Thursday, November 02, 2006

Placing Myself...

...in a global context. How do I do that? Especially when, as a U.S. citizen, I am afforded this sense of isolationism and autonomy. I am painfully aware that I am largely un-conscious when it comes to a world outside the US. My concern with globalism has been in a historical context, topics like triangular trade, transnationalism and transatlantic, immigration patterns, corporation outsourcing or, as is the case with poultry processing, bringing people "here" rather than taking industries "there." "We live in an era of globalization," I can say smugly, and back it up with these examples.

But I never thought consciously about the fact that the "We" includes women.

So, I've been thinking.

I've been thinking about BfP's post on "Why feminists must stand against government oppression in Mexico."

And I've been thinking about Darfur, which I admit in complete shame, that I knew little about before this past summer.

And I'm thinking about the women I approached on campus today, from an organization called Cruces, who had set up a display and an altar in memoriam of 450 women killed in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. (More on that later. I'm going down at noon when they read off the names of the dead and missing).

And I'm thinking, if I, wholly preoccupied with my own life and school and what I want, know of these three, how many more must there be?

And then I'm thinking, why the hell did BfP have to explain why feminists need to make their fight global?

2 comments:

Gwyneth Bolton said...

I know. When we really open our eyes, not only to the rest of the world, but how our country and the privilege of our citizenship impacts the rest of the world, and realize how woefully ignorant we can be/are about life outside of the U.S.... Well, that realization packs a might blow... I feel you. The women killed in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico still breaks my heart...

Abadiebitch said...

I am not sure if I am on board with globalizing concern. I think of a cheating man who runs out and cheats because his wife and children are depressing or no longer making him feel like whatever his self ego needs, never once thinking about how he could work on fixing his family. I think of the gossiping neighbor who burns that night’s supper because she is all up in someone’s house trying to tell another woman to kick someone out. I think of how Madonna could have contributed to an AMERICA school instead of running off and paying for a status symbol. I think of these things because we need a real rock solid foundation which when achieved we can genuinely help others. Until then it seems like America uses it false sense of self-esteem and self-entitlement to condescend onto the poorer (in money and resources only, because I would not be willing to say their values and culture are poorer).

Then again, I cannot just turn my back.

Revelations and ruminations from one southern sistorian...