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Work 4 Peace,Hold All Life Sacred,Eliminate Violence! I am on my mobile version of the door-to-door, going town-to-town holding readings/gatherings/discussions of my book "But What Can I Do?" This is my often neglected blog mostly about my travels since 9/11 as I engage in dialogue and actions. It is steaming with my opinions, insights, analyses toward that end of holding all life sacred, dismantling the empire and eliminating violence while creating the society we want ALL to thrive in

Friday, September 07, 2018

What is Patriarchy?

I put on my "Smash Patriarchy" shirt this morning before I head to Darlington and the Lesbian Music Festival there! I'm very excited to be reading with and for womyn again!

I run into the large building at the rest stop which houses several fast food restaurants, Starbucks, a market, clean restaurants, and free fast wifi! An older white man opens the door for me, leans toward me and asks "What is patriarchy?"

I search his face to see if he is being funny or serious. I land on the serious side so I tell him "Patriarchy is white male domination and violence against all womyn, and against men of color."

He claims he's against all violence. I look at him with my eyebrows raised, nodding my approval and then I question what he means. "Are you sure?" I ask. "Are you against the violence of police and prisons?"

He looks a little uncomfortable but says "sure." So I add "Are you against the violence of war?"

Now he's on more comfortable ground as he chuckles and says in his deep man voice "Well, that's the government, we can't do anything about that."

So I tell him, sure he can, he can not pay his taxes, not allow his children or grandchildren to go to war.

He slips silently into the men's room before I can finish the list of what he can do.....