Ms. Magazine in their fall issue has undertaken a petition drive of women to sign their names that they have had abortions and are in support of abortion rights.There are three articles in this issue that I highly recommend to you. The feature on the abortion ban in South Dakota (a portion is available online) was very good, and suprisingly upbeat--clearly women across the country are waking to the threat against their health and are getting involved. We should all thank Betsy Krause and Leslee Unruh for supplying the scary arrogance that is fuel for the people-powered politics that changing things for the better in our fine state!
Some women in South Dakota may feel that the folks that bring us Ms. Magazine are enemies of good and decent society, but honestly I don't think they have an appreciation of what the feminist movement has brought them: the right to vote, their right to property rights, their right to travel unharassed, and their right to be treated at least nominally equally at work. Sexual harassment in the workplace is no longer tolerated, even (especially!) in South Dakota courts, as locally prominent Republican financial backer Doug Hamilton has learned. Whether she appreciates the sacrifice and commitment of the 1970s feminist activists, Hamilton's beneficiary Elli Schwiesow would not hold high office in the South Dakota GOP or be a Republican Senate candidate* if it wasn't for them.
*How serious a Senate candidate, well, I'll leave that up to you to examine the facts of her qualifications. But her sex is not part of the argument any more, and, well, let's praise the Lord (and thank Betty Friedan) for that!!
Posts
South Dakota is probably going to end up passing Measure 6, judging by the signage between Rapid City and Sioux Falls and all points within. That's because our friends outside South Dakota don't think it's important to help fund a competent effort to beat back the loony Right in this state.
ReplyDeleteIt will be fascinating to watch what happens in other states which now point fingers and ridicule South Dakota. The kooks who back 6 are well-organized and financed, helped quite a bit by churches.
Measure 6 is going to be rolling through other states and gaining momentum, smashing down the feeble defences of uninspired liberals and moderates. What we are up against is a Holy War. The loony Right use Jesus to prop up their troops, while we rely on wisdom and common sense, not to mention real world science.