Taking sides

Well it's come down to this: a comment about the overly hyped Twilight series, particularly New Moon, but I just have to say something. On my other blog, They often post "Writer's Block" questions where they inquire about certain things which people would tend to have strong feelings about. To help us writers unplug the drain and get some thoughts and our pens writing. This one was "Did you think that the new Twilight Movie was as good as the book?" or something like that. Since I have strong opinions about Twilight, and I like sharing my opinions, I thought it would be time to clear a few things up. Or just gripe.

I did read the Twilight series a year or so ago. I was in that tricky conundrum where you don't really like specific things about a series, but you have to finish it to see how it ends. One thing I do like about Stephanie Meyers is that she is pretty honest about not being a writer as much as she was a housewife with intense dreams that she was compelled to write down. I appreciate that. She's not trying to come off as a person who struggled to be a writer, hone their craft and find an idea that inspired her and an agent that got her paid. She was a stay-at-home mom who quit her job to raise her kids and had a dream about a girl in love with a vampire who wanted her blood. Vampires are like that.

I'm pretty sure that I'm a big feminist and snob but part of me really enjoyed the books. Unfortunately, one of my biggest problems with the book was one of the main characters. Edward. He sounds like the fantasy boyfriend of most 15 year olds. He is smokin' hot, he is strong to the point of almost invincibility, he is protective, he always knows what to do and he is a little moody but seems to shine when he's with you. Sounds pretty much like my high school fantasy. Hell, even into my early thirties, I was drawn to the handsome withdrawn brooders. Then I grew up. I realized that real relationships are made of two people who are friends and work together to conquer the universe. Edward is a know it all and seems to treat Bella like she's a stupid kid who doesn't know anything and makes moronic decisions. Gross. Every feminist fiber of my being was wanting to jump in to the book and smack Bella. Let her know that passion without foundation will fail. Every time. If it feels like you've known each other for lifetimes and there's an unspoken bond and chemistry between you two, it means nothing if he can't respect you enough to hear you out and take your thoughts into consideration. I know this from experience.

Then there's Jacob. He's a clumsy kid, but he actually treats Bella like a friend. Like she can have her own thoughts and abilities and not threaten him. Plus, she can go to the beach with him on a sunny day. Having a husband that is my friend and partner, I again speak from experience. I rooted for Jacob from the first paragraph of then talking on the beach when she first arrived in Forks.

My last issue, and it's totally political, is the fact that Bella falls for the rich white guy who seems pretty disrespectful, and eschews the poor American Indian guy who is a friend with a crush. It seems that in fantasies, love can't survive without money. Or white skin.

So that's my beef. Or beefs. Or boeuf de la moi.

I guess if I want this story to go differently, I'll have to write it myself.

I Take It Back

All yesterday morning, I heard about the Dems patting themselves on the back about passing sweeping health care reforms, with little commentary on the stranglehold the Stupak-Pitts amendment put on abortion rights. I don't believe in many things that I pay endless tax dollars to, but I accept that as part of being an American, I have to pony up for some things I think are morally wrong. But, this is not about rearranging the laws to fit my personal beliefs, that's not how it works in the this experiment called America. You take some, you give some. Unless, of course you are talking about abortion rights.

As always, the extreme right has managed to hijack the reproductive rights issue and turn it from an issue of an individuals private choice to screaming about killing babies. It's okay to spend billions to kill babies overseas in wars we start with people we don't have to look in the face, but if you start talking about federal funds to cover abortions, we get all conflicted. It's gotten to the point that shame has become synonymous with the word 'abortion' and it's become a quiet little secret in many peoples lives. The discussion has been warped, twisted away from women and giving them respect and privacy to condemnation. I hear it from both sides: the Duggars are overpopulating the earth and being irresponsible; women who have abortions are baby killers and should just have the baby and give it up for adoption; there must be something wrong with those married couples who don't want to have children, and on and on. We can't stop judging other people's lives and it all goes back to the same idea. Mind your own business. You have no idea what someone else is going through. Trust me, you don't know what's best for them.

I, for one, take this argument back and I'm giving to women to make choices for themselves with their family and their god. No one else can best make that decision for them. Continue screaming about baby killing and hell all you want, I'm going to make this about the women who need access to all their health care choices in order to pursue their life, liberty and happiness.