Reporting from the front-lines, the Stress Doc shares his impressions
wandering around a lot of feisty and determined women! The future looks
bright!
Women shall inherit the earth. Fallopians 21. Just one of many signs that grabbed my
attention today in downtown D.C., e.g., Beware
Pussy Power and The Re-vulva-lution
is coming! Along with quotes from Martin Luther King,
Susan B. Anthony, and Frederick Douglass.
Nothing better than a purposeful socio-political happening of hundreds
of thousands to put an inauguration hangover behind me. Today was cloudy but unseasonably mild, in
the 50s, perfect for walking around, milling about, shouting slogans – whether
responsively or in unison. The mass of
humanity was mostly women of all ages, colors, nationalities, from many states
near and far. But also, a fair share of
the XY species came out – sons, boyfriends, spouse, fathers, grandfathers, and
vagabonds, like myself. When I saw
mothers with their five, six, and seven year old daughters, my immediate
response: “You’re never too young to
march!”
It
felt important to be here: to register
my deep concern about positions and personalities that have the potential to
unravel the tapestry of civil and human rights legislation and judicial
decisions woven by many hands and hearts, especially during my lifetime.
Sixties Redux
Today
evoked memories of the 60’s, especially of the Vietnam War and Civil Rights
struggles. Back then much dissent was
stirred because people’s lives, especially men’s lives, were on the line. I recall students having to take a
proficiency test at the end of their Freshman year, to retain their student
deferment. Too low a score…and you were
heading to the draft board, basically.
Or that was the palpable fear. (Because
I was still seventeen at the turn of 1966, I was exempted.) Of course, African-Americans (and white
compatriots) were fighting (and dying or being battered and arrested) for their
Civil Rights. Then it was protests,
sit-ins, and marches for the right to participate fully in American Society –
for the right to pursue the American Dream.
(Ironically, this is a slogan popular with many of the immigrants/fairly
new American citizens from Nepal that I have encountered in my community mental
health advocacy work.)
Akin
to the previous anti-war and freedom struggles, today, women and immigrants are
being mobilized by political-cultural forces that literally threaten their womanhood
and livelihood, their health and welfare.
As a woman friend noted, we have
been awakened, as if from a slumber.
They are fighting for a voice, a choice in acutely personal matters of
human life, human rights, and human dignity.
Back to the Future
The
area was so jammed with people, I could not get anywhere near the speakers’
platform. The closest I came to being
part of the formal program was when a deafening wave of sound from Independence
and Third would cascade up to the Mall.
Back in this area, autonomous groups would form their own
mini-event. A woman in a tree was
exhorting dozens with, “Hey, hey what do you see? This looks like democracy.” Or something to that effect.
I
couldn’t help asking myself: Would these
many men come out for a cause, other than if the government reinstated a
mandatory draft? Personally, I’m not so
sure that’s a bad idea. I have seen what
multiple tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan do to military personnel and
their families. I believe a year or two
of national service – whether in the military or in some national service corps
– would help many young men mature physically and psychologically; we’d
definitely have fewer couch/video game potatoes. In my
mind, such a step would tangibly contribute to making America, if not “great
again,” at least a more democratic, less racial, ethnic, social class-divisive
society. The barracks in Basic Training were
real social-cultural “melting helmets.”
Other Comparisons
Oh
yes, I walked among the throngs of the Million Man March, what 20-25 years
ago? (There are some advantages living
in the Greater DC area.) It was like a
whole segment of society finally decided to truly come out of the cultural
closet: This is who Black Men really are!
Not the one-dimensional, often biased portrayals in the media. As I recall, the atmosphere was a bit more
subdued, yet with a warmth of recognition, like lost landsmen, meeting at a communal convention. I sensed connections being made in this multi-hued
sea of brothers; men were discovering both their individual selves and their
common humanity.
But today,
I picked up a different vibe: one of joyful defiance. The animated yet determined looks and bold
body language fairly roared: “We’re mad
as hell…and we’re not gonna take it anymore.”
Actually,
I just free associated to a group of women I encountered, also about
twenty-five years ago: single mothers, at the time, receiving welfare
assistance, taking training workshops for independent living. For one of the graduating classes, an
especially vital and motivated group, I wrote a commencement anthem, one of my
“Shrink Raps” ™. I’ll paste it
below. In a way, it captures my
admiration and hope for the fair and feisty sex! For after today, I’m convinced, in the good
old US of A, women are the wave of the political future. All I can say…Amen and Women, to that!
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Welfare Momma Lion
Now just listen to me I’ve got something to say
We may not agree or even think the same way.
For I’ve had a chance to confront an old myth
That the women on welfare are all just the pits.
I don’t mean to confuse ya, but I must confess
This woman’s a loser is a lot of b.s.
She’s feisty and noble, a momma lion with pride
Who carries her pain like a child inside.
Feels rejection real fast; sure can gossip all day
But her bosom is your refuge till the hurt goes.
With a mouth that can roar, my lady why so shy?
A quiet dignity just won’t let her cry.
Now she’s rather be alone than to be with those men
Who refuse to grow up or only prowl on them.
Her mind has an edge; she cuts right through the crap.
You’d better not give her that same old rap.
So I’ll take my advice and finish this song
Cause the woman gets restless if you take too long!
So all I will say my dear, dear lady friends
What you’ve given to me I just hope never ends.
© Mark Gorkin
1992
"Shrink
Rap" Productions
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mark Gorkin, MSW, LICSW,
"The Stress Doc" ™, a nationally acclaimed speaker, writer,
and "Psychohumorist" ™, is a founding partner and Stress Resilience
and Trauma Debriefing Consultant for the Nepali Diaspora Behavioral Health
& Wellness Initiative. Current Leadership Coach/Training Consultant
for the international Embry-Riddle Aeronautics University at the Daytona, FL
headquarters. A former Stress and
Violence Prevention Consultant for the US Postal Service, he has led numerous
Pre-Deployment Stress Resilience-Humor-Team Building Retreats for the US
Army. Presently Mark does Critical
Incident Debriefing for organizational/corporate clients of Business Health
Services. The Doc is the author of Practice Safe Stress, The Four Faces of
Anger, and Preserving Human Touch in
a High Tech World. Mark’s
award-winning, USA Today Online "HotSite" – www.stressdoc.com
– was called a "workplace resource" by National Public Radio
(NPR). For more info, email: stressdoc@aol.com.
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