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Show Friday, September 28, 2007 HE SiGNPOsf EDITORIAL Signpost Viewpoint 5AV5 AS PRESIDENT 5KE WONT FORCE ANYBODY INTO A NATIONAL HEALTH O^RE SYSTEM A new definition of feminism Most people have a general knowledge of what feminism or the women's movement may mean. The concrete values or political beliefs of this politically charged movement are not, however, always readily discernable to those outside the political activity of the movement. Concepts such as feminism, which have not been fully developed in the public arena are often subjected to misconceptions and misrepresentations by media and uninformed persons. The negative image of the "angry feminist" who is pro-choice, manhating, and harbors lesbian tendencies is common in current media. Even more common and pejorative for the cause of female liberation is the concept of the modem, liberated woman who is as sexualized and ferociously capitalistic as men, and actively engages in the subjugation of men or other people as an assertion of her feminine power. Both of these concepts of modem feminism demonstrate a lack of understanding for the cause of liberation and the commandeering of the feminist movement by female chauvinism, male sexism and political profiteering. The women's movement has been crippled by these misrepresentations, and the original goals of feminism have been misconstrued by those who profit from devaluing the movement To counter these assumptions about the women's movement and the misuse of its feminist label, a new definition of feminism is needed. Reconstructing language is never an easy task. Feminists have been hammering away at terms, phrases, and gendered pronouns since the beginning of the modem feminist movement in the eighteenth century. The pressure put on language has been intended to create a form of English that is inclusive of the feminine and no longer prescribes limiting characteristics to gender. This battle for the reclamation of - words by women must now take hold ".' of the term used to describe their efforts for liberation. Feminism, if codified as a specific political stance, would no longer be usurped by those who only speak of liberation, but continue to oppress women or other social groups. By infusing the label of those working to end oppression with specific political meaning, feminists may again begin the work of ending sexism, discrimination, amd the oppression of all people. * How then can a definition for an already established movement with many branches, goals, and theories be settled upon? For feminism to become an active component of the modem American political system, it cannot continue in the vain of exclusion that has characterized the movement for several decades. Feminism must break its exclusionary ties with white, middle-class, educated women and work to become inclusive of all women and men who are working to dismantle oppressive systems. This does not mean that those same educated women must hand over the movement, but rather must diligently work to bring new perspectives into feminist thought and allow for a redefinition, both of image and of label. It is only through this incorporation of an array of perspectives that feminists will be able to establish politically achievable goals. Uniting a variety of people will also be the only way feminists will be able to affect the massive social change necessary to end the institutions of sexism, racism, homophobia, and classism that subjugate women, children, and men. By allowing for a realignment of goals, inclusive of other liberator efforts, women will no longer need to battle with men, but be able to accept those working to end oppression as their allies. This new definition is vital if the old concepts of feminism and institutions of oppression are to be demolished. Feminism, through the work of activists, but more importantly the work of every woman and man, must become the unified cause to end gender privilege and the oppression of all socio-political groups. The life and death of Bessie Smith, 70 years later By Andrea Lewis McCiatchy Tribune Seventy years ago this week, the legendary blues singer Bessie Smith died under questionable circumstances. She was a uniquely talented, defiantly independent artist, whose life story was as sensational as her death. Bessie Smith, along withahandful of other black female artists (including Ma Rainey, Mamie Smith, Alberta Hunter and Ethel Waters), sprouted the roots of blues and grew it into one of the most popular musical forms of the 1920s and 1930s. Smith's keen sense of style, rhythm and intonation, along with the resonance and power of her voice, captured the essence of blues music, as well as the pain and strength of generations of black female experience. Her career began in the early 1900s on the streets of Chattanooga, Term., where she and her older brother Clarence performed as a duo. In 1912, she was hired as a dancer for a small performance troupe that featured "The Mother of the Blues," Gertrude "Ma" Rainey. For the next several years, Smith toured in the South and Northeast, while developing her theatrical skills and stage presence under Rainey*s wing. Bessie Smith was a big woman, who was . known for her temper, her hard drinking, her sexual appetite - which included relationships with lovers of both sexes - and her willingness tofightfor what she wanted, sometimes to the point of using physical force. But when she sang, Bessie Smith mesmerized her audience. Smith's popularity soared after she was signed to a recording contract by Columbia as part of its newly found interest in producingwhat were then called "race records." The popularity of "Down Hearted Blues," "Gulf Coast Blues" and other early Smith recordings led to her becoming a headliner with the Theater Owners Booking Association, or T.O.B A, in the early 1920s. Among many blacks, T.O.BA stood for Tough On Black Artists because of the viruj lent and violentracismthat performers on j the circuit faced. Segregation was a daily reality, and black traveling artists were often met with flying rocks, bottles and rotting fruit Even at the height of Bessie Smith's career as a performer and recording artist, she continued to endureracism.Perhaps that's why it is so difficult to separate mythfromreality where Smith's death is concerned. Bessie Smith, "The Empress of the Blues," died 70 years ago, on SepL 26,1937,frominjuries sustained in a car accident while traveling near Clarksdale, Miss. But the specifics of her death remain unclear. A Down Beat magazine article, written by Smith's producer, John Hammond, soon after her death, reported that Smith was denied admission to a local white hospital because she was black. According to Hammond's article, Smith subsequently bled to death because of the denial of treatment Hammond's story - which he later admitted was based completely on hearsay- was widely circulated. More than 20 years later in 1960, Edward Albee produced the play "The Death of Bessie Smith," which reinforced the Hammond version of events. Some have argued that Hammond scapegoated Southern whites and sensationalized the story of Bessie Smith's death to boost her post-mortem record sales. They point out, for example, that a white doctor stopped at the scene of the accident and attempted to treat Smith. Nevertheless, racism still appears to have played a part in her death, since it did take over seven hours for Smith to get to a hospital of any kind, by which time she was beyond saving. She was barely 43 years old. I've admired Bessie Smith since I first heard her voice, saw her photo and read about her life. She was a strong and talented black woman who bowed to no one, and who lived her life the way she wanted. She wasn't bound by social conventions, and she left a tremendous legacy of musical expression that touches the core of black American femaleness. The circumstances of her death may remain in question, but there's no doubt that Bessie Smith's musical genius lives on. SAYS SH£ \NO\A,P PULL- T H E M AT FREE W \ U - / BATTLE OF THE SEXISTS INVISIBLE PLANES AND TATTERED PANTS - O N SUPERor boring." Lasso off. Take ofif. It would also be great at job I'm a Superman fan. Superman is cool, despite the fact that he wears amazingly bright blue and red pajamas everywhere. But Wonder Woman is, hands down, the coolest superhero ever. Unlike Superman, she chose America over her home andallsheknew.SheleftParadise Island and her magical mother, Hippolyta (the one who either lost or gave the magical Amazon girdle to Hercules many years before) to come to America and protect the unsuspecting "us"es from random and numerous bad people. She can kick ass in a strapless leotard without messing up her hair. She is Diana Prince, the secretary/ secret agent, until her mere human being wily ways are not enough to uphold truth, justice and the American way. Then she resorts to her Princess Diana (no, not that one) ego, the full-blooded Amazon warrior princess - although rumor has it Amazons seared off their right breast at puberty and this Amazon most certainly has both gravitydefying breasts intact. When she is her Amazon warrior self, she has an invisible jet, great bullet-repelling bracelets, and a magic lasso that makes people tell the truth. What a perfect dating device. I'd pay a lot of money to get one of those. Lasso on. "Oh. When I said forever, I meant until it got inconvenient The Signpost Is published every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday during Fall and Spring semester and Tuesdays during the Summer Semester. To subscribe contact Georgia Edwards at 626-7974 or gedwards@weber.edu.The first copy ofThe Signpost is free, each additional copy Is $50. interviews. Lasso on. "Well, you really will get a raise every six months, but it will always be the minimum, pennies really. You can up to $15 an hour after three years if you're lucky. Do you own a push-up bra? That might help." Lasso off. Take off. The fact that she has effective, yet feminine muscles - that she By Cynthia Loveland managing editor t a k e care of herself - is a great dating device as well. If anyone tries to grope or otherwise bully her in any way, she can kick their butt, tie them up with her magic lasso and make them admit in public that they still wet the bed. And those bracelets. Not onlyy are they stylish, but according to the comic book, the bracelets make her whole body bullet-proof. I'm sure at some point in my life, I'll need those bracelets. I've pissed enough people off. As far as the invisible jet goes - well... I don't really know how toflya jet I wonder if it's something she had to learn, or if invisible jet flying just comes naturally to Amazons like when Halle Berry turned into Catwoman and suddenly knew how to play basketball like nobody's business. I don't remember reading anything in Greek or Roman mythology about Amazons zipping around midair in sitting positions, but Amazons don't get much of a mention anyway. I'm pretty sure the invisible jet was just something they added later so Superman didn't have to carry her everywhere. With or without the invisible jet, she could take care of herself. She didn't need no Superman. The ultimate superhero, like the best of the best, has gotta be the Incredible Hulk, 3rd generation when he drops the whole Bruce Banner alter-ego (who needs a wussy scientist alter-ego?) This selection would not be backed up by the latest slew of films. I'll come back to that at the end. Hulk is like 10 times what a man imagines himself being. His muscles aren't just huge - he couldn't fit in most cars. He's not just tough - his regenerative ability makes for ridiculous recovery. In Hulk #340, Wolverine's claws go straight through him, sticking out the other end - one of my top 10 favorite panels of all time. It's a nice wide shot and Hulk is completely unaffected. I think Wolverine's thought bubble says By Matt Jacob something copy editor like, "It seems like the more I cut into him, the faster he regenerates." Hulk's the go-to guy forevery disaster. The whole world's blowing apart? He could do a better job than Atlas. Aliens are landing and zapping everyone to dust? Piece of cake. Britney Spears and Kevin Federline are releasing a sex tape? Well, you can't win 'em all. But perhaps he's too good. Hulk, the movie, was not the greatest superhero movie of all time. Sorry, but the dude turned into electricity at end and then Hulk wrestled with him through the skies ... what?! So, completely scratch that one. Maybe we should start by elimination. David Hasslehoff as Nick Fury - WRONG. Whoever thought that would be a good idea? It was made for TV anyway. Any movie directed by Joel Schumacher has to be immediatelyblastedinto space and never mentioned again. That would be "Batman and Robin" and "Batman Forever." In fact, he should maybe just never direct again. Dolph Lundgren as Frank Castle/The Punisher was kinda whack. Using t h e ^ i ^ ^ . original 80s cartoon action cliche*, he teamed up with his archnemesis to face off against the Yakuza. X3 had a lot of action and a cool cliffhanger from the previous sequel, but some of the dialogue was cheesy. Spiderman 3 had too much going on sometimes and the action in the prequels looked hammed up like Power Rangers, so that franchise is out. How about Mystery Men? It's actually pretty unbelievable and strange - on purpose. It's a common story of the underdog finding his strength or courage or brain or ruby slippers and finally goes back to Kansoops, I mean gets to prove himself. Well, "them"selves in this case. Dane Cook's cameo is hilarious - "My waffle's extra crispy, bad guys are hist'ry Waffle Man!" And it's a decent parody of hero movies. But the best of all superheroes, movies or comics, has to NOT be Superman. Not a fan. Nearly walked out of "Returns." Hard to say who IS though, huh. Well, I never said I had all the answers. •Y 1 * The Signpost welcomes letters to the editor. Letters must include name, address, telephone number and the writer's signature. Anonymous letters will not be printed The Signpost reserves the right to edit letters for reasons of space and libel and also reserves the right to refuse to print any letter. Letters should not exceed 350 words. Bring letters to the editorial office in The Stewart Library room 65, mail to: The Signpost, Weber State University, Ogden, Utah, 84408-2110. Attn: Editor in Chief email: thesignpost@weber.edu |