Mothers work for Them!

[Doug Millison]

"'That's what [...] they want a great swollen tit with some atrophied
excuse for a human, bleating around somewhere in its shadows. How can I be
human for her? Not her mother. Mother, that's a civil-service category,
Mothers work for Them! They're the policemen of the soul...'" (GR 219)

"[...] In his October 7, 2001 war announcement, Bush shamefully showcased
the ideal feminine gesture during this tragic time -- literally to be
willing to sacrifice our men. He said, "I recently received a touching
letter that says a lot about the state of America in these difficult times,
a letter from a fourth grade girl with a father in the military. 'As much
as I don't want my dad to fight,'" she wrote, "'I'm willing to give him to
you.'"

Laura Bush role-modeled the necessity of giving up our men as they do the
brave public deeds required of them during the crisis. During a recent
interview with Larry King, the First Lady lamented that "she may have lost
a little of him because he gave more of himself to the country," according
to a UPI report. [...] The wifely and motherly role during a time of crisis
is to admire our men, bravely suffer their understandable preoccupations,
reassure the children, and breathe a sigh of relief for the return of our
daily routines. We can celebrate the little things, like "getting back on
planes and flying again," and not concern ourselves with the bigger issues
like whether our country's policies will lead to genocide in Afghanistan.

An important aspect of women's domestic work is to shop, and now it is her
patriotic duty as well. "Go shopping," commands Rudolph Giuliani. "Buy that
car," says Tom Daschle. "Take that trip," pleads John Kerry. The New York
Times dedicated a whole page to high-end accessories in red, white and
blue, noting that "the recovery effort must include shopping." Whether you
choose a $42 flag-themed leash for your dog or a stars-and-stripes belt
($198) and matching handbag ($297) for yourself, the message is "the
civic-minded can now buy a little guilt-free pleasure, in style."

For those with less disposable income, "here's how you can help," says a
link on WalMart's top page. "Go to your local Wal-Mart store," is what they
suggest, "and donate to the national relief effort." Playing off your
sympathy, compassion and desire to help, WalMart just wants to get you in
the store.

Capturing women's designated role during patriotic times, The Onion
magazine headlined one of their satirical pieces, "Not Knowing What Else To
Do, Woman Bakes American Flag Cake." Having already "donated blood, mailed
a check to the Red Cross, and sent a letter of thanks to the New York Fire
Department," she settled on the red, white, and blue creation as her next
response to the terror.

Never mind that stockholders are divesting, airlines are laying off people
by the tens of thousands, and the rich are scaling back, protecting their
wealth and flying private charter planes to avoid the hassles of tightened
airport security. Never mind that millions of Americans don't have
disposable incomes and millions more get along every day without the
benefit of health or life insurance (though they can now live secure in the
knowledge that if a skyscraper collapses on them, they and their families
will at least be eligible for basic social services). Never mind that Bush
is using the current crisis to ask for more tax breaks for the wealthy and
that the military build-up will line the pockets of weapons' manufacturers
while public schools founder, welfare is gutted, and full-time minimum wage
workers can't afford to feed themselves.

Never mind all this. It's our patriotic duty not to notice.

Feminism should help us identify how the war cry is partly dependent on
particular definitions of masculinity and femininity. Feminism can help us
see how gender politics reinforces isolation and asks us to bypass
thoughtful responses in the name of unity, which translates into mostly
corporate-appointed, white, male decisions about how the country will go
forward. [...]"



from:
ZNet Commentary
Women's Patriotic Role October 11, 2001
By Cynthia Peters