Jenna Bush Wear A Condom Amulet?

She just might.  Aren't you surprised?  Blogger Dana Goldstein was too when she read an interview in the Washington Post in connection with Jenna Bush's new book, Ana's Story.

Not only is it directed at teens, it is focused on her support of HIV prevention strategies.  "Everyone knows that condoms prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS," she said in the interview.

Seemed the right time to show one of my recent amulets.  It is ALL Chinese, except for its maker, yours truly.  All its parts were assembled in China, during a visit in 2000.  Red and yellow yarn was purchased in Shanghai.  There is a story about the "cord."  Near a market in Kunming we noticed a doorway curtain made of colorful small objects. 

Moving closer, we saw it was long strands of gum and candy wrappers folded over paper clips, five feet long.  As we admired them, a woman parted the curtain, smiled and said, Ni hao--hello in Mandarin.  Through our guide we communicated our wonder at this unusual curtain.  She told us to wait, went back into her house, returned with a large basket of MORE strands.  We offered to buy some.  She would not hear of it:  they were a gift.  We took two, thanked her profusely. 

Few have ever seen a likeness of the young Chairman Mao.  Unlike other objects we saw in China, this was definitely not something new made to look old.  Its tiny handcrafted safety pin on the back of the celluloid (?) button marks it as something that must have appeared during the Cultural Revolution. 

So I offer my double-knit Condom Amulet to Jenna Bush for her to wear at her next important political gathering.  It will be a great opening for talking about safe sex.  Do you wonder if her book reflects oppositional behavior or there is someone in her circle promoting sensible ideas? Whatever.  She's on my side in this one.  Thanks, Jenna.

Comments

[m.e.]

There are swell shops full of delightful small items here in Chinatown. I stay away cuz I always buy too much (and two of everything, too). How kind of the woman to give you two of her special paperclip & gumwrapper beads! it's not the common people of the world who don't care about others...it's the leaders.

[kmkat]

"Everyone knows that condoms prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS"? Hello? You and I may know it, but teenagers who get the abstinence-only curriculum probably don't. That's [just one of] the problem[s] with that stupid curriculum; it doesn't teach such logical and reasonable and downright life-saving information.

Just found your blog from a link at Mason-Dixon Knitting -- you may have an influx of [more] knitters :-)