Blog For Choice Post 2013

Today marks the 40th anniversary of Roe v Wade, the Supreme Court decision that ruled that state laws outlawing a woman's right to an abortion were unconstitutional. While the past four decades have seen the ruling under attack on cultural, religious, and political grounds, the ruling remains the law of the land even as access to the procedure becomes even more of a target than ever. In honor of this day participants have been asked to tell why they are pro choice.

The basic reason is that I believe that any decision regarding a pregnancy is up to the woman and her doctor. There are a number of reasons which can impact whether a woman feels ready to have a child or not. Whether it's for a medical reason (a sudden illness, the possibility the pregnancy can kill the woman carrying the fetus) or someone surviving an abusive situation or rape or whether one isn't ready financially or emotionally to have a family, the reasons can be as varied as the individual.

Because of this, expecting a one size fits all approach towards whether a woman should carry a child to term is myopic at best and dangerous at worst. Whether its telling a rape victim that her pregnancy is a gift from God or attacking a woman's reasoning in making her decision, there are many variables that factor into whether a woman wants to and can afford to bring a child into this world. To automatically assume that all will be good if she doesn't get an abortion is shortsighted at best and often reeks of an arrogance that doesn't take the other person's situation into account.

I also support a woman's right to reproductive freedom and reproductive justice because of the issue of when life begins. Many people who consider themselves "pro life" have recently moved from claiming that life begins at conception to claiming that a frozen embryo is an actual person. While it is true that a fetus is DNA, the anti choice movement claims that both a fetus and a frozen embryo is a complete human being. People forget that Roe was actually a compromise ruling of sorts that applied before the point of viability rather than actually legalizing abortion on demand. Add to this the current attempts to claim contraception is the same as abortion that the pro forced childbirth contingent is currently pushing to confuse the issue and its apparent that its less about concern for either when life begins or quality of life but as a matter to control women's lives.

Finally I want to bring up an issue that people in the anti choice movement have been trying to frame as common lately. About a year or so ago I was on my way to try and catch the end of a rally to support Planned Parenthood. As I was trying to find a good time to cross the street and get a sign, I saw that one of the anti choice protesters picketing in front of the clinic was holding a sign that said "Women Regret Abortion" on it. Almost immediately (and ever since) when the pro forced childbirth crowd tries to spin the abortion leads to regret angle the following song quote pops in my head...

      "You're taking one thing that one girl does/And you're making it represent all of us." - "Do You Like Me Like That" by Bratmobile off their 2000 album Ladies, Women and Girls.

Those two lines that I couldn't get out of my head that hot Saturday afternoon perfectly nails this use of this angle for people claiming to be "pro life" to the wall. While some women may have some regret over their decision, trying to spin it as every woman who has an abortion will be racked with regret paints women as one mass group who all think and act alike rather than individuals. By ignoring this simple fact, the anti choice movement talks down to women and overlooks the mix of education, experience, and circumstances that informs each person's life overall. The refusal to realize that is one of the main facets of the anti choice/pro forced childbirth movement that I find distasteful.

I realize that the decision on whether to carry a pregnancy to term isn't a simple decision. However, it is because of what's involved in making the decision that I feel it's best to respect a woman's decision whether it's to give birth or get an abortion. Each person has their own reasons and understanding about what they're going through and it is important that a personal decision such as be between a woman and her doctor. If she chooses to let other people know about her choice, that's her right but if she doesn't there's probably a damn good reason for it. In a situation like this respecting said decision is the most prudent thing to do if one wishes to see women as people with agency over their own bodies and their own decisions.

While I feel this barely touches the surface, these are amongst the main reasons why I consider myself pro choice on this issue.

P.S.:  I realize not everyone will agree with me on this issue.  However, if any comments gets especially hateful, abusive, or ignorant I reserve the right to moderate and even delete if necessary.  Consider this a warning in advance.

Pussy Riot Update - January 2013

On January 16, Masha Alekhina of the Russian performance art collective Pussy Riot will get a hearing in the prison where she's being held over whether to postpone her prison sentence on the grounds of her being a single mother of a small child. If ruled in her favor her sentence will be postponed until her son turns 14.  While this is only a temporary especially solution (especially since Pussy Riot should've never faced charges of hooliganism to begin with over their infamous church performance),  it would allow Masha to be reunited with her child.

It's hard to say what will happen in the hours ahead.  While I want to be hopeful, the current situation in Russia seems more about punishing Putin's perceived allies regardless of the costs in the international picture.  In a trail where the three members of Pussy Riot weren't allowed to truly defend themselves and focused more on hurt feelings of religious believers rather than on actual issues (or the fact that similar acts i the past were punished with a fine), Putin and the Russian Orthodox Church took a situation that would've been a footnote and made the three women political pirosners and martyrs in the process.  In a state that was allegedly secular, this shift in power towards a potential theocracy is troubling indeed.

Between tomorrow's hearing and the hearing over allowing Yekaterina Samutsevich (who was released conditionally) to be included as an interested party over the ruling that Pussy Riot's videos are extremist (a decision made after the verdict was already in) on the 24th of this month, one wonders what turn the saga of Pussy Riot will take next. Whatever happens we have to keep the pressure on to make sure the imprisoned members of Pussy Riot are released unconditionally and that Katerina gets an unconditional release as well. 

Only time will tell but it will not go away quietly.

Holiday Music 2012

Hey!  I know I'm cutting this way, way, way, way, way too close.  However, since I forgot to do a post on this last holiday season, I want to make sure I get this in here.  As you know 2012 is winding down and 2013 is around the corner.  Since Christmas is literally here, I thought it would be interesting to highlight a few X-Mas music picks.  Yes, most of it is about a year old but I found out about it too late to post so it's new to me.  Besides it's X-mas so letting it slide would be cool and it doesn't really fit to review it like I normally would do to records/CDs/downloads, etc.  So, enjoy, listen and maybe find some new tuneage to enjoy the Holidays with in da future.

THE DOLLYROTS - "Because I'm Santa"/"Messed Up Xmas"    

Running off the strength of an album funded via kickstarter, The Dollyrots offer up two Christmas jams.  "Because I'm Santa" is an ode to Kris Kringle set to the tune of "Because I'm Awesome," keeping the songs hooky energy with a distinct Holiday vibe.  "Messed Up Xmas" is a poppier punk gem about gifts, suggestions from friends, love, et al with a hint of tongue in cheek humor and a lot of fun. 

THE PLIMPTONS - "Christmas All Over this Town" EP

This came to my attention too late to put it on the blog last year so I had to wait til now.  This Scottish pop band dish out a small batch of catchy original indie/power pop songs about Christmas full of catchy harmonies and a blend of sentiment and angst.  While the Scottish accents in the vocals may trip up some listeners, the hooks here are universal and make this a must listen.

SHONEN KNIFE - "Sweet Christmas"

I can't believe I didn't know about this until a few weeks ago.  Last year Shonen Knife unleashed some pure simple holiday spirit in simple puny pop form.  "Sweet Christmas" is typical Shonen KNife - lots of strummed guitar and a simple vocal that states its case in the way they make their own.  Also in here is a cover of "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" and an acoustic version of the title track. 

How to Tell If A Political Candidate Is Not A Moderate

 As this issue is finalized the election is literally just around the corner.  While we're trying to be on top of things, I realize that some people will be reading this for the first time after the election is over.  We also realize that, regardless of how Americans are spoon fed to think that they should only think about how things are run just around election time, that some factors related to election linger on long afterwards regardless of who wins or loses.  So, in the interest of stepping back slightly to look at the bigger picture, we decided to take a lighthearted look at one of these political tropes. 

 One of the biggest tropes of American politics, especially in the Presidential race, is the myth that prospective candidates will spend the primary part of the race doing whatever they can to appeal to the base but one the nomination happens they will quickly pivot to a more moderate position to appeal to the middle of the road.  While there may be some truth to this, if you look at the big picture one has to wonder if they really shift to the center or if one side keeps moving the goalposts so the center keeps looking less centrist than in the past.  In the 2012 race, one candidate who is known for his ever changing positions (as well as his denial of his past held beliefs) shifted gears to appear "moderate."  Is he actually so?  

While that can remain to be seen, I felt it would be fun to take a humorous look at this issue with instances involving several candidates either running for office or currently holding a political office.  We've tried to avoid simple flip-flops (though in this case, some may have gotten in.  Also, feel free to test your knowledge and try to answer which candidate is responsible for what in this list.

     

 So, sit back, laugh if you feel like it and enjoy the following exploration of this question (which can fit both this election and used as a guide to future ones - if we still have them in the future):

HOW CAN ONE TELL IF A POLITICAL CANDIDATE ISN'T REALLY A MODERATE? 

 If a candidate's foreign policy advisors include many of the same people who guided Dubya to start the war in Iraq back in 2003, the candidate is not a moderate.

If a candidate claims in a primary debate that federal disaster relief is "simply immoral" the candidate is not a moderate.

 If a candidate claims to be a scientist but states that "evolution, embryology, and the Big Bang theory are lies from the pit of hell," the candidate is not a moderate.

 If a candidate claims at a town hall meeting that 78 to 81 members of the opposition political party are members of the Communist Party, the candidate is not a moderate.

  If a candidate appears at a "Christian" church where the pastor calls homosexuality "immoral and unnatural" and airs a video that claims gay people can be cured of their sexual orientation, the candidate is not a moderate.

If a candidate speaks out in favor of America's legacy of slavery claiming that it was good for black people and eventually allowed them to become US. citizens, the candidate is not a moderate.

If a top surrogate for a candidate continues to use dog whistle comments to appeal to the implied (and often open) racism of the citizenry in order to stir up votes, the candidate is not a moderate.

If a candidate claims to object to Ayn Rand not because of the general themes in her work theme that the poor and people who need help are worthless parasites that will destroy the protagonist but that Rand was a pro-choice atheist, the candidate is not a moderate.

If a candidate has a female opponent and implies that her debate performance was "unladylike" and later compares her to a dog, the candidate is not a moderate. 

If a candidate can't easily answer whether he or she supports equal pay for women, the candidate is not a moderate.

If a candidate's criticism of a talk radio host claiming a woman advocating contraception coverage in Obamacare a "slut" and a "prostitute" who should be "forced to put a sex tape on the Internet so we all can watch" is that he wouldn't use those words rather than the sentiment in his rant itself, the candidate is not a moderate.

If the candidate's refuses to denounce fellow candidates who try to redefine what rape is, the candidate is not a moderate

     

If a candidate's "moderate" position on abortion would still make the procedure illegal in 90% of all instances, the candidate is not a moderate.

If a candidate is on tape agreeing with Glenn Beck that "progressives are a cancer" that should be wiped out, the candidate is not a moderate.

 If a candidate's fund raiser features appearances by both Dick Cheney and Glenn Beck, the candidate is not a moderate. 

This is merely the tip of the iceberg.  If you feel like coming up with other examples in this vein, feel free to do so.  Regardless of how the 2012 election goes, keep these examples in mind when a candidate suddenly known for extreme positions seems to claim said views are similar to the average American.  In an era as polarized as this one, it's hard sometimes to know where the middle exactly is and, unfortunately, the extremism seems unlikely to go away in our lifetimes. 

 For now, play this and have fun.  Only when we're aware of how wacked out things really are can we begin the long, sometimes roadblock ridden road to change things for the better.   One thing is for sure, if people remain unaware than the pattern of candidates like the ones in the examples will be destined to continue until people speaks up.

   

Second Debate Tonighta

Okay, I know you're probably tired of hearing about it but the second Presidential debate is tonight at Hofstra University.  We've heard all the details by now (town hall format, the worry from both sides over moderator Candy Crowley, etc), so let's focus on what we do know will have to happen tonight.

As we all know Obama lost the first debate even though Romney interrupted everyone and basically changed every position he had in the past.  That the challenger would win the first debate is a TV staple since every incumbent president uses loses the first debate as they run for re-election (though Clinton in 96 was an exception; the rule also includes Ronald Reagan.  Hopefully he realizes that he can't appear absent or focused on some other thing.  Yeah, Biden's performance in the VP debate helped a bit (though he basically did what should've been done the first time around) but Obama will still have to call Mitt when he tries to lie about his record (which he will do).  Will the war on women or the 47% quote will come up?  Who knows.  What we do know is that talking points will come up and that regardless of what happens, the mainstream media will still probably gloss over the real issues we have to deal with.

In a truly just world, there would be third party candidates to offer their views and give the public a real choice.  Unfortunately, we don't have that in this country or election cycle.  Thus, we're dealing with the few undecided voters and some likely voters trying to decide the next four years to some degree off of these performances.

What happens from this is anyone's guess. We'll have to wait until tonight to find out.

Justice Still Denied For Pussy Riot

Yesterday three members of the punk rock activist collective Pussy Riot (Nadezhda “Nadia” Tolokonnikova, Maria “Masha” Alyokhina and Yekaterina “Katya” Samutsevich) appealed their two year convictions for “hooliganism” in a Moscow court.   Like the last trial, the defendants weren’t fully allowed to make their case though there was a twist as Samutsevich, with new lawyers, was released on either probation or a suspended sentence (depending on which article you read) while Tolokonnikova and Alyokhina’s two year sentences on a penal colony were upheld (the original sentence was from time of arrest so seven months have already been served according to some sources).

With that decree, three Russian judges (most likely under orders from Putin – who made a TV appearance a couple days before denying a role but supporting their conviction) managed to make Pussy Riot into martyrs for freedom of expression and focused attention on the flaws in the Russian legal system that aren’t likely to go away anytime soon.

 

Supporters of the sentence claim the members of Pussy Riot were motivated by religious hatred, yet  given the protest appeared in the midst of a crack down of opponents of the Putin regime,it is safe to say that this wa a political show trial (especially since only one side got to fully state their case).  All of this over a protest of church/state comingling that, if the regime and the church had let it slide or treated with a fine, wouldn't be in the news right now.  

In the most recent print issue (and a piece I shared online) I pointed out  the obvious - that with the conviction they lost the war on perception internationally,. By sending Nadia and Masha to a remote penal colony (Russia is reported to have some of the roughest prisons in the world), Putin and the Russian Orthodox Church aimed for a short goal only to turn much of the world's attention to how things actually are in Russia.  

As for Katya Sanutsevich's release, some people think this is a  game of "divide and rule.."  A fact that Samutsevich herself has attacked the game and promises to keep up the fight.  It can be said that Katya's release is intended as a possible reestablishing of independence for the courts.  However, with PUtin's approval of the verdict just before appeal, the appearance of independence remains just that - an appeareance that means little.

Meanwhile, the case isn't going away.  They remain prisoners of conscience by Amnesty International and Pen International is calling for their unconditional release.  Pussy Riot's legal team claims they will take the case to the European Court of Human Rights, if necessary.  

Time will tell how this tale unfolds.  However, as Nadia and Masha prepare to be sent to remote penal colonies, the fight to have them release looks to continue as an overreaction to an action that was previously punished with a fine has made Pussy Riot a symbol of dissent and freedom of expression.  

VP Debate Tonight

As almost anyone in the U.S. knows (whether they want to or not) the Vice Presidential candidates debat eis happening tonight in Dan ville, KY.  While every one of these things could go any number of ways one can only hope that Biden doesn't let Paul Ryan get away with what Obama let Romney do via a ton of lies. 

It will be far from perfect.  The lack of third party candidates is a definite downer on these.  I know most people in this country are only going to vote for Obama or Romney, but I do feel people should kow all their options.  Also, third party candidates could keep the two main guys honest, putting things in perspective and let people know how things really are. 

However, that ain't going to happen this year (or likely in the near future).  While Romney did win last week (Obama wasn't expecting Willard's moderate pose plus, in all fairness, incumbent presidents running for re-election usually lost the first debate historically anyway) one can only hope that they learned from that and are ready to attack before more people start to believe the perforance rather than the actual positions. 

What will happen?  Who knows.  However, even when expecting a tough race, this should be easier than it is now.