It's not that I don't give a shit about the economy or the wars but...

[Ohio Joe]

I really think it's way past time we started paying attention to the repugs all out assault on women. The number of bill restricting a womans right to decide for herself what happens to her own body is simply staggering. Look at google, the repugs are out of control. What do we do... beats the shit out of me but I know where I'm starting, writing every rep where this shit is happening:

http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml

I'm open to any other suggestions.

[rurallib]

1. I have 2 daughters. This worries me a great deal also

I would hate for one to get into any kind of health situation where they decide abortion is the best choice, but could not get an abortion.
One lives in Mississippi currently. Pregnancies go bad for many reasons. I am concerned that a full range of options may not be available.

[Ohio Joe]

2. I know a woman that had a tubal pregnancy

I think thats what is was called... it was a number of years back... Anyway, fortunately for her, she was able to get the care she needed without incident. Today? If the repugs get their way it could be a very different and much more horrible story.

[truedelphi]

6. That ws the type of situation that changed me from

Ardently anti-abortion to realizing that this is a medical situation first and foremost.

The other way of thinking, involving "morality" seems to put out that there is no reason to ever terminate the pregnancy, even if the woman involved will die.

[rurallib]

15. the one that changed me (catholic upbringing) was the death

of a young acquaintance trying to self abort - coat hanger.
This was about 4 years prior to Roe v. Wade.

[MadHound]

3. It's not an either/or proposition,

People can, and do, multitask in politics.

[Ohio Joe]

4. Nor did anyone say it was

This seems to me to be an issue we are ignoring though so I am attempting to shine a little light on it.

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[lunatica]

7. I'm hoping State Supreme Courts strikes down these Unconstitutional laws.

[Capitalocracy]

8. No reason to choose...

the Republicans will destroy equal rights for women (and a lot of other groups, to boot) and the economy and start more wars if we let them.

[Control-Z]

9. I've been thinking the same thing.

This part, almost verbatim: "What do we do... beats the shit out of me..."

I feel like I should be able to do something or say something that might at least make a small difference to someone, somewhere. I've had personal experience that should motivate and drive me but I just don't know how to use it.

I live in one of the most women friendly states. When conservatives and religious nuts try to alter our laws I join the fight for the particular bill they're pushing at the time. Otherwise, there really isn't a whole lot to do, and nothing that would help in the states that need it. If I lived in one of those states I would be at every rally and protest, helping in any way possible.

It's frustrating. The republicans are taking away women's rights and I feel like there is little I can do about it. If I could write a decent letter I would, but I don't write well and anything other than a powerful and compelling letter would seem a waste. Like you, I am open to suggestions.

[Ohio Joe]

11. As far as letter writing goes....

I'm not sure that a letter needs to be anything special, especially if it is an email. I don't expect politicians above local reps read the things themselves... and the higher up, the more that is received. I kind of expect they are read by interns and lists are compiled with how many are on each side of an issue. People lower down the food chain... city and town councils, things like that do tend to read their emails, so it does help to get something good out and on womens rights, they are also getting involved (zoning and crap like that).

[EFerrari]

10. The way they treat women is a measure of how they do everything else.

We're the canaries in the coal mine, imho.

[Ohio Joe]

12. Completely true

Their goal is to control every aspect of womens lives. Can't understand it, I have more then enough trouble trying to control myself.

[femrap]

20. Hey, Joe....

giving $$$ to Planned Parenthood or National Organization of Women helps. They are on the front lines. Writing a LTE on what Planned Parenthood offers women and men in the way of excellent health care....they save lives.

And it's all about ATTITUDE. When Roe v. Wade was passed, people were sickened by the number of women dying in back alleys from abortion. Abortion became a word that meant something good....a way to save these women's lives. Now, however, the Religious Wackos have taken over and have a new word, FETUS....which is good. Baby is a good word.

Abortion is now equal to murder....they've spun the PR machine to make women look selfish...also they have spun the tale that if a woman isn't a MOTHER, she is a horrible person.

People must take back the word ABORTION. Abortion saves lives. Women who give up their children for adoption have more regrets than those who have an abortion. To me....Abortion spells R E L I E F. The stats on unwanted children and kids stuck in foster care is overwhelming...no one feeds them, gives them health care, offers an education to them. Hell, some end up as human sex slaves. I read an article yesterday (Vanity Fair)...average age of female prostitutes is 13.

As the saying goes: If men got pregnant, abortion would be legal, safe and federally funded.

Young women today have been raised in a huge BACKLASH AGAINST WOMEN. Young women today are more likely to be in favor of gay marriage than abortion. They have, AGAIN, been manipulated to being against their own best interests. Women can be very cruel to other women...only because they have been brainwashed to be this way....Organized Religions hate women. The only power these religious women have been given is the power to keep breeding and to STFU. Alas, these women don't want other women to live lives free of oppression. It's a sick mind set....but it's out there. And some religions deem 'suffering' as good.

BTW, when the ERA was getting close to being ratified, Organized Religions united....even the Jews and Muslims. They spent an absurd amount of money on propaganda to stop this bill from passage.

And basically, for women, IT HAS BEEN DOWNHILL EVER SINCE.

The '70's were a better time for women than now.

[Ohio Joe]

22. A lot of truth in this post, it should be read by all

Donating is a good idea, I used to regularly when I had money... now not so much :( It did get me thinking though and according to this page:

https://plannedparenthoodvolunteer.hire.com/joblist.html?displaymode=-4.1166&__utma=1.1488197316.1306692160.1306692160.1306692160.1&__utmb=1.3.10.1306692160&__utmc=1&__utmx=-&__utmz=1.1306692160.1.1.utmcsr=google|utmccn=(organic)|utmcmd=organic|utmctr=planned%20parenthood%20denver&__utmv=-&__utmk=61249708

I can contact them tomorrow and see about volunteering :D

Great post though, Thanks!

[femrap]

25. Glad you liked it.

It's not often that I run into enlightened man. You're a cool dude.

edit for typo.

[tavalon]

18. Women and children

There was a probably mythical guy who said,"treat the lesser people just as you would treat me"

[Lorien]

23. We aren't "lesser people", except in GOP eyes. nt

[tavalon]

26. True enough

Not worded well.

[coalition_unwilling]

19. For a sense of the Repuke end-game, Margaret Atwood's "The

Handmaid's Tale" should be required reading for all on DU. It's a dystopian vision of an indeterminate future, but it is chilling in light of the avowed intent of leading Repueks re women's reproductive freedom(s).

Repukes probably will want to overturn Roe but also "Griswold v. Connecticut," the 1964 SCOTUS decision that found a right of privacy in the Constitution and outlawed states' attempts to prohibit contraception. Griswold became a part of the theary under which Roe v. Wade was decided in favor of choice.

[MichiganVote]

13. K&R

[spanone]

14. their goal...destroy all social programs and eliminate abortion

they are on track

[Motown_Johnny]

16. What we need in for a conservative supreme court justice to be replaced

with someone competent so we can challenge these insane laws the (R)s are passing.


If we did it now those ideologues would overturn Roe v. Wade and set women's rights back half a century or more.

[femrap]

21. We're already back there....

especially if a woman lives in the 'fly over' states.

And now the repugs are not allowing doctors to be taught how to perform abortions.

Young women need to hit the streets...it's really up to them to protect and demand their freedoms.

[slay]

17. K&R

n/t

[MH1]

24. K & R

if the troglodytes have their way, women will have less and less power to influence political decisions. And that will mean MORE wars. So people who care about war and peace should also be alarmed at the war on women.

[OwnedByFerrets]

27. They are all important issues and need addressing. This Medicare

thing is what we must use to get rid of the rethugs. If democrats and progressives were smart, they would use this every possible opportunity. It doesnt matter how we get rid of rethugs in congress, only that we do.