Desperate Divas

Leslee Unruh was quoted today (according to the Argus Leader):

They (petition circulators) were not from South Dakota.

I hope the South Dakota Campaign for Healthy families does some stats on the 1,200 petition circulators (yours truly is among that group) and publicly shame her for making this up. One of the most amazing things about the HB1215 recall petition drive is the fact that so many South Dakotans stepped up and collected the signatures. (I have to say, the vast majority of people I approached were anxious to sign the thing.)

Meanwhile, on the other side of our fine State, the lovely Jean French tearfully confesses (play video)

I was an unwed mother... m'kay ... but the one thing that kept me going was my child.

(I'm honestly happy she was able to make that choice and that it all worked out for her.)

Unruh and French got me pondering though ... that apparently neither of these women could find a way to avoid sex during their salad days. How, after the experience of unwed motherhood and lifelong regret (respectively, according to them) they can both so stridently oppose sex ed and contraception and have no compassion for people that don't agree with their point of view, is beyond my understanding. But I guess they have a constitutional right to make us scratch our heads.

If you meet either of these women, please ask them why they are against better access to birth control (even EC) and comprehensive sex ed, both of which have been proven to reduce abortions--far more safely and effectively than threatening doctors with jail.

Take Back South Dakota Rally

NEWS RELEASE--For Immediate Release, May 29, 2006

RAPID CITY--Democracy in Action is inviting South Dakotans to gather at Memorial Park in Rapid City on Saturday, June 3, to rally behind progressive state legislative candidates who promise to fight to take back the state.

The Take Back South Dakota! rally begins at 1 p.m. at the band shell and will feature local musicians, speeches by Kay Jorgenson of Spearfish and Pat Lebrun of Rapid City, and information tables where citizens can meet progressive candidates, register to vote, learn about special interests, pick up handouts and bumper stickers, and socialize with other people who share a progressive philosophy.

Men, women, and children are welcome but are asked to leave pets at home. People can bring lawn chairs and coolers with nonalcoholic beverages, and there will be baked goods and beverages for sale.

Democracy in Action, an omnipartisan political organization of women with approximately 320 members in the Black Hills, began organizing the event after the 2006 legislative session, in which the state's senators and representatives not only stopped the state from progressing but took it back a few decades.
Legislators--by refusing to inform rape victims about emergency contraception, refusing to raise the minimum wage closer to a living wage, refusing to include birth control under health insurance coverage, refusing to allow women and their doctors to consider a full range of reproductive choices, refusing to keep government out of individuals? spiritual beliefs?have said ?No? to the people of South Dakota over and over again.

"The situation is even more frightening when you look at their legislation that failed," said Mary LaHood, DIA member. Legislators tried to make criminals of teachers and school counselors for giving thorough answers to students wanting information about sex or contraception. They tried to get a right-wing agenda, disguised as intellectual diversity, on our college campuses. They tried to cut funding to South Dakota Public Broadcasting, a move that threatened to silence the only news medium that records legislative hearings and makes them available in their entirety to citizens online.

The 2006 legislature's attack on personal and intellectual freedom mirrored a nationwide conservative movement, indicating that too many of our legislators are controlled by out-of-state interests.

Democracy in Action is encouraging voters to say "No" to these legislators by voting against them in the next election and sending the message that South Dakota citizens, not out-of-state interests, determine what happens in our state.
Democracy in Action is a grassroots movement of women working to bring progressive change in South Dakota, and is committed to informing and energizing voters to create a climate where progressive candidates are elected. DIA supports the empowerment of women, economic opportunity, access to affordable health care, strong public schools, responsible environmental stewardship, native justice and racial reconciliation, protection of civil liberties, advancement of the arts, global cooperation, and civil public policy dialogue.

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Candidates Forum on Thursday

DIA sent this my way and I thought I'd pass it on...

NEWS RELEASE For Immediate Release
May 22, 2006

RAPID CITY?Democracy in Action will sponsor a primary candidates forum on Thursday, May 25, to allow Rapid City-area voters an opportunity to meet South Dakota House, Senate, and Seventh Circuit judiciary candidates who are running in contested races in the June 6 primaries.

The forum will be held at National American University, 321 Kansas City Street, from 7 to 9:30 p.m., in the second-floor auditorium. The event will begin with brief opening statements by candidates followed by questions prepared by Democracy in Action, written questions from the audience, and brief closing statements. Moderators will lead a civil dialog, and candidates? responses will be timed.

Invitations to take part in the forum have been sent to candidates in six contested primary elections in the Rapid City area.

Candidates for District 32 Republican Senate (Adelstein/Schwiesow) and District 33 Democratic House (Long Fox/Loudner/Nelsen) have confirmed their participation. The candidates from District 35 will attend the North Rapid Civic Association forum at General Beadle School at the same time Thursday.

Invitations have also been sent to the three candidates running for one of the circuit court judgeships in the Seventh Circuit, which comprises Pennington, Fall River, Shannon and Custer Counties.

Democracy in Action, a Black Hills organization of politically active progressive women, will be endorsing progressive candidates in Districts 29-35. Democracy in Action will provide information only, not endorse, in judicial elections.

The NAU auditorium is located on the second floor at the back of the building. For those requiring them, a wheelchair ramp and elevator are located near the back door on the ground floor. Refreshments will be served, and everyone is welcome.

On Saturday, June 3, South Dakota families will be invited to meet the endorsed primary candidates at a Take Back South Dakota! Rally at the Memorial Park Band Shell, near the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center in Rapid City, from 1 to 4 p.m. In addition to endorsed candidates and guest speakers, there will be music, refreshments, voter registration, and an opportunity to learn more about the voting process.

Democracy in Action is a grassroots movement of women working to bring progressive change in South Dakota, and is committed to informing and energizing voters to create a climate where progressive candidates are elected. DIA supports the empowerment of women, economic opportunity, access to affordable health care, strong public schools, responsible environmental stewardship, native justice and racial reconciliation, protection of civil liberties, advancement of the arts, global cooperation, and civil public policy dialogue.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT Karen Raben, Democracy in Action Campaign Committee, at 605-716-2778.

Warm Fuzzies

Want some inspiration of a Democrat who had the guts to stand for what he believes in? Read this sweet tribute to George McGovern posted today on Daily Kos. The sheer force of real integrity can accomplish great things in the political realm, especially in our fine State! And it isn't all about winning elections (but, let's do that too!!).

As voters, activists, and candidates, we can all learn from his example, which isn't about the past: Sen. McGovern still lives and breathes it every day.

We love you, Sen. McGovern!

Follow the money

Have you wondered what's REALLY going on in the Episcopal church and other mainline denominations that are facing schism on the issue of homosexuals? Gee, it seems in the case of Episcopal Church anyway, the vocal heterosexist minority is getting a huge amount of money (like a SIGNIFICANT part of their operating budgets) from waaaay outside the Episcopal Church, namely, from the same people that have gifted us with such mouthpiece organizations such as the Washington Times the Heritage Foundation, and the Hoover Institution. Just follow the money, from a revealing report put together by the Diocese of Washington (DC), called, well, Follow the Money.

My take on this is that Mr. Ahmanson and his like minded friends are doing their best, through the application of large amounts of cash, to cause conflict. With the Church is busy arguing about gays, there seems to be no time to speak out on uncomfortable subjects like the brutally low minimum wage, the immorality of regressive taxation, the death penalty, pre-emptive war etc., effectively removing the National Council of Churches and other "liberal" voices from earshot. (As if the mainstream media isn't effectively doing so by giving Rev. Jerry Falwell more air time than the entire rest of Protestantism.)

It makes me ponder how much of the so-called "culture wars" is from folks honestly working through the tremendous changes in our society, and how much may be manufactured by corporate interests that want us divided, and looking the other way while they take our freedom and our money. Hmm.