From the Readers

Every day should be mom's day

(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-05-19 07:53

Comment on Li Xing's column "Time to stop celebrating mothers' sacrifice" (China Daily, May 13)

I agree with the columnist. I think the confusion over the word "celebrating" has to do with the fact that celebrating just one day a year someone's life-long commitment to family can be somewhat of an empty gesture. It's just going through some motions to "show" that we care when we could be doing something more meaningful for our mothers.

I think the columnist wants to illustrate the point that while Mother's Day, with things like flowers and cakes and what not, can make mothers happy for a day, those things last only a short time. Thus the show of appreciation is a short-lived token of gratitude, and that seems strange because we want our mothers' love and affection throughout their lives without really trying to make their hard work a little easier or safer. There are many issues that mothers must deal with in their every day life that their children, husbands, brothers or sisters can't directly help them with, but if we all work together we may find a way to improve them.

The columnist gives one example: the dangers associated with childbirth. But there are a plethora of other issues that make it difficult for our mothers: equal pay, equal opportunity, equal rights and equitable treatment in general are just a few of them. They all need to be addressed. Though the last on the list, equitable treatment is the most difficult for us to address as a society, it is easiest for us to address as individuals. We need only remember that when we judge a woman's choices, we should consider what judgment we might pass on a man in the same (or at least similar) situation and we might be able to see how we allow woman's lives to be so much harder. I think most people judge unmarried women who are not virgins or divorced women very differently than men of the same status. This is something that must change for society to offer some equity to women.

Matt Smith, on China Daily website

Readers' comments are welcome. Please send your e-mail to opinion@chinadaily.com.cn or letters@chinadaily.com.cn or to the individual columnists. China Daily reserves the right to edit all letters. Thank you.

(China Daily 05/19/2010 page9)