Bridalplasty?

Did you hear of this new show? It's called Bridalplasty. The idea is to have women compete in various competitions and challenges (read: humiliations) in order to win the grand prize of FULL BODY PLASTIC SURGERY for an upcoming wedding. "Reality" TV has now sunk so low it has made pulp out of our collective souls. I remember the ill-fated, and equally disgusting program called "The Swan" where they took ugly women and gave them the gift of beauty through any means possible. This show makes "The Swan" look like Saturday morning cartoons.

I would like to think that the super geniuses behind this show had a deep level of parody and a concept of irony and satire when they came up with this gem. And maybe they did. But the fact remains that the contestants and the folks who WILL watch it do not. These women (some of whom are a size 0) are forced to live all together and compete for the "prize". There will be the typical backstabbing, cat fighting and name calling that usually goes with shows like these. And if that weren't enough, these "ladies" are all Brides, so we get to have the Bride-zilla stereotype thrown in for good measure. It is a nice mirror on the American fascination and financial backing of the wedding industry. That's right INDUSTRY.

I am offended and mostly saddened that there are women out there who would go on a show like this. If it is purely for fame, then she is a moron. If it is because she feels the need to look "perfect" on her wedding day, then she is an idiot. If perfection really exists do you really think you can find it on a television game show? Probably not. I mean, I have come close to seeing perfection a couple of times on The Price is Right, but that show has a showcase showdown and Bob Barker.

I had braces as a kid to correct my over bite and for me, that's as far as I ever want to go. I don't think I am perfect - far from it - but I don't think I am THAT flawed either. I don't wear a lot of make-up (on those days that I actually DO wear make-up) and I don't workout regularly (or at all). I dye my hair at home and I put moisturizer on my face in the winter. But, more important than my shoddy and half ass beauty regime is my mental regime. I write everyday. I read everyday. I go to work and support myself everyday, and I surround myself with people who think I am a pretty solid and awesome person. I have passions that I indulge regularly and that make me a better person and I strive to be better at everything I do - almost everyday.

I think there should be a show that has women compete for an awesome mental make-over. They live all together and do competitions. The lady who is a single mom gets tips from the lady who has three kids and lots of help. The overweight chick befriends the personal trainer and the personal trainer finally gets the balls to go finish that degree. They learn that make-up is not a part of WHO you are and they learn that scalpels are only tools of necessary surgery.

Unfortunately, Bridalplasy does not offer mental make-overs for life. Just superficial ones for silly women fantasising about big white dresses.

The Rules

People like rules. Rules make them feel secure, safe and in control. As a pre-school teacher I rely on rules to keep my class running smoothly, and to help the little buggers have a sense of security. I strictly adhere to rules when playing board games. Anyone who has played Monopoly with me knows that I don't fancy "house rules" like the popular "no parking" rule. (When ever you have to pay money to the bank, the money instead goes under the free parking space. If you land on it - you get the money.) I feel like the rules are there for a reason and help the game run smoothly and not last twelve and a half  years hours.

There are rules for everything. There are rules for driving and rules for math. There are rules for how you dress at work and rules for what you can take with you on an airplane. There are rules of etiquette and there are rules for dating. Wait. There are rules for dating? You bet there are.

I have been talking with friends about dating as of late and I have found some interesting things. Here is an example: Did you know there is a college "rule" floating around that gives you the mathematical formula to determine exactly how young of a person you are allowed to date? Seriously. (the rule is 1/2 your age + 7) So, for those people out there who cannot determine for themselves if it is alright to date a 15-year-old, or those who just lack common sense, there is now a RULE for you to follow. When someone brought this up at dinner the other day, one girl said - "Yeah! I have heard of that. It's totally true." Just because you hear about it, doesn't make it so.

I did a little research and found there are rules out there... lots of rules for dating. Most of them are common sense. Rules like: Don't date someone who is not over their ex (duh) or Don't date your best friends ex (double duh).

There are rules just for guys and rules just for ladies. Ladies? Our rules are things like: Don't get wasted like a college co-ed. Don't be too happy to see him. Don't talk about yourself too much. Make sure to make eye contact. Don't date him if he is broke, or has no job. Guys? Your rules aren't any better: Don't ask her out more than once. Don't tolerate intolerable behavior. Don't get stuck in the "Friend Zone" if she's hot and you think that ONE DAY you might have a shot. Don't be a doormat. Don't be available all the time. Stop paying for everything.

So it seems to me that women are encouraged to shut up and listen, pay when asked and put out regularly. Men are encouraged to keep a nice distance, set boundaries, and make sure she is hot. And what the hell is up with the "friend zone" thing? I did a little poking around and it seems that it only exists for men. there are TONS of pages dedicated on helping men get out of this horrible and fictitious place. But nothing for women. I guess guys have "girl" friends, and then realize that they are cool and then lack the balls necessary to tell her. Instead, there is a lot of game playing and weaseling about to get out of the "zone". Ugh. Grow up a little.

I didn't find one (not ONE!) list of dating rules that I find acceptable. So, I am making my own. These rules are for everyone - man and woman alike.

Alicia's Rules for Dating

1. Have Fun! - This is the most important rule. If you can't have a good time with the person, then stop hanging out with them.
2. Have good Hygiene - This goes for ladies and gentlemen. Please don't stink.
3. Looks aren't everything, but they are something - I'm not saying looks don't matter. Of course they do. Be attracted to the person, just don't go out of your way to make sure they are HOT or look "just right" you might be missing out on a cool person.
4. Go Dutch - I am not a fan of one person always paying, so I say share the cost.
5. Fuck the "friend Zone", the "three day rule" and all that other bullshit- If you feel a connection, go for it. Most women will feel happy and flattered that you like them, and hell you are a big boy and can probably guess at her reaction. Girls, same goes for you. If you don't like playing games then don't start them. Tell him you like him. Kiss him. You probably already know if he likes you so muster the courage to act on it. (no time limit on said mustering)

And that's how I see it. Simple huh?

Yeah... simple.

Please Don't Touch My Junk

Picture this, if you will. I am walking down the street minding my own business when a person asks me if they can look under my clothing. When asked "why?",  the person responds by saying, "It is a matter of national security. We need to see under your clothes using the latest in X-ray technology to make sure America is safe and that you are not a terrorist."

"Hmmm," I say. "This doesn't really make sense to me. And I'd rather you not use X-ray technology on me. I find that a little more than invasive"

"Well, in that case you must submit to a physical grope that we will call a search to make sure that Victoria's is the only secret you are carrying in there."

To most American's this scenario sounds ridiculous and not plausible. But, as most of you know by now, TSA has implemented just such measures at airports. US airports are now using full body scanners in place of the metal detectors when you travel. If you refuse to be scanned you will be searched by hand. This search will include (to put it in pre-teen terms) where your bathing suit covers. And this search is for everyone. Men and women. Elderly and child. The will touch you. In Salt Lake City a young boy was taken aside and searched. His father stood by while some guy filmed the whole thing on his camera saying, "That's a kid, right?!"

Two thirds of Americans actually support the scanners saying that the fight against"terrorism" is more important than personal privacy. I find this alarming. Our growing fear of things the media is telling us to be scared of is hindering our judgement. We should be outraged at the subtle ways the government is tapping out our personal freedoms and out right to privacy. Instead we are docile and complacent. We seem to not care about our own personal liberties as long as it's not invasive - as long as we don't really notice. "Scanners don't make me uncomfortable, so the invasion of privacy is not there. Being groped by a stranger at an airport makes me uncomfortable, so I feel invaded." You should feel invaded in the first place. Only Superman has the right to use X-ray vision and he doesn't use it all willy nilly. Superman uses his X-ray vision when he ACTUALLY sees a threat. The government doesn't have the right to look under your clothes with no suspicion other than travel plans.

Sometimes the Clothes Do Not Make the Man

Lately, I have been giving the idea of fashion a lot of thought. You probably wouldn't think it to look at me, but I care about fashion. Okay, I don't care about fashion, but I find it fun and amusing. For example, I don't read Vogue or Elle or In Style. I don't know or care what is "IN" this season and I find Anna Wintour  to be an obnoxious woman who takes her job way more seriously than some doctors do theirs. Maybe it's all the hours I have logged watching Project Runway and America's Next Top Model, but for some reason fashion - and more specifically my own sense of fashion - has been gnawing at my noggin.

Some people fit a very specific fashion mold. You can look at them and say, "Oh - he's a rock-a-billy punk" or "She's a hipster". There are uniforms for people who enjoy a certain aesthetic. My look, if I have one, is an avoidance of this idea. I had to go all the way back to high school to figure this out. I have never enjoyed looking like everyone else. When I was on the swim team my Jr. Year, we had to purchase our own uniforms. Rather than get a black Speedo like everyone else, I opted for a red one piece that prominently featured Donald Ducks face. In Jr. High I decided to chop my hair short and have a tail (I know!). I also wore some pretty rad make-up and mismatched earrings just to make a point.

As I got older I took on some fashion ideals from different worlds. I like a little rock and roll in my clothes, and a little punk. I like some sexy girly things, but I don't want to be mistaken for a college coed. I basically pieced together anything that I liked and that is how I got my look. And my look is 100% me. And only me. For me the idea of looking like everyone else I know is foul. I still find the Goth kids funny (and the Fetish/S&M folks as well) for being all "We are SO counter culture! Look how different we are!" when it looks like they all went shopping together. It's hard to prove how unique you are while you are blending in with the crowd. I guess I just figured the only way to be different was to be... a little normal.

My sense of style and fashion is low key and low maintenance, and so am I. I am not "all about" how I look and someone please shoot me if I ever become that way. Clothes for me are just clothes. It is how you present yourself that matters. Will I go out without make-up on? Hell yes. I do it everyday. The last time I went shopping? No clue. I am still wearing clothes that I had in high school. I like to look good, don't get me wrong, I just don't HAVE to look good.

I have always admired Cher for her "Go fuck yourself" attitude towards fashion. Back before every celebrity had a stylist, Cher was what made award shows fun. She wore what she wanted and didn't care what anyone said about it. That's kind of how I feel. You don't like what I got on, then I suggest that you not buy it. I wear what I feel good in, whether it is a black corset, jeans or a shiny purple jacket and a knit cap with ears.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving has never been one of my favorite holidays. Even as a kid I didn't care for it. Forced fancy dinners always make me uncomfortable. Our family always held hands, prayed and then we had to go around the table and say what we were thankful for. Answers were usually "All this lovely food", "my family" or "just being here today" Way to phone it in, family! When I got a little older and realized what we were actually celebrating I begun to loathe the holiday. I won't go into the politics (because I have done so many times already) but I don't think it is polite to say thank you to someone while you are screwing them over. I don't like over indulging on food for one day a year as a way of showing you are thankful for all you have. It is insincere.

A Prague Thanksgiving is far more sincere than one in America. Since I have moved here the holiday has actually started to mean something to me. It has nothing to do with pilgrims and Indians, but it means something. Us expats here in Prague really are thankful for every little thing we have. We are thankful for our friends who are living the same crazy life we are, and we are thankful for our Czech friends who help us figure out what the hell we are doing. We are thankful for even being able to find a frozen turkey in the market, not to mention having a friend who has an oven to cook it in. We are thankful that we can go back to America to visit, but we are more Thankful to be able to leave again. We are thankful that we have friends and family back in the states who are supportive of the life we are living with out being judgemental - most of them. We are thankful that we don't have to eat Aunt Minnie's cranberry sauce this year and that the new flatmate came with plates. We are thankful for every knife, fork, spoon and glass in our flats - even the ones that came free with the Happy Meal.

It's easy to be thankful for everything you have when you have three of everything. When was the last time you actually appreciated the fact that you HAVE an oven? It's different to be thankful for everything you have when you are miles from family and cutting your turkey with a butter knife. Perspective a gift that I am thankful for everyday.

Peer Pressure

Peer pressure is something that is usually associated with teenagers. I guess the reason that teens have such a hard time with the big PP is that they are young. When you are a teen, what people think about you is the most important thing in the world. If you like the wrong band or the wrong guy, you will be left out in the cold and "everyone" will laugh at you. (Insert "Carrie" crazy mom laugh here - They're all gonna laugh at you!) This is why teen girls and boys in the same social circles all dress alike, sound alike, and act alike. To be different is bad. I have to laugh at the kids who go out of their way to NOT conform. You know, those "goth" kids or the "metal" kids who feel like social rejects but end up looking like every other kid who feels the same way? Joke's on you.

Luckily as adults we have grown out of it. Right? Um, I'm not so sure about that. I see it all the time, every day here in Prague. The non-smoker who is out at the bar bumming cigarettes because everyone else is smoking. Someone going to a club or a restaurant they don't like because that's where "everyone" is going. A dude going vegetarian just because his girlfriend is one. (You would never see the girlfriend adapting by eating a steak, now would you?)

I don't think peer pressure has gone anywhere. I am two months away from turning (deep breath) 37 years old and I still feel it. There are not many of us hot, bad ass chicks in our late thirties who are unmarried, childless, poor, and not socially climbing. I feel the pressure daily when the parents of my students ask about my "boyfriend" or why I am not married, or if I ever plan to have kids. I feel the pressure when I travel back to the states and see my girlfriends and their husbands and their babies. I guess there are just some things that a woman of a certain age is expected to do. And I don't do any of them. I am as far outside the box as one can get.

There are a lot of hidden social pressures out there for someone who is past the Hannah Montana years. First off, your body is a huge pressure. Since you are not sixteen anymore you really have to work to make your body look like a million bucks. And let's not kid ourselves. We all want a body we can feel good about. We exercise because we know we should, but we really hate it. One day you are too fat and the next you are too thin. You just can't win. You also realize that your diet carries its own social stigma. You can't just eat healthfully anymore, you have to eat organic or local. If you don't you will be shunned by the fake hippie composter down the street. You  should be cooking at home and using hip, posh ingredients. You cannot eat at McDonald's not because of the calories, but because of the political and social ramifications it will have. Not to mention at my age it sends me straight to the restroom.

And that's just for starters. I'm sure just about every adult group has their own versions of peer pressure. I have heard of mom's who feel pressure to breast feed from other moms. Or stay at home dad's who feel pressure to "get back to work" from the other dad's on the block. People here in Prague feel a lot of pressure to return to the states and start living a "real" life and working a "real" job.

I think that peer pressure is just mass fear. Folks fear what is different from themselves and react. "If everyone is like me, I am okay. If I am like everyone else, I will be accepted."I'll probably be 90 years old in the old folks home and the lady who lives next to me will try to make me feel bad for bird watching claiming animal cruelty or something like that. I guess it is the way of the world. I don't know. I think Nancy Reagan's (anti?) peer pressure slogan from my youth is actually a good slogan for fighting the norm: JUST SAY NO - when you want too.

DIVORCE

I, like many other folks these days, read the Huffington Post. I enjoy the wide variety of "news" I can get on that site, as well as the wide variety of useless lists. I can't tell you how many times I have been brain-dead at work and the only thing that saved me was one of those lists. For example, today I found one called "The Most WTF Portraits of politicians Ever. It didn't disappoint.

But today I found a disturbing new tab in the good ol' HuffPo. This tab was called "Divorce". Now you can go to the HuffPo for all of you burning questions about politics, entertainment, world news and - divorce? I don't get it. I feel confident expressing my opinion on this subject because I have been married AND divorced. I know that some of you out there are of the belief that an opinion doesn't count unless you have experienced (personally) what you are talking about. I think that is bull shit, but in this case I have the personal experience to back up my big mouth.

America seems a bit hypocritical when it comes to marriage and divorce. One the one hand we raise our children (girls especially) to want to grow up and get married. Choosing a wedding dress often takes more time and effort than choosing a husband. The wedding is often more important than the marriage. We are a culture who shuns the single woman and praises the bride to be. We revere a married mother, but feel sadness for the single mom. We want you married whether you are happy or not. Divorce makes us uncomfortable.

I didn't know this fact until I got divorced myself. I thought to myself, "Golly! Everyone should be so happy for me now. I am finally free of a bad situation." Wrong. I got head tilted to the side looks, and a whole lot of sighs. People felt sorry for me! I couldn't believe it. Here I was doing something positive and proactive and all people could think was "how sad". And here is the truth of the matter. For all of the importance we Americans put on being married, I know very few happily married couples. I know a lot of people who just don't have the balls to get divorced even though it is obvious they should. And, I will say it is a little different here in the Czech Republic. Most couples here have a "friend" outside of their husband or wife. Cheating is pretty common here and fairly well tolerated. There is a really high divorce rate here as well, but I think that has a lot to do with folks getting married so young over here.  But I digress.

But now the HuffPo wants to address divorce differently, and better. Hmm. Maybe a little too late there, Huffpo. Why don't we address MARRIAGE differently and better? Maybe if we didn't look at a while veil as some sort of finish line we wouldn't have such a huge problem with divorce. Maybe if we ladies thought a little less about getting married and a little more about making ourselves happy we wouldn't make poor decisions. And that goes for you men folk as well. I have seen many a man take a bride simply because all of his friends did it and he didn't want to be the last (single) man standing. That is weak.

I guess the fact that divorce has become so common reflects on the fact that marriage has become so easy. In the age of TiVo and people having the attention span of a two year old, I guess I can see how divorce needs a tab in the HuffPo. I find it ironic that Marriage does not.

10 Things I am Tired of

There are a lot of things that float about these days, and a lot of it stays around far longer than is entirely necessary. The Internet makes it worse through the magic of things like Facebook, Twitter and Youtube. Below is a list of things/people I just wish would go away. And please remember that I am a sarcastic sonofabitch and should not be taken seriously.

1. The use of the word "amazing" to describe anything and everything. - Really? That salad was AMAZING? Did it get up and do the tango? Did it recite Shakespeare? Did it suddenly turn into a million dollars? If not, then just fucking say it tasted good.
2. Unicorns - I am sick and tired of Unicorns being the new hip thing. This fictional creature has now crossed on to have its own online video game (which is actually cool) has the hipster crowd wearing shirts of its likeness and little eleven year old girls everywhere wondering why a bunch of adults are suddenly raiding their sticker collections. Enough already. 
3. Zombies - I love zombies, always have. But it seems that recently Zombies have become the new Vampire. Both mainstream folks and rock-a-billy punks all adore the undead. And now the undead is sexy! I have seen zombie pin up calendars and zombie porn. I was one for Halloween, but man. It needs to um, die. (no pun intended)
4. Michael Cera - See last post.
5. Pseudo Names - Once upon a time, fake names were reserved for folks that needed them. Folks like Drag Queens and writers who feared for their lives or livelihoods. Not anymore. Today, you can throw a rock and hit someone who has created a who new persona for themselves. I can't keep up with all the stage/fake/pseudo names anymore, so I'm just gonna call you Keith. 
6. Facebook updates about what people are ACTUALLY Doing - You have seen these. "Max is eating dinner! Yum!" or "Going to the Gym and then off to work" Why bother? If you are going to use your status updates to tell people what you are doing every second of the day, then at least choose the off beat stuff. I would actually find it refreshing to see a status update that said "Watching porn". At least it is interesting.
7. Lady Gaga - I don't find her to be a talented, visionary pop star. I find her to be over hyped and talent free. Take away all the bells and whistles and you are left with a skinny Madonna wannabe. I might have a little respect for her if she just sang a song - without auto tuning. Which brings me to ...
8. Auto tuning - This is something that should be reserved for Cher, and Cher only. 
9. Glenn Beck/Palin/Tea Party - I shouldn't have to explain why I have had enough of these idiots, should I? 
10. Hipsters - It's funny. I never heard the term before moving to Europe and then I heard it all the time. I didn't know what it meant, but I sure do now. It's those people who have contempt for people who don't take the time and energy to pretend that they didn't take the time and energy to look the way that they do. It must be exhausting. Being ironic all the time takes a toll on you. Now, let me go get my American Apparel hoodie and my Red Bull. 

Why I Am Over Michael Cera

I just recently watched the new Michael Cera film "Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World". I'm not going to give a review of the film because it is just kind of pointless to do so. If you have seen any film staring Michael Cera, then you know what this film is like. Just add a bunch of kinetic visual effects that were absent from both "Juno" and "Super Bad" and there you have it. Sure, it was cute and quirky, but it has definitely been done before. And been done before by Micheal Cera.

Am I alone in being completely tired of his shtick? Take one endearing nerdy guy and give him super hip Indie fashion sense and music taste. Make both of those things integral to the plot, or just make THAT the plot. Enter cute, quirky, hipster girl. Make her Ellen page or just look like Ellen Page since Ellen Page is now so pretentious that she can't be in the room with herself. They have a mutual love for music  - music that they think no one else could possibly understand. They have a few awkward dates and wear skinny jeans and say curse words awkwardly. (Being awkward is to Michael Cera what being sexy was to Patrick Swayze. Pay Dirt.) After a courtship that involves a whole lot of Indie Music and a misunderstanding (and maybe some awkward sex that we wish we didn't have to look at because his body is that of a twelve year old boy) they get together and decide to  - chill. Because cool, skinny jeans wearing couples don't date. they just "are".

And I am tired of seeing him in THAT movie. I would like to see him gain a little muscle and grow some backbone. Maybe play the "dick" in a movie. I don't know maybe even play a grown up? I know his character in the Scott Pilgrim movie was 22, but he dated a High Schooler and acted like one. Sure, it was a "coming of age" film of sorts, but man. He needs to come of age a lot quicker than that. So please Michael Cera, PLEASE stop being an annoying presence on film. Please break out of your cool, Indie/hipster/dork mold. Because honestly, there are enough of "you" walking the streets already. We don't need to encourage any more.

The Right Stuff

I was about nine years old when the movie "The Right Stuff" came out. I went to see it with my parents at Hastings Ranch in Pasadena. When the film was over I asked immediately if I could go see it again. And I did. I was smitten. I look back at the nine year old me and wonder a little. Most little girls are not obsessed with three hour long epic films about the pioneering of space travel and the politics that went with it. But, most little girls didn't love the film "The Four Seasons" starring Alan Alda either. I guess I was just a strange kid.


Since then, I have always loved Astronaut movies and reading about the early years of NASA. First off, those guys were just cool. I mean look at their names: Chuck Yeager, Gus Grissom, Jack Swigert - With names like that they had to be bad ass. And what was more bad ass in the early 60's than strapping yourself to a rocket and going into space? And this was at a time when technology was nowhere near where it is today. Back then the idea that a computer could fit in a single room was amazing. The men who signed up for the space program had "the right stuff". The right stuff was that unique mixture of ego, brains, courage, competitive spirit and crazy that it took to be an astronaut. 


I do not have "the right stuff". Every time I watch "Apollo 13" or some other astronaut movie I am made totally aware that I could never be an astronaut. I am not the type of person who would get excited at the prospect of flying through space. Sure, looking back at the earth would be really nifty, and I would like to see the moon, but if it could REALLY happen to me I don't think I would be able to do it. I might go through the tests and I might try out that simulator, but I also might chicken out at the last minute. Just like Don Knotts in one of my other favorite astronaut movies "The Reluctant Astronaut".

And maybe that is exactly what I am, a reluctant astronaut. I never saw myself living in Prague for four years. I never saw myself as the type of person who would pick up and leave America in the first place. But I have surprised myself, because that is exactly the type of person I turned out to be. Somewhere along the way I stopped listening to the world tell me what was best for me and I just started living my life. I have seen a lot of people come to Prague and leave pretty quick because of pressure to "start living a real life" in America. I have seen some people get here and get so scared that they never try a new way of life. The idea of a life without television seemed far more frightening than a life chained to a desk in the good old USA. For me, the final frontier was leaving behind all of the things that made me unhappy. 

So I guess in a way I do have the right stuff. I might not be in outer space, but I am living a life that is different and fun. I had the courage to come here, and I had even more courage to stay. I have the brains and strength to do what is needed and the right amount of crazy to be able to survive this city. I guess in the end all it takes is knowing yourself and being able to believe that you know what's best for you. That's the right stuff in my book. 

An Open Letter to Palin and O'Donnell

Dear Ladies,
I hope this election day is finding you well. I am sure both of you woke up this morning eager to get out there and vote! Hell, maybe you even went and got a new outfit and got your hair did. And to this I say, you go girl. We ladies should always "rock the vote" since it took us so many years and struggle to be able to do so. Equal rights is still a struggle as you both know. Sexism is around every corner and it has seeped in to politics as well. Just the other day I heard a female "Politician" say to a male politician, "Mike, this is not a bake-off, get your man-pants on." I mean c'mon! How are we supposed to ask for equal treatment when we have our women politicians throwing lobs about gender. I know we wouldn't sit still for a man asking if our panties were in a bunch, or asking if it was that time of the month.  The more you make politics about gender - the more politics will be about gender. We didn't come this far to go back 100 years, did we? Comments like that make women look and feel ignorant, intolerant and stupid. But you ladies know better. You understand that women are important to the system and would never jeopardize our rights. 


I know you are both church going Christian women. I think everyone knows that. And that's great. I'm not anymore, but I am happy that you have found something that works for you. But I have to say, I am a little confused as to why you both talk about "God" and "Morals" so much. I know that you, Ms. O'Donnell claim to be an expert on the Constitution. So, you should know that the first amendment protects my right to choose and practice or NOT practice any religion I see fit. So, it is a little off putting to me that you women keep plugging christian morals. I am not one anymore, so you are losing me there. And you say some pretty crazy stuff. Christine didn't you say - "We took the Bible and prayer out of public schools, and now we're having weekly shootings practically...". That's not only crazy and a little lazy on your part, but it isn't close to being true. School prayer was not ALWAYS in school. And it has been in dispute since the 1800's. The Pledge of Allegiance was brought into the schools around that time, and it had no connection to God. In fact, the phrase "under God" was ADDED to the Pledge of Allegiance in 1954 when President Eisenhower was being urged to do so by the Christian groups and the Knights of Columbus. But, you probably knew that already, being as scholarly as you are. 


I'm not going to ask you about your stance on Gay Rights or Abortion because I feel like I would be talking to a brick wall. You both seem hell bent on changing people and making them think like you rather than letting people have their own opinions. And that sucks. And I am offended at it. Ms. Palin, you especially are not inclusive. Your "Mama Grizzly" diatribe is so ... embarrassing. First of all, you are pandering. That makes me a little annoyed. Next, you are talking to women, and you assume that all women are moms and conservatives. WRONG. Last time I checked I was a woman, but I don't have kids - still a woman. And I'm sorry but mom's don't "kinda just know when something’s wrong". I'm sure some do, but man have I seen some clueless mothers in my day. Maybe you can make a platform for the Mama Ostrich's - mom's who put their heads in the sand and refuse to see that THEY are making bad choices and that maybe their kid isn't perfect. Just saying. 


In closing, I'd like to remind you ladies that you are not really helping anyone. Your gender bias way of practicing politics makes women look whiny and dumb. Thanks for that. Your views on religion and abortion are based on things you made up rather than facts. You both have misinformed a huge portion of the public that is too lazy to do any more fact checking than your interview prep people. In this day and age of lemming like laziness, it is in VERY bad form for the both of you to just say what you want in public without checking if it is even true first. People believe what they hear these days, but I guess you are counting on that, aren't you?
I hope this letter made you ladies think about the big picture a little bit. And, I thought you both should know how creepy it is that you both look and dress so much alike. Stepford? Hmmmm.... maybe I'm on to something. I'll just start saying it and it will become fact.


Thanks,
Disenchanted Voter - Alicia