Mothers of the World, Unite!

This is a call for writers, a call to (peaceful) arms, a call for mothers.

I've been continuing to read the book, "The Maternal is Political". I have a long way to go, so I'm not yet ready to give my final opinion. I adore several of the pieces, and several others leave alot to be desired. But I find it *very* telling that I found it on the sale rack for $1.00. As grateful as I am for the pricetag, it's a crying shame.



I can't shake the feeling that the women writers in this book really missed a chance. The premise of the book is the idea that mothers have so many concerns in common that if we could get ourselves organized, create communities, and, well, find the time to vote... that united, we could change the world. It's a wonderful and moving idea.

But for women wanting to reach across all dividing lines to find those key threads that bind us together, the pieces in the book that I've read so far are astonishingly similar. Most of these women are strong, well-situated women with distinctly liberal leanings. It makes it hard to take a book about crossing lines seriously when they preach to the choir, no matter how deeply I agree with what they're saying. So here's my idea:

I WANT TO HEAR FROM MOTHERS! Mothers from all walks of life, all situations, all economic stations, political backgrounds, religions, races, and creeds. For those of you who have heard "This I Believe" essays on NPR, imagine writing similar pieces tied to motherhood. Talk with your friends, with your families, with your children. Explore what makes you tick as a mother, what your core beliefs are, what you want to impart to your children. Your politics are based on those values, and it is in exploring our values as mothers that we can find our shared strengths.

Pieces should be no less than 250 words and no more than 1500. Send them directly to my email address at FiveJarsBlog@gmail.com. I'll do any necessary editing, get it approved by the author, and then post the essays to my blog.

Let me know what you think of the idea! Post comments, send emails, write essays! Pass this link on to your Facebook friends, tweet it, email it, blog it, Digg it. Let's set the world on fire!