Category Archives: Headlines

let there be light

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I wasn’t going to address the terrible tragedy that took place in Aurora, Colorado last Friday.  I’m sure everyone has seen and read enough about this heinous crime than we care to.  I don’t watch a lot of television, but I can pretty much guarantee that reporters, interviewers, and journalists along the likes of Anderson Cooper, Piers Morgan, the Today Show crowd, and the whole lot of them over at Fox News are keeping everyone up to speed with minute by minute updates and interviews.  In fact, I bet you can’t even turn on the tv without being bombarded with gun control debates, the suspect’s bio, and his picture playing over and over again, how sorry everyone is that this happened and what we can do to prevent it from happening in the future.  I’m not saying this horrific event isn’t worth reporting.  I’m not even saying that we shouldn’t investigate into the mind of this obviously disturbed and some would say “terrorist” of an individual.  I am saying that in light of this senseless act, the media shit storm that follows really irks me.  It all becomes sensationalized and political.  So much so that I feel we often tend to forget that precious lives were lost and we focus more on how the suspect ‘appeared’ to look in court, who’s representing him, what their angle of defense will be, and how ‘movie-like’ his booby-trapped apartment is.

Should there be stricter gun control laws?  Is it constitutional?  Would an increase in laws make an impact in the reduction of these types of crimes?   What about the mental health crisis we have here in the US?  How can we help these people?  More drugs?  How about the justification of the violent and disturbing video games/movies our youth are continually exposed to?

Is it me or do you find it difficult to comprehend the fact that this:

 MAY be more publicly acceptable in our society than this:

Maybe it’s just me, but I feel the problem is much much deeper than more laws and more drugs.  The problem might lie in the continuation of war and hate and violence that seems to have taken hold of our country and our world.  Even so, my love, prayers and thoughts go out to all the victims and their families.  May they have light in this moment of darkness and may we work together to make our world a safe and peaceful place.

TIME: “Are You Mom Enough?”…..what????

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Blogger Jamie Lynne Grumet is on the cover of TIME magazine this week nursing her three-year-old son.  The cover is bold.  It came out this morning and Facebook and Twitter and every and all major media outlets are overflowing with comments.  Some positive, some negative, and some downright awful and offensive.

The article in this issue is about parenting guru Dr. Sears and his attachment parenting method or AP (which encompasses a lot more than just extended breastfeeding by the way).  I have to admit that while I’m almost positive the photo was used for “shock” value, what really annoyed the heck out of me was the inflammatory headline.  “Are You Mom Enough?”  What?  Am I mom enough for what?  To raise my children the way I see fit?  To teach my children about health and wellness and life and love?

If this was their way to get moms to learn about and embrace AP, TIME did a terrible job convincing.  As a matter of fact, I might go as far as to say that they knew MOST wouldn’t get past the cover or headline long enough to read the actual article.  We are a society that needs images.  We LOVE to send and share and ‘like’ on Facebook and Pinterest and Twitter.  Therefore, the real issue will be the COVER and HEADLINE and not the interview.  Is this what they intended?  Did they want to ignite the “Mommy Wars” just to sell their magazine?  I’m thinking, HELL YES!

Also, as a mother who breastfed her little girl until she was two and her little boy until he was three, I think Jamie Lynne is brave and amazing for putting herself out there.  I applaud her efforts to raise awareness and to let other mommies know that we don’t all have to parent the same way.  And that’s A-OKAY!

Thoughts ladies?

lisa

update: Friday May 11, 1012. Here are some more photographs that were taken, but did not make the TIME cover:

ps. On a lighter and funnier note, my earlier post: Own it then OM it part deux!!