Planned parenthood, it’s in the name

Our opposition to pp is but a symptom of a larger issue which we are too ashamed or prideful to address. Defunding PP will not end abortion.  History tells us that. While conservatives will applaud band aids and short sighted solutions as victories they fail to recognize that pp is not the cause of abortion and therefore Defunding it will not end abortion. Want to prevent abortion? Teach your children about their bodies and how they work instead of talking about sex as a vague mystery that happens when you’re married. Even married people should know about sex, pregnancy, birth control and std prevention. That just commonsense.  I’m married and I chose to have one pregnancy and one biological child. It would have been nice to have another child but it also seemed economically unfair to have more children than feasible. I have an IUD which costs quite a bit more than drugstore birth control options but you know what? It’s rel  Talk about how pregnancy does and does not happen. Teach boys about consent and don’t allow “boys will be boys ” attitudes about casual sex and the treatment of women. Hold men accountable for the children they father both financially AND emotionally so that they don’t perpetuate a cycle of children with abandonment issues seeking love elsewhere. Stop crucifying women on welfare as entitled, while ignoring the missing part of the equation and letting that person of the hook of criticism. Stop talking about single mothers as irresponsible while holding up families with 19 kids as God’s gift and an ideal for trusting God with the size of your family, not saying that’s not true but if that is the ideal shouldn’t it be true for everyone? How are married couples on food stamps because they have more kids than they can afford not also “entitled “?

The thing is our society is perfectly comfortable with the idea that men don’t have to be father’s but deeply uncomfortable with the fact women may not want to be mothers,  and that right there is the issue.

Re: Danny Masterson, Ashton etc

interesting how the logic was “his family asked” for letters on his “character” but..there was no second thought on how that might be perceived? Theyd have to be living in a shoebox to truly not know what it was for or question it. 

 it also speaks to how common it is for friends to rally around abusers and think “BuT hE WaS nIcE tO mE” is somehow a valid defense for something they arent witness too.

Unnecessary Shutdown

The shutdown in not necessary. American workers should not need to starve and be potentially homeless waiting for a border wall. These are not interchangeable or even related. Anyone supporting this should be ashamed of themselves.

We live in a democracy. There are three branches pf government. They are equal branches. Certainly if everyone were in agreement that would be fabulous. However our government was created giving each branch equal power. Senate does not answer to President.Nor the judicial branch. This is why they can override a veto or strike down laws that are considered unConstitutional. POTUS does not have all consuming power nor do the other branches have to give him deference. That is what makes us a democracy & not a dictatorship.

New York State’s “new” abortion law: facts

Ok people enough with the scary memes. Please read actual info.
Obviously if a woman is pregnant into 8 months & there’s an emergency of some kind she more than likely would be having a *c section* than an abortion. There are also VERY FEW doctors that do abortion procedures past first trimester. Given that, please pause & think “Is there more to this?” Why yes there is.As an aside, while I know Planned Parenthood is often touted as the boogeyman of abortion, abortion services are available at most major medical facilities ie Sutter & Kaiser who also take medicaid should Planned Parenthood (a private entity not a government by the way) get “defunded” (No this isn’t a pro abortion message, but it is a pro facts one. There are better ways to stop abortion than nasty sounding internet messages & political screaming. Like comprehensive healthcare, sex education & birth control available for those that do choose to be sexually active, there are countries who are very successful at this & we should look to them. https://useyouroutsidevoice.co/2019/01/25/no-new-york-state-is-not-killing-full-term-babies-now/?fbclid=IwAR0cwFA_PkEoXU5VdgpQZI6iAUj6wgEy_-Et0XrlUwL95eiRmLSDYSIW7tQ

Women: why we march

I feel its important for people to be informed. I am quite aware of how conservative news outlets report the Womens Marches as “anti abortion protests”… “the election”..or “womens right.” Its easy enough to criticize & say “what rights have you lost?” Its not about “lost rights.” Its about Trumps past rhetoric, campaign rhetoric & continued rhetoric about how he views women, his campaign promises to his donors (and lets be honest a Cabinet full of Big Business is NOT “for the people”)…and giving the country a visual that it is not ok.

The march encompassed many things including immigrant rights, the environment, healthcare, reproductive care access. That doesnt mean “abortion” but includes birth control access, medical care access, and womens health in the broad sense. I am *personally* pro life but history tells us what an outright ban on abortion does not prevent it. Healthcare, birth control, comprehensive sex education…these prevent it. This was not “funded by George Soros” (frankly nothing more than the far right boogeyman), Planned Parenthood, etc & no one was paid.

If people choose to not inform themselves, thats their choice but please be mindful of that & choose not to spread lies & misinformation b/c it was on meme or fox news, or Ted Nugent or whatever. I wouldnt seek unbiased information from an opposing view, though theyre good for *comparison* . I “liked” all the Trumps pages plus a variety of congresspeople.I choose to watch government proceedings on the congress dot gov site b/c I would rather get my info firsthand, and know firsthand what our leaders say, wouldnt you?

Being informed is important & takes effort and due diligence in our current times of “alternate facts” (which used to be called lies – FYI to the Christian folks out there. Spreading lies even if they make you feel good & they didnt originate from you is still lying. Does God approve? )

I also subscribe to foreign news outlets to see how American events are viewed elsewhere, and also a lot of Congress people’s email newsletters. I encourage you all to do the same.While I realize Fox News gives ppl news theyre comfortable with, please realize news youre comfortable with isnt unbiased news. Or truthful news. Or accurate. Information shouldnt just make you comfortable or only subscribe to your chosen views. The term is “ignorance is bliss” is an accurate one. So is “knowledge is power.”

Dear Ivanka

Dear Ivanka

I feel your presence in the White House as an “advisor” is a blatant insult to the nepotism laws. I also find it to be extremely unprofessional of a President to need his young daughter pandering to him and acting in any official capacity especially as a self described unpaid staffer. This relegates you to the position of a volunteer.

Your family is wealthy this is true. However wealth and success are two different things. Your father has money not because he is a good businessman – as multiple bankruptcies attest to – but because his father before him was a good businessman & gave him money. In turn he gave you money. The connection again being, you’re having money also does not equal you being good at business or appropriate for an advisory role to the President of the United States, even if he is your “daddy.” This amounts to nothing more than a little girl playing “house.”

I do not feel anyone in your family including your father belongs in the White House. Along with my previously stated opinions I would like to add that your background as wealthy business people makes you not more more qualified to lead the country but less. You & your brothers (and father & siblings of his) grew up in a bubble. You have no idea what the needs are for working class and middle income people. You likely don’t even know how to attain these things, because you’ve never had to.

In reading your books I found them very peppy, chirpy and removed from reality. I was reminded of people who suggest saving money by “not going to Starbucks.” Ignorantly failing to realize only people with money can save money by “not going to Starbucks” whereas poor people don’t have that money to begin with. While it may be unfair to compare you to these kinds of people can you truly tell me you know anything of middle class problems & solutions? What qualifies you?

From what I can tell, as a college educated 41 year old self employed woman myself, you and your father create policy based on stereotypes,assumption and treating people as you have experienced them (servants & production workers). While I think the recent promotion of manufacturing and apprenticeships isn’t terrible, it seems to be in deliberate conflict with the Democrats call for free college for all. I find it curious coming from you & your brothers promoting manufacturing and trade schools. Tell me, what trade school did you go to? What manufacturing jobs have you held? Your end goal isn’t to see more people successful but to help your already wealthy friends stay that way.

The Trump family has no idea what working parents struggles are because they don’t seem to know any except in positions of servitude and its highly unlike you’ve taken time to speak to any of the people who cook your food or clean your toilets. The Trump family has no idea what struggles people go through to put food on the table — or why the “working poor” would need food stamps to do so – because you have no experience in this realm at all. The Trump family has never had to choose between missing work or caring for a child. Parroting the joys of manufacturing does little for helping people than give them dead end jobs which don’t allow them to afford these things. The Trump family has never had to sort through the exchange for health insurance weighing the merits of cheap insurance versus comprehensive insurance…because you never had to. YOU truly are out of touch with any real world problems or people and that alone disqualifies all of you from the jobs you currently hold.

Finally, from mother to mother, I have to ask/add if you are such an advocate for mothers and women why you have not stated any opinions of your father exiting the Paris Accord, allowing oil, coal and pollutant creating companies to run amok while not looking at the very big picture of climate change. I understand it is scary and inconvenient for those that profit from causing it but the reality is, global warming does not discriminate. You cannot breathe money. I would use your role as “advisor” to do quite a bit more in this area.

I would then encourage you to take a much needed step down from your role of advisor or in any position in the White House. As a taxpaying citizen of this country, I have not approved it and do not feel you to be qualified. Your father should follow suit in his role for the same reasons.

Just say no. To Kavanaugh.

It wasn’t him” “it never happened ” are legitimate if inconsistent arguments for defenders of U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh to make. “We have to stick to our deadline” and “there’s no need to involve the FBI” are nothing but partisan Republican talking points. And excuses like “boys will be boys ” are simply vile. -Eugene Robinson, Washington Post.

I hope were all paying attention to what’s going on with respect Kavanaugh. Yes the allegations are from a long time ago. Yes citizens are innocent until proven guilty ….in a court of law. If the GOP wishes to skip an investigation they choose to skip that privilege for him.
An appointment to a lifelong seat on the highest court is a bit different though. We as citizens have the right to expect these concerns to be asked and answered by our elected officials . Do we want someone accused of rape making decisions in cases regarding women rights??? I don’t. I called my senators already and so should you.

Gun Control: there is no debate

“The Quarter Quell were written in the law by man, certainly it can be unwritten” (Hunger
Games: Catching Fire)

This past month has brought a new push towards gun control like none before. The Parkland shooting has brought forth a new movement from a group previously dismissed: teenagers. And they aren’t backing down. I feel hopeful in watching these younger people speaking out. They are inspiring to those of us in generations before them. We as adults must be moved to action too. Our country is long overdue for a firm conversation on gun control. We must insist on it – from each other, from our local, state and federal officials. We owe it to our children and ourselves.

In social media, any conversation quickly turns ugly Don’t be afraid of talking! Talk to your friends. Encourage dialogue. Insist on commonsense. Insist on respect. It is easy to dialogue within a bubble of agreement. The hard work is trying to communicate and find understanding among those with differing opinions. I’m not naive to the difficulties but try we must. This is how change happens.

In state buildings around the country, talk to your representatives. Remind them you are the voter. Share your views. Encourage representatives to act in ways that are constructive to the well being of the voters they represent,

On Capitol Hill, we must insist on getting big money out of politics. The NRA should NOT be able to buy votes and keep votes from coming to the floor. The NRA should only get a vote via its individual members and the ones they cast. Anything more is inappropriate and needs to be called out. These are OUR representatives and they need to answer to us. Our elected officials need reminding they are elected and so to can be unelected. They aren’t in their positions because they’re great people who deserve an endless stream of kickbacks and perks. They are there to serve us, we the people.

This sort of thinking is steeped in so many fallacies it stands to reason that the people worried about
having their guns taken away maybe are proving they aren’t fit to own them in the first place. I
understand that might be an inflammatory statement but it speaks to the truth I witness daily. People
who speak in fear and paranoia, not rooted in any logic, are not the sort of people who should be
allowed a weapon that can kill in a split second, can we at least agree on that? Folks the DMV did not take away cars when people were required to register them, pass a test showing a competence & get a
license proving capabilities. There is nothing wrong with us requiring the same for guns.

In looking outside of ourselves we an look towards other countries who have had success in this area.
There are many to choose from who have citizens free to bear arms but who also must show
competence both mentally and with regards to use of their firearm. This is just commonsense.

In supporting the activities of the younger set, such as the their national walkout, we must come
alongside as allies and do our own due diligence. We owe it to them.

You say I’m a DREAMer, but I’m not the only one

Today as many feared at the very beginning of Donald Trump’s presidency, he chose to end the DACA program. In a statement on his official Facebook page and the White House official website, TRump claimed more of his “putting America first” rhetoric by citing “the unemployed and the forgotten.” While I’m sure that pads the egos of the bigoted, the racist and the plain ignorant..the reality is there’s no shortage of college opportunities here. There’s no shortage of spots in schools or jobs on Craigslist. If YOU are not qualified for a job, that is a YOU problem. If YOU don’t have the skills to compete in the job market, YOU can fix it. If YOU want to college, its as simple as applying, or in  terms of junior college GOING. The racist ignorant fool sector of our country -and don’t kid yourselves, its sizeable- is greatly apparent in the citing of “our” jobs, “our” schools, “our” rights, “our” tax dollars….

Well guess what? Schools are funded by property taxes. And plenty of immigrants own homes. Those are their tax dollars too!

“our jobs.” Whose jobs? There’s no reserve on jobs for you. If you cant compete with someone who had less advantages than you, that’s something for you to consider –in the seeking of getting yourself up to speed.

“our rights.” Um, no. All people have Constitutional rights in this country. The Constitution wasn’t written for some, it was written for all. Congress could have acted  had they truly felt DACA was “illegal.” They chose not to

Sadly its this sizeable sector that is more at fault for our current state than Trump. Trump is but a reflection playing to the masses. The neo Nazis, the KKK, the good ol’ boys, the middle America who chose to not  seek higher education and now find themselves edged out of a competitive workforce…they need someone to blame for their lacking. The NeoNazis, the KKK,  the good ol’ boys waving Confederate flags are the ones stuck in the past clinging to their coal mining jobs, the paper industry and all the other obsolete job seekers Trump has pandered to. They’d like to blame “immigrants” for their own lack of hindsight but truly the blame rests on them. The blame rests on us. For far too long we have allowed racism to persist in this country unacknowledged. We try to tell ourselves everyone is equal & everyone’s the same. And they are. But not everyone thinks that. A lot of people don’t think that. The cry for “our” jobs, “our” tax dollars, “our” rights…almost squarely comes from white men (& women) finding themselves having to compete on even footing for the first time in their lives.  No, you do not have claim to any job, any education, any opportunity you choose…YOU need to work for it too. Its a hard pill to swallow, and as we see now not everyone wants to.

DACA has caused no harm to us. C. DACA is representative of the ideals of what we once were, the melting pot, and we would do well to get there again.

 

Being A Girl: A Brief Personal History of Violence

Wow really good- lays out a lot of experiencing in a relatable way so ppl understand. Thank you

The Belle Jar

1.

I am six. My babysitter’s son, who is five but a whole head taller than me, likes to show me his penis. He does it when his mother isn’t looking. One time when I tell him not to, he holds me down and puts penis on my arm. I bite his shoulder, hard. He starts crying, pulls up his pants and runs upstairs to tell his mother that I bit him. I’m too embarrassed to tell anyone about the penis part, so they all just think I bit him for no reason.

I get in trouble first at the babysitter’s house, then later at home.

The next time the babysitter’s son tries to show me his penis, I don’t fight back because I don’t want to get in trouble.

One day I tell the babysitter what her son does, she tells me that he’s just a little boy, he doesn’t know…

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