I've been trying to finish a novel for a few years now, and while I love parts of it dearly, it's still pretty broken. Maybe unfixably so. I dunno, I've been thinking for a while now that I should just drop it and start a new one, but there are things I just can't let go.

I don't really game as much anymore. Or when I do, it's in single-player, which isn't really that interesting to me to write about.

I've honestly just stopped sharing on the interwebz because it turns out I have a lot of family and friends with whom I don't really share the same opinions on various subjects, and it's in those subjects that I've been interested in writing about. As a result, I've been writing on the blog less and on notepads more.

I prefer (on the internet) to focus on those things we have in common and avoid arguing about the things that set us apart. I have no wish to get into an argument. So when I've been writing opinionated nonsense, I've been doing it for myself. I broke that trend the other day when I posted about feminism, and I may break it again from time to time.

That said, I'd really prefer not to argue about politics or social issues, so lets not devolve into that. I have a very specific reason not to go there, but it's (typically) long winded, so bear with me.

I think it is fair to say that my current stance on most political/social subjects is very liberal.

Don't believe me? Some examples:

- I believe in socialized medicine and that quality health care should be a basic human right.
- I believe in smart government regulations to keep corporations in check.
- I believe in campaign finance reform that include hard cuts to the knees of special interest groups.
- I believe in immigration policies that can include some forms of amnesty.
- I believe in an end to the unsuccessful war on drugs and in devoting our resources toward treatment and prevention.
- I believe that working for peace is the greatest expression of support for our troops.
- I believe in science and trust it to explain the universe to me.
- I believe in the conclusions that have been reached using the scientific method
- I believe in further investment in science to achieve answers to the questions that we still have.
- Most importantly, I'm a sincere believer in equality for all, no matter your race, gender, sexuality, religious beliefs or ethnicity.

Anyway. I guess you can say I'm a crazy liberal. I didn't list these things to try to sway you or start an argument. I'm just trying to illustrate the point that on the political spectrum, I generally lean pretty left.

But... I wasn't always this way. Once upon a time, I was very conservative. I truly and sincerely believed the universe was created in 7 days. I thought evolution was simply postulated by atheists (who were anti-god) to explain away the 'obvious'. I once marched in a pro-life rally (to be fair...there was this girl there I really had the hots for...but that's a whole other story). I believed in trickle down economics. I've never really had hate/intolerance be a part of my life (at least not active hate/intolerance), but there was a time where I was fairly homophobic.

Over time and a lot of years, various things would come along and challenge my viewpoints on these issues.

Some viewpoint shifts happened very quickly, like when I found out a very good friend of mine in the Army was gay. Suddenly I knew someone. I could relate to the things he was going through. I couldn't hold the opinions I had once held and still be his friend. I chose my friend over my naive viewpoint. It was actually a pretty easy choice. It's amazing what empathy and understanding can do to combat intolerance.

Other viewpoints underwent a longer, more gradual evolution. My understanding of science deepened to challenge my belief of a 7 day creation and cement my viewpoint on evolution and my understanding in the origins of life on earth. This was not a point of view I gave up quickly. This took many, many, many years.

My point? Many of my core viewpoints that I held while growing up have since changed and evolved. And as a result, I don't tend to cling so tightly to such things any more. I try not to argue with people to try to sway them over to my point of view because my point of view is something changing and evolving...all the time.

So, please: if you disagree with me (and I'm sure a lot of people will), feel free to express yourself. But I probably won't engage lest I risk devolving into an internet argument. If you want to argue, meet me over coffee and we can have a grand ole time debating the fine details and we both might even learn something in the process. But lets do it in person, and not in this crazy medium. 

I am a feminist

I have recently been following the 'He for She' campaign, and it's inspired me to write about it, which is something I stopped doing on the internet a while ago.

If you haven't been following it, Hermione (aka Emma Watson...or whatever she is calling herself now that she isn't holding a magic wand and hanging out with that Potter troublemaker), gave a pretty great speech at the UN that you can watch here if you haven't seen it.

I am a feminist.

Boy it is weird to say that as a dude. 'Feminist' has been a word that is a little bit ugly when used. It conjures up a mental image. You know the one: It's the same one I have in my head right now. It's a girl. Dark hair. Very short dark hair. Probably a faux-hawk. Leather jacket. Boots. Definitely boots. Probably some sort of chain...like a wallet chain maybe? Tattoos. She certainly doesn't like me (because I am a man). Did you get a similar image?

Sadly, I think this type of imagery has become associated with the word, and that's why the phrase is  kind of difficult to say as a man, which is a shame.

Here is what I think a feminist is: A feminist is someone who believes that women should have equal rights and opportunities to that of a man.

Note that I carefully avoid using the phrase "a woman is equal to a man". I actually don't think that is true. Biologically speaking, it's ENTIRELY untrue.  Trust me, I'm a man and I'm well aware of the biological differences and I'm a huge fan of many of those differences. ;-)

It's also not a hatred of men. It's a hatred of environments where women cannot succeed simply on account of their gender. It's a hatred of the idea that a man should make more for doing the same job. It's a challenge to closely held stereotypes of what a woman should do or be.

I work in a field where women are largely underrepresented, though I've been fortunate to work with some amazing women throughout my career. These women deserve to be paid appropriately for the work they do. And anyone, male or female, deserves to be afforded the same opportunities to join my field or any other.

There are folks out there that might think this is obvious. That this was a problem in the '50s and '60s, but it "doesn't exist today".

Unfortunately, those that are in power do not release that power so easily. It certainly is not as prevalent as it was in prior eras, but it does exist. For example (in the United States):
- Of the labor force (only counting those actively employed or seeking employment) 99.1% of men are employed versus 94.5% of women. (source)
- In weekly full time earnings, Women earn 82.1% of men in the same job (source)
- Only 43% of legislators and managers in the United States are women. (source)

I have a mother. I have a sister. I have a daughter. I need to live in a world where they are afforded the same rights and opportunities as I am. This blog has very little audience and is mostly self indulgent, but I'm happy to have my little bitty blog join the other voices out there that are trying to change this world for the better.

I'm a feminist.

#HeForShe