activism

Ugh. Let me explain that laptops are not good for blogging. The whole not having a real mouse thing creates alot of mistakes. As a result I have written this blog 4 times now.

So to make things short:

Here is another blog about the event I went to Tuesday, including pictures. Can anyone guess which one is me and the baby? beentheredonethat.typepad.com

Then I passed out copies of the Motherhood Manifesto, which you can buy from MomsRising.com

BTW if you don't hear alot from me in the next few days or weeks its because I am very busy.

The threat of global mass destruction felt extremely real and close to home to many during the Cold War. The conflict between the United States and Soviet Union went beyond the two nations’ borders, threatening citizens around the globe. People felt paralyzed by fear, something illustrated by letters to advice columnists: Dear Ann Landers, should we put our surplus income towards a family vacation or home bomb shelter? (Answer: Fallout shelter.)

However, this angst turned into activism as world citizens took action, expressing themselves and raising awareness in their communities and beyond. Nena’s “99 Luftballoons” became a mainstream international hit in 1983; its strong antiwar message especially resounded with young people in Germany and the US. People were now informed and concerned, mad at government muscle flexed at citizen expense. The tension had eased considerably in the late 1980s, and this period of conflict had ended by the early 1990s. Petra Kelly was at the forefront of this movement (and so much more), responsible for working in both a governmental context, and for inspiring and organizing everyday activists across the Atlantic.

Yesterday, February 26, 2007 at 4:45pm, my grandmother, a woman of the past generations, a proud democrat, a leading activist, california native, ballbusting woman of the new millenium, an amazing person, passed away in a hospital near our house. She was an amazing woman.

Her bookshelves were filled with titles by Barack Obama, Virginia Woolf, Betty Friedan, Issac Asimov, Bill Clinton, L.E. Modesti Jr., and so many other people. She was neurotic to some extent, wildly obsessive-compulsive, deluded to a degree that only bad experiences and age can bring, and a hypochondriac. But she was a woman I will always be proud to have known.

Since graduating, I find my dedication flagging. The real world, with its preoccupation with jobs and making the rent and other such unimportant issues, is making activism energy a little scarce.

It started with an attempt to make a new friend via those endless networking sites on the net. Things began nice enough, maybe even a little flirtatious despite my distinct lack of interest-- until I outlined exactly the feminism that I had only hinted at. You know, it's amazing how many "pro-lifers" talk about a child as a punishment for having sex. I never realized how oxymoronic the anti-choice stance could actually be; I'm amazed by the depths of hypocrisy that I must have known existed.

I am just stunned.

Tuesday evening, we sat around the third-floor living room, curled up on couches and pillows and laps, and watching the election results come in. It was like the Superbowl without the beer and the pretzels and tubby men in spandex pants; as the Democrats gained seats in Congress, we jumped and cheered.

And then we fell silent. The Marshall/Newman Amendment (also known as Ballot Question No. 1, or the same-sex marriage amendment--as if it were only about that), was passing by a significant margin--the count with 94 percent of precincts reporting was 57% 'yes' and 43% 'no'.

Via Feministe:

Vanessa at Plucky Punk , inspired by Biting Beaver’s story, has come up with an action plan:

If you’re not already well versed in the travesty that happened to Biting Beaver, click here to read her story and here to read the consequences.

Long story short: an adult woman with several children in a committed relationship was not able to obtain emergency contraception in time (due to some serious backwards actions on the part of several doctors and nurses) and became pregnant against her will. Now she must pay for an abortion she really can’t afford.

Some time in the wee hours of this morning, after a night at the opera, my parents and I were walking back to the hotel. A few feet away from the hotel, we saw a couple arguing. The woman was crying and saying "Not again! Not again!" while the man was yelling at her and grabbing at her arm to pull her along. As we walked towards them, my father and I looked at them pointedly and shot the man dirty looks. We slowed down as we were walking past the scene and I said to my parents "If he hits her, I am going to punch him in the face."

As my dad nodded in agreement, my mother shook her head and said, "Yes and next thing you know he pulls out a knife and you're hurt or dead, all for nothing."