Taking A Stand For Women In Leadership

I’ve always considered myself more spiritual than political, but at this monumental time in history, I feel the urgency to become both. It is impossible to see what’s going on and not realize that action is required to protect the welfare of humanity, the planet, and future generations. Spiritual activism often includes political activism to some degree, but now more than ever, politics requires our full attention. We have an emergency situation, and it continues to escalate by the day.

As filmmakers, and as citizens, it is essential to take immediate political action, on top of our filmmaking. We do need to continue to use our filmmaking, and the power of the media, to spread the word and share the stories, but we also need to get on the phone and call our representatives. Now that we are getting a taste of what those who have weaseled their way into power are capable of, I do notice more people, including much of the media, waking up. As a matter of fact, the one good thing that has come out of what is happening in Washington, is that it has activated so many people and moved them to take positive action...the action needs to continue. They are counting on us loosing steam and going back to the ins and outs of our lives, we can't let that happen.

I’ve been busy working on my micro-budget film on Mary Magdalene, which includes a message regarding our need to raise the healing, nurturing feminine energy on this planet, so that the male and female energies can be in harmonious balance again. This balance is critical at this time, more than ever, and would benefit all. Because of my film, I had fallen behind writing this blog. The last blog I wrote was when Trump had just been made president of the United States, almost certainly through the manipulation of votes. Once I got over the shock, I was more motivated than ever to get this message about the suppression of women in leadership positions out into the world, because this suppression has short-changed us all, regardless of gender. I'm thrilled to see more women stepping up to lead.

While making this film, I could see a parallel between what was done to Hillary Clinton and Mary Magdalene. Clinton had courageously run such an intelligent campaign, compared to her opponent. It wasn’t flawless and she's not flawless, because…well, none of us are. She was not my first choice for president at the beginning. I liked much of what Bernie stood for, so I had a hard time deciding. Many people didn't like Hillary, but she showed herself as a strong, resilient woman of leadership. Clinton would have won the election, despite a smear campaign that already started years earlier to circumvent her win from ever happening, should she decide to run. (They saw her coming a mile away). Yet, she was still winning! Then came some purposefully, ill-timed, underhanded blows right before voting was to take place, followed by outright tampering with the ballots...and now here we are.

I've been able to see behind the smear tactics for what they were, because of my research. They can't tolerate a woman in power. For those of you who didn't want Trump, but didn't like Clinton, here's something to think about. I have met two people who know Hillary Clinton well, one is a young woman I met at a qigong retreat, a few years ago, whose wisdom I greatly admire, and another is a long-time friend of Clinton's, also a warm, intelligent, upstanding person. Both of these women have nothing but good things to say about Hillary Clinton. They don’t go into great detail, because I sense a desire to protect someone they genuinely care about, but what they do say is not forced, the way you would talk if you just didn’t want to say anything bad about someone for the general sake of "staying out of it". Rather, when they speak of her, it is deep and heartfelt. They say that Hillary is a kind person and her intentions and heart are in the right place, with a desire to create positive change. The things she wants to do for the planet, women, children and families are sincere and substantial. I also was told that Hillary is someone who stays in touch with her college friends, and is cherished, as a true friend for life. This speaks volumes of her character. None of these qualities match the horrible picture the opposition has painted of Hillary Clinton, planting words like she's "cold", "crooked" and "can't be trusted" into our psyche, as a form of brainwashing.

Clinton is competing in a man's field, where strength matters. She can't walk up to the podium soft and appeasing, they would walk all over her. She needs to stand firm in her strength, power, and drive. So why is it appealing for a man to have those qualities and not a woman? And then the emails, the emails...can you even remotely imagine if Clinton did any one of the countless offenses on Trump's list below..if she moved into the white house and put her family and friends in the political seats? If she dismantled the EPA, took health care from millions, and the list goes on...?

Women and men of wisdom can be the change makers who contribute to society but, first we need to see through the smokescreen. Consider for a moment that the public may have been mislead, and her reputation purposefully damaged? Let that thought sit for a while... because this is precisely what has been done to strong women leaders for thousands of years, and it is one of the topics of my film, Who Framed Mary Magdalene? Mary Magdalene was falsely turned into a prostitute, for crying out loud, that's how we've all come to know her. It was done to discredit her and cover-up the fact that she was the most wise, evolved Apostle and a woman of great leadership...because allowing her to hold onto her role as a leader would have given other women permission to step into their power. Again, this has been done to women for thousands of years!

So, what can we as filmmakers show in our films, no matter their genre, fiction or documentary, that create a positive shift? For one thing, I’m thrilled that more and more men are recognizing what women have to contribute, and are stepping up to the plate for women’s equality and empowerment. We need to reflect this wonderful shift in our films, because it does require a joint effort! We also need to expose what has been done to strong women in the past...in order to reveal what is being done to keep women out of leadership positions now.

In stories, what needs to be unmasked is the immense, Grand Canyon, difference between what is said and what is done by our current president…what the actual effects of Trump's actions are...not what he says he's creating for us, while he rushes off to the bank. My heart breaks for those still hanging onto his words, while our world is being torn apart around us. This is partially because he has convinced these people not to believe the real news, only his fake news. This form of manipulation, as many have already pointed out, is straight out of a dictator's handbook…discredit the journalists and the news media, create a vacuum of only the news and information they want the people to see. (Why would he need to do this is he had nothing to hide?) Another thing want-to-be dictator's do, is choose the people they appoint into office by their loyalty to them, not their actual experience and governing ability…so family and business cronies.

An acquaintance recently said to me that no matter how bad some of the presidents have been, this is the first time he has seen a president who seems to have absolutely no regard for the welfare of the American people or humanity as a whole, and is only in this for his profit and the profit of those closest to him.

Even the little things, such as Melania suddenly claiming to be shy and not comfortable in the limelight, yet the lawsuit she has against the one magazine, says they damaged her once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of becoming the most photographed woman in the world…that does not sound like someone shunning the limelight. I believe the disappointment came, when instead of paparazzi awaiting her when she stepped out her door, she was greeted by protesters with their signs. That had to be a blow. This, of course, had nothing to do with what was printed in the magazine, the name of which I don’t even remember, but who her husband is and what he is doing. There is a link to a now partial list of the devastating things Trump has done his short time in office, at the end of this blog, but this list is added to daily, including the atrocious health care plan and attempts to rewrite or bypass the constitution. I am appalled that this dangerous circus has been allowed to go on this long.

It's a shame that the person who had the votes and the capability of running this country is not in the white house, which is why it's important to take a stand together and be counted. If life's obligations only allow you to contribute in small ways, it all counts. There are so many causes to choose from now. A big cause for me, for example, is pushing for an independent Russian Collusion investigation. We, the people, are being heard. For those who simply choose to go on about their life as if all is well, as long as they aren’t immediately, directly affected by Trump's policies at this time, I’ve got news for you, you live on this planet, you will be impacted. If you come out of this okay, it won't be because it all worked itself out, it will be because of those who got off the couch and fought to make a difference.

~.~.~

The Terrifying Things Trump Has Done: http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/04/every-terrifying-thing-that-donald-trump-has-done.htm