midwest feminist

Well it's been an exciting few months, we moved to Springfield IL and got a house.  yay!  Scott has a great job, but me well I had a job I hated, with an uneducated manager, and I was unable to do the theater I love.  So it's time to move on, and out to sea!!

I recently accepted a position with Holland America International as a Production Stage Manager.  It means I get paid to do what I love, full time, and travel the world!  Or at least spend the winter in the Carribean.  That's right folks I'm saying to hell with Midwest Winters and snow and cold and hello to islands and a Palm Tree Christmas!  Hahahahahahahahahahah!!  So excited!!  
 

peach out!

On Sunday morning Dr. Tiller was shot down while ushering at his church. This is a man who dedicated his career to providing safe, medically accurate and legal health care to women around the country. One of three providers in the country to provide abortions past the 21st week of pregnancy he helped countless women through some very tough times in their life. Just a few months ago he was acquitted on charges of illegally performing late term abortions which angered the religious right anti-choice movement. This is a man who has been shot in both arms, has had his clinic bombed, his life threatened, his health center vandalized. He was forced to hire a personal security team and wear a bullet proof vest into work every day. No individual should have to go through that just to get to work! In fact the only time his security team wasn't with him was when he was at church, which means his actions were closely observed by another group. The murder of another human being is not pro-life or Christian, and doing it in a church is a further blaspheme.

Dr. Tillers assassination was pre-meditated and organized by an extreme ant-choice group. If this isn't the definition of domestic-terrorism what is?

Everyday abortion clinic workers walk past protesters, prayer groups, and graphic signs. These people endure death threats, violence, being screamed at and condemned to hell everyday. As many of you know I am among these people, working at a Planned Parenthood. It is mentally taxing and yes it is terrorism. It is terrorism that that people follow employees home, it is terrorism that I can not walk to the neighboring restaurant alone for lunch. It is terrorism that our cars get stopped as we enter the driveway, that we are told we are "bad people" and "hurt women" and are threatened with law suits (or worse). These groups, Operation Rescue and the Pro-Life Action League to name a few, aim to terrify us out of going to work. These people play on workers and patients mental health and wish to install a deep unseeded fear of the entering a clinic. For workers it is that we will be killed, for patients it is the threat of hell.

The time to stop this is now. It is time for women to stop being afraid and hiding in the shadows as if we have done something wrong. The time of the silent majority is over, it is time to stand tall and say yes I work in this field or yes I have had an abortion and I am not ashamed! If we hope to stop this violence and keep our freedom of choice we need to go on the offensive and take to the streets. We need to work in the courts but we also need rally in our cities and states and the time has come for another march on Washington. It is not just for women's lives anymore, it is for all health care providers lives.

I challenge you to organize in your community. Write a letter to the editor, your senator, congressman, and even the President. Get involved with your local clinics and organizations (I can help in the Chicago area).

I challenge the President to take a strong stance against this violence. If a racist preacher deserved it a murdered doctor certainly does!

I challenge the health care providers to continue going to work and doing their job!

I challenge all people who truly value life to denounce these extremists, contact them and tell them that they are hurting their cause. Let them know the only way to decrease abortion is to increase education and access to birth control.

What happened Sunday was a tragedy, but sadly it is not uncommon. We would all like to decrease the number of abortions and increase access to birth control and education. It makes me sad that it takes violence to wake America up the terrorism in their own backyard.

Please share your thoughts and stories on this blog if you would like.

BARACK OBAMA WINS!!!! 

This means I don't have to move out of the country!

For once I am glad I live in the cornfields, Chicago is insane at the moment!!!

Sadly both Colorado and South Dakota are holding up Abortion bans/restrictions. 

Michigan is legalizing Marijuana and embryonic stem cell research.

EDIT:  According to CNN both South Dakota and Colorado are voting down abortion bans and person hood amendments respectively.  Prop 8 in CA is 50/50

I'm a little confused. Let me see if I have this straight.....

* If you grow up in Hawaii, raised by your grandparents, you're "exotic, different."
* If you grow up in Alaska eating moose burgers, you're a quintessential American story.

* If your name is Barack, you're a radical, unpatriotic Muslim.
* If you name your kids Willow, Trig and Track, you're a maverick.

* If you graduate from Harvard law School, you are unstable.
* If you attend 5 different small colleges before graduating, you're well grounded.

* If you spend 3 years as a brilliant community organizer, become the first black President of the Harvard Law Review, create a voter registration drive that registers 150,000 new voters, spend 12 years as a Constitutional Law professor, spend 8 years as a State Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, become chairman of the state Senate's Health and Human Services committee, spend 4 years in the United States Senate representing a state of 13 million people while sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs, Environment and Public Works and Veteran's Affairs committees, you don't have any real leadership experience.
* If your total resume is: local weather girl, 4 years on the city council and 6 years as the mayor of a town with less than 7,000 people, 20 months as the governor of a state with only 650,000 people, then you're qualified to become the country's second highest ranking executive.

* If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years while raising 2 beautiful daughters, all within Protestant churches, you're not a real Christian.
* If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left your disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you're a Christian.

* If you teach responsible, age appropriate sex education, including the proper use of birth control, you are eroding the fiber of society.
* If, while governor, you staunchly advocate abstinence only, with no other option in sex education in your state's school system, while your unwed teen daughter ends up pregnant, you're very responsible.

* If your wife is a Harvard graduate lawyer who gave up a position in a prestigious law firm to work for the betterment of her inner city community, then gave that up to raise a family, your family's values don't represent America's.
* If your husband is nicknamed "First Dude", with at least one DWI conviction and no college education, who didn't register to vote until age 25 and once was a member of a group that advocated the secession of Alaska from the USA, your family is extremely admirable.

OK, *much* clearer now 

Thanks to vivrelavie for it!
</lj>

I am still realing from McCain's VP pick of Sarah Palin.  This is a person the man met TWO days befor anouncing her as his Vice Presidential nominee.  Clearly this a ploy to get the supporters of Hillary to vote for him, and scarily it just might work.  Howeer if anyone looks into her at all they will see she is staunchly anti-woman. She is also anti enviroment, anti science, anti gay, and many others.  What is she in favor of? Big oil, off shore drilling, creationism, banning gay marriage, banning abortion even in the case of rape and incest.  She has no foreign expericne, no national experience, and only 1.5 years of experience as governer of Alaska.   What she brings with her is the relgious right, and (McCains hopes) the women.  Personally I think it is disgusting, and cheapons McCain, that he thinks women will not look at her stance on the issues.  We are much smarter then he gives us credit for.

 

My in box has been flooded with e-mails, so here are some links and cuts to give you more info about her.
( MoveOn.org )

2 Alaska Newspapers Question Palin

In her Mother-in-laws words

 ( NARAL Press Release )
There is also a great collectiong of blogs and other poltical info the ladies at Feministing have collected.  Go check em out!

I should have been blogging for this for weeks now, but with the new job and all just haven't had the time.

President Bush is has made a new rule, called the Provider Conscience clause.  What this says, in a nutshell, is that all doctors have the right to refuse women abortions, birth control, and any other health care they find immoral.  In adition they are also allowed to refuse a referal to a provider who will provide these services.  In essance lower class women, and women on HMO's are going to be held hostage by these doctors.  This is the first time I've ever head of someone being rewarded instead of fired for not doing there job!!  This goes beyond outrages if you ask me, and it  Bush's gift to the radical right. 

There is a good news though, we have 30 days to make our oppions heard!!  There is an open comment period where we can hope Secretary Mike Leavitt will listen to the people.   Though after reading his blog I am skeptical.  To be fair he is posting both sides comments

To make your voice heard on this issue you can go here and and send it through Planned Parenthood.  They have a pre-made form, but feel free to add your own comments!

In both places volume counts, and majority will be heard, so ladies and gentleman make your voices heard!

Happy 4th everyone!!  I will be celebarting by marching in the Evanston parade with other pro-choice friends.  We will be celebarting our freedom of choice!!  With all the freedoms we are losing, it's nice to still reflect on the ones we have.

What will you be doing?

A group calling themselves the Concerned Citizens for Batavia is demanding the Batavia public library take the link to teenwire.com down from their website.  For those of you that don't know teenwire.com is the teen website from Planned Parenthood.  Is an incredibly valuable rescourse where boys and girls can go to get information about what is happening to their bodies and hormones, in addtion to information about preventing pregnancy and STI's. 

We all know someone in high school who's parents were to afraid to tell them about the birds and the bee's, or thought "don't have sex until your married" was the end of it.  We also all know that sometimes no matter what a parent, teacher, or church says some teenagers are going to have sex.  We also all know that when you are 16 sometimes you are just to embarrassed to ask your parents certain questions!!  I for one would rather have my kids get information from this website, that is medically accurate, then from the best friends big brother like I did!! 

This is nothing more then a group of people who are scared to talk about sex, and want to censor what people read.  Why are they also not asking the library to take the books off the shelves that talk about sex and puberty?? 

There will be a meeting at the library on July 15, I urge any of you in the area to come and show your support for keeping medically accurate information available to our children.  

Batavia Public Library Board Meeting

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

6:00 p.m. Public Hearing

7:00 p.m. Board Meeting

            10 South Batavia Ave.

The Nation as an excellent article on how Hillary Clinton's campaign is dividing the feminist movement.

Read it Here

She's going to need ladies like me to win, but with her fear mongering and race card playing it just isn't gonna happen

Tomorrow I will be back with another clinic escort update!!

I had an actor on the show I just did tell me (and the whole room) that when a husband/boyfriend starts to treat you as a piece of furniture you should take it as a compliment.  Apparently that means he has FINALLY gotten comfortable living with you, and you should be flattered that he holds you in the same regard as his favorite lounge chair!

Now I don't know about anyone else, but being compared to a chair or sofa does not make me feel particularly loved or special.  I don't enjoy being blown by with hardly a kiss as he goes from work the computer.  What's funnier is I had a guy tell me once he didn't want to treat me like a piece of furniture, and that is exactly what he did.  (I guess a doormat is a piece of furniture).  Bottom line, no matter how long you have been together we always want to be treated as though we are valued, as though we are precious, as though you are glad every day that we have chosen to spend our lives with you.  Because the reason we choose to spend our lives with you is because you treat as equals, out of the ordinary strong equals, and when that goes way we are likely to as well. 

Now none of this stems from my own relationship, but from the type of guy this actor is.  Now that the show is closed I can talk freely without fear of loosing my job.  See this man was sick, and sexist. He kept his wife away from all of us, especially the three working women.  He thought the mother in the show shouldn't be there, and we were wrong for allowing her to pump.  (Now more places should have rooms and schedules that accommodate pumping for nursing mothers, but that is another post).  He refused to listen to me, because "he has a problem with authority figures, and especially women".  He was a true male pig, and I have no doubt he treats his wife as part of the furniture. 

I have made it clear I will never work with him again, and if that means quitting on two days notice so be it.  I have my integrity, I am strong and independent I am a feminist, but what I am NOT ladies and gentlement, is a piece of furniture. 

This Saturday I answered the call to help out at the Planned Parenthood in Aurora, despite having an already packed schedule.  I started my day at 5:00a.m. to be at the clinic at 7:00 a.m., to help the women and families inside past the protesters waiting across the street.  See this past Saturday on April 26, the anti choice group led by Eric Scheidler was staging a massive protest.  Our side was figuring there would be between 1000 and 1500 people there.  So at 7:00 I answered the call to arms, and met two of my fellow escorts for the day.  Things were pretty quiet for the first hour, the usual people praying, handing out leaflets.  Over the course a few more escorts showed up and soon we totaled 5, we had 2-3 at the parking lot entrance, and 1-2 at the door to help people inside. 

About 8:00 things got a little more interesting.  Vans starting dropping people off in the field, and the things started to take motion.  Several men wore coats in the same color as our vests, in order to confuse the women and harass them easier.  The began erecting the 6 foot tall graphic signs, depicting photo shopped art of aborted fetus's, along with a baby crib for their "shower" and a dead mothers graveyard for all the women killed by abortion complications.  The shouters also arrived the same time, and boy were they out in force!!  The even told one mother with her 4 year old not go in because we murder children.  When not harassing patients they turned to judging the escorts, telling us what God would think of us and we should feel shame for what we were doing. 

Steve Trombley, CEO of Planned Parenthood Illinois released a statement to the press stating that there is a time and place for this debate, and outside the Aurora Health Clinic is not that place.  I agree with him, I don't stand outside your doctor telling you not to get a mammogram, the radiation will kill you from cancer!!

My questions them is this.  Where is the graveyard for the mothers who died in childbirth?  What about the graveyard for women who died from illegal abortions before Roe V. Wade?  How much good do they really think 1 package of diapers and a bottle will do for these women?  Finally what do they know about these womens and families circumstances?  They do not know what the doctor said, who might have to choose between their wife and the fetus?  What about the woman with cancer, who must undergo chemo to survive?  What are they doing for these women? 

As far as I am concerned they only want their 15 minutes of fame, which the MSM is happy to give them.  Pictures are behind the cut.

Hey Everyone.  Starting now this blog will be taking a much more feminist and political view.  There will still be locked entries from time to time about what is happening in my life.  If you wish not to read the political posts please either ignore them,or hop over to my myspace blog.  That one will remain my personal blog. 

peace-

Mary

This is this man's thoughts on Gay Marriage.  All I can say is WOW

Federalism concerns make a constitutional amendment protecting traditional marriage an avenue of last resort, Unfortunately, intellectually dishonest activist judges have left us no choice.

Activist courts have ignored the principal legal argument that the state's interest in marriage is procreation. Population is power. Society needs a young generation to defend the country in battle, to support its programs with taxes and to carry on its culture and traditions. The mere fact that two people are in a loving relationship does not matter to the state. Society supports traditional marriage because it is the only union which, in the ordinary course, leads to children, without the intervention of a third party.

So what about hetrosexual couples who never plan to have children?  Should they no be allowed to marry too?

I hope everyone has a wonderful and blessed Halloween!

So the media has struck again.  Fox News is reporting right wing propganda, THAT IS FALSE!!  It's one thing to reliaze it, but when it is a story about something you work, involving a clinic you work closely with, and you hear them takeing things out of context and blatently lieing  it'[s worse.  About the only thing Fox got correct was the issue of the Permit's being filed under Gemini (all 4 of them were) and the name of Steve Trombly.  Just wow!! 

Otherwise life is good and busy.  I'm still volunteering.  Working as an SM on Christmas Carol at Metropollis, loads of fun.  Seems like a good group, and a very laid back director who agrees with me.  I like that!  Also working as the Production Manager for Northwestern.  Really very exciting, not sure how Dirk did it!!  Still everyone has confidence in me an I have lots of support so that makes the transition easier.

Scott and I spent last weekend at the Creation Entertainment Sci-fi convenction.  So much fun, and we got our picture taken with Jonathan Frakes.  It was his birthday present, and I managed to suprise him.  It was wonderful to have time together, and we could be our true star trekie selves!!  There were some amazing costumes there as well!!

Okay have to go check on dinner. 

video of the Fox New Broadcast to be posted

a local planned parenthood here is underatack, and may not be able to open.  If you don't agree with this you don't have to take action, and can ignore it, however if you do belive in a couples and woman's right to have all legal and safe medical options made avaialbile please lend your support.

Please repost!!!

Our Clinic in Aurora, Illinois, Needs Your Help

The Planned Parenthood clinic in Aurora, Illinois, has become ground zero in the fight for women's access to reproductive health care. Aurora is a fast-growing city outside Chicago where Planned Parenthood just built a large clinic. And 10 days ago, the usual suspects in the anti-choice fringe showed up in droves — and by droves, I mean more people are protesting this clinic than we've seen for a long time.

Illinois needs Planned Parenthood's services (URL: http://www.plannedparenthood.org/news-articles-press/politics-policy-issues/medical-sexual-health/health-care-to-aurora-16719.htm) — Illinois ranks 46th in the availability of contraceptive services and supplies. But despite the obvious need for high-quality health care and overwhelming support from the community, the center has been besieged by vocal anti-choice hardliners. The Aurora area is home to some of the most radical anti-abortion extremists including Joe Scheidler, founder of the Pro-Life Action League. Scheidler made his name in 1980’s when he called for the “year of pain and fear” for reproductive health care providers and patients. And on August 25, hundreds of anti-choice extremists picketed near the site of the clinic as part of a “40-day prayer vigil” to protest the opening.

To be honest, it's going to take all of our efforts to open this clinic. We need to open this clinic with more warmth, more strength, and more solidarity with supporters than ever before. What's happening in Aurora isn't just some isolated incident. What's happening in Aurora today is what's happening in America. It's not a war on a clinic — it's a war on women's access to needed health care — in Aurora, and across our country.

We won’t back down — too much is at stake for women and their families. But we need your help. You can let these protesters know that you stand with Planned Parenthood by signing up to tie a ribbon in your name outside the clinic (URL: http://www.ppaction.org/campaign/aurora1/b0809htr07). And if you want to do more, you can donate (URL: https://secure.ga0.org/02/aurora1/b0809htr07) to help ensure that Planned Parenthood’s doors stay open.

If you live in Illinois, you can do even more to help us on the ground. Sign up to volunteer locally (URL: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=mVbQSX7JNAsBqRJbMj_2fxYw_3d_3d) and pick up a sign to post in your yard. The signs say "This family supports Planned Parenthood." Here's where you can pick up your sign:

Aurora Planned Parenthood Health Center
3051 E. New York Ave., Aurora, IL
(at the corner of New York Ave. and Oakhurst St.)
Monday thru Thurs.: 12 pm to 2 pm & 5 pm to 7 pm
Friday & Saturday: 12 pm to 2 pm

Please repost!!! 

RESUME

GEORGE W. BUSH
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington , DC 20520

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

LAW ENFORCEMENT
I was arrested in Kennebunkport, Maine, in 1976 for driving under the influence of alcohol. I pled guilty, paid a fine, and had my driver's license suspended for 30 days. My Texas driving record has been "lost" and is not available.

MILITARY
I joined the Texas Air National Guard and went AWOL. I refused to take a drug test or answer any questions about my drug use. By joining the Texas Air National Guard, I was able to avoid combat duty in Vietnam .

COLLEGE
I graduated from Yale University with a low C average. I was a cheerleader.

PAST WORK EXPERIENCE
I ran for U.S. Congress and lost. I began my career in the oil business in Midland, Texas , in 1975. I bought an oil company, but couldn't find any oil in Texas . The company went bankrupt shortly after I sold all my stock.

I bought the Texas Rangers baseball team in a sweetheart deal that took land using taxpayer money. With the help of my father and our friends in the oil industry, including Enron CEO Ken Lay, I was elected governor of Texas.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS GOVERNOR OF TEXAS
I changed Texas pollution laws to favor power and oil companies, making Texas the most polluted state in the Union. During my tenure, Houston replaced Los Angeles as the most smog-ridden city in America. I cut taxes and bankrupted the Texas treasury to the tune of billions in borrowed money. I set the record for the most executions by any governor in American history. With the help of my brother, the governor of Florida, and my father's appointments to the Supreme Court, I became President after losing by over 500,000 votes.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS PRESIDENT
I am the first President in U.S. history to enter office with a criminal record. I invaded and occupied two countries at a continuing cost of over one billion dollars per week. I spent the U.S. surplus and effectively bankrupted the U.S. Treasury. I shattered the record for the largest annual deficit in U.S. history. I set an economic record for most private bankruptcies filed in any 12-month period. I set the all-time record for most foreclosures in a 12-month period. I set the all-time record for the biggest drop in the history of the U.S. stock market.

In my first year in office, over 2 million Americans lost their jobs and that trend continues every month.

I'm proud that the members of my cabinet are the richest of any administration in U.S. history. My "poorest millionaire," Condoleeza Rice, had a Chevron oil tanker named after her. I set the record for most campaign fund-raising trips by a U.S. President. I am the all-time U.S. and world record-holder for receiving the most corporate campaign donations. My largest lifetime campaign contributor, and one of my best friends, Kenneth Lay, presided over the largest corporate bankruptcy fraud in U.S. History, Enron.

My political party used Enron private jets and corporate attorneys to assure my success with the U.S. Supreme Court during my election decision. I have protected my friends at Enron and Halliburton against investigation or prosecution. More time and money was spent investigating the Monica Lewinsky affair than has been spent investigating one of the biggest corporate rip- offs in history.

I presided over the biggest energy crisis in U.S. history and refused to intervene when corruption involving the oil industry was revealed. I presided over the highest gasoline prices in U.S. history. I changed the U.S. policy to allow convicted criminals to be awarded government contracts. I appointed more convicted criminals to administration than any President in U.S. history. I created the Ministry of Homeland Security, the largest bureaucracy in the history of the United States government.

I've broken more international treaties than any President in U.S. history. I am the first President in U.S. history to have the United Nations remove the U.S. from the Human Rights Commission. I withdrew the U.S. from the World Court of Law. I refused to allow inspectors access to U.S. "prisoners of war" detainees and thereby have refused to abide by the Geneva Convention. I am the first President in history to refuse United Nations election inspectors (during the 2002 U.S. election). I set the record for fewest numbers of press conferences of any President since the advent of television. I set the all-time record for most days on vacation in any one-year period. After taking off the entire month of August, I presided over the worst security failure in U.S. history. I garnered the most sympathy for the U.S. after the World Trade Center attacks and less than a year later made the U.S. the most hated country in the world, the largest failure of diplomacy in world history.