So you want to make it even more political? C’mon. Let’s do it.
Tomorrow, Saturday, is the 32nd anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision. There’s a big ole march planned by the anti-choice contingent, and the march for choice is a response to that. Monica’s coming up from LA, and we’ll be wearing our Knitters Against Bush shirts.
Hey! It just hit me! I’m thirty-two. (You would have thought that would have hit me a little sooner, huh?) That’s how long women have been able to make choices regarding reproduction, and honey, that ain’t long. I’m sure glad Mom chose to carry me to full term (although doing the math, I realize that she HAD to), but I support her right to have made a different decision. Safely. There would have been quite a bit fewer sweaters in the world, however, and that would have been a sad thing….
Honestly? I’m a wee bit worried about the march. I’ve never worried about my safety during peace marches — while some people stayed home, worried about terrorists, I always knew the Scary People With Scary Weapons didn’t care too much about peaceniks carrying signs on their shoulders and kids on their hips.
But anti-choicers? Dude. Now there are some terrorists. And they (some of them, by no means all) hate people like me. Pro-choicers don’t shoot or bomb. Pro-lifers do. And we’re going head to head in SF streets, in two separate marches. That’s a lot of vitriol in one space.
I’ll have my knitting. And my yelling voice. Women’s rights — they WILL be the next thing to go if we don’t take action. Pray for peace and act for justice.
Whew. Back to your regularly scheduled pabulum next week, but the serious shit’ll hang around a couple of days, kay? Still, MWAH!
You know what scares me? I heard a news report where the “Roe” in Roe vs Wade is now wanting to overturn the decision!!! AIIIGHHH!!!! http://apnews.excite.com/article/20050120/D87NTK380.html
WTF???
P.S. I got some snowflake pix up today (though I should have gotten my tripod out – ::smacks self in head::)! 🙂
Ok, but I did just get a giggle out of the last line of that article: “Justices since then have shown little interest in wading back to the emotional issue.”
booo…hisss….
Have a great march! Makes me remember that while access to abortion is pretty good here in Canada, it’s always under attack.
Be safe and mwah to you too.
If any of the pro-life marchers harass you, just threaten them with your knitting needles *lol* Have fun! And thanks for being the voice for those of us who don’t have the opportunity.
M
What boils my blood are the RTLs who bring their preschoolers to demonstrations, put mangled fetus pictures into pudgy little hands and whisper in little ears, “THOSE people kill babies.”
And incidentally, how come THEY get the name “pro-life” considering how many women (and — duh — fetuses) die from botched, illegal abortions?
OK, rant over. Have a safe, proud march.
I went to the pro-choice march in DC last year and it was amazing. And I have to agree with Mindy I don’t understand how the RTLs can bring their children with all of the horrific images they display. I’m at Rutgers University in NJ and every couple of months the ProLife truck with mangled fetuses on the sides drives around campus and the surrounding towns. How awful is that?! It makes me so furious when I see it. Thanks for marching for our rights!! I wish I could be there too!!
Bill Hicks said ‘how comes the people that are so against killing people before they’re born are usually the ones that are so in favour of killing them after they’re born?’
(Or something like that)
The pro-choicers will be carrying knitting. The anti-choicers will be carrying unsterilised crochet hooks. Knitting needles are longer and can be sharpened.
Power to your elbows, ladies of SF!
Re: your yelling voice–I was noticing that in the coverage of yesterday’s coronation, most of the anti-Bush chants they broadcast were being led by women. Go sistahs!
Why is it that every time there is a march I want to go to, there is something else I have to do that day? I’m moving tomorrow. I could have blown off my run for this, but after Jonny spent the last two weeks packing I can’t bail on him now.
More power to you, and to all of us.
I can’t make it to the march, but I’ll be there in spirit! I was a “late in life” child, and my poor mom would have had an abortion if she could have had the choice. Although it all worked out for the best, it makes me sad to think that she didn’t have the choices that I have today (but may not have tomorrow!).
This is one of the issues that scares me about the next 4 years. I’m glad you’re marching! I’ve always found it so confounding that some pro-lifers will resort to killing.
I just love political women! Really, it fills me with joy and hope. Especially you young’uns. The RTL’ers bring thier kids, because they care more about the big show, than the fact their kids will grow up haunted by those images. Of course, they also believe in indoctrinating them while they are young. I also love the RTL’ers who have had abortions, and feel guilty. They ignore the fact that they were allowed to make that choice.
Geez, don’t get me started.
Jane and I were talking about going after I saw yesterday’s article in the Chron. I’ll probably see you there. Hmm, what constitutes “protest knitting” and where can I get a “Not in My Name” T-shirt?
I’ll be there in spirit – hollar out for Princess and me won’t you.
Ugh, there’s this scary, creeeeepy story here about this RTL group that has gotten ashes of aborted fetuses from a funeral home and are going to properly ‘bury’ them.
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/nation/3002643
I’m so glad that you’re marching, I can’t wait to take my kids to a rally soon.
Be safe. I don’t scare easy but those RTL folks are a bit whacked out. One guy stood next to the WTC site, on the one year anniversary, with a really gross 6′ poster. He didn’t stay long. The firefighters mourning their buddies soon sent him on his way. But still, f*cking inappropriate, no?
Have a good march – stay safe! 🙂 I’m scared by the Right to lifers, not the terrorists.
Good luck, what a great reason to march. I absolutely agree with you on a woman’s right to choose what happens with her own body.
dawn
It’s a GREAT reason to be marching! Please march for me too since I can not participate, that and I live in Ventura County.
Be safe and walk tall!
Peace
Thank you, all you beautiful wonderful women. I am always in awe of how intelligent and creative this community is. I am a pro-choicer. I get so tired of explaining that pro-choice is not the same thing as pro-abortion. I, personally, could not have an abortion. That is MY choice. In the area of reproductive freedom, it is not my place to make that decision for someone else.
Here is a question for you: Am I the only one that has noticed that many self-proclaimed pro-lifers are also the ones that are the most against sex ed in schools? Why teach our children how to avoid pregnancy (and disease)? The belief is that if we educate our youth about reproductive choice, our youth will consider it ‘permission’ to have sex. I’ve never understood this logic. How can people use this logic when it has been proven by several European communities that sex ed reduces teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease? I use to serve on a not-for-profit board that brought funds for children issues to our community. I was one of the only [vocal] proponents of sex ed in schools. I actually had one of the other board members call me Satan’s Helper to my face during the meeting. The good news is that when my local coffee shop owner heard this story, he started giving me a “Satan’s Helper Discount” on my coffee!
I wish I had known that there was going to be a knitter’s coalition there! The fact that I didn’t encounter you is a testament to how many people were out there–I was amazed.
I was in downtown DC yesterday afternoon for a business meeting and wondered what all these fundies were up to……I kept whispering just loud enough for me to hear them…..”spend lots of money and go the fuck home”…….repeated on the metro as necessary……HAHAHAHAHAHAHA