Loreley

Ara: Sometimes age has nothing to do with being mature or inmature. A person can be 26 years old and be completely inmature. Don't worry about the age issue. There is no age when it comes to love or to feeling attracted to someone else.

I do not see anything wrong with open marriage relationships. There are other ways to be happy outside of what has always been considered the "standard" or "normal" family. Who decides what is "normal" is an issue in itself.

I think that sometimes because life can be difficult, there is this human necessity to believe in something/someone that cannot be seen, to have that faith that will keep people going. I have more faith in myself than in anybody/anything else. I personally do Not believe or follow any particular religion because religion has became an institution, it has been the cause of so many wars, deaths, persecutions. I do not believe in hell or heaven. The idea of hell and heaven feels like a way to scare people so they won't do bad things. I think we have days that feel like heaven and other days that don't.

It feels sometimes that most good guys are with girls that don't appreciate them and good girls met guys that don't appreciate them. I Don't know if this is true or no, but it seems that way sometimes.

Azat: Hope you find a job really soon!!

Vava: I agree with your statement!!!!!! Of course, the socioeconomic situation for women is not the same as it was 20 years ago. Opportunities are opening up for women (altough in a much smaller scale for women of color and immigrant women). Things have improved and changed, but we are still not at the point of saying things are equal. When we compare the situation of women in developing countries to women in the U.S., women here are much much better off. Should we comform because things are little better than in the past and when comparing to other countries? No. It is about reaching equality for all people (women, men, gays, White and non-White people, immigrants,lesbians, here and around the world).

Azat: HI. We are not never going to agree on this issue!!!!! or at least find a middle ground. I certainly do not think that men take more risks than women or viceversa. The fact that women are primarily in jobs such as teaching, childcare, housewives, secretarias is not just a coincidence. Men don't force women into those jobs, but we are socialized to be nurturing, detailed oriented, socially caring, etc. I am sorry but I don't believe that idea that we are all treated equally and there must be something wrong about those who fail. I thank you for your suggestion, and I also would like to recommend you reading: "Ain't I a Woman" by bell hooks (she doesn't use capital letters on her name on purpose). I am not saying that all women are victims or anything like that, but that there is still disparity and inequality. Some women are better position than men, but you can't deny the facts.

Azat: Sorry it took me this long…..Only 30% of employed women earn more than $35,000 a year, compared with 51% of employed men. Counting only year-round, full-time workers, women college graduates, on the average, earn less than men with some college and only slightly more than men with only a high school education ($35,378, women with a bachelor’s degrees; 35,945, men with only some college; $31,215, men with high school diplomas; U.S. Census Bureau). Women constitute 98 % of secretaries, 97% of child care workers, 94% of nurses, and 81% of librarians, 75% of teachers, and 66% of social workers (low paying jobs), but only 27% of lawyers, 27% of professional athletes, 26% of physicians, 17% of dentists, and 10% of engineers. In 1997, full-time male administrative support workers earned $514 per week, compared to $403 per week for women (U.S. Department of Labor), the median weekly earnings for service workers were $317 for men and $260 for women. Women who do not work for wages spend about 70 hours per week in housework (unpaid labor), about 30 of which are devoted exclusively to child care. Women who work for wages and do housework, they work an average of 76 to 89 hour per week. We can go on and on... Azat: you asked if women provide cheaper labor, why wouldn’t corporations hire women and save money? As Firestone says, “There is no such a thing as “pure Capitalism,” nor does “pure Patriarchy” exist, for they must of necessity coexist……The material base of Patriarchy is men’s control over women’s labor power. Patriarchy as a system of relations between men and women exists in capitalism and that in capitalist societies a healthy and strong partnership exists between patriarchy and capital.”

Somedays I wish I could be a child all over again. It is scary to think about getting older (I know that I am still very young), but then it makes you think of how much we should enjoy every moment of our lives because we are not going to live forever.

Rubo and Gamavor: I love Mario Benedetti's work and I like Jorge Luis Borges.

Rubo: What you wrote is very nice. If people knew each other's background and life experiences, we will be more understanding and respectful of that person's perspective. On the other hand, it is nice to write something without having to go deep into who you are. It is the first time that I write in a forum, and I have learned a lot of things and I am learning how to see something from different perspectives. Honestly, I have a lot of feminist and radical ideas and I got used to talking to people that have similar ideas too, but since I am writing in this forum, it has been enlightening, challenging, and a learning experience to read about different ideas and ways of seeing things.

Azat:you are right. They say that there are about 10,000 Armenians in Uruguay but a very small (really small) percentage of it are active in the Armenian community. Especially, in the last few years, we are having this huge economic crisis (Argentina's situation affected us a lot) so people are more concerned about survival. Argentina has a much bigger community (supposedly about 100,000).

Azat: I would love to give you the statistics. My books are back at my home, so when I get a chance to go home and I will post them for you.

Korn: Thanks for sharing your concerns. Honestly, I speak much more Spanish than Armenian because I feel more comfortable and have more knowledge of the Spanish language. Am I less of an Armenian? I don't think so. When I am with Armenians, if we have the same dialect, I speak in Armenian. If we have different dialects, I feel more comfortable in English because I will understand more. I know the language, I use it in family and friend setting, but it is not my first language. I am conscious that I should practice it more and hope to do so. I was brought up in a small Armenian community in Uruguay and we had armenian school (only elementary), church, and clubs, but we didn't have armenian stores, bookstores, Armenian newspapers, Armenian food,most of us had never been there or ever seen an Armenian from Armenia. We tried our best to the keep the culture in our hearts. Yeah, I don't know a lot of historical data as you do, but it is necessary to be more welcoming and understanding of Armenians who are not as knowledgable as you are(people's life circumstances are different)so people feel more comfortable staying in the Armenian community as oppossed of leaving the community because they are Not seen as fully Armenian who comply with their Armenian duties.

I applaud immigrants who leave everything behind (family, job, home,status) to come here and to provide their children with the best. The moment that they have left everything behind for their children, they become heroes and great examples for their children in terms of survival, sacrifice, hard work, love, determination. Most immigrants who had a status in their country (job or degree or money), had to give it up in some way to be here. They never stop being "somebody" and they also become "unique," and "admirable." Sip: I know you were talking in financial terms when you said "somebody," I know you admire your parents. I understood what you meant.