A low, dishonest decade

I'm in one of those moods where I'm noticing every little annoying or stupid thing the people around me do. Like a housemate panicking that she didn't know what the numbers on the oven dial meant; increasing numbers on a dial on a device designed to generate heat, What The Fuck do you think it does! Even if you're never used a gas oven before it can't be that difficult!

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A side effect of this mood is that I become very sarcastic, moody, argumentative and confrontational. Probably a bad day to pick a fight with the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party then. I saw an article this morning about the Labour Conference having an event where men were not allowed to attend - with the exception of Ed Miliband - and issues such as maternity leave and childcare were to be discussed. I tweeted the link to the article, tagging Ms Harman and saying she had a lot to answer for. As a women, I find of lot of her proposals for gender equality derogatory; forcing the Labour Party to have a woman as either leader and all-women short lists are two examples of plans for equality that Ms Harman supports but that I feel merely reinforce the belief that women are not capable of becoming successful without help. Harriet Harman unexpectedly responded to this tweet saying women's only conferences will not be needed 'when women & men [are] on equal terms in [the] Labour party.' Now this isn't something I can agree with:

1. Discussing issues such as these at a women's only event surely reinforces the gender stereotypes that men are unable or unwilling to participate in child-rearing which is hardly conducive to gender equality and,
2. Gender equality (and a harmonious party) are hardly likely to come from making party policy whilst excluding the opinions and ideas of 50% of the population

While I did my best to convey these messages through Twitter's 140 character limit and Harriet Harman did reply for a couple more tweets I feel I probably did little to change her mind. It did however make my day slightly more cheerful; it's not every day you get to chat with the Deputy Leader of Her Majesty's Opposition!

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While that would have been a marvellous ending to a blog it's 9/11 and I feel some comment is required. Mass outpourings of grief has always made me feel uncomfortable; grief is such a personal thing that I feel the big crowds at Ground Zero and the constant documentaries and press stories border on morbid fascination. That is not to say that the friends and families of the victims shouldn't be able to visit Ground Zero and mourn but the endless press coverage, conspiracy documentaries and wall to wall news coverage of the memorial service just indulges some peoples unhealthy obsessions and cheapens the true feelings of people who actually suffered.

I've already been told off for expressing this opinion once so I hope it's not too offensive to anyone, I just find public outpourings of grief distasteful.

Hopefully more politics/ less my moods tomorrow :D