A progressive, liberal blog on politics, social justice, feminism, culture, celebrity, fashion, movies, sex and all things in between – from the serious to the mundane. Sometimes the tone of the article will be serious, sometimes humorous but always politically incorrect as there is nothing worse than insincere decorum.
Reproductive rights, economic justice, the role of religion, sexuality, gender, race, environmentalism, colonialism, and war are the things I write about. I strongly believe in agency and boundaries.
Most of human conflict is rooted in one entity denying another such agency and transgressing those boundaries, trying to control and dictate what they can believe and how they can conduct their lives. This ruinous failure to acknowledge a person’s agency and autonomy ultimately strip that person off their humanity.
Oppression comes in many forms: cultural, social, religious, sexual, political and economic. Everytime one entity – be it a person or government or group – crosses that boundary and takes away your autonomy and with it agency, conflict and tensions and with them suffering arise. That is no way to live.
I strongly believe in autonomy and self determination and there is nothing more dehumanizing than taking away that autonomy and self determination from a person. Control is the worst thing we can do to one another as it is the source for almost all of conflict, pain and suffering.
As a side note: I am a shameless hard nosed stickler for free speech. I consider it more than just some right guaranteed in the Constitution as it is a concept of vital and utmost importance. The principle of Freedom of Speech is a very crucial and viral asset to and for a free, transparent, wise, accountable and democratic society. Without it, freedom, accountability and democracy collapse or at the least destabilize. Freedom of speech, therefore, is the foundation upon which freedom and democracy, true democracy, reside and are built on. Therefore, for me, it is more than just an amendment, it is a vital and alive asset that needs to be protected and safeguarded with diligence – which entails also letting bigots express their opinions – without exception. Once you begin to curtail Freedom of Speech based on certain subjective criteria, you begin gnawing at and eroding its very core. That is a path we do not want to embark on because once you start, there is no telling where and with whom and for whatever (dubious) reasons it may end.
Who is to say that someone is not going to step in tomorrow and decide that in addition to what’s already off limits, certain other things need to be added to the list as well? Once you start curtailing freedom of speech, even that of racists and haters, you set a precedent for the next entity to step in and make the assertion that for whatever reason they deem important and necessary, this or that need to be stopped from being said as well? It is a two way street and once you start censoring one thing, you will continue censoring.
Long story short, I do not screen comments for approval or dismissal. The only thing I ask is no personal and ad hominem attacks as such comments will be promptly removed. You don’t have to agree with me. In fact, I dread the day everyone agrees with one another. But ad hominem attacks are not only petty, but they make for lousy discourse, derail the discussion and end a debate, catapulting it into low life territory. Don’t be a low life…
Walking Upright Citizen's Brigade 
#1 by Frank Knowlton on July 16, 2018 - 11:06 AM
your on the right path it seems, great. Was doing research came across a book from 1847 that never really became “noticed”, Andrew Jackson Davis’s writings “The Principles of Nature, Her Divine Revelation, A Voice To Mankind. Davis was a nineteen year old clairvoyant. Davis’s book is complex and absolutely 200 years ahead of its time. I have done extensive research into Davis’s writings and have written a book relating to him titled “PRINCIPLES A Manual for Understanding Human Existence, the Complete Story of Creation and Evolution” which is an edited version of Davis’s original story from clairvoyance.
#2 by R. L. Culpeper on April 1, 2013 - 7:09 AM
Always nice to find another kindred spirit!
#3 by Mike on February 10, 2013 - 6:38 AM
I’m glad I found your site. You have one more male follower now (if you don’t mind :))
#4 by popreflection on February 10, 2013 - 3:39 PM
Glad you like it. Thank you.
Challenging patriarchal norms and fighting for equality and social justice does not make feminists man haters. Gender inequality and oppression is deeply connected with racism, classism, colonialism, environmental destruction, and ultimately civilization itself. An integral part of being a progressive is being a feminist and yes, men can be feminists too.
The feminist movement is a humanist movement.
If you believe that human beings are entitled to basic human rights regardless of race, class, gender or any other intrinsic attribute, then you are a feminist, because that is a core principle of feminism. To paraphrase a male feminist, no less: Why is the idea of a woman standing up for herself so radical? Why is the idea of a man supporting feminism so radical? While most men are willing to acknowledge unfair treatment of women and discrimination based on gender, many are reluctant to own up to their backward-ass gender politics, particularly in public. […] Are your actions tutoring young males to embrace sexist ideas and values? Do you try to help women not get abused as opposed to teaching men not to abuse – and with that devalue and debase – women?
These seemingly little things and many more create a climate that maintains misogyny, inadvertently or not, supports and condones behaviors and thinking patterns that are a part of the rape culture, rape apologia, sexual violence, and gender discrimination.
Feminism is an integral part of progressivism.
#5 by Mike on February 10, 2013 - 3:50 PM
I am a male, and I didn’t know that I am a femminist until I saw your blog, and I’m not afraid to say it publicly. If others (males) consider my opinion to be girlish then it is because their brains are not inside their skulls but between their legs
#6 by Leigh on July 8, 2012 - 7:06 AM
I LOVE your blog! I feel exactly how you feel on the subjects and people you write about. Look forward to reading future entries
#7 by matt on May 27, 2012 - 10:30 PM
i like your site. a rec – http://thelastpsychiatrist.com/ – he discusses a lot of the same topics that you do.