A Little Dip (for the Chip on My Shoulder)

I must stop reading the editorial page.

It pisses me off.

There are times when I read it with interest, with an open mind, and try to be kind to those whose views I do not agree with. Freedom of speech is a good thing.

However.

If you are writing an editorial letter and you know NOTHING about the lifestyle that you are bashing, you should take all your hatred and loathing and self-serving attidude, mix it with water and bake it into a nice little brick, tie it around yer neck, and throw yerself in the nearest deep deep pond of unknowingness.

M'kay?

Early last week an editorial letter was published from a local woman, something to this effect: "I am a 25-year old single mom of a 2-year old girl. I am working full-time to support us and taking college classes when I can. I am asking the president, the governor, everyone in political power, to please please stop cutting money for affordable child care programs. Child care costs so much, and I really need those programs to make a better life for myself and my daughter. Thank you."

I. Love. This. Woman.

She represents all mothers. She represents all people who care about children. She represents Jesus God Allah Mohammad Goddesses everywhere. "It takes a village to raise a child."

Damn right.

Child care is an expensive proposition. I have children who have been and are currently in a child care situation. The place we use is run by the city, in an old elementary school, and has an excellent staff. It's not...NOT...the Taj Mahal. But they have an excellent curriculum, they use students from Local University as staff, they are kind and respected and the children and parents love them. Cost varies, as the babies require more hands-on time and the pre-k can take themselves to the potty and so forth.

Still.

It costs approximately $700 a month to have a child in the baby room.

Seven. Hundred. Dollars. Each. Month.

Yes.

Now, imagine you're a single mother. You're eeking out a living. Where are you going to get that kind of money? If you use our facility, and have a child in the baby room and one in the pre-k room, you will spend $1200 a month on child care.

Question: How can a single mom afford that?
Answer: She can't. Not without help.

I am all for the city, the state, the nation doling out grants or scholarships or funds to help parents find affordable child care. I don't care if my tax dollars are used this way, because these are CHILDREN we're talking about. And parents. They deserve our help.

In yesterday's paper, some local guy wrote an editorial in direct opposition of the single mom's plea. He wrote to this effect: "How dare that woman ask for a handout for child care! In my day, a 'single mom' was a woman who had never been married, and her children deserved a certain bad nickname. She deserves nothing, as that child should never have been born out of wedlock. When I had small children, I worked 40 hours a week and my wife stayed home with them and that's the way it should be. This 'single mom' does not deserve my tax dollars."

The man's name is listed in the paper. And I've never so much in my life been tempted to write him an anonymous letter telling him all about the fire and brimstone that would eat his ever-lovin' flesh once he died. Because that certainly isn't a very Christianlike attitude. And from what I remember, the Bible is all about The Golden Rule and taking care of others, especially women and children.

Who is he to dictate what this woman should and shouldn't ask for?
1) He is a man.
2) He will never birth a child.
3) His manner of speech indicated that he was in his 50s or 60s, and even if he were a woman, he'd have no idea what it's like to raise a child in this day and age.
4) His children were able to stay home with mom because either he made a great deal of money, or they were able to just make it financially.
5) The term 'single mom' is applied to all women who are raising a child alone. This includes divorced women as well as those who never married and are in all manner of relationships.
6) What does he propose this mom do? Kill her child? Give her up for adoption? Leave her child home alone? Marry some ya-hoo she doesn't love or care for so she can give up the title 'single mom'?
7) Does this man have a compassionate bone in his body?

I have to stop. I'm sputtering and waving my arms above my head and clenching various body parts in anger and frustration. It's men like this who should be banished to some new island planet somewhere, who obviously don't care about women or children, who appear high and mighty and spout that statement I often hear from well-to-do Republicans I work with: "If they couldn't afford kids, they shouldn't have had any."

FUUUUUUCK YOU, MR. WILLIAM ATKINS! You are NOT a Christian. You should NEVER be left alone with children. You are a self-serving misogynist. You will receive your day in hell soon enough.