Taking the Plunge

[neadods]

I hear that when you're a kid, you regret what you've done and when you're an adult, you regret what you haven't done. I also hear, direct from the DC Shakes, that there hasn't been a peep regarding the Mock Trial waitlist, but there are "a bunch" of dinner tickets left.

Been thinking about this too long, too often. I'm going to get my ticket tomorrow.

Will tell all the weekend after, when I have a chance to write it up.


PS - I know some deep shit is going down in American politics right now. I'm focusing on the topic that *won't* give me an aneurism. Because if I get on the topic of "unborn babies are so precious that women can't even abort dead ones" (Georgia) or "men need money more, so women shouldn't have equal pay" (Wisconsin) I will rage and rage for hours with a shitload of profanity. I kind of wish I was back at my old office, though, just for one day to have one more political argument with my co-worker. The one who seriously thought that once we had rights, we got to keep them, and that they would never, ever be repealed.

Although... to be honest, I'm starting to think that the "repeal the 20th and 21st centuries" movement is a Republican plot. They don't know how to fix the economy either and the tea party darlings are such an ungovernable embarrassment that it's better to step back, let the crazed loons go so crazy that the Democrats are swept back in... and then watch them fail to quick-fix the economy and blame 'em for it in another 2-4 years.

Comments

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I can't rule out people with the best of intentions who are genuinely concerned that so many non-white women are getting abortions

Oh, I can. Real damn easy. The protesters (and the escort staff) tend to be lily white - as in I think I've seen one escort of color and NO protesters. Not a one, including the masses outside of Planned Parenthood downtown DC on Roe v Wade day.

Yet plenty of those white, white, white people were praying Very Pointedly And Loudly to God to open our hearts and understand that Sanger was a racist promoting genocide.

Or, in shorter terms, "... and every person over there in an orange vest is a genocidal racist."


Although speaking of racism, there have even been attempts to adding race to the various bars to abortion. Because it's not dehumanizing and patronizing a women enough to say that she can't decide to have an abortion, people have to add that extra-special twist of "well, since we think 'your kind' have too many abortions, we're going to put extra burdens on YOUR choices."

Nothin' says "equal rights" and "I care about you as a person" like using skin color to determine who has even the slightest chance at bodily autonomy or not.

[fyrdrakken]

Oh, I'm quite willing to believe that the clinic protesters are the worst of the worst of the pro-life lot -- it's just that I'm sure there are also people like my cousin (Catholic, pregnant with her her third daughter, pro-midwife and member of the La Leche League) who are very strongly pro-baby with the best of intentions (and possibly somewhat oblivious to their own social privilege and what factors constrain the lives of so many of the women who seek abortions).

I had not heard about adding race to the excuses being used to deny abortions -- I'm guessing the "genocide" claims are the excuse, but how are they wanting to go about legislating it?

[neadods.livejournal.com]

how are they wanting to go about legislating it

The law boiled down to saying "abortions cannot be performed due to baby's race." It didn't get anywhere, but it was a credible concern-troll law attempting to create a more protected class than generic "unborn baby." IIRC, it was tied to a law that banned abortion for gender selection, another concern-troll law that plays so very well to the cheap seats. "They SAY they're for women, but we want to protect women even in the womb!"

It's a really subtly nasty form of concern-troll racism. Under the guise of "saving" the "endangered" babies, it strips the advantages of family planning (less poverty, more education, healthier adults, stronger families, bodily autonomy) from a specific group of women solely based on skin color.