Republicans need to play their role

I was listening to Politically Reactive and their guest, Van Jones, who is a fairly lefty political commentator, was saying that

"[C]onservatives play an important role. ... If you have any organization, any family, the person who's always asking the question, 'How much does this cost and who's going to pay for it?' plays an important role.  The person who asks, 'Should we even be doing this?' plays an important role!"

And this reminds me instantly of my grandfather.  He was always smiling, funny, charming and generous, but he was also an an accountant by training and spent his life being very financially prudent and encouraging others, respectfully, to do the same.  He was always asking questions like that, even when he immediately came to the conclusions: 'Yes! Let's do it!' 

He was a lifelong Republican in the mold of Nelson Rockefeller or George Romney, always wanting to be prudently active with money to help everyone around him, his family, his friends, those he helped by doing their taxes for them for free every year, the small business owners in the city who he mentored through a volunteer program.

I truly think he would be horrified to see what has become of his party today.  As W. Kamau Bell said to concur with Jones: "The person who asks for the birth certificate does NOT play an important role!"  When you are obsessed with Benghazi or repealing Obamacare instead of reforming the parts that don't work well, you are NOT helping, you are NOT governing, you are NOT playing an important role!

Montparnasse Tower

I heard this brief episode (in French) the other day talking about potential efforts to refurbish instead of demolishing the Montparnasse tower: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/leco-dinter/id1045507301?mt=2&i=370793763

The Montparnasse tower is the tallest office building in Paris.  I once had lessons there, in fact, but I've never heard anyone say anything good about it.  It's ugly, it's clunky, it's an eyesore, etc... It surely doesn't match anything around it.  It just sticks up there like a steel middle finger.

The thing is, Paris usually does so well with modern architecture, even in the middle of the city.  Sometimes you can be walking down a row of 19th century buildings and there will be, in the middle of the street, a modern steel-and-glass edifice just sitting there.  The contrast is actually a GOOD thing!  It's interesting and surprising, but there is usually at least a nod to the architecture around it.  

Here, I think they were going for something starkly different, thinking that the shock value would make it stand out.  In that, I guess they succeeded.

In the piece they talk about efforts to rehabilitate the façade and make it look shiny and colorful, with images and probably some advertisements on the sides.  They're going for a 'Times Square' look, but I'm a little skeptical.  The whole thing about Time Square is that ALL the buildings in the vicinity look like that.  Here it will still be the ONLY one.

It's a shame because Paris desperately needs some more construction and probably needs to grow UP quite a bit.  It doesn't have the same geographical constraints as San Francisco or Manhattan, but it does have some of the same difficulties providing affordable housing.  Building more densely means building at least somewhat higher, and if you suggest that, people have a tendancy to point to Montparnasse and say, 'Not if it's gonna look like THAT!' (but in French). 

Jessica Valenti, Ezra Klein and Feminism

Just finished listening to a great episode of the Ezra Klein Show featuring Jessica Valenti, a feminist blogger I've never heard of before for a blog, Feministing, that I've not heard of before either but will be checking the second I get wifi access.

Every time I hear about the kind of issues she brings up I cringe a little.  I get angry, and a lot of it comes from the fact that it's a little shocking to hear how women are often treated online, in the streets, and in schools, and I am unaware of it and disturbed.  I don't behave that way myself (catcalls, social media trolling etc.) and more to the point I DON'T SEE IT.  Yet it happens.  Every day.

And I keep taking it very personally.  I want to shout out, hey, that's not ME doing it!  Why are you attacking me!?!  Not all me-- oh crap. Yeah, that went through my head.  I thought it.  My mind has become a meme.

And the thing is, it's NOT about me personally, it's about the reality for millions of women.  The problems she describes don't require ALL men to behave badly.  A relative few, because of the outsized damage that kind of bad behavior can cause, can create a climate of fear and pain for all women.  

And that IS about me.  I would never accept anyone behaving in a belittling manner toward the women in my life, but neither should I accept that behavior on the part of the men around me toward ANY woman.  Not that we have to be the white knights coming to the rescue of the damsels in distress around us, but we need to be taking the drunk asshole next to us aside whe we realize he's had one too many and that girl he's hitting on is not appreciating his advances.

We would never be that asshole, right?  Right?

Except that I can distinctly remember one time in my life whe I WAS that drunk asshole.  When I didn't know what I was doing and behaved in a less than gentlemenly fashion.  After I was made to realize that by some very kind friends, who took me aside, I proceeded to hardly touch alcohol for the next couple of years.  I believe that when I did begin to partake again, I was a more mature and responsible person.

I've never forgotten it.  But if even I, feminist and gentleman that I try to be, can have that kind of moment, then it is my responsibility and the responsibility of all men to be like my friends.  Looking out for the bad behavior we are ALL capable of in a bad moment and helping each other to be better men.

That's what this is about.  A MAN doesn't need to belittle a female coworker.  A MAN doesn't need to sht a lewd comment at a repandom stranger.  A MAN doesn't feel threatened by a succesful woman any more than he would be by a succesful man.  

Not all men behave that way, or at least not all the time.  But it is the responsability of ALL MEN to keep a brotherly eye on each other and say, 'Hey dude, that's a little out of line.'

Update:  link to the show-- https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ezra-klein-show/id1081584611?mt=2&i=370676709

Reboot

Ok, so this is like the second reboot I've tried for this blog, but if Star wars, Star Trek AND the XFiles can do it, so can I.

That last may not have been the best example. Maybe Spider Man....