In an amazing wedding announcement in the New York Times, the couple describes their decision when they had just begun dating to have an abortion, because the time and circumstances were not right. They went on to have a son and are now celebrating their marriage.
This is such an important news story, because it is about women coming out from the shadows. It is about refusing to accept blame and hatred for a responsible decision. It is about letting others see just who we are.
When African-Americans risked their lives to desegregate schools and businesses, they were able to debunk all the nasty myths that had existed because they had been forced to live hidden away.
When gay and lesbian men and women took the courageous step of coming out, and then began to celebrate their existence, those who had denigrated their sexual identity were forced to recognize that these people are in fact their friends, family, co-workers, neighbors.
And as women come forward and tell their stories, and make their abortion decision just another page in their lives, those who have demonized us will no longer have power over us.
Because those who have chosen to terminate a pregnancy are us: our daughters, our mothers, our friends and co-workers, our neighbors.
It is easy to demonize someone you don't have to face, and for whom there is no name. This is the time to stand up to the bullies and let them know we are not ashamed of who we are and how we have lived our lives.
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Left Behind
The Post & Courier ran an article last Wednesday on the local coalition which had organized to send buses to Washington for the "new march," the 50th anniversary of Dr. King's March for Jobs and Freedom. I read through it a few times and then concluded that, once again, women were being left behind.
The purpose of this coalition:
“to stand together against the recent attack on voter rights, against Stand Your Ground and racial profiling, and to continue to raise awareness on unemployment, poverty, gun violence, immigration, gay rights and other critical issues affecting our nation,” according to the National Action network.
Apparently, women's rights fell into the unnamed "other critical issue" category.
Sure, just like in the 60's, we could join up and demonstrate against the war in Vietnam, or for civil rights, but we signed up as helpers, keeping the men happy so they could do the real work.
By the 70's, women like Gloria Steinhem and Betty Friedan confronted that hypocrisy, questioning our second place position in society, from family roles to economic rights. It was a fight that continues today, because we continue to be the second class citizen, with lower pay and less input. While we run more things than ever, we continue to have a supporting role in our own lives.
Our struggle for freedom and equality has never been greater than it is today, when state and federal legislators strike down programs that would provide economic security, and push through laws that make us prisoners of our own bodies.
Imagine vasectomies being banned from government health insurance plans, as are abortions. Suppose a man had to prove he was married before he could buy erectile enhancement drugs? Imagine couples of mixed race being refused service for religious reasons, as pharmacists are now allowed to refuse to fill birth control prescriptions. Just as those of us in the LGBT community are winning hard fought battles for equal rights, women are being threatened with imprisonment for refusing to carry a pregnancy to term.
The public spectacle that we have allowed to exist with women's bodies as the object is as horrific as Russia's attack on its gay citizens. In this country we should be appalled that women would be subject to government control by virtue of the fact that we are capable of getting pregnant.
If so many of our government leaders are opposed to that mythical evil that the ignorant call "Sharia Law," how can they propose the same kind of religious imprisonment and call it Christianity?
Getting back to the article about the 50th Anniversary March, it seems that we -- women -- have gotten so desensitized to our exclusion that we don't even realize that the coalitions that are fighting for freedom and justice are not fighting for ours.
It's time, once again, to open our own eyes, so that we can confront that hypocrisy each time it occurs. Don't let our leaders make a set of rules for free Americans, and another for women. Don't support Democratic candidates who refuse to stand by a woman's right to the same privacy as a man. Stop allowing our government to be controlled by religious extremists that prove their power by exploiting women's bodies.
Don't forget, and don't let our fellow Democrats leave us behind.
The purpose of this coalition:
“to stand together against the recent attack on voter rights, against Stand Your Ground and racial profiling, and to continue to raise awareness on unemployment, poverty, gun violence, immigration, gay rights and other critical issues affecting our nation,” according to the National Action network.
Apparently, women's rights fell into the unnamed "other critical issue" category.
Sure, just like in the 60's, we could join up and demonstrate against the war in Vietnam, or for civil rights, but we signed up as helpers, keeping the men happy so they could do the real work.
By the 70's, women like Gloria Steinhem and Betty Friedan confronted that hypocrisy, questioning our second place position in society, from family roles to economic rights. It was a fight that continues today, because we continue to be the second class citizen, with lower pay and less input. While we run more things than ever, we continue to have a supporting role in our own lives.
Our struggle for freedom and equality has never been greater than it is today, when state and federal legislators strike down programs that would provide economic security, and push through laws that make us prisoners of our own bodies.
Imagine vasectomies being banned from government health insurance plans, as are abortions. Suppose a man had to prove he was married before he could buy erectile enhancement drugs? Imagine couples of mixed race being refused service for religious reasons, as pharmacists are now allowed to refuse to fill birth control prescriptions. Just as those of us in the LGBT community are winning hard fought battles for equal rights, women are being threatened with imprisonment for refusing to carry a pregnancy to term.
The public spectacle that we have allowed to exist with women's bodies as the object is as horrific as Russia's attack on its gay citizens. In this country we should be appalled that women would be subject to government control by virtue of the fact that we are capable of getting pregnant.
If so many of our government leaders are opposed to that mythical evil that the ignorant call "Sharia Law," how can they propose the same kind of religious imprisonment and call it Christianity?
Getting back to the article about the 50th Anniversary March, it seems that we -- women -- have gotten so desensitized to our exclusion that we don't even realize that the coalitions that are fighting for freedom and justice are not fighting for ours.
It's time, once again, to open our own eyes, so that we can confront that hypocrisy each time it occurs. Don't let our leaders make a set of rules for free Americans, and another for women. Don't support Democratic candidates who refuse to stand by a woman's right to the same privacy as a man. Stop allowing our government to be controlled by religious extremists that prove their power by exploiting women's bodies.
Don't forget, and don't let our fellow Democrats leave us behind.
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Both Sides of Eric Cantor's Mouth
Eric Cantor is suddenly concerned about who's in the doctor's office with us:
For decades we have had to make room for all the representatives of private insurance companies; in the heyday of managed care, there were all kinds of folk, from nurses to administrators, and even occasionally a doctor.
But Eric Cantor's proud contribution to the "manning" of the doctor's office has been all his votes to criminalize abortion. He has voted every which way to limit a woman's rights when she is in her doctor's office, from forcing her to watch a sonogram to controlling how many weeks to who pays for the visit to where she can go.
And all these bills, should they become law, require personnel. More enforcement personnel, in fact, than it would take to stand arm-in-arm guarding the Mexican border.
So I would like to take this opportunity to put Mr. Cantor's mind to rest (and I do believe a little rest would be good for such a panicky little man).
Only an idiot would think that the IRS is going to be involved in medical decisions. The IRS would have lots less to do with medical decisions than does the insurance industry, to which Cantor would like to return all control by repealing the Affordable Care Act.
Obviously, this is another "keyword" mind game. The IRS has become the fall guy for, well, everything, but it started with the "scandal" that right-wing groups were having applications for tax-exempt status denied. In fact, political groups on both sides were being denied, as they should have been. But Democrats being Democrats, instead of saying, "Yeah, what of it?" they cowered and allowed "IRS" to become yet another bad word eliciting knee-jerk rage like Benghazi.
I would like to hear Eric Cantor's defense of those votes which would place law enforcement solidly in the doctor's office with American women, and then he can explain why he thinks one more guy would make a difference in there.
"The doctor's office is the last place anyone would want to find the IRS."I believe his concern stems from the fact that, particularly for women, the doctor's office has been getting crowded.
For decades we have had to make room for all the representatives of private insurance companies; in the heyday of managed care, there were all kinds of folk, from nurses to administrators, and even occasionally a doctor.
But Eric Cantor's proud contribution to the "manning" of the doctor's office has been all his votes to criminalize abortion. He has voted every which way to limit a woman's rights when she is in her doctor's office, from forcing her to watch a sonogram to controlling how many weeks to who pays for the visit to where she can go.
And all these bills, should they become law, require personnel. More enforcement personnel, in fact, than it would take to stand arm-in-arm guarding the Mexican border.
So I would like to take this opportunity to put Mr. Cantor's mind to rest (and I do believe a little rest would be good for such a panicky little man).
Only an idiot would think that the IRS is going to be involved in medical decisions. The IRS would have lots less to do with medical decisions than does the insurance industry, to which Cantor would like to return all control by repealing the Affordable Care Act.
Obviously, this is another "keyword" mind game. The IRS has become the fall guy for, well, everything, but it started with the "scandal" that right-wing groups were having applications for tax-exempt status denied. In fact, political groups on both sides were being denied, as they should have been. But Democrats being Democrats, instead of saying, "Yeah, what of it?" they cowered and allowed "IRS" to become yet another bad word eliciting knee-jerk rage like Benghazi.
I would like to hear Eric Cantor's defense of those votes which would place law enforcement solidly in the doctor's office with American women, and then he can explain why he thinks one more guy would make a difference in there.
Saturday, July 13, 2013
Opening the Door to Alleys and Coat Hangers
The Texas State Legislature had to lie, cheat and steal to do it, but they have managed to pass their forced-pregnancy bill.
Delusional Rick Perry appears to believe that now that he has taken the criminalization of women and their reproductive rights to new depths in his state, he is ready to give the national stage another try, and so has indicated that he will not run for another term as governor.
What does the passage of this bill really mean?
By making it more difficult for women to seek legal abortions, Texas has opened that door to the dirty, dangerous back-alley abortions of the 50's. Teenage girls and women alike will return to the options that were available when I was a teenager. Word of mouth will lead them to the door of the disreputable doctor, or to those old home remedies for pregnancy, like Lysol and coat hangers. If you are poor and have limited resources, an unsupportive family, or are just terrified, these are the options that will remain open to you in Texas, and in many other states across the country.
These lawmakers have done nothing to provide better education, better health care, better nutrition, a living wage. These are the means through which a moral nation fights abortion. In those states where there is hope and means to a decent life, the incidence of abortion is less. And not surprisingly, teen pregnancy and infant mortality rates are lower.
The sad fact is that the anti-abortion movement has been allowed to use the horrors of Kermit Gosnell's abortion practice and trial to push through the very laws that would make such practices more likely.
Wendy Davis did what she could to bring the real issues and arguments to the national stage. It will take many, many more women, and men, to stand up and loudly speak the truth, else this awful reality of back-room abortions will spread again across our country.
Delusional Rick Perry appears to believe that now that he has taken the criminalization of women and their reproductive rights to new depths in his state, he is ready to give the national stage another try, and so has indicated that he will not run for another term as governor.
What does the passage of this bill really mean?
By making it more difficult for women to seek legal abortions, Texas has opened that door to the dirty, dangerous back-alley abortions of the 50's. Teenage girls and women alike will return to the options that were available when I was a teenager. Word of mouth will lead them to the door of the disreputable doctor, or to those old home remedies for pregnancy, like Lysol and coat hangers. If you are poor and have limited resources, an unsupportive family, or are just terrified, these are the options that will remain open to you in Texas, and in many other states across the country.
These lawmakers have done nothing to provide better education, better health care, better nutrition, a living wage. These are the means through which a moral nation fights abortion. In those states where there is hope and means to a decent life, the incidence of abortion is less. And not surprisingly, teen pregnancy and infant mortality rates are lower.
The sad fact is that the anti-abortion movement has been allowed to use the horrors of Kermit Gosnell's abortion practice and trial to push through the very laws that would make such practices more likely.
Wendy Davis did what she could to bring the real issues and arguments to the national stage. It will take many, many more women, and men, to stand up and loudly speak the truth, else this awful reality of back-room abortions will spread again across our country.
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Texas Bull
While across the country, and in the US Congress, the plot to keep women pregnant and powerless continues, in Texas they have continued to prove that they can do it bigger and better. In fact, Governor Perry-- who not only can't remember the third thing on any list, he can't recall resigning from the presidential race after becoming a laughingstock-- continues to believe that he has a moral imperative to, well, make women behave.
After Wendy Davis' amazing filibuster, which was cut short by republicans who were just teed off at not getting things their way, Rick Perry had his own personal god-given tantrum. Unable to get his forced pregnancy bill passed by following the rules that were set up by his own gang, and after his gang couldn't even break their own rules to get it passed anyway, Perry immediately stated that he is going to call for another special session. Maybe this time there will be a secret meeting place.
Perry, who I believe has way too personal a fear of abortion, projected that fear when he said that because Davis was born into "difficult circumstances" she should know how important it is to prevent women from being able to decide to have an abortion.
In Mr. Perry's small mind, women only (and apparently always) opt for abortion because life's too tough. Maybe just out of touch, or maybe it's that niggling fear that if his mom had had a choice, there would be no Rick Perry. Isn't it this fear of women being in control that is determining this whole evangelical passion to force women to bear children?
The other issue surrounding this nonsense coming out of Texas is the fact-free assertion that fetuses feel pain. Sadly, it was a woman who was blowing hot air on C-Span when I turned it on a week or so ago, and she was nearly in tears over the thought that these fetuses could feel pain.
To all those legislators there in Texas who are feeling the pain of those fetuses, I want you to dry those crocodile tears and pay attention. Because Texas is helping my state of South Carolina hold down the bottom in terms of health care, education and child nutrition.
It's time to take care of this group of constituents, who we know for a fact feel pain:
After Wendy Davis' amazing filibuster, which was cut short by republicans who were just teed off at not getting things their way, Rick Perry had his own personal god-given tantrum. Unable to get his forced pregnancy bill passed by following the rules that were set up by his own gang, and after his gang couldn't even break their own rules to get it passed anyway, Perry immediately stated that he is going to call for another special session. Maybe this time there will be a secret meeting place.
Perry, who I believe has way too personal a fear of abortion, projected that fear when he said that because Davis was born into "difficult circumstances" she should know how important it is to prevent women from being able to decide to have an abortion.
In Mr. Perry's small mind, women only (and apparently always) opt for abortion because life's too tough. Maybe just out of touch, or maybe it's that niggling fear that if his mom had had a choice, there would be no Rick Perry. Isn't it this fear of women being in control that is determining this whole evangelical passion to force women to bear children?
The other issue surrounding this nonsense coming out of Texas is the fact-free assertion that fetuses feel pain. Sadly, it was a woman who was blowing hot air on C-Span when I turned it on a week or so ago, and she was nearly in tears over the thought that these fetuses could feel pain.
To all those legislators there in Texas who are feeling the pain of those fetuses, I want you to dry those crocodile tears and pay attention. Because Texas is helping my state of South Carolina hold down the bottom in terms of health care, education and child nutrition.
It's time to take care of this group of constituents, who we know for a fact feel pain:
 |
| From AlterNet |
 |
| From Dallas Observer |
And if you Texas legislators are really into doing some research about pain, you'll find a lot of it in your own backyard. And you won't have to force women to take the helping hand that will help feed their kids.
 |
| worldhunger.blogspot.com |
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Ignorance and Power
When you're too ignorant even to know to keep it to yourself, it sounds like this:
Well, "gee whiz," Saxby, I get a bit nervous considering how you might want to go about fixing this problem. If you can't change the hormone levels in those 17 to 22 or 23 year-olds that are coming in to the military, and you claim to want to do something about rape in the armed services, you might be suggesting that women should be more segregated. Coming from Georgia, you would understand a lot about that.
Because it is sounding a lot like if black folk don't go to the same schools or use the same bathrooms as white folk well then white folk won't be tempted to beat them up.
The Taliban has a big problem with women tempting their men to evil sexual thoughts as well. So they've solved that problem by making "their" women wear a hijab. Oh, and they can't leave the house without a man to chaperon, even if the "man" is eight years old.
So maybe you think that in our military women require uniforms more suitable to keeping our fighting men at bay. Maybe women should only go out in groups, oh, and with a chaperon.
So, gals, Senator Saxby Chambliss is the guy who is going to protect you from those randy 18-year-old recruits. Let him know how much you appreciate that:
| DC Address: |
The Honorable Saxby Chambliss
United States Senate
416 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510-1004
|
| DC Phone: | 202-224-3521 |
| DC Fax: | 202-224-0103 |
Monday, May 20, 2013
The Battle for Forced Pregnancy
Our own pompous ass, Senator Lindsey Graham, is scared out of his boots. So it's not enough for him to brag on what a good shot he is, he has taken his fight against a potential Tea Party challenger -- that must be you, Lee Bright -- to another battle front. He has come out with barrels blazing against... pregnant women.
I admit, in South Carolina it's a cheap shot. But it is also true that the man has shown in the past year that there is no depth to which he will not stoop to win re-election.
 | ||||||
Dear Friends,
First and foremost, tax dollars should not be used to fund abortions.
As a strong supporter of the right to life I have again cosponsored Senator Roger Wicker’s (R-Mississippi) legislation, S. 946 the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, to establish a consistent, government-wide prohibition on abortion funding.
This important legislation would make the following policies permanent:
· The Hyde Amendment, which prohibits funding for elective abortion coverage through any program funded through the annual Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations Act;
· The Helms Amendment, which prohibits funding for abortion as a method of family planning overseas,
· The Smith FEHBP Amendment, which prohibits funding for elective abortion coverage for federal employees;
· The Dornan Amendment, which prohibits use of congressionally appropriated funds for abortion in the District of Columbia; and
· other policies, such as the restrictions on elective abortion funding through Federal prisons.
The House of Representatives passed the bill 251-175 in the 112th Congress, but the legislation was not allowed for a vote in the Democrat-controlled Senate.
The legislation currently has 22 cosponsors in the Senate. I am hopeful the Senate will take up and force a vote on this important legislation to the pro-life cause.
Sincerely, Lindsey O. GrahamUnited States Senator
To contact me, please click here to visit my website.
Please do not respond to this email, the mailbox is unattended. To unsubscribe at any time, please click here. |
You might think that, after all his time in the Senate, he would be secure enough to continue to maintain his facade of reasonableness. But, like Mark Sanford, I believe Graham knows that there is no sweeter deal than working for the federal government. And no price is too great to pay to keep that job. And these days, there is no easier target than women and children.
So while these jackasses continue to pass bills that reinforce the fact that pregnant women are vulnerable and easily controlled, prenatal care will continue to suffer, infant mortality will continue to be shameful, and the future of children born to poverty will continue to be grim.
I sent an email to Lindsey in response to his proud newsletter:
I was 21 when I was fortunate to have legal and safe abortion available to me. I am now 62 and I am appalled that you believe God has chosen you to control the reproductive choices of my daughter.Shame on you.
Join me in letting misogynists like Lindsey Graham know that we are out here, we vote, and we are not ashamed.
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