Oh wait, that's not true....
The great thing about being a feminist is that feminism, despite the mass of ignorant, overly simplified definitions out there, is not just a “women’s” issue. Feminism isn’t just about upper middle class white ladies and butch lesbians (history be damned). In 2011, feminism is about gender equality, respecting intelligent freely made choices, and advocating for equal access to basic human rights. For me, this is great, because my own personal torches aren’t just about traditional “women’s” issues – not to mention being a transguy isn’t the same experience as many female-bodied individuals have.
Obviously I care about wealth distribution and support the Occupy movement. I also care about animals, the environment and reforming the health care system. On the subject of the environment, check this ad out:
This TV ad, paid for by the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity. “Clean coal” may be better than “dirty coal,” but there are cleaner more efficient technologies out there that aren’t based on biofuels. Biofuels are not limitless, no matter what we want to believe. The ACCCE is attacking the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for proposing new regulations that would raise energy prices in the US.
The EPA, for the fiscal years 2011 – 2013, has the following as proposed goals:
· Keeping raw sewage and contaminated stormwater out of our nation’s waters
· Preventing animal waste from contaminating surface and ground waters
· Cutting Toxic Air Pollution that Affects Communities’ Health
· Reducing Widespread Air Pollution from the Largest Sources, especially the Coal-Fired Utility, Cement, Glass, and Acid Sectors
· Reducing pollution from mineral processing operations
· Assuring energy extraction sector compliance with environmental laws.
These all sound like good ideas to me, but I can understand how the Coal Industry is a bit pissed off. Personally, I care more about health than business. I do understand that enforcing stricter regulations could cost jobs – but if Big Business really cared about individual jobs, they would put money into green re-training efforts, not into blocking the EPA regulations. Protecting our health and our eco-systems is a necessary move no matter what your politics are. Unless, of course, you’re too short-sighted to be concerned with our shared future.
- One of the 99%
*More information about the EPA’s “National Enforcement Initiatives for Fiscal Years 2011 – 2013” here.
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