MAKE A FOOL OF YOURSELF AND MOCK A SERIOUS ISSUE BY WALKING A MILE (OR LESS) IN HER SHOES
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY SEPT. 15, 2016) — The stilettos will be out in North Street tomorrow night.
No, THE PLANET doesn’t refer to the usual knife fights and stabbings. We’re talking shoes, pards. Women’s shoes, for as you no doubt know, tomorrow is the final Third Thursday of the year, and with it comes the most ridiculous fund-raiser this side of a scam. We speak of Walk a Mile in Her Shoes, an event that trivializes the tragedy of domestic violence, an event built upon mockery and cheap laughs.
Here, to mark the occasion, is the piece we wrote about it last year. THE PLANET shall run this article every year this event belittles this serious issue:
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The ever innocent and wise Scout Finch tells us in To Kill a Mockingbird that, “Atticus was right. One time he said you never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them.” While there is certainly truth in that statement, I don’t think Atticus Finch meant that in order to understand a woman, you should literally obtain a pair of her shoes and then organize a walk-a-mile fundraiser that purports to empathize with her life experiences.
You’d have to be pretty stupid to believe that, right?
The organizers of the “Walk A Mile In Her Shoes” campaign took the quote a bit more literally. Founded in 2002, the campaign aims to raise awareness and money toward ending domestic violence against women by asking men to walk a mile wearing high heels. In the 2009 Walk A Mile calendar, men are shown in fraternity houses, on the basketball court, wearing police uniforms, and hanging out at the bowling alley wearing – wait for it – high heels! Guys are so crazy.
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THE PLANET says let’s be honest. This event is for The Suits and the like to get yet another cheap photo-op. Consequently, if you suck for it once again for venture to North Street tonight, you will see people like the D.A., city councilors, self-important big shots and the wannabes, candidates for office, and other back slappers and back slapees making the rest of us cringe. THE PLANET says if you support the cause, do it in a way that draws less attention and way less jeering. It may come as a big surprise to many of the walkers, but “It’s not about you.”
THE PLANET’s free advice for the men next year is do it in flats.
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“The validity of inference depends upon the relations of implication and not at all upon the truth or falsity of the premises.” — L. Susan Stebbing, A Modern Elementary Logic
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.
LOVE TO ALL.
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This
And people donate money to this silly walk! It is right up there with the deplorable diaper bank donation boxes, so we can contribute and thereby encorage the welfare rats to breed some more.
I hear hat some of the guys this year are wearing a tampon.
Still inserting foreign objects into men’s cavities today?
I made no reference as to where it should be worn. I guess we know what you’ll do with it.
If you swallowed a few it might stop your constant evacuation.
Ha, ha you so funny
They should have Women parading around in Men’s shoe’s. There are a increasing number of men who are victims of domestic violence.
Be careful Dan, you are getting dangerously close to violating the LGBTQIA rules of journalism here.
Attention all PPD officers doing traffic duty at road construction sites:
It has been reported that officers sometimes have their backs completely turned away from the oncoming traffic, leaving drivers in a spot of bother as to what to do. Offices have been seen turning away in one direction, or even to all traffic in both directions, while talking on their cellphones or chatting up the road crews.
Officers are also advised to give clear and obvious signals to drivers. Glaring sun and/or heavy shade can make it very difficult to see a single hand waving or just held up, especially if the officer is standing at an oblique angle.
Perhaps brightly colored gloves or even a sign night help.
T’would be a mighty embarrassing t’ing to have an accident right in front the officer–or in back of him.
You call it the Gravy Train……They forget what they are there for. This has gone on forever….
Speaking of which, at least if they have to pee they can pop over to City Hall and use any bathroom they “feel” like using.
Good one. I never thought about that because surely they will be feeling very feminine in those high heeled shoes so since it’s all about how you feel, why not use those ladies rest rooms.
I’m just wondering if they could finish one paving project before they start on another in the same area of the city.
If you’ve got a dangerous situation on S. Mountain Rd. with the raised structures, but then you start paving work on Dan Fox Dr., how’s a person (from the southwest of town) supposed to get to Rt. 7 south into Lenox, a road-paving project that’s been going on for a long union-negotiated summer.
But the one good thing about these road projects is that you actually get to see a PPD officer–lots of them–otherwise rarely seen in the wild.
Must have been two summers ago now, I drove a route that took me through much of the city. Did the circuit, you might say.
I counted no less that about 8 (10?) PPD officers working the road work sites.
I sez to myself, “Is there anyone left to be on actual patrol duty?”
I think it would be enough to have the men walk for the cause, just not in ridiculous high heel shoes which even I don’t wear them that high. No higher than 2 inch heels for me thank you very much. Really high heel shoes (3 inches and above) are torture devices created by the fashion industry to give women all sorts of problems like bad knees, foot problems, and even dangerous falls. Even women look silly teetering in these really high heeled shoes. It doesn’t look sexy ladies. Stick to the 2 or 3 inch heels, it’s enough.
Agreed, Dan. This event totally trivializes the issue of domestic violence, and makes the men who participate look like a bunch of weak-kneed pansies. Real men don’t abuse women, and they don’t wear high-heels.
I agree Dan this event is more of a photo app instead of bringing the real issue of domestic violence to the forefront. If they want to get their picture out they should take a lesson from Trisha
I’m glad someone has written about the total absurdity of the Walk A Mile craziness. The first time I saw this event I laughed right at Wynn’s face. He got it big time. It’s amazing how firm a hold that Political Correctness has on our society.
Chief Wynn’s well self promoted and publicized dilemma regarding what shoes to wear during this charity event should have been a secondary issue to improving his department’s clearance rates. How many homicides and bank robberies, etc. remain unsolved ? It seems that unless an eye witness hand delivers a suspect to the PPD, nothing is solved through the investigative process.
Less shoes and photo ops; more internal management and accountability. Remember Chief Wynn allegedly wrote the book on police leadership.
Good comment
hey I’m good guy…noooo I’m a good guy….no look at me…..no me…please look at me….guarantee a couple of the phonies wearing high heels have smashed their own wives in the mouth on occasion – never liked this from the beginning – very bazaar – it’s like kneeling down during the anthem to protest police brutality….what !!???
bazaar means marketplace
thank you professor
Personally, it has a latent-kinky feel about it, almost creepy.
After the walk the real thrill must come that evening at home when bra and silk pink panties come on.
Am I on topic or The Planet today I really don’t care what you people think about this charitable event. I’m sure people are too cheap to donate anyway!
I know huh? I always thought of this as a creative way to draw attention to an important issue. I think I will still look at it that way. If this is all we have to piss and moan about today, then I guess we are doing well. Next…
let’s hope the two shows are on subject this week, lots going on.
Will Fireball wear a pair of high heels? After all this is a real man’s event….promoted by the City’s finest. The FD Union should demand it.
Will someone tell me who FIREBALL is???
Hey Dan why don’t you make a donation to this fine cause? No one will get mad if you don’t wear high heels!
I guess I have to be the bad man asking questions here. What is the status of this group as a 501 C3? I see they go by the name of walk a mile in her shoes but are part of the group Venture Humanity Inc. which is not rated by Charity Navigator. Not being rated is neither positive or negative but it means the group has not supplied the data.
https://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.profile&ein=208881179
Charity watch has no mention of the group.
Just wondering where does the money that was collected go? Stay local? How much? Administrative costs? What percent? Event advertising? Paid to whom?
Yup the bad man asking questions
is any of it for the children?
just sayin
MS13 is in Pittsfield Ma…Dont care about the high heels.
Pittsfield ma just went to a new nasty.They are murderers.Yes We are a Walmart town….Dan is right Pittsfield sucks..the higher my taxes go the worse the city gets…
Dear Mayor please raise my taxes ….Dont torture us just end it.Please I have the answer….hire more teachers.Note to Pittsfield…Move
Rumor has it that Brady and Garafollo walked hand and hand for this event
And what have you done to raise money or stop those who commit violence against women? Oh right, you stand up for the little GUY.