I fully support Tuesday Cain, the 14 year old girl who protested abortion regulations in Texas. I feel bad that people called her names. I know what it's like to be targeted for standing up for what you believe in. I don't wish it on anybody, especially when I see another woman called a whore because she supports women's rights.
I'm a little offended at what I'm reading about in the media on this issue right now though. The reason the Right is wrong for attacking Tuesday Cain is because the Right's arguments are wrong, not because Tuesday is "just a kid" and they shouldn't target her. The reason it's wrong to call Tuesday a whore has nothing to do with her age. It's wrong because it's wrong to call a woman a whore.
Part of an article on New Civil Rights Movement states, "Tuesday, who thankfully does not have a Twitter account..." Thankfully? Why, because we need to protect the poor little girl from reading the bad bad things people are saying about her because it might damage her fragile little sense of self worth? No need to protect this girl here. When I read the bad bad stuff people say about me it lets me know I'm on the right track and inspires me to fight harder and make my arguments that much better.
This little bit here from the "Public Shaming" website made me a little more than disturbed:
"What were you up to when you were 14 years old? Worried about making
the baseball / softball team? Writing your school crush’s name one
thousand times in your notebook? Trading Pokemon cards in the hallways
after class? Picking your nose and wiping your boogers on the underside
of your desk?
Nothing’s wrong with any of those things, of course! But just how
many of you were not only politically aware, but actively engaging in
politics at the age of 14? How many of you were hitting the streets and
partaking in the most AMERICAN thing you can do: protest. AT THE AGE OF
14."
Young people are capable of so little. When one of them does something so shocking like pay attention to what's going on and participate in a civil rights or social justice movement, they are a freak of nature. No kid could ever do something like follow women's rights issues and attend a protest and still do stuff like try out for softball. You can't possibly worry about both of those things at the same time. Forget about Pokemon, because once you start paying attention to the news, you'll never have time for that again kids.
I appreciate the people who let me sit at the grown-up table and there are a lot of them. I'm not just talking about discussing issues either. I'm talking about my friends who hang out and play games, enjoy movies, music, theater, and so many other things together. My friends, the ones who know me, welcome me to the table because I genuinely enjoy being there and they genuinely enjoy having me.
I would rather be labeled a whore than be treated like an idiot. Don't invite me to your table if you think I need a booster seat. Know that if I sit down to play, I came to play and I don't want or expect you to take it easy on me because I'm more of a novice player. I would rather lose an argument than have someone else fight with me for any reason other than they believe in the same thing I believe in.
For anyone out there who wants to attack me for what I believe in, come at me bro. I've seen your kind before and I'm not afraid of you. Know that when you come at this girl, I won't be mad at you for attacking me because I'm 12 years old. I'll just refute your crap the same way the rest of the functional, freethinking world does.
BAM! You go girl.
ReplyDelete"Young people are capable of so little." I respectfully disagree - and you are proof that young people are capable of just about anything! It's adults that limit what children are allowed to do, what they allow children to think they can do, ad nauseam. I was lucky when I had my first child that I stumbled upon Montessori. You should read about Dr. Maria Montessori and her scientific basis in understanding children and how they learn and how they can be responsible at an extremely young age. 107 years ago she developed a scientifically proven method of educating children that still works today. Most of Europe uses it. In the states we're convinced we know better and can come up with better - only I've seen bits and pieces of Montessori implemented as a 'newly found process that improves learning', only Maria already identified it over 100 years ago. She proved how no matter how little kids are they are capable of almost anything. At 18 months old my kids were pouring their own juice (albeit on the open dishwasher door so I didn't have to wipe up what spilled - I could just close the thing, LOL) and fixing their own snack. When other moms were still hand feeding their young my kids were fixing their own food/drink. At age 3, in their Montessori classroom, my kids and their classmates used real sharp knives to cut fruits and vegetables every day for their lunch - and they used them at home too. In first grade they were cooking hot meals in ovens, fresh bread, and fresh salad with their classmates for their lunch. Not only that - but they were planning the menus! Now those classrooms are growing their own food also. Montessori is about empowering children and letting them grow and learn by trial and error and making decisions from toddlerhood on. I learned that it's parents, not kids, that care if a 3 year put their clothes on inside out or clothes that don't match - all that really matters is that they were self sufficient - made their own choices and did for themselves. When it matters to them they will do it different (now my oldest is dyslexic so I did drew the line at letting him go to school with his underwear outside of his pants, LOL). As adults we need to let go and quit limiting our children. I also never talked to my children like they were idiots. Because they are a baby or toddler or any age less than 'adult' it does not mean you need to dumb things down - that just keeps them dumb. I used adult words all the time - they would ask what words meant. They talked more like adults at the age of 7 than people I went to college with, LOL and most importantly they easily engage adults in conversation and adults enjoy conversing with them (as I'm sure adults enjoy engaging with you). Young people are only as incapable as we make them, there is no real limitation. And you know what - I've learned so much from my 3 kids (now 12, 16, & 18). I am so glad I learned early to realize adults can learn from kids and that I've enjoyed that. Kid's find answers to things adults make too complicated. Kid's aren't as invested in the outcome - they are interested in learning and problem solving no matter whose idea it was (black/white, old/young, woman/man, etc.). And I've received no end of grief for the way I raised my kids by other adults that don't know better and are only into controlling or dismissing children. The more youth there are out there like you - the more adults will have to start listening and change their paradigm. Keep it up. Your parents must be unbelievably proud of you.
ReplyDelete"I would rather be labeled a whore than be treated like an idiot." I hope that preference catches on like a brush fire.
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