The struggle that gave birth to this nation was driven by the determination to create a government  “by the people, for the people, and of the people”.  There was just one flaw in the plan.  In the minds of those who led the revolution,  “ the  people”  were white male heterosexuals.  And today – well over two hundred years later – very little has changed.

Lesbians, gays, women, African – Americans, Native Americans, anyone not white, male & heterosexual: none of us has yet achieved an equal voice in the political process.  Politically and economically we share a common oppression and we must recognize this fact if we’re ever to change our lot.

Think about this for a moment.  Those who control the economic and political power are not the majority – repeat that – not the majority.  Together WE are the majority.  So how then does a minority continue to hold on to its power?  Answer: By pitting one group of us against another so that we do not join together to seize the power.  Fear-mongering is the weapon they use to ensure we are fearful & suspicious of one another and don’t get wide-spread support when any of us enters the political arena.

When individuals and groups put aside their differences and focus on the common oppression we face, we’ll build alliances so strong that we will seize the political power and then ultimately economic power. 

Believe this - a few of your dollars and a few hours of your time together with that of your sisters and brothers can elect those who will truly represent us.

We’ve already seen what has happened because the religious right has made a concerted effort to gain school board seats, city and county commission seats, state offices and judicial seats.  The results are what we are living with every day.

Believe this - no issue that separates us is more important than the common oppression and inequality we share.  The survival of our democracy depends on each of us.

START TODAY:

1. Make sure you are registered.
2. Sign up to receive absentee ballots, if you can.
3. If you can afford to, start donating to candidates. (even a few dollars will help)
4. Sign up & work for get-out-the-vote efforts. (much can be done even from home)
5. VOTE!!

There is one more thing you can do, especially if you are a younger person considered to be less vulnerable to the COVID19 virus and have the time to do it.  Sign up to work the polling place on Election Day.  You will be making it possible for more people to vote without having to wait hours to do so and protecting their right to do so.   You will be paid to do it!

 

#womensvoicesmedia

Don’t express outrage over George Floyd’s murder but then immediately get defensive when someone makes a negative statement about law enforcement in this country.

Don’t express outrage over George Floyd’s murder but fail to call out your friends and family when they make racist jokes/statements.

Don’t express outrage over George Floyd’s murder but also clutch your pearls at athletes kneeling during the national anthem.

Don’t express outrage over George Floyd’s murder but support political candidates whose policies are detrimental to people of color (hint: most of them).

Don’t express outrage over George Floyd’s murder but get uncomfortable when people discuss institutional racism or, even worse, say you’d prefer not to discuss such “political” topics.

Don’t express outrage over George Floyd’s murder but deny the existence of white privilege.

Don’t express outrage over George Floyd’s murder but backpedal and claim “we don’t know the full story” in other instances of police brutality.

Don’t express outrage over George Floyd’s murder but then get upset when people of color protest against the injustices that have plagued their communities since the dawn of America.

Above all, don’t express *shock* over George Floyd’s murder. If you’re at all surprised that such a terrible thing could happen in this country then, clearly, you haven’t been paying attention.

My fellow white people: harness that horrified feeling you got when you first learned about George’s murder. Use it to motivate you to do better for your fellow countrymen.

Express outrage over George Floyd’s murder — absolutely. But don’t express it and then move on. Educate yourself on institutional racism and encourage other white people to do the same. Use your privilege for good and continue to speak out when you witness injustice. Silence is complacence.

Madeline Phaby              May 30, 2020

#womensvoicesmedia

Let’s begin with what President John F. Kennedy had to say about a “Liberal”.

John F. Kennedy defined a liberal as follows:^[19][20]

If by a "Liberal" they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people—their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, and their civil liberties—someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad, if that is what they mean by a "Liberal", then I'm proud to say I'm a "Liberal".

1. Eric Alterman, Why We're Liberals: A Political Handbook for Post-Bush America(2008) p. 32
2. ^Authur M. Schlesinger, Jr., A Thousand Days, John F. Kennedy in the White House, p. 99, Mariner Books, 2002, ISBN 978-0-618-21927-8.

 

So while Republicans try to make “liberal” a dirty word by attaching to it every negative meaning they can dream up, we should look very hard at what it actually does mean.  We can do this by examining just what Liberals/Democrats/Progressives have done for us.

To help us in this endeavor attached is a list created by Delaware Dem, an online contributor to Daily Kos.  He admits the list may not be complete.  Feel free to comment if you believe there are errors or omissions.  I caution you the list is not a short read.

• The GI Bill
• Endangered Species Act
• Environmental Laws
• The Space Program
• The Peace Corps
• Americorps
• The Civil Rights Movement
• Earned Income Tax Credit
• Family & Medical Leave Act
• Consumer Product Safety Commission
• Americans With Disabilities Act
• Freedom of Information Act
• Women's right to control their reproductive future
• Allowing citizens to view their own credit records
• The Internet
• Balancing the federal budget
• The Brady Bill (5-day wait on handgun purchases for background checks)
• Lobbying Disclosure Act
• "Motor-Voter" Act
• The Voting Rights Act
• Unemployment Insurance
• Medicare/Medicaid
• Food Stamps/WIC
• Social Security
• Peace between Israel and Egypt
• Peace between Israel and Jordan
• The Department of Education
• The Department of Energy
• The Department of Transportation
• The Department of Housing and Urban Development
• Labor Laws
• The Marshall Plan
• Winning World War II
• Food Safety Laws
• Workplace Safety Laws
• The Tennessee Valley Project
• The Civilian Conservation Corps
• The Securites and Exchange Commission
• Women's Right to Vote
• Universal Public Education
• National Weather Service
• Product Labeling Laws
• Truth in Advertising Laws
• Morrill Land Grant Act
• Rural Electrification
• Public Universities
• Bank Deposit Insurance (FDIC)
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Public Broadcasting
• Supporting the establishment of Israel
• The United Nations
• NATO
• The GI Bill
• Endangered Species Act
• Environmental Laws
• The Space Program
• The Peace Corps
• Americorps
• The Civil Rights Movement
• Earned Income Tax Credit
• Family & Medical Leave Act
• Consumer Product Safety Commission
• Americans With Disabilities Act
• Freedom of Information Act
• Women's right to control their reproductive future
• Allowing citizens to view their own credit records
• The Internet
• Balancing the federal budget
• The Brady Bill (5-day wait on handgun purchases for background checks)
• Lobbying Disclosure Act
• The Voting Rights Act
• Unemployment Insurance
• Medicare/Medicaid
• Food Stamps/WIC
• Social Security
• Peace between Israel and Egypt
• Peace between Israel and Jordan
• The Department of Education
• The Department of Energy
• The Department of Transportation
• The Department of Housing and Urban Development
• Labor Laws
• The Marshall Plan
• Winning World War II
• Food Safety Laws
• Workplace Safety Laws
• The Tennessee Valley Project
• The Civilian Conservation Corps
• The Securites and Exchange Commission
• Women's Right to Vote
• Universal Public Education
• National Weather Service
• Product Labeling Laws
• Truth in Advertising Laws
• Morrill Land Grant Act
• Rural Electrification
• Public Universities
• Bank Deposit Insurance (FDIC)
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Public Broadcasting
• Supporting the establishment of Israel
• The United Nations
• NATO

Now what would you answer to the question “What have liberals done for us?”   In the context of what is going on in our country today, ask yourself what can Liberals/Democrats/Progressives do for you/us. You know the answer.  Now commit yourself to do everything you can to make sure this madness in the Trump administration stops.

First, make sure you are registered to vote.  Sign up to receive an absentee ballot, if you feel more comfortable voting that way. If your state has stipulations making it difficult to get an absentee ballot, join in the effort to pressure your state to remove these obstacles.  Then come election time VOTE!  Between now & then find ways you can make sure millions of others vote.

If you need additional inspiration to get you to use your time & energy for the effort, read the list again.  As you do, pay attention to how many of these are threatened for elimination, already gutted and/or deprived of adequate funding by the Republicans in power.

Here are a few, but by no means all, organizations that are hard at work on efforts to take back our democracy in November.

Vote.org; emilyslist.org; moveon.org; commondreams.org; commoncause.org; pfaw.org; votevets.org.

There are things you can do from the safety of your home.  These activities can help take back the White House and Congress while giving new meaning to your fight against COVID-19 by staying home.

Abusers love isolation.

The mandate came across the television screen. “Stay at home”. Social distancing had begun.

The USA is in lockdown. Unless you are an essential worker, like a nurse or doctor or healthcare employee or medic or police officer or work at a grocery store, you must stay at home. This coronavirus is wicked and travels from one person to the next. Not only thousands have died from this virus, it easily leaps from one country to the next.

Some would think it was a relief to sit at home and watch tv. Others would become restless and uneasy and knowing that a paycheck wouldn’t come in nor bills would be paid like the rent or mortgage or utilities or food.

To the man or woman who knew the sting of domestic violence, this isolation would become an inescapable trap.

Isolation is an abuser’s best friend, with isolation came their ultimate control.

Emma was a young beautiful girl. But as a child, her parents ridiculed her day in and day out. Though Emma was a natural beauty, her entire life growing up, her mother and father would tell her she was fat and ugly and stupid. Her neglect and abuse was early on, as she watched her mother dress in the finest clothing, and her dad drink his gallon of wine a night. 

Emma would frequently stay away from the high school parties and football games because she was convinced she was fat and stupid and ugly.
And then she met Ted. He was a big guy. Kind and protecting and eventually never left Emma’s side. She thought his “protection” and always wanting to know where she was, was his way of showing love and affection.

They married. And she was determined to be that perfect wife. Ted would come home from work and the table would be set with a magnificent dinner. But Emma realized that everything had to be perfect with Ted. It’s hard to always be perfect.

He eventually became cruel to her and verbally abusive. If Emma’s hair wasn’t just right, he’d scream at her. If the house wasn’t clean, he’d push her into a corner leaving bruise marks on her arms. And the pattern of control and abuse grew. She wasn’t allowed to see her old friends much less her parents. She wasn’t allowed to buy new clothes without his ok. If she was napping, he’d accuse her of being tired because she must be having an affair. The neglect and torment and control would escalate. And Emma was doomed in her mind to be a worthless person.

And then the pandemic hit. More isolation. And Emma felt paralyzed. She was confined to her home. Ted became more aggressive and angry as he couldn’t work and couldn’t pay the bills. Screaming and hitting Emma to “keep her in her place” and the nightmare was endless.

Emma wanted to get help. She wanted to reach out. But Ted told her if she left the house the coronavirus would kill her. She wasn’t able to get on the phone to talk to her friends. Nor was she allowed on her laptop. The control and isolation grew. Easily she would be punched in her stomach, or shoved into a corner if something was out of place or the TV had the wrong channel on. 

Emma tried to get on her laptop to signal one of her friends for help. But Ted slammed the laptop onto the floor. 

Emma was trapped in her own house where the isolation got more intense and Ted’s control of her became unbearable.

At 3:00 am, when she thought Ted was sound asleep, she tiptoed down the stairs, with only her clothes on her back. No suitcase.
She had to make an escape. It was now or never.  Slowly and quietly she walked down the staircase.  She made it to the front door. 

Ted ran down the staircase and grabbed her arm. Stating that she would never leave him. He pushed her against the wall. And put his gun to her head and fired three times. Emma fell to the floor. Blood splattered everywhere.

Ted calmly got on the phone and called 911.

I did it.

I killed my wife.

There were no tears.

By: Debbie Moore-Black, RN

https://donotresuscitate.ca

#Domestic Violence Hotline:
1-800-799-7233 (SAFE)

#womensvoicesmedia
#womensvoices
#mediawomans

Numerous media outlets are touting the fact that most of the countries who are handling the pandemic the best are countries headed by women.  April 12, 2020, data from the European Centre for Disease Control shows in Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Germany, New Zealand, Norway, and Taiwan their leaders have stood up strongly & decisively – and early – to face this problem head-on.

At the first signs of the disease, in January President Tsai Ing-Wen of Taiwan quickly instituted 124 measures including travel bans and quarantines. To date there have been only about 400 cases of infection and about 6 deaths out of a population of 23 million.  By comparison, New York has a slightly lower population with over 300,000 cases of infection and more than 22,000 deaths as of this writing.

At the time there were only 6 reported cases in New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern began measures which she clearly defined as necessary while at the same time she showed great empathy for what everyone had to endure.  She set up frequent Facebook Live chats that have been described as both informal and informative.  She explained very carefully the justification of severe policies.

Angela Merkel has a doctorate in quantum chemistry so she understood very well the seriousness of COVID-19  As the Chancellor of Germany she was well-prepared to lead her country through this pandemic.  When she found it necessary to lock down her country, she went before the cameras – something she rarely does -  appealed to her countrymen and women with rationale but with emotion as well.  Germans trusted her and so have done what she has asked for the benefit of all.  While the number of deaths from the virus continues to inch up above 4000 in Germany, that number is less than half of those who have died in the state of New York alone.

While one could argue about the small sizes of Demark, Finland, and Norway when comparing the effectiveness of their battle against the virus to much larger countries, their successes are none the less notable.  Once again Mette Frederiksen of Denmark, Katrin Jakobsodottir, Sanna Marin of Finland, and Erna Solberg of Norway acted strong and decisively – and early!  Among their efforts have been widespread testing and using social media to appeal, not just to the adults, but to teens and children.  Co-ordinated, factual information together with trust and an emotional component seems to have had a major impact on getting people to work together for the common good.

Are we witnessing new leadership in this world?

#womensvoicesmedia
#womensvoices
#mediawomans