Waiting for Women to Wake Up

77 cents to every dollar?
Lane Bryant ad more racy than Victoria's Secret?
Choice being craved away slowly and methodically?
Are any of you women paying attention?? Still we are under attack.
Just had to vent a little.

Of course it matters....

I just read something that said 70% of the world's poor are female. That figure alone should make every woman realize that becoming powerful matters. Power is being able to do what you want to do, make things happen that need to happen, that YOU need to happen. It's not a dirty word. It's not something evil to be avoided. To be powerful means you can do what needs to be done. To be power hungry means to want to accomplish what you want to accomplish. Building power is something anyone can do: organize people and organize money, and the more people you gather together, the more money you can gather as well. Getting the right number of people and money together will guarantee you can make something great happen.
If more women were power hungry and gave time to building up relationships with other power hungry women and everyone gathered together the few dollars they had, maybe that 70% figure could be cut. Deeply.
Gamaliel Foundation leadership event: March 7-13 in St. Louis, MO
Come and make yourself over into someone who builds power and changes the world.

Ooops, I think we killed Britney......

They say trouble comes in three's so here's three that have really bothered me lately: Britney Murphy's death, the Tiger Woods Harem and Rihanna mostly naked on the cover of GQ.
I'm convinced that Ms. Murphy's death was the result of extreme efforts to stay thin-thin-thin. We are all to blame for that especially we women. We are hardly raising a stink about the continuing preference for bone-thin frames. Oh, we fuss around when someone is photographed with her ribcage jutting out, but what about on a continuing basis? There may be something going on...I admit I haven't really researched it but where is the steady rumble of women's voices say "No, we won't torture ourselves." Image, appearance is the one place where we seem to say no and always mean yes, the thinner the better.
The Tiger Woods Harem, if that's what we're dealing with, at first made me laugh. All these women coming out and claiming to have had an affair with golf's Superman. I was ready to admit to a tryst myself if there was a buck or two in it; for the cause of course. Then I thought how sad it was that these women wanted to be publicly acknowledged as The Other Woman. Were they in love with him or the idea of being on the arm of a rich and powerful man? Were they so satisfied to be in the shadow of this man that they couldn't create a life in which they were the primary player? In 2010 women seem to prefer to be known as the woman behind...or under...the man.
I was shocked that after all Rihanna went through, suddenly she showed up mostly naked on the cover of GQ. Victimized again, absolutely and probably by her own "people". I'm sure they fed her some line about how being naked is a great way for a formerly victimized woman to show the world how brave and liberated she is, how she is completely over her ordeal and moving on with her life. No it's not! It's cheap and easy publicity; and a solid percentage for your "people."
It's 2010 and this year needs to be different. Women need to realize that as the majority population, as the majority in the workforce, as the leaders in small businesses creating new jobs, they have a tremendous amount of power. Too much power to torture themselves into a size 0; too much power to be identified only as the companion of a man; too much power to get naked for somebody else's bank account.

Sign Up Now!

Now is the time to get signed up for Ntosake 2010. The information you need is on the Gamaliel website. Please pay attention to who should and should not be there. Yes, we have criteria!
This is a companion training to the Weeklong Leadership Event. It is NOT a stand alone training. Some women think they're doing just fine without furthering their public life education by avoiding Weeklong. We should never assume that we are fully equiped to do God's work. There is always something new to learn, someone new to meet. You go to Weeklong before Ntosake or within the 12 months after; please do not neglect your education.
This is not a touchy feely girls weekend/pajama party. We are working and working hard to be the best we can be as agents of change in our communities and congregations. You do not serve God well or at all if you just sit in the pew and glow. God's love won't get out into the world where it needs to be if you hold it hostage in your sanctuary!
This is not an event for every woman. Some women don't need it at all but we find most women benefit from coming to at least one session. Women who just want time away....stay away. We are not your vacation weekend. We can recharge those batteries for the work at hand, but not just to give you a break from your day to day "stuff".
Be prepared. Go to the web site and down load the packet. It should be available, if not it will be very soon. Keep checking back. And stay on your organizer. Let him/her help you decide if and why you should come and how to pay for the cost.
I am looking forward to seeing you in Hampton Roads!!

Let's Ask Roman...

On the news tonight they reported that an adult woman had sex with a 13 year old boy. I asked myself, well, if she's a genius that's o.k. Right? Roman Polanski is a genius; everyone says so. Because he is a genius we are supposed to excuse his little mistake 30 years ago. You remember: 13 year old girl, doped, drunk....raped. Or not. Whoopie Goldberg claims it wasn't a RAPE rape. What???? Roman's friends seem to think that it is a right and good thing to sacrifice one little 13 year old girl on the altar of his genius. Look at all the great movies he's produced. A little 13 year old ass seems to go a long way. Besides, here's a guy who escaped the Nazis as a child and lost his movie starlet wife to a brutal murder. He's entitled to a little mistake.
Excusing Roman Polanski makes it open season on our girls. Oh, wait. It doesn't really change anything does it?
Carry on.

For Cryin' Out Loud...Drive!

Power is a gift from God; given for the purpose of getting done what needs to be done to transform our world. It's like a car, maybe a Mustang, given to us, no taxes. It has a never empty tank. What do we do with this wicked car?? We park it in the drive-way and grin. "Look what God gave me. Isn't it nice? I can do so much with it but of course I never drive it."
What an insult to God! Who do we think we are wasting what God gives us?
It's time to get in the car and DRIVE IT LIKE IT'S STOLEN!!!

Go Jimmy!

Follow the link to a great article about women and religion. Mr. Carter writes powerfully about women being equal with men in the eyes of God. Amen. Most actions against women are more culturally based than Scripture based. Sometimes I wonder if some men are just plain afraid.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/jul/12/jimmy-carter-womens-rights-equality

Public meetings are happening all over the country. Are you attending the ones in your area.