October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Prostate Cancer Also Needs Our Attention
October 5, 2010
by Arun Gavali
|The opinions expressed herein are those of the author, and not necessarily those of The New Agenda.
There is pink everywhere–even on NFL football players!
Last month was Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. Did anyone even know about it?
Is it because Prostate Cancer is not as severe as Breast Cancer?
Well, let’s look at some stats.
From the American Cancer Society:
Chance of a woman getting breast cancer in her life-time: 12.5%
Chance of a woman dying from breast cancer in her life-time: 2.81%Chance of a man getting prostate cancer in his life-time: 16.22%
Chance of a man dying from prostate cancer in his life-time: 2.79%
From the National Cancer Institute:
Estimated new cases and deaths from breast cancer in the United States in 2010 (http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/breast):
New cases: 207,090 (female); 1,970 (male)
Deaths: 39,840 (female); 390 (male)”“Estimated new cases and deaths from prostate cancer in the United States in 2010 (http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/prostate):
New cases: 217,730
Deaths: 32,050?
Prostate cancer is more serious than Breast Cancer because, although the death rates are both about 2.8%, the chance of a man getting prostate cancer is over 30% greater than the chance of a woman getting breast cancer. That means that even though the life-time percentage chance of dying from either cancer is the same, the percent chance that a man will have to fight prostate cancer is greater and there are more cases of prostate cancer for the “sick care” system to have to deal with.
Here’s a great little article (http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/80165/the_great_dichotomy_breast_cancer_versus.html?cat=5):
Only very recently have a few men begun to wonder why so much attention is paid to breast cancer research and awareness, but relatively little by comparison to prostate cancer. That breast cancer is a serious health issue is not in question…. Still, the statistics for prostate cancer are sobering, with one in six men’s being affected –one in four for black men- and nearly 30,000 dying each year. When prostate cancer is in its early stages, there are virtually no symptoms. But the time, effort and money spent on fighting breast cancer versus fighting prostate cancer is anything but proportional.
Last year, the United States government spent $699 million for breast cancer research, compared to $390 million for prostate cancer. A more equitable disbursement might be $699 million and $468 million. The disparity is not solely economic, though. Commercials, public service announcements, news segments and magazine articles address the issue of breast cancer, but rarely touch upon health issues affecting men. Millions of cars’ bumpers sport pink ribbon decals, symbolizing breast cancer awareness. Since 1985, October has officially been Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Numerous national organizations such as the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation work tirelessly to ensure that breast cancer is at the forefront of medical research, and fundraisers such as their annual Race for the Cure, as well as countless other benefits on state and local levels, collect millions more in research dollars. Fundraisers and events for prostate cancer are rare, at best.
Part of the fault lies with men, who need to be more vocal about their health concerns. Men often don’t like to think about their health problems, let alone discuss them….
There is hope on the prostate cancer front. In 2003, President Bush proclaimed September as National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, and later that year, former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, a prostate cancer survivor, became the spokesman for the National Prostate Cancer Coalition. Founded in 1996, the organization has lobbied lawmakers to increase funding for prostate cancer research, and oversees the Drive Against Prostate Cancer, which consists of mobile screening facilities that offer both a blood test and physical examination free of charge.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. There is pink everywhere–even on NFL football players!
Last month was Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. Did anyone even know about it?
Is it because Prostate Cancer is not as severe as Breast Cancer?
Well, let’s look at some stats.
From the “American Cancer Society” (http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/CancerBasics/lifetime-probability-of-developing-or-dying-from-cancer):
Chance of a woman getting breast cancer in her life-time: 12.5%
Chance of a woman dying from breast cancer in her life-time: 2.81%
Chance of a man getting prostate cancer in his life-time: 16.22%
Chance of a man dying from prostate cancer in his life-time: 2.79%
From the “National Cancer Institute” (www.cancer.gov):
“Estimated new cases and deaths from breast cancer in the United States in 2010 (http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/breast):
New cases: 207,090 (female); 1,970 (male)
Deaths: 39,840 (female); 390 (male)”
“Estimated new cases and deaths from prostate cancer in the United States in 2010 (http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/prostate):
New cases: 217,730
Deaths: 32,050?
Prostate Cancer is more serious than Breast Cancer because, although the death rates are both about 2.8%, the chance of a man getting prostate cancer is over 30% greater than the chance of a woman getting breast cancer. That means that even though the life-time percentage chance of dying from either cancer is the same, the percent chance that a man will have to fight prostate cancer is greater and there are more cases of prostate cancer for the “sick care” system to have to deal with.
Here’s a great little article (http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/80165/the_great_dichotomy_breast_cancer_versus.html?cat=5):
Only very recently have a few men begun to wonder why so much attention is paid to breast cancer research and awareness, but relatively little by comparison to prostate cancer. That breast cancer is a serious health issue is not in question…. Still, the statistics for prostate cancer are sobering, with one in six men’s being affected –one in four for black men- and nearly 30,000 dying each year. When prostate cancer is in its early stages, there are virtually no symptoms. But the time, effort and money spent on fighting breast cancer versus fighting prostate cancer is anything but proportional.
Last year, the United States government spent $699 million for breast cancer research, compared to $390 million for prostate cancer. A more equitable disbursement might be $699 million and $468 million. The disparity is not solely economic, though. Commercials, public service announcements, news segments and magazine articles address the issue of breast cancer, but rarely touch upon health issues affecting men. Millions of cars’ bumpers sport pink ribbon decals, symbolizing breast cancer awareness. Since 1985, October has officially been Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Numerous national organizations such as the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation work tirelessly to ensure that breast cancer is at the forefront of medical research, and fundraisers such as their annual Race for the Cure, as well as countless other benefits on state and local levels, collect millions more in research dollars. Fundraisers and events for prostate cancer are rare, at best.
Part of the fault lies with men, who need to be more vocal about their health concerns. Men often don’t like to think about their health problems, let alone discuss them….
There is hope on the prostate cancer front. In 2003, President Bush proclaimed September as National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, and later that year, former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, a prostate cancer survivor, became the spokesman for the National Prostate Cancer Coalition. Founded in 1996, the organization has lobbied lawmakers to increase funding for prostate cancer research, and oversees the Drive Against Prostate Cancer, which consists of mobile screening facilities that offer both a blood test and physical examination free of charge.
?
but what about the men?
If men want Prostate cancer to have a higher profile then they need to step up and make that happen. Women stepped up to make Breast Cancer awareness a major medical concern and they did that because women’s health issues were traditionally given less attention and less research money.
Rather than direct their attention to prostate cancer I think women’s next issue should be length of stay after childbirth. 20 years ago I had an emergency c-section at 11:45pm (I got to the hospital at 11:15pm) they counted that as my first day in the hospital, I stayed the next full day and they threw me out at 11:oo the next day, totally loaded on pain killers, so I was there about 36 hours. They handed me my 8.5 pound baby, told me not to lift anything over 10 pounds for three months and sent me home to the rest of my children with staples holding an 11 inch cut on my abdomen shut. Contrast that with my neighbor who had his gallbladder out that same month, granted they moved the scopes during the surgery so he had 5 tiny cuts instead of 3, they kept him for 5 days so he could recover! Give me a break! Men can fight their own battles, women need to take on childbirth care.
Cry me a river. Sorry, but for so long, women’s health issues were/are treated as secondary to men’s. Now we have one female health issue in the forefront and we’re supposed to worry about prostate cancer? Although strides have been made in treating breast cancer, it is still far from a perfect science. For instance, the mammogram is far from fool-proof. So many of us are biopsied and cut open for no reason and conversely it doesn’t catch all cancer. Just ask my sister-in-law.
How about lung cancer? 157,300 deaths, and it’s not just a matter of the victims having smoked; 20 percent of women who get lung cancer have never smoked, a much greater number than for men; perhaps male smokers are more likely to inflict secondhand smoke on a nonsmoking partner? This seems like an area where a public health campaign could really do some good.
When men start organizing 50-mile fundraising walks for prostate cancer rather than obsessing over their access to ED drugs, I might be persuaded enough to open my checkbook.
“No man has ever walked a mile for his balls.”
Oops, that quote should be attributed to Wanda Sykes.
Here’s the big picture:
“United we stand, divided we fall”, or as Marilion put it, “Divided we stand, united we rise.”
This isn’t about women fighting for men’s issues.
As the article pointed out: “Part of the fault lies with men, who need to be more vocal about their health concerns. Men often don’t like to think about their health problems, let alone discuss them.”
Men need to fight their own battles.
I fight it every day, trying to “enlighten” men about their slavery brought about by their own stupidity. But they are soooo stupid that they can’t break free of their slavery—like crack-heads.
But, it’s not like we—either men or women—are going to reject the support from members of the “opposition”.
And that is the problem—what we refer to as the “opposition”.
This article was about pointing out the other side.
There is always another side.
Neither side is totally right.
Neither side is totally wrong.
When you sift through all the rhetoric, the “spin” and the agenda, there is always a truth lying beneath.
But it is usually the case that the truths on both sides of the issue are equally true (what I said about prostate cancer awareness is as true as what another said about childbirth care).
I propose a solution that finds out what is really true on both sides and then work to fix everyone’s problems as best as possible.
But if you want to be a part of the solution, you have to acknowledge the injustices committed against everyone—not just your own kind.
We aren’t born “good”, but rather we have many “bad” characteristics that we must overcome in our lifetime.
For example, taming the tongue (or the keyboard) is a big challenge.
We are inherently selfish.
Acknowledging our own shortcomings is huge as well.
For example, would I, if I were a woman, fight for the requirement for women to register for selective service? Heck no! I admit it. I am not proud of it, but I am sure it is the truth. As a flawed human being, I wouldn’t fight for something that was bad for me—unless I had a really outstanding character.
But, in the same sense, I wrote “All I want to see is equality for all, not just some”, yet not even one person vocalized support for that notion.
These negative characteristics aren’t just bad for us—they are bad for everyone.
For example, if a child is given everything they want, their selfish nature isn’t going to turn anything down, and in the end, it will result in a spoiled brat that is out-of-control—not good for anyone.
It isn’t reasonable for a child to automatically figure out that it is destructive to be selfish, so the parents have to “step up to the plate” and set boundaries. Eventually the child can learn not to be totally self-engrossed, but in this case, it is the parents who have to take action.
If you say that this world would be a much better place if more women were in charge, I would agree.
But I would also point out that it would be just as bad if it were ONLY women in charge—just as it had been with ONLY men in charge.
I really appreciate Kim’s attitude and her willingness (actually, it was her idea) to post this article as a blog.
I really love the image of the two ribbons—both pink and a blue.
And I really appreciate the title she added. Again, even if I am not asking for women to help fight this cause, it really shows something about Amy’s character to suggest support from women as an influential leader of women.
How does that saying go? “Honey is sweeter than” something something?
In other words (this coming from a man), when women blame everything on men, I (being flawed in that I am defensive and prideful) get offended and think, “Yeah, and why not blame slavery on men as well!”
I am 39, so I am not old enough to have had any affect on slavery—good or bad.
In the same way, I am not responsible for every injustice against women.
Now, if you come with the proverbial “honey”, then you could gain the support of men who would normally not be sympathetic to your cause.
Consider how Amy could have handled my submissions. Coming from what could be considered the “opposition”, she could easily have discarded them.
But she chose to post them. This tells me that she isn’t afraid of opposing views. If you are afraid of opposing views, then maybe you don’t really have a good argument?
And what do people who are afraid of the opposition do? They are prideful and defensive—to the point that they won’t even acknowledge that there are injustices committed against their “adversaries”.
And what else do they do? They oppose their “opposition” even on issues that are either of no consequence to them or even detrimental to their own cause, simply because they are the “enemy”.
I have been mocked and ridiculed my whole life. Being Indian in an all-white community, I was mocked and ridiculed for being Indian. Then when I went to live in India, I was mocked and ridiculed for being American. Both are horrible, but do you know why it was worse to be mocked and ridiculed in India for being American? Hypocrisy—and everyone knows how ugly hypocrisy is.
There is nothing worse than being discriminated against by your own kind.
Not acknowledging the suffering of the “opposition” is tantamount to hypocrisy.
Here is the best story I can think of to sum it up: “As he [a king] began the settlement, a man who owed him [the equivalent of about $100,000,000] was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. The servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him [the equivalent of $100]. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.”
This is what someone is like when they refuse to even acknowledge the injustices committed against someone else, even when that someone is their worst enemy.
If everyone with a grievance about injustice were to rally together, we could do more together for everyone.
Though I consider myself a “cross-dresser”, I don’t fit into any other LGBT category (not that I consider them my “enemy”). Yet, I have reached out to them for help in finding a lawyer. But that is because “united we rise”.
They can help me and I can help them.
So this article isn’t about asking women to fight men’s causes.
It’s about acknowledging that injustice isn’t just a one-way street and that if we work together, we can do much more than if we fight each other.
“Actions speak louder than words.” You should consider Amy’s actions very carefully.
And if you want to see what she “did”, read the comments on “Paycheck Fairness” at “http://thenewagenda.net/2010/09/20/kudlow-and-me-passing-the-paycheck-fairness-act/#comments” and realize that she not only posted my comments, she posted my “blog” on the “Paycheck Fairness” page and then offered to turn it into a blog.
Then ask yourself, “Why is she doing this?”
You need a strong, female leader, but if you don’t have “ears to hear and eyes to see”, she can’t help you.
As Abraham Lincoln once wrote, “If I had more time, this would be more brief.”
I am very impressed that Amy is willing to post articles from many perspectives on her blog and she obviously doesn’t edit them which is amazing because it lets mistakes slip through but it also allows for the authors original thought process to shine through which is far more important than grammar perfection. However it has been a historic problem of “women’s groups” that they distract themselves with causes of everyone but women. That problem is due in good part to the fact that only upper class women have the time to organize and they have not the slightest concept of the problems of middle and lower class women who are trying to survive. So many women who come to a pro woman blog are only interested in woman oriented content. There has never been a place where they could find that. The same women would be interested in prostate cancer articles if they found it in the general press. Also for me gay or transgendered issues are not women’s issues. As far as I am concerned only issues which all women experience are women’s issues. So unequal pay and professional opportunities, distorted media images of females, lack of political representation, unequal medical research and medical care, threat of sexual violence, are “women’s issues”. Other issues that may affect some women (sexual orientation) are simply other issues that might affect some women.
Finally, a respectful, intelligent comment worth responding to.
First, hatred doesn’t help anyone.
Second, do you not realize that any decisions rendered for any “protected” class affects all “protected” classes. A court decisions specifically regarding discrimination against lesbians applies to every “protected” class.
And on “protected” classes, “women” is NOT a “protected” class. Gender discrimination is a “protected” class. That means discrimination on the basis of gender. That means discrimination based on being the gender of a woman or being the gender of a man.
So women need to understand that every decision rendered that protects women from discrimination simultaneously protects men from the same discrimination. It goes both ways.
This also means that women need to be prepared to take on the same RESPONSIBILITIES as men in society. I have provided many instances where women enjoy “special privileges”. Some day women will be required to register for “Selective Service” just like boys age 17 and older are required to do by law. And they will eventually be required to actually fight in a war, not just provide “auxilliary services” from the sidelines. These “special privileges” will have to go away as we reach social equillibrium.
The main point is that women attack men for things that men are not responsible for. I had nothing to do with any inequities that exist in this society. I am too young for that. Just like I had nothing to do with slavery or racism of the past. I fully support iradicating racism–as long as I am not the one being blamed for it. There are practices that have existed from well before my time that I had nothing to do with. Do you think I created the DMV (or BMV)? If they are out of control (and they are), it’s not my doing. And it isn’t fair or helpful to attack those who are innocent of such disparities and injustices.
If there is something I, as a man, and men of today’s age are guilty of, then show us how we are directly responsible for it.
If not, then just focus on the issue and the solution. Why a “Glass Ceiling” exists, I don’t know. The more important question is how does it get resolved. Blaming “men” for it blames me for it and men understandably aren’t going to like that. And so they aren’t likely to support your cause.
From where I sit, women rule the world. I work with married men who worked hard in school right from the beginning, went to college and worked hard, got a job and continue to work hard. Yet, they don’t get to spend even one dime of their own money. They have to get “Authorization” from the “House Finance Committee”, which is the wife who stays at home. She spends without limit, but doesn’t even balance the checkbook. The man has to balance the checkbook, taking action to avert overdrafts, pay the bills, do the taxes, do the dishes, take out the trash, etc. Yet it is their wife that determines if they get to sleep in the bed that they paid for or have to sleep on the couch that they paid for in the living room of the house that they pay for. And these women know it. They know that they walked into the marriage with nothing, but if they divorce the husband, they will walk away with everything.
But I realize that where I sit is just a microcosm of society. I realize that. But do women?
Do you realize that where you sit is also just a part of the larger whole?
This goes back to simply acknowledging that discrimination happens everywhere, even from one discriminated class against another discriminated class, sometimes on the very same issue.
It’s just pure hatred and that won’t help anyone or anything.
This is a damned joke. This entire topic is a damned joke. Please do not attempt to tell me that men are victims of gender-based discrimination for prostate cancer. This is absolutely insane.
If a bunch of guys want to get together and tie blue ribbons, attach pins, and stand out in front of the supermarket handing them out, I’ll wear one.
First, I apologize. This isn’t about all the comments.
But it is about some of the comments.
And not just comments on this blog, but comments on things I have posted elsewhere.
And it is about the voice of women in general.
And yes, I realize that I have to be very careful about what is actually being said versus what I am hearing. I can’t put words in women’s mouths because I am not listening.
But even when I am careful to listen to and read comments carefully and numerous times (I have watched the “Paycheck Fairness” video several times now), I have to conclude that the comments that come across as nasty were meant to be nasty.
And hateful. And hate is a major underlying issue in everything I have written.
No, men aren’t getting discriminated against because they have prostate cancer. The awareness isn’t there and therefore the research isn’t there. Much of that is men’s fault, but much of the support for breast cancer awareness isn’t because of the hard work of women, but because of other, not-so-honorable forces (politics, for one).
But no, hate crimes aren’t getting commited against men because they have prostate cancer.
But men are discriminated against all the time. I won’t go into all the horror stories I can tell you about my own life.
What is insane is if I, as a man, would oppose a woman–working the same position, for the same amount of time, doing the same work, getting the same results, possessing the same qualifications and talents–to get paid the same as I do. And I wouldn’t do that. I would support her making the same as I do. Her making the same as I do doesn’t hurt me any. So it would be insane to oppose it.
But it would be just as insane if a woman a freedom that men want that doesn’t affect them at all. For example, if men want to be able to wear sandals and shorts to work when women are allowed to wear whatever they want, it would be insane for women to oppose it. It doesn’t take anything away from women’s freedom. They still get to wear whatever they want. So why would women be vocally hateful towards a man’s fight to be able to wear sandals, tank tops and shorts to work?
If you don’t support it, fine.
But why fight it?
Why be so hateful about it?
Why such abusive language?
Why demean, mock and ridicule?
This is my opinion, just my humble opinion: if all the oppressed were to join forces, it would be an unstoppable force.
But I applaud all of you for your passion. Most people (like of facebook) wouldn’t even read what I have to say, let alone comment on it–respectful or not. They just want to screw around. At least all of you are serious about your cause and not just wasting time.
This is what I want: First, I want to challenge my own convictions. I want to make sure I know what the other side of the story is.
Second, I want to attempt to change the way you think, helping you be more effective in bringing about change–the change that you are actively seeking and fighting for.
Why? Because YOU ARE NOT THE “ENEMY”. I know that like-minded women and men (as well as every other “protected” class) could be powerful allies.
But the first thing that has to change is hatred and hateful speech.
Amy suggested to me (privately, you can’t see the comment), “Our pleasure. Please consider, if you are not already, becoming a member of TNA~!”
But first I have to see if any of you will follow her lead and allow your own convictions to be strengthened by allowing discussion that comes from both sides.
I don’t doubt that the injustices that you all write of are true.
I need even one of you to even acknowledge that there may be a chance that men are also discriminated against, but that you are just not aware of it.
But I know human nature. Now that I have said that, our corrupt nature will tell us not to do it.
But is there anyone out there willing to say no to the destructive human nature?
I have a son so I am aware of injustices toward him. The first I was aware of was when he was about two years old. The men of the neighborhood were standing outside chatting and a girl a little bigger than my son decided she wanted to kiss him. He wasn’t in the mood and ran from her and she chased him down, tackled him, sat on top of him and kissed him while a gaggle of chatting men, including his father, laughed at the situation and how he had “gotten lucky” but didn’t know it. I was furious and if it was my daughter who got chased, tackled, held down and kissed against her will her father would have been livid. He wasn’t offered any help or comfort and they told him to adjust his attitude since he felt assaulted.
I remember telling my son I don’t watch TV because all of the women on TV are portrayed as idiots and I find it offensive. He was about 5 and he told he found that funny because he didn’t watch TV (except Mr Rogers) because he felt all the men on TV were stupid and he found it offensive. so I do get that men have legitimate issues with culture.
I don’t share your mans eye view of how women behave in marriage. I know too many women who wind up acting like their irresponsible husbands mother because someone has to do it.
As far as women joining with other oppressed, I have to say no. Women are not the minority we are the majority and it is time we assumed the position in society that God clearly intended us to have. If women join with other oppressed we will not gain power, we will just have attention diverted from our needs. Women always come last in society. That must change.
Hi All –
Let’s end the comments please on this thread.
Knowledge is power – it is a thoughful piece by Arun even if it is not an issue that TNA is focused on.
Let’s all move on.
Thank you!
Bes, I have read all of your posts carefully, and I am encouraged to see that you can make well-written, intelligent arguments without the unnecessary hateful speech. I appreciate that.
About your posts, one on “Paycheck Fairness” where you said: “I think that the government can’t be trusted and pretty much screws up every thing they touch and waste peoples money”, do you realize that that is exactly what Kudlow and Sonja are advocating? They both say that government wastes our money trying to “help” us and that we are better off without their “help”.
And just as a further note, someone else said: “The very first line was “It would be great to have equal pay based on merit” (and you think he’s going to say and not based on the sex of the individual but then he says and not government legislation.)” Actually, Kudlow said, verbatim: “shouldn’t everybody’s pay be determined by real-world performance and not government regulations?”
I am glad that you have really great examples of what men go through. I feel like your son, from what you shared. And clearly, the fault is that of men. If you were to watch TV just to see how men are portrayed….
When I discuss these issues, I discuss them from the point of view of the US Constitution. I have my beliefs about God, you have yours, and everyone is entitled to their own opinion on the matter–because of the US Constitution. In other countries, you don’t have that legal right and you could be killed. But I will refrain from voicing my opinion on this matter since it isn’t relevant as a civil matter.
What I would like to say is just very informative stuff, things that you should all know.
The US Constitution is the controlling document that governs our society. Nothing trumps the US Constitution. Not a State Constitution, a city law or a local ordinance–nothing can supercede the US Constitution.
Now, we can only go by how it has been interpretted. Whether interpretted right or wrong, we don’t have the founding fathers to ask, “What did you really mean?” And, in any case, we could have chosen to ignore it and pass an Amendment anyway. But that is an Amendment to the US Constitution.
Based on how the US Constitution has been interpretted, we all have the right to not be discriminated against. Now, there are all sorts of examples where laws and practices violate the US Constitution, but that doesn’t make it Constitutional. The US Supreme Court doesn’t go around saying, “You can’t do that, it’s Unconstitutional, therefore it is illegal.” You have to sue somebody and hope that it ends up in the US Supreme Court. But that is a long, arduous, expensive process. And, you cannot sue on principal–you have to have suffered from such a discriminatory principal, such as a policy.
For example, every bar and club states that “We have the right to refuse service to anyone for any and all reasons.” However, that statement is not true. They cannot discriminate against a “protected” class, as per the Civil Rights Act of 1964–Civil Liberties. Furthermore, I think it is Article II, called “Public Accommodation”, if a black person wants to enter a bar, that person cannot be barred based on their color and the bar must offer to them every service they offer to all their other customers–beer, poot tables, dance floors, jukebox, mechanical bull, etc.
However, bars and clubs incorrectly call themselves “Private Establishments”. All that means is that they aren’t owned by the government. But, don’t be fooled, they are For-Profit, commercial businesses. They don’t offer their services–or their beer–for free, or even for “no profit” (I don’t know how you can’t profit from a $5 bottle of beer). As long as they are a business, there are rules they must follow, according to the US Constitution and Amendments.
If they were a church, or the Boy Scouts of America, or and Elk’s Lodge, or any other non-profit organization assembling under the Constitutional right to “Association” (or sometimes referred to as “Assembly”), they could tell a homosexual or a black person that they are not allowed. It is a Constitutional right that we are afforded.
But bars and clubs are businesses.
Tantamount to Civil Liberties is Discrimination–you cannot discriminate against “protected” classes if you are a For-Profit business.
Check your “Know Your Rights” poster at your place of employment. Not only does an employer not allowed to refuse employment to someone because of “protected” issues, they cannot have discriminate in any of their policies, including promotions, training, fringe benefits, etc, and “terms and conditions”.
But it happens all the time.
That does NOT make it legal. It just means someone has to sue and it has to make it to the State Supreme Court and then the US Supreme Court. The practice or law will continue until someone successfully sues.
I won’t give examples, since I don’t want anyone to be offended, but I am sure if you carefully observe and do some research, you will see this to be true. I am sure you all know of situations without me having to tell you.
Jesus fucking Christ — are we so craven and scared that we can’t put women first without comment and without reassuring men that we’ll put their shit firster?
I’m fucking serious — every goddamned cause in the universe gets put ahead of us, by us, because we’re terrified of pissing someone off by concentrated on women.
This is fucking crazy. This is just fucking crazy. This is how the goddamned third wave got dragged off track with all this intersectionality bullshit where we prioritize everything above women. I don’t see lung cancer charities working for every other form of cancer in the fucking universe, but when it’s a girl-part cancer, we have to make sure we put teh menz first.
Jesus Christ. Can you think of just women only for one second without your head exploding or cringing in terror that the universe will punish you? Are you that frightened of making Mr. Sir angry with you that you confuse putting women first with man-hate?
If you call this hate-speech, you don’t know what hate is. I call what you’re doing FEAR-speech. Feminism and women will never get ahead as long as FEAR-speech is our dominant method of communicating. Timid people accomplish NOTHING.
Again – end of comments here. Thank you.
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