now bring me that horizon...

'If men could get pregnant, abortion would be a sacrament'

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“Being a mother is a noble status, right? So why does it change when you put ‘unwed’ or ‘welfare’ in front of it?”

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“Oppression has at least four dimensions: The personal or psychological–like when you yourself believe that you’re a big zero because society keeps telling you so. The private–like when some employer tries to make out with you when you ask for a job. The public–like when the government takes the money you need for child-care centers, and uses it to kill people in Indochina. And the cultural–like when the history books attribute everything we did and invented to some guy we worked for.”
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“Loserism is when oppressed people sit around and think up reasons why they can’t do something. Well just do it. Thinking up reasons why you can’t is the Establishment’s job.”

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“If the ass is protecting the system, ass-kicking should be undertaken regardless of the sex, ethnicity, or charm of the ass involved.”

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“The innocence of good people is inexcusable. Naivete is a luxury only the pigocrats can afford.”
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In the 1960s, Kennedy broadened her scope to include political involvement and battling oppression in a variety of arenas—racism, sexism, and homosexuality. She led boycotts of large corporations, including picketing the Colgate-Palmolive building in New York, leading protests at CBS headquarters, and participating in anti-Vietnam War and pro-liberation initiatives organized by Youth Against War and Fascism.

In 1966, Kennedy created the Media Workshop, an organization charged with fighting racism and discrimination in the media. The group led boycotts of advertisers who did not feature African Americans in their ads. After picketing in the street in front of an advertiser, Kennedy and the protesters were invited inside to discuss their grievances. Marsha Joyner recalled on the Civil Rights Movement Veterans website that Kennedy then quipped, "Ever since I've been able to say, 'When you want to get to the suites, start in the streets.'"

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In fighting for women's rights, Kennedy helped found the Women's Political Caucus and the National Black Feminist Organization. She was an original member of the National Organization for Women (NOW) and joined the group Radical Women to protest the 1968 Miss America pageant in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Kennedy also founded the national Feminist Party, which in 1971 nominated Representative Shirley Chisholm (D-NY), the first African-American woman elected to Congress, for president. Kennedy even protested the shortage of female bathrooms at Harvard University by leading a mass urination on the campus grounds.

On the abortion rights front, Kennedy organized feminist lawyers in 1969 to challenge the constitutionality of New York state's antiabortion laws. She collaborated on briefs and cross-examined witnesses in pretrial hearings. The laws were overturned the following year. In 1971, Kennedy co-authored with Diane Schulder a book on the class action suit, Abortion Rap , one of the first books on abortion. Kennedy even took on the Roman Catholic Church by filing a tax evasion charge to the Internal Revenue Service, claiming that the church's vocal and financial campaign against abortion breeched its tax-exempt status and violated the federal constitution's call for the separation of church and state.MORE

She often traveled with writer Gloria Steinem, talking to women in a speaking tour. If a man asked the pair if they were lesbians—a stereotype of feminists at the time—Flo would famously answer, "Are you my alternative?" She was an early member of the National Organisation for Women, but left then in 1970, dissatisfied with their approach to change. In 1971 she founded the Feminist Party^{[disambiguation needed]}, which nominated Shirley Chisholm for president. She also helped found the Women's Political Caucus.

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Flo was known for her flamboyant dress (often in cowboy hats and pink sunglasses) and attitude. Once, to protest the lack of female bathrooms at Harvard, she led a mass urination on the grounds. When asked about this, she said "I'm just a loud-mouthed middle-aged colored lady with a fused spine and three feet of intestines missing and a lot of people think I'm crazy. Maybe you do too, but I never stop to wonder why I'm not like other people. The mystery to me is why more people aren't like me." In 1974, People magazine wrote that she was "The biggest, loudest and, indisputably, the rudest mouth on the battleground."
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Social mobility, lest we forget, is not the same thing as equality. On the contrary: the entire premise of social mobility rests on the blithe acceptance of social inequality, so long as a handful of have-nots are able to scale the ladder of privilege. In a world where wealth and resources are finite, not everyone can be a billionaire. The encouraging notion that anyone can 'make it' relies on the unspoken assumption that most people, ultimately, won't.MORE

tree

Okay. So, for those unaware of context, here is what is going on. In the “No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act,” which is reprehensible on its surface, there’s a special surprise clause that seeks to limit the definition of rape and incest. In order to qualify for the exception to rape and incest cases, all rapes must be “forcible” and all incest cases must involve survivors under the age of 18. Since 1976, to quote the Mother Jones piece, “federal law has prohibited the use of taxpayer dollars to pay for abortions except in the cases of rape, incest, and when the pregnancy endangers the life of the woman.” In addition to being a serious attack on the rights of women, this is an unprecedented attack on the rights of survivors, and introduces a hierarchy of rape which would deprive the majority of pregnant rape and incest survivors from receiving coverage for their abortions. No more coverage for the mentally disabled, no more coverage for children, no more coverage for those who are drugged, unconscious, or coerced. Since many states do not HAVE a “forcible rape” law, those people might not be able to get funding because of the state they live in, and not just the specific circumstances of their rape. No more coverage for most survivors, basically. Seeking to minimize rape — to create a distinction between a few “real” rapes and the majority of “not rape enough” cases — and to pass this into law is unconscionable, and sets a terrifying precedent.
I wrote a post about this which got a lot of traffic. In a subsequent post, I suggested a Twitter campaign aimed primarily at John Boehner, something in the vein of #MooreandMe, to create consciousness around the issue. Some people have expressed a desire to participate, so it seems like a good idea.

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We need people who know this issue very well, and can speak on it persuasively. My key areas of focus, when it comes to feminism and activism generally, are media representation and sexual assault. I can debate these issues with a very sharp grasp of the facts on the ground and the arguments my opposition is going to oppose. That made me a really good point person for #MooreandMe, which was specifically about media representation and sexual assault. This also concerns sexual assault, so that part of it, I can speak to. I am not one of the many feminists who has extensively studied and debated reproductive rights. I know about as much as anyone, but the precise legal nuances are important here, and I don’t have the same instant or comprehensive recall that I would in the case of an issue that was specifically about sexual assault. Therefore, I need those feminists to take point as well. I know a few, including one who mounted a successful Twitter campaign, and I’m going to e-mail them after I finish writing this. But if you are, then I encourage you to use the reply function, my Ask function (no anonymous Asks any more, sorry) or my e-mail, tbd.ladybusiness@gmail.com, to both point out means of argument and to anticipate what the issues with our protest or message are going to be.
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rauduskoivu

ontd_political

Activism is a fairly simple concept. You do stuff to make things better. Activism when it comes to marginalized populations is also relatively simple in concept. You do stuff to make things better, only you specifically have to stop marginalization, see past and slowly remove privilege and improve the lives of marginalized folk in order to make things better.

That’s where it stops being simple. Abruptly.MORE

seize

The Nyumburu Cultural Center’s multipurpose room pulsed with anger last night as hundreds of students and faculty members vented their frustrations about the removal of Assistant Provost of Equity and Diversity Cordell Black from his longtime position. “If someone has given to this university their blood, sweat and tears as he has, they should be able to walk out the door on their own terms and not because of back-door dealings that some folks did in terms of plotting and removing him from his position,” Relations Director for the Nyumburu Cultural Center Solomon Comissiong said. “We need to mobilize and organize around one single thing and that is reinstating Dr. Black ... by any means necessary.”

Last Thursday, Black was called into a meeting with Provost Nariman Farvardin, where he was informed that as a result of budget cuts he would be replaced at the end of this fiscal year — June 30, 2010. The Office of the Associate Provost for Equity and Diversity, which Black oversees, houses the Nyumburu Cultural Center, the Office of LBGT Equity and the Office of Multi-ethnic Student Education. Farvardin said these departments will not be cut or altered in any way. “I have three units that report to me and [Farvardin] says, ‘Nyumburu, I can’t touch that because that’s student fees and not state money, and LGBT Office of Equity, that’s much too political for me to touch, and OMSE because that’s crucial to our drive to [increase] the retainment of black and Latino males,’” Black said of his conversation with the provost last week.

But for many, these concessions are not enough. The announcement, coming a week after a diversity town hall where officials asserted their commitment to diversity, came as a shock. Student activists are planning a march from Nyumburu to the Main Administration Building at noon today to show their contempt with the administration for its decision and to push for Black’s reinstatement. MORE

Student activists, still energized from a successful 600-person protest on the steps of the Main Administration last week, aren’t giving up their crusade for more diversity, transparency and student representation in university policy decisions. At a meeting last night, student leaders, united under the banner of a new coalition — Students Taking Action to Reclaim our Education — addressed more than 300 students, faculty and administrators in the multipurpose room of the Nyumburu Cultural Center, in an attempt to fan the flames of indignation ignited by the provost’s decision to remove Associate Provost for Equity and Diversity Cordell Black from the position he has held for more than a decade.

After last week’s march demanding Black’s reinstatement, more transparency and a moratorium on all firings and mergers at the university, student activists said they need to keep the pressure on the administration until they adhere to their demands. “We pride ourselves to hold all levels of administration to the core purposes of the university and matriculating all students in an environment of inclusion and critical thought as well as fostering active and engaged citizens,” STARE’s mission statement read.

In order to achieve their goals, student leaders encouraged attendees to rebel in small ways at last night’s meeting. Some students planned to sit on the steps of the Main Administration Building between classes while others volunteered to “phone bomb,” or relentlessly call, top administrators.MORE

There is an online contest sponsored by Quark Expeditions to become the Official Quark Expeditions Blogger. The winner gets an all-expense paid excursion to Antarctica February 20 – March 3, 2010. And you could help send me to the South Pole - a dream of mine!

What does it take to be the Official Quark Blogger? They’re looking for someone with a commitment to the environment; a passion for the polar regions, and an ability to write in English with wit, style and imagination. That is SO me, don’t you agree? Oh, and someone popular enough for people to tune into. So that’s why I need you and everyone else you know to vote for me. The person with the most votes wins.

With each post, I share the exciting and wonderful world of science, conservation, environmental education and urban nature appreciation through my blog Urban Science Adventures! ©

I routinely posted about the polar biomes, including posts celebrating International Polar Year. I love sharing science; and I especially enjoy bringing the beauty and excitement of nature to someone’s attention who thought there was nothing there.

Just like I share my everyday backyard adventures with you, I will share accounts of the beauty and stories of adventure of life at the South Pole! You know I will. So, please send Urban Science Adventures! © on a Polar Adventure next spring.

The competition closes at noon, September 30, 2009, EDT. In order to vote you will need to register with the website (bots can’t vote) and one vote per email.

Visit my very own voting page and vote for me.

Thanks
Danielle