ZW's WTF GD Moment: On Women's Rights

[Zomby Woof]

It's just goddamned sickening to see (presumably men) posting condescending shit akin to the following:

"Oh calm down! No one will take away your reproductive freedom!"

"You're overreacting! Roberts will vote much more moderately once he is on the SCOTUS bench!"

"If we make too big a deal about abortion or Roberts, we will lose the Rove fight!"

And so on...

Let's say this one time here: Women's rights, which are concurrently human rights, are not subject to negotiation or moderation. I happen to believe in extremism in the defense of liberty. Why don't you?

I will add, accusations that anyone can overreact when it comes to their zeal to protect freedom and dignity for ALL women shows an amazing lack of understanding or utter disregard of what civil rights is all about. You might as well dismiss the marchers at Selma of being overreactive, emotional zealots who should sit down and shut the fuck up, because hey, if they just wait, we'll grant 'em their freedom later.

The inherent sexism in telling women they are overreactive or even hinting that they are hysterical speaks for itself. When I see words like "strident" or "shrill", I cringe, and I tend to get well, very zealous myself, subject to rants like this one.

What the fuck, it's just politics, right?

Truly, there are :wtf: moments all over the place tonight. Perhaps the dispensers of the "grips" we're all supposed to get a hold of need to heed their own words. Because once you start down the slippery slope of making exceptions to women's rights, you start making exceptions of everyone's rights.

That's fucking abhorrent and antithetical to the core of progressive philosophy. If you get in the way of protecting human rights, and the 51% of humans who are entitled to them on equal terms, you will be bulldozed accordingly. It will make Tiannamen Square look like a game of musical fucking chairs.

WOOF!

[The Magistrate]

1. Well Said, Mr. Woof!

[Zomby Woof]

4. An early good morning, sir!

Commendations to the mods all around, for patrolling the GD front these past several hours. :-)

[Carolab]

2. I like your style.

It's a bit "shrill" but what the fuck, why hide your feelings?

I agree--this is much bigger than Roe vs. Wade--in the same way that Gitmo is much bigger than a few detainees being tortured, or drilling in ANWR is much bigger than violating "just one natural area".

It's ALL much bigger.

[Mikimouse]

3. Too bad there's no ...

'tipping my hat to you' smiley, or I would have placed it here. Kudos ZW! I have been reading the multiple flaming threads about the issue, but stayed away, largely becuase my asbestos suit is at the dry cleaners.

[Maddy McCall]

5. Recommended. This should be on the front page of DU.

Glad to see you back. :pals:

[Zomby Woof]

6. Self-imposed exile is overrated

Vastly. ;-)

[Maddy McCall]

7. ....

I like to see you fight. You are oh so much deeper a person than a dispenser of ZombyCoffee and "My dear"s.

:D

[Zomby Woof]

10. DON'T DIS ZOMBYCOFFEE

NEVER put down the elixir of virtual life. :hangover:

The socialization my coffee threads provides is as vital as anything that goes down in this forum - maybe even more so. It makes people feel welcome and sets a good tone for the day.

As for the "my dear" gag, if the deep irony of that humor escapes you, I can't help. :evilgrin:

[Maddy McCall]

21. Oh no...I caught the irony.

And I'm not dissing Zombycoffee. Noooo sir. Not me. :D

And I agree that it's vital and sets a pleasant tone.

[VOX]

8. Tell it, ZeeDub!!!

That excruciatingly loud racket you hear in the background is the nail being hit squarely on the head...by you!!

Keep swingin' that hammer! :thumbsup:

[Zomby Woof]

13. Hey KrazyKat!

Gotta love your spirit and humor in times like this. :toast:

[ConsAreLiars]

9. Appeasers, those who would give up the fight for some of our rights

in order to save "our" presumably puny muscle for other struggles, seem to be echoing the Riech-wing talking point of the day. Somehow they have become convinced, or are trying to convince us, that conceding on this front is somehow to "our" advantage.

Quite the opposite is true. The Cons will not be defeated or even weakened by concessions and just going along to get along. We need to stand against fascism on all fronts, not just a few.

[fooj]

11. I agree with what you've said here.

Maybe I missed something. Does this nomination mean that Roe v. Wade will be definitely overturned? Wouldn't we have to be concerned with ANY of that vile bastard's nominations?

Yep. You've got to fight like hell for what you believe in. I'm in with that!

Peace.

[Zomby Woof]

12. I think the POSSIBILITY is enough

It has always been possible to have it overturned or weakened. But reducing the probability is within realistic expectations.

I am not saying if he makes it to the bench we are necessarily doomed, or have lost Roe v. Wade, etc. But I am saying that we needn't find out either. I would rather not give him the chance to prove us wrong.

[bananas]

22. AP news story: Rudolph Acquitted in Mock Trials

I just came across this, the whole article is worth reading.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050720/ap_on_re_us/eric_rudolph

Victim: Rudolph Acquitted in Mock Trials
By JAY REEVES, Associated Press Writer
Tue Jul 19,10:32 PM ET

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Serial bomber Eric Rudolph, who pleaded guilty to avoid a possible death sentence, may have had a better chance than he realized to beat the rap, according to a new book by one of his victims.

The account by Emily Lyons says federal prosecutors staged four mock trials as they prepared for his trial in the bombing of a Birmingham abortion clinic — and Rudolph was acquitted in three of them.

Lyons says in the book she co-authored, "Life's Been a Blast," that the mock juries failed to convict Rudolph because someone felt the victims "got what they deserved because they worked at an abortion clinic."

"I couldn't believe that they would let this guy go," Lyons said in an interview with The Associated Press.

<snip much more details>
___

On the Net:

Emily Lyons' Web site: http://www.emilylyons.com

[The Flaming Red Head]

35. This is what pisses me off about the BIG tent idea and the dem party

There is NO tent big enough to include the anti-abortion crowd. I've talked to enough of them up close and watched how they smiled when the doctors were gunned down and when the bombings happened; and Rudolph had to have had support from their community to have survived that long on the run and anyone who doesn't know this is hopelessly naive.

[Kipepeo]

14. Nice post! n/t

[Warren DeMontague]

15. What some people don't get is that Roe v. Wade is a deal-breaker

for many people (women AND men) in the Democratic party.

If our elected officials roll over and don't stand up for the principle that Roe v. Wade (and Griswold v. Connecticut, and Lawrence v. Texas) should NOT be overturned, well, that's what a lot of us went to the polls with that letter (D) after our name FOR.

It's very, very important to the far right, and Bush is not forgetting that.

It's also very, very important to many of us.

[Greybnk48]

36. I'm one of those people

If The Dems abandon Roe v Wade they will get no more of my time or money. I'm backing the Dem party, and have been since the late 60's because they (we) have historically supported women's rights. If that goes, so do I. My stance is non-negotiable.

[intheflow]

16. I want to have your baby, ZombieWoof!

Not really. Sorry. I'm done having babies. But I sure do appreciate your manliness in defending my repro rights. YOU are what a feminist looks like! Thank you!

:hug: :toast:

[nofurylike]

17. outstanding. eom

[LiviaOlivia]

18. Amen, brother

It was indeed very strange here tonight.

[PittLib]

19. Thanks Zomby ...

now if you could just come to Pennsylvania and convince the "progressives" that they have a choice in the senate race ... pro-choice or no choice. People are getting a little too flip about "the abortion issue" for my taste.

:toast: - just pretend they're coffee mugs ...

[w13rd0]

20. George W Bush

is a BAD judge of character, and should not be permitted to make ANY lifetime appointments to ANYTHING.

He can not be trusted, nor can his judgement be trusted. He rewards failure and incompetence, and routinely accepts bad counsel as gospel truth.

[meg]

23. Yes, well said!

[Is It Fascism Yet]

24. Wow! Are you a man and you wrote that? Your astute observations

are much appreciated by the ladies, sir.

[Zomby Woof]

59. Yes, I am

And it is I who thanks you for reading. :hi:

[Maddy McCall]

25. .

[Tsiyu]

26. You Tell 'Em, Zomb

It's really sickening to hear that "there, there, Dear" crap from fellow Democrats.

This isn't the fifties, folks. Women are not going to crawl back to their kitchens and hope the "menfolk" sort it out. If you haven't got the courage as a person ( as Zombie has shown here) to fight for ALL of our rights, YOU climb back in your hole and let those with conviction handle the battles.

We need fighters, not cowards, now more than ever. And if you're too "skewid" to fight for women or anyone else the Right deems "not fully human," just shut the hell up and get the hell out of my way...

[ProfessorGAC]

27. Well Done, ZW

Many here know i'm one of the last people to be jumping on with the "chicken little" crowd. I'm of the mind that patience and focus are the two most critical elements in fomenting social change.

However, when it comes to the basics, the fundamentals, you are 100% correct. There is no negotiating "inalienable" rights. None! So, any idea that if Roberts is NOT a fully acceptable, politically moderate nominee, we should let it go, is hogwash. If he's the wrong guy, fight it!
The Professor

[Zomby Woof]

29. I am one of those last "chicken little" people too

And if this issue woke me up from my post-election stupor, that is saying something.

Patience and focus are virtues, and so are knowing when to strengthen the barricades.

[ProfessorGAC]

30. Well, I Didn't Mean To Suggest Otherwise

I am for picking battles at appropriate times, but i think this is one of those times. If this guy has the least detectable nutjob tendencies, i say we launch him.

BTW: You do know that he DEFENDED the NCAA is a major Title IX suit, right? So, we already know that he's not opposed to standing against Title IX.
The Professor

[Zomby Woof]

31. I did not know!

And I thank you for mentioning it. I think his stripes are abundantly clear.

[Misunderestimator]

41. That's VERY interesting. Thank you... definitely shows an anti-female...

pattern.

[bettyellen]

28. well said, thank you

[cally]

32. Thank You...I can't understand the appeasers

Not supporting Roe v. Wade also threatens gay rights, right to birth control, and many other privacy rights.

[Swamp Rat]

33. Thank you... WOOF!!! WOOF!!! WOOF!!! ... and a squeak!

I'm really pissed at some DUers today (most, if not all, seem to be men) who are advocating that we give up on the Roberts nomination in order to "win the war."

Utter and complete bullshit! ... this is NOT progressive thinking! IMO, true progressives would not bargain away women's right to choose under any circumstances - AND - we know that fighting one battle does not preclude fighting another.

NEVER BARGAIN WITH FASCISTS!!!



PS - Look for some deep cover trolls to come out today, some of whom have been posting a long time.

[Misunderestimator]

43. On your PS...

Very astute observation...

[northzax]

34. well, emotionally, I agree with you

legally and realisticly, not so much. (disclaimer: while I personally can imagine few circumstances in whichi I would argue in favour ofa particular abortion I nonetheless support strongly the rights of women to discuss medical procedures with their doctors without outside interference. I would never suggest to a woman that she terminate a pregnancy, but I will defend her right to do so.) I do believe that Roe will, and even should, be overturned eventually. I honestly have trouble with the legal reasoning behind it. There is also no inherent right to privacy in the Constitution and there needs to be the more we hide behind a few weak court decisions, the more it can be nibbled away at the edges. And I dislike that. and I fear it. Under the current structures, it is possible for those opposed to freedom to take tiny victories, one at a time, eating our freedoms one by one.

So, I say, let them overturn Roe. it'll be their worst nightmare come true, the death knell of modern conservatism. In an instant, the 20% of the republican party that are moderates will become democrats. we'll go from 45-45 to 65-25. Those states that choose to outlaw medical procedures based on religious dicta will fail. And at the end of the day, within ten years, there will be federal legistlation dealing with the issue, guaranteeing the right to abortion to all women. Which, frankly, would have happened by now without Roe. Roe has set the issue back a decade and a half at this point, it has allowed the wingnutsto gain steam, and have an issue to roil their fellows with, while those of us who support the concept grew complacent.

The only thing worse than not getting your fondest desire is getting it. They want war, we'll bring them war and awake the majority to their real faces.

[nini]

37. kick.

well said.

:loveya:

[bloom]

38. kick

:kick:

[ibegurpard]

39. However, let it be said

that opposition to this nominee does NOT mean that Congressional and Senatorial Democrats should be shouting to the Heavens their opposition to him at this time.
In my opinion, they are handling it well...appearing to take a wait-and-see attitude that will give them much more credibility come hearing time.
Making a big stink right now just plays into the good cop-bad cop game people like Ann Coulter are playing to make him appear to be much more moderate.

[Misunderestimator]

40. THANK YOU ZW!

WOOF WOOF! :thumbsup:

:loveya:

[progmom]

42. Hot damn, ZombyWoof! Very well said!

:applause:

Thanks so much for saying it so well, and with so much passion.

[ComerPerro]

44. With all due respect, I really don't think they will overturn Roe V Wade

its more fun to rally people into the persecution complex, so they can go around holding up pictures of aborted fetuses and "Paul Hill is a hero" signs.

Also, it gives them a sense of moral superority, which fundies thrive on.

So what if I cheated on my first husband with my second husband, then cheated on him and married his cousin's friend? And who cares that I have five kids that I leave at home unsupervised while I go to the bar.

At least I have Jesus, and at least I haven't had an abortion!

[ananda]

45. all rights are going..

.. straight down the tubes with all three brances of government solidly rightwing.

It's the financial repercussions that matter. I think we're looking at the re-emergence of forms of feudalism and slavery, with a few people at the top and everyone else slaving or working for less and less.

This trend also operates on the scarcity principle, with more and more people scrabbling for fewer and fewer benefits and resources, very scared of losing out, and sooo happy to get anything at all.

What works to keep this unfair, inhuman system in place is the oppressive, divide and conquer philosophy.. it's blank v. women.. gays.. minorities.. overweight.. children.. etc.

The education system works on the behalf of the military and corporate mastership, along with the mental health system, so that those who assert their humanity and fight for their rights are labeled and considered not "normal," whatever normal is.. right now it's rightwing conservative, but only if you're a white male xtian or white male xtian wannabe...

Sue

[proud patriot]

46. It's so great to have you back in fighting form ZW

here are my thoughts on the matter .

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4140577

[myrna minx]

47. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

[noiretextatique]

48. excellent defense of common fucking sense

:toast: some :popcorn: just for you :hi:

[Pithy Cherub]

49. ZW is bringin' it!

That is as an eloquent STFU as I have seen written on something crucially important to everybody!

I'll go back to an old folk sayin':
"When Momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy"...

[Heddi]

50. thank you!

great fucking post.

*MY* uterus and *MY* reproductive rights, choices, and freedoms to make the choices *I* see fit regarding my fertility is NOT A FUCKING WEDGE ISSUE. IT IS NOT NEGOTIABLE>

I wish people would understand that when the government holds the right to FORCE pregnancy, then they also have the ability to FORCE abortion.

What OTHER medical decisions should we leave up to the government to decide whether or not an individual can have them performed? Heart surgery? Amputation? Chemotherapy?

How about this:

Let's make a law that every male over the age of 11 MUST be injected monthly with depo-provera, a sort of "chemical castration" if you will. No male will be allowed to NOT get the shot without prior written permission from his WIFE who agrees that she is WILLING to get pregnant should his shots discontinue.

Wanna end abortion? That's a fine fucking way to do it.

OH but wait..that means that MEN will have to go through undue burdens to prevent pregnancy...and we can't have THAT can we? MEN shouldn't be FORCED to have medical decisions FORCED upon their bodies, can they? Why, that's what WOMEN have to go through, not men. Men are sacrosanct with regards to THEIR medical rights,THEIR medical privacy, THEIR reproductive rights, THEIR reproductive freedoms.....

Just wait. First, it's my right to choose to have or not have abortion, to choose or not choose to take hormonal contraceptives. Next, it's YOUR rights that are up in the balance.

I hope that men are willing for ME and other women to part and parcel out YOUR rights when it suits us and OUR political needs.

I'd rather be in a party that supports the rights of ALL and loses every election, than be a party that supports REPUBLICANS and wins every time.

[Zomby Woof]

53. I like your style

I like reminding you now and again. :-) :thumbsup:

[JanMichael]

51. Oh come on R v. W won't be overturned!

If we give a little on Reproductive Freedoms, Public Education, the Progressive Income Tax, Trade, Healthcare and the War, then maybe we'll recapture the House in 2006 with the 5 "Independants" left to suck off!

So what if a couple of loose wimmin gotta take a trip to godless Sweden? It's all be good after Hillary wins in 2008.

Extremism will get you nowhere:-)

[Zomby Woof]

52. Smells like hot oil!

Grand Canyon style. ;-)

[JanMichael]

60. This is Michael shithead!

Oh, wait, I was the one that...Um...I shall shut up now...

[Zomby Woof]

61. I knew it was you

The snoring gave you away. :D

[JanMichael]

62. Fastest reply EVER!

Holy crap, are you a "Bot" or "AI" now?

[Zomby Woof]

63. I had NO IDEA

I didn't check the timestamp when I replied. I had just posted a photo essay thread in here before seeing you.

Or it was the sound of your RATM CD that drew me in.

[JanMichael]

64. Photos of what? You as Cher? And I know, my soundtrack follows me...

...EVERYWHERE DAMMIT!!!!! My radical vibe is relentess, it moves with a quickness...

Are you in Cali yet????

[Zomby Woof]

65. 10 days

10 long days. Did I mention it was in just 10 days??

No, refresh the front page of GD. It's my latest propaganda push against Roberts.

[jonnyblitz]

54. it's really hard to stay within DU guidelines with all these.

folks spewing this crap of which you speak on here. truly sad to see on a progressive discussion board. great post!

[Eloriel]

55. Well, this is a surprise

I've been feeling so beaten down and frankly despairing by the men on this so-called progressive site -- too many of them, anyway -- that this is unexpected.


It's a fine rant. Thanks.

[Zomby Woof]

58. For all the times we butted heads

You can honestly say that sexism was never the reason or root cause. That is one line I cannot cross, and it would shame me to no end if I ever did, even inadvertently.

[Eloriel]

56. Looks like this needs a

:kick:

[Kathy in Cambridge]

57. Beautiful post-thank you!

:hug:

[fortyfeetunder]

66. Zomby, your story reminds me of Romania

And Nicholas Ceaucescu.

http://www.moreorless.au.com/killers/ceausescu.html

"1966: New laws are introduced to engineer an increase in the size of Romania's population. "The foetus is the property of the entire society," Ceausescu states, "Anyone who avoids having children is a deserter who abandons the laws of national continuity."

Abortion and contraception are outlawed, childless couples face higher taxes, divorce is discouraged, and sex education prohibited. The birth-rate almost doubles, but is accompanied by a leap in infant mortality and unwanted pregnancies, with the rising numbers of handicapped, orphaned and abandoned children being placed in decrepit institutions under state care. After the fall of Ceausescu in 1989 over 100,000 handicapped and orphaned children are discovered living in horrific conditions. "

Even though Ceaucescu was a communist, his policies are frighteningly similar to what is going on, 39 years later in another country....