Uncensored Feminista

I am so incredibly tired today, emotionally, physically, and in every which way I could possibly tell you.  On our campus for the past two days we have had people from the [WARNING POSSIBLE TRIGGER!!!] Center for Bio-Ethical Reform on our campus as part of their Genocide Awareness Project.  These people are so completely ignorant and so extreme in their beliefs, it was mentally draining that they would even attempt to engage me.  As secretary for our NOW campus chapter, I was there all day today and for an hour yesterday protesting them being there with a lot of other people.  Let me give you the bulk of extremely ignorant things that were said to me.

Firstly, I had a woman actually say to me, “You know, because some women provoke rape, and then get an abortion.”  Great.  Here’s an older woman actually using the age old tactic of punish/blame the victim for something that was done to her.  I immediately told her I could no longer speak with her if she was actually going to propose that women ask to be raped.  I couldn’t engage this.  Afterwards, one of “those people” actually engaged me in a battle of the mind on how life begins at conception, to which I told him that was not my belief, but then asked him what was his position on birth control.  The answer I received was “birth control is against my moral beliefs.”  Ok Mr. Intelligent pro-lifer, then how do you propose we stop abortions?  His answer: “don’t have sex.  Sex education is like a green light for kids to have sex.”  So, abortion is bad, birth control bad, and we need to go against human nature so that we don’t offend your morals???!!

Nice.

I’m drained.  I was part of a panel afterwards with the director of the Women’s Studies department on campus where we wanted to discuss what these people were saying, the lies they were spreading, the warped theologies, and the fact that they were in a high traffic area in our school when this was extremely offensive to several students and faculty as well.  Not to mention where they were on campus was right near the children’s learning center where children younger than 4 (I think) are.  So not only are these people imposing their views on the student body, faculty, staff, and administrators, but they are also sucking children into it and saying things like, “Well maybe they shouldn’t walk by here then.”  THIS IS OUR CAMPUS!!  It’s that child’s right to be able to walk around the campus with their parent or teacher and not have to ask questions about all the dead bodies on GIANT billboards!

Below I’ve placed some pictures of their so called “exhibition”.  Also notice the one with the supposed “Free Speech Board” that was not about free speech because one of the College Republicans (who invited these people on our campus by the way) was going around and crossing out pro-choice messages and adding things like “MURDERER!” next to or over it, so how is that free speech?

The thing that pissed me off even more is that they asked my very wonderful and intelligent black friend how she would feel about being lynched, because lynching and abortion are the same thing.  After she told me this I wanted to deck these people because that was over the line.  That was spreading hate speech in order to get their point across and that was unnecessary.  That was there to instill fear in her and that pisses me off?  They forget that women are not property.  Women can not be told what to do with their bodies.  Womens’ bodies are their own, not their fathers, husbands, or male relatives.  It’s theirs and theirs alone and their entire concept is that the fetus’ life is more important than the womans.

What gets me is the fact that they were on our campus 4 days before election day, in a traditionally red state, and on a college campus when it’s a big given that the young vote will be the deciding factor in this election, so please someone talk me down and tell me it wasn’t politically politically motivated.

I went ahead and voted early today, and boy let me tell you, it took forever.  The polling place opened at 1pm today, and we got in line at about 12:30, and the picture to the left is what the line looked like.  We went to the Kendall Branch Library polling place, and if you know how this branch works, the front doors are on 96th Avenue, and the line wrapped around the block to 97th Ave.  It took us (because I brought my boyfriend with me) 2 and a half hours to get in and vote, and it was well worth it.  I shouldn’t have to tell you which way my vote went, but I can tell you I’m glad I did it now and not later.  I am glad I voted early, I’m glad I voted the way I did, and I’m glad I have the right to do so under Amendment 19

You know what makes me incredibly proud?  The man to the left.  It was his first time voting, and he did so because he feels that this election is important enough, and I talked him into it.  It seems that there are several other people who feel the same as David.  Why?  Because the world is a scary place right now.

So I’m proud of him.  I’m proud of me, and I’m proud of the example we’ve set for the little one as well who doesn’t quite understand why he can’t vote, but I’m sure we’ll be talking about that more with the days to come.

Don’t be discouraged by the long lines guys, this is an incredibly important election and if you don’t vote, I don’t want to here shit about what McCain is doing to ruin our nation.  IT’S YOUR FAULT!  YOU SHOULD HAVE VOTED!

Here’s some quick stats:  in 2004 22 million women nation wide did not vote.  That’s 22 million women who did not voice their opinions.  If you want to see why it’s so important for women to vote, watch Iron Jawed Angels on HBO.  It’s on the women suffragists and everything they went through under Woodrow Wilson’s United States in order to get Amendment 19 passed so that we could all have the same privileges as men.  So go watch this movie, get inspired, and GO VOTE.

Here’s a couple quick videos from the rally here in Miami.  Please excuse the quality of the videos.  They were taken on an itty bitty digital camera, so it may be a bit shaky.  Listen to the words more then trying to look at the video.

Let me tell you about the amazing day I had yesterday.  I went to the Obama rally held here in Miami at Bicentennial Park.  Firstly, to get there I decided to take the Metrorail.  Holy Cow were there people at the people mover to get from the train to the park!  It was so bad security was only allowing a certain amount of people on the platform at a time, so I walked the 1.2 miles it takes to get there from the train.  I get there and there’s a two hour wait just to get past the security checkpoints.  The crowd was the best though.  Everyone was so loving, so accepting, and there was such a postive vibe amongst everyone that it felt great (unlike what you see on the news at the McCain/Palin rally’s).  I get past security just in time to hear Bob Graham introducing Michelle.  She got up and introduced Barrack and was so eloquent and so wonderful (crappy little video from my little camera to come, as soon as I get it uploaded onto YouTube).  Then Obama…

This rally and this awesome man has restored my faith in humanity just a little more, which is something I lost a long time ago (just drive through Miami and you’ll see what I mean).  What a wonderful experience it was, and one that I hope everyone has the chance to experience at least once in their life.  To be able to hear the man or woman with whom inspires you the way Obama inspires me was such a rewarding experience.  I have faith that he will earn the office, not win it, because it’s not about winning.  He truly deserves it and he’s worked hard enough, has shown an incredible amount of dedication and intelligence to deserve it.  I can’t wait for Novemeber 4th.

I had to repost this because it’s just too important.

[H/T: Jessica Valenti Twitter]

I really need to get myself into the habit of posting more.  It’s been really crazy in my part of the world, so you’re going to have to excuse me.  School is leading me to pull my hair out, it’s so hectic.

Enough about me though.  I’m having some serious issues with everything going on lately with the McCain/Palin camp that I just have to voice it.

Firstly, debate 3.

Did anyone catch this?

Did anyone catch McCain’s snide remark about the *air quotes* “health” of a women??  Does women’s health not matter to McCain?  I mean this is the same guy who was responsible for calling his wife a trollop and a cunt at a party for making a comment in passing about his thinning hair.

And how about this one?

Did you catch it?  In case you didn’t, here’s the direct quote:

“I would consider anyone in their qualifications, I do not believe that someone who has supported Roe v. Wade that would be part of those qualifications, but I certainly would not impose a litmus test.”

So, he wouldn’t impose a litmust test, but clearly anyone who supports Roe v. Wade is certainly not qualified to be a Supreme Court Justice under McCain’s rule.

*blink*

I was dumbfounded and numb after this comment.  He claims he’s a Federalist and that this decision should be up to the states.  I call bullshit.  Again, this goes back to the cunt/trollop comment.  If he’s capable of calling his wife a cunt and a trollop, he clearly has no respect for women, therefore he must be (in my opinion) among those in society who believes that women are incapable of making this decision for themselves.  They’re clearly incapable of making this decision with the advice of their family, their doctors, and/or whomever else they decide to seek advice from.  They clearly are just running to the abortion clinic to have the fetus taken out of them without putting any thought into it at all.

…And women’s brains are smaller than mens, therefore we’re incapable of reasoning…

I don’t know what annoys me more, McCains snide comments or Palin calling herself a feminist.

Now, I want to imply my own analysis here regarding McCain’s behavior as of late.  Has anyone else noticed the tantrum he’s throwing?  I surely have, and I have to wonder how much of that has to do with his privileged status?  I have to wonder how much of this hate spewing his been tossing around in his rally’s lately have to do with the fact that he felt he was entitled to the presidency because of this privilege?  And what truly bothers me, and what I still truly feel, is that this man chose a woman for the vice presidency in an attempt to get all of the Hilary supporters to vote for him, even though Palin doesn’t come near Hilary on the issues, what she stands for, and as a true feminist.  He chose the most anti-woman running mate he could which is a slap in the face to all women who truly supported Hilary because of her issues, not just her gender.  I feel as if he really thought women would naturally gravitate towards him because of this and just close our eyes and say “YAY A WOMAN!” without truly looking into where she stands.

I am still highly sickened by this man and the more he speaks, the more confident I feel with my choice to vote for Obama.

Quick Edit: I just saw this over at Feministing and felt I had to share, especially since I live in a swing state that usually gets elections all wrong; Florida, need I say more?  Warning, possible trigger.