Mine is a picture of me and the first horse I bought when I got back into horses. I had taken him on a long ride on early Thanksgiving morning to clear my mind...and halfway through the ride we stepped into a barb wire fence that had been laid down in years past and was by that time covered with moss and hidden from my view. His injury from the barbed wire necessitated a long walk home on foot. On that walk, he kept putting his head next to mine...about halfway down the hill I snapped a picture of his kind eye next to my own. I see my horses as being a part of me and in a way this picture represents that. My name here (Maggie'sGirl) is in tribute to my other horse Maggie Rose. 

I used to own a swim school for children and infants here in Portland. We had all kinds of parents (not as many hipsters as you would think actually) and there were some that toilet trained their babies this way. I didn't believe it would work (I most certainly didn't potty train my kids this way - it was a LOT of work) but quickly changed my mind. For the ladies who were committed to doing this they had great success and their kids were potty trained and using a toilet by the time they could walk.  I don't know why the big reaction to this...except it seems a little weird. Frankly, I would have liked to have my kids potty-trained at one year old. 

I guess I am not very original. I got a flag as well. Also, baked a cake and decorated it like the flag and had a big party.

I agree with you about not wanting to be forced to wear hijab for any reason. Whether it be culture, or otherwise. However, I can understand why Muslim women adopt it - both for religious reasons and social pressure. There is nothing quite like walking into a heavily Islamic French suburb, or wandering in the Casbah in Algiers and being a woman with uncovered hair. It makes you a target, grabs the attention of every man within eyesight and makes you a magnet for the most negative and agressive kind of pursuit and attention. Had I known better at the time I would have worn a hijab just to protect myself from the tyranny of men who acted more like animals than men. Hijab does provide a form of liberty for these women. The attention they get on the street is much less and allows for more freedom of movement. 

It is a shame that they have to live like this, yes. But for many who wear it it is a form of protection. For some it is  a political statement and/or a religious statement - especially when they are wearing it here.  I am not a Muslim, btw.

I didn't see anywhere where someone has made this point (sorry if I missed this)  - it seems like there are assumptions that men have made their women wear the burqa (more than likely we are talking about hijab which is a scarf covering the hair, not the burqa). Most Muslim women I know that wear hijab (haven't yet met any who wear a burqa) do so by choice. Some of their husbands don't even like it. I think banning this would result in a backlash of even more Muslim women wearing it and I don't see how this could be constitutional. Most Muslim women I know see it as tyranny to not be allowed to wear what they choose...

I am not Muslim myself. Just lived in an Islamic culture for a while and am very familiar with it. 

I own a desert bred Arabian mare...one of my true loves. Her name is Maghroura Rose (Maghroura is Arabic for a young lady who likes to look at herself in the mirror - which she does like to do).  Her nickname is Maggie Rose. And that makes me... Maggie's Girl. 

I was on my way there to exchange something... but before I got there I saw a FB friends post that she had just arrived to the mall to see people pouring out of Macy's screaming and crying. Lord have mercy is right. 

I definitely want to talk about this. Let me know what would be a good time...

Maybe others will follow suit. Anyone on Ricochet thinking about Classical Education Charter schools as a way to fight back or take a stand? Let me know if you are out there...

I, too, have felt greatly discouraged. I live surrounded by progressives. Most of my girlfriends are very liberal. So while there was much rejoicing in my neighborhood, and on my facebook page the night of the election, I only felt despair. 

I emailed my husband,  who is in the military and is elsewhere, and said the ignorance of my liberal friends for what their policies will result in is astounding. I told him the only viable way to change things is through Classical Education. Of course, this is my opinion, education is the key to changing our culture, classical education specifically. My husband points out that the Left holds an iron grip on education. Why is that? Of course we know.

I was inspired and encouraged when reading the post about America Needs a Renaissance.  I often feel powerless, a small island, surrounded by a sea of progressives. I am determined to do something ...not just to resist by keeping my children out of the system. I want to provide an alternative that will restore traditional values and raise the bar for learning. So, I contacted Hillsdale and am at the beginning stages of forming a Classical Education Charter school. 

I have female family and friends who are Muslim. None of them have been forced to wear any kind of covering. If they did so, they did it of their own accord and because of their own religious convictions. Was their any pressure from their husbands? Possibly. Certainly there are women all over the world forced to do this. This is Europe we are talking about though.  I think we underestimate these women and see them as helpless victims of a misogynistic culture. Yes, there are some Islamic countries that are in the dark ages. Not all are. My ex mother-in-law wears an abaya and veil (after many years of not doing this) and her husband hates it. However, he knows it is her choice. The Burqua law is a bad law and imo this man is doing the right thing.

 I am a full-time grad student studying marriage and family therapy. My specialty will be forensic family therapy with a goal of having an individual practice and working in the courts. In my spare time I am a military spouse (Army wife) and mother of three. Before I went back to school I owned my own business - a private swim school and swim team. Did that for several years until I burned out on having employees, sold the business and retired for two months. That was all I could afford.

It is a lot of fun to read about what everyone does. Amazing people here on ricochet.

 Congratulations on your commission! You have had an interesting career as well and I hope to hear more about it in the future. I am not too worried about the deployment just not liking a separation for another year. Our daughter is three and they miss so much. He is excited though and really does have a passion for military history (I love it as well so we bonded over that and I look forward to hearing all about it as he learns his new job). And he is also excited that he can finally wear the patrol cap.  

Prayers are welcome always.

Yes, he was. Signed up at 18 I believe and became an Army Journalist. Eventually went to OCS and switched over to MP and then Public Affairs. He is now taking command of an Army Historian unit (as a Lt. Col) and heading downrange. Again. For the 4th time. He loves it and will do it as long as they let him.  

Mr. Taylor,

Thanks so much. My husband does have great stories to tell - but he would say his job is to tell the stories of the Army. Which he loves and will continue to do for a few years more at least (he hasn't been an officer for 30 years yet so he has a few more years left before he retires). He called me first thing on Tuesday to tell me he was wearing his patrol cap.

 My husband and I were at the Army Birthday Ball when they announced this. My normally taciturn husband was so overjoyed at this news he actually did a victory lap in the ballroom (much to my chagrin). While I liked looking at the beret - you have to admit it does look sharp - he certainly hated wearing it and said he didn't want to end his 30 year career wearing that...umm...well I can't repeat what he called it. He had his patrol cap out that night in anticipation for Tuesday morning.

To those who have served in the Armed Forces here at Ricochet - Thank You! And Happy Birthday to the Army.