Ma and Pa Kettle versus Amazon Women on the Moon

Thomas Canfield

      A funny film made years ago was “Amazon Women from the Moon”, which was produced by Universal Studios, and made fun of the old Universal sci-fi/horror genre. The movie popped into my mind when I read the Autumn Equinox chart (9-22-2022, Washington D.C., 9:04 pm) because the Moon is conjunct Ceres in Leo in the Fourth House. The Moon and Ceres are trine Eris and quincunx Pluto. What was really surprising was that the Moon and Ceres are in opposition to Saturn and Vesta in the Tenth House.

       Aside from dealing with motherhood and family issues, both the Moon and Ceres are concerned about control and structure. The Moon exerts an emotional control.  Ceres is more of the domineering mother. (In her darkest form, Ceres can rule over slavery.)  It is appropriate that these two feminine bodies are together at a time when control over women is a major subject of debate.  Adding to this debate is the opposition from Saturn and Vesta. Saturn rules the old-fashioned way of doing things that have to be done. Vesta rules the hearth and home. Bringing them together brings to mind another series of films from Universal studios, the Ma and Pa Kettle series.

        Ma Kettle was played by Marjorie Main, and she ruled over her family in a domineering way.  Pa Kettle was played by Percy Kilbride, and he set a record for ne’er do well behavior. Ma was the controlling side of Saturn-Vesta, while Pa was the easy-going sloth-like character.  In their own way, they represented old-time family values, though some rural communities did not like the depiction. This brought Variety’s most famous headline “Stix Nix Hix Pix.”

     In the political struggle this fall, it may “Chix Nix Hix Fix.” With a Ma & Pa Kettle campaign to promote a pro-life agenda, there may be a lot of women finding their inner Amazon warrior by bringing down the Moon. With Eris trine Moon-Ceres, there may be a lot of discord over the issue. Debates of life and death may be brought up with Moon-Ceres quincunx Pluto. Stories will be raised about how forced child birth can lead to the deaths of some women.  Pro-life groups may respond with the historical attitude that 13-year-old girls were giving birth for centuries, and teenagers do not need birth control or abortion.

      Venus in the Fifth House is opposing Neptune in the Eleventh House. Many of the arguments may be based on anecdotes or deceptive information. Venus in Virgo may require women to think for themselves and not accept teachings just because churches and politicians are promoting them. Venus is trine Uranus, just below the Ascendant, and information may be flowing through the internet that is more reliable than certain sermons.  Not far from Venus is the Equinox Sun conjunct Mercury, and this could mark a time of major fact-checking.  It may be better to do a Google search than to swallow dogma vomit.

       Juno, asteroid of political developments, is trine Pallas, asteroid of wisdom, and political leaders may be looking for the best way to present their cases. Juno is squaring Mars, while Jupiter is squaring Pallas. One strategy that has been promoted is that Republicans should avoid all pro-life discussion until the election is over. They will only focus on the economic problems. With Juno square Mars, that should lead to some contentious arguments, especially if they cannot come up with quick solutions to the economic problems. Jupiter squaring Pallas may show that always talking about the economy will reveal that there are other issues not being talked about. Of course, the Republicans will have to answer the questions about why they voted against the bills that would have improved the economy.

      The game changer may be hiding in the Twelfth House. Chiron is conjunct the Part of Fortune, and medical issues may coming to the forefront. Chiron is semi-sextile Uranus and Juno, and sextile Mars and Saturn. What may help change minds is the realization that pro-life protesters can only offer faith healing to help women, but pro-choice people rely on the medical science.  Mars trine Saturn might help Ma and Pa Kettle get riled up, but those sextiles to Chiron may help them realize they are getting riled up about nothing. 

     Sybil Danning played the Queen of the Amazons, and her attractive figure would get more attention than Ma and Pa Kettle. The Amazons of 2022 may attract more attention and may get more news time. The Moon and Ceres quincunx Neptune may break down the religious illusions that influence people. As George Carlin pointed out, “Did you never notice that the women opposing birth control are the kind you wouldn’t want to have sex with anyway?”