A few days ago, I watched an interview with Angela Jolie about her new movie – first directed movie – In the Land of Blood and Honey. I was so deeply moved to witness her talking about wanting to open a discourse about the rape of women used as a weapon of war. It’s a much welcomed yet long overdue open conversation. I truly hope it helps bring the problem into awareness of our world and to heal the wounds that cause it and are caused by it.

Here in the U.S. we may agree that the rape of women as a weapon of war is horrible. Yet we have done our own atrocious acts as part of our participation in war – sexually demeaning and humiliating prisoners of war in Abu Ghraib, urinating on the bodies of slain enemies in Afghanistan, and who knows what else! But what about the use of rape in the war against women right here at home? “Not possible,” you say? Sadly, tragically, it is possible – and it is occurring.

A relatively new occurrence: There is a law recently passed in Texas – and also recently upheld by the appeals court in Texas – that makes it mandatory for a woman who seeks an abortion to have an invasive vaginal ultrasound . . . under the guise of educating her, say proponents, but in reality to intimidate her out of having the abortion.

Now most women I know would completely understand that is a form of rape . . . to be forced by your government and the law to have an object – even an ultrasound scanner – put into your vagina by your doctor . . . even if your doctor doesn’t want to do it, but more importantly, even if you don’t want it. And many of the men I know understand the truth of that, too. But there are many women and men who don’t get it . . . yet. And their not getting it passively, unconsciously allows and even helps it to go on.

Maybe this will help them get the reality of rape as a weapon in the war against women:

The FBI recently redefined rape. Now included in the definition of rape is . . . the use of an object. So, no matter the guises for the Texas law, it is in direct conflict with the FBI definition of rape.

I hope you care. I hope you care about your body being violated in that way. . . raped by an object at the hands of the government.

I hope you care about your mother’s, sister’s, daughter’s bodies being violated in that way.

I hope you care about your wife’s, girlfriend’s, fiancee’s body being violated in that way!

Too many of our women – not just in the US but all over the world – were sexually abused as children. This law and others like it would be a repeat abuse of the earlier violation and wounding.

We need to care – deeply – for if the government can force rape as a weapon in the war against women, then the people in our country who are afraid of the empowerment of women and of powerful women will be able to continue escalating the war against women . . . just like so many others have continued escalating other wars in our world.

I hope we will work together to protect our girls and women . . .

I hope we will work together to prevent the further escalation of the war against women . . . and in so doing, prevent the further escalation of war! and protect our world!

© Judith Barr, 2012

Jill at Feministe explains: Oh for the love of God. 

This is really beyond the pale. And really, if the “What election sexism?” Democrats can’t see how over-the-top this is, I don’t really know what to say.

Progressives should be better than this.

I’m so sick of this sexism crap… Be sure to check the links from Jill: “For thoughts on sexism in the election in general, I refer you to Rebecca Traister and Amanda Fortini.”

And: Contact the TNR editors (letters@tnr.com) and tell them to stick to the issues — not sexist caricatures.

The Democratic Daily is not sponsoring or endorsing this event, but, you should know about it — in the name of democracy.

If you happen to be in New York City today and tomorrow, seriously consider showing up at Hillary Clinton Forum NYC Protest Tomorrow, April 11. It is co-sponsored by the independent Hillary Clinton Online Forum and the independent Veterans for Hillary (v4hill.com).

If you aren’t in New York or can’t participate in-person and wish to “participate,” please go here.

I’m on fire, right now, as I have a lot on my mind. I’m sure many of you are getting worked up about the same things that are sticking in my craw. Yet, when I try to express myself in a coherent fashion, it comes out on the page looking something like  ”akjf;laghoehtoieWTFgj;akjoijfoidjAHHHH!” Of course, I “know” what it says, but it’s impossible to translate.

I have plenty of time to think of these things, as I go about my daily tasks. I think “oh, how witty that will sound” and then I sit down to write and…I got nothin’!

Maybe I worry too much about censoring myself once I set down to my computer, trying not to offend anyone or at least, not offend them too much, especially with everyone on even higher alert and pointing to offenses more than usual during the current primary/caucus race. I think that I am coming to a point where I say fu…–I mean, “bleep” that (*wink*), I would rather lose friends than not be able to speak my mind. Of course, I will always be respectful when I am in a space (where you may be reading this) that does not belong to me, but I’m thinking it’s time for me to cut to the chase and actually say whatever the he…–I mean, “bleep” is on my mind.

That being said, there is some shi…–I mean, there are some things in today’s round-up that will definitely make you go “wtf?” So, why don’t we start off with a little soft shoe to ease you into it: Gregory Hines & Steve Martin Tap.

++++++++++

Try dancing around today’s Ten Post Round-Up:

1: If sisters are doing it for themselves, how come movies and television are not representing them properly?…

On-Screen Sex Ratios Add Up to One Big Negative–AlterNet

2: Things not so comfy cozy on the housing front between GWB and the GOP?…

Bush throws GOP Senators under the bus on the bi-partisan housing bill–AMERICAblog

3: Those rebate checks might not arrive in time to do the economy any good, but at least the average Jane and Joe can maybe pay off one more bill before finally hitting the skids…

It’s official now: George W. Bush is today’s Herbert Hoover–Brilliant at Breakfast

4: Milestones and reminders on the road to victory in Iraq: Are we there yet?…

Another anniversary!–Bring It On!

5: They’re gonna git cha, so ya better pay up!…

IRS Hunts Down “Tax Defiers”–The Huffington Post

6: They have all this money, yet, they are still relying on the US for financial help? Excuse me while I beat up my desk with my forehead…

Iraq’s Oil Profits–The J-Walk Blog

7: Just one more thing for the cash-strapped working poor to worry about: Fraudulent rental agreements that leave them out on the streets (after handing their first and last plus security to a complete stranger who disappears into the night)…

Scam Leaves 3 Families Moving Into Same House–NBC10.COM

8: In a “real” free-market system, this makes perfect sense. Everyone is going broke, you gotta be able to make money where you can and if the whole world suddenly is starving, the last thing a hungry fisherman is going to be concerned with is the purple-bellied flying carp and whether or not it’s extinct…

As Prices Rise, Farmers Spurn Conservation–New York Times

9: I miss the old “Dr.” Phil: “You shouldn’t shush a nation when a president decides he’s gonna go to war. If we ever need the First Amendment, we need it then”….

Phil Donohue Stands Up For Free Speech In A Time Of War–News Hounds

10: I’ve said it before, being a friend of GWB and company means never having to say you’re sorry…

Bush Justice in the Department of Just Us–Scatablog

Oh, I definitely need more coffee!

284 días hasta el final de un error…

Peace.

(yes, I suffer from head*desk syndrome)

This is a pretty offensive song, even if I can’t find the original version on YouTube:

Click here to view the embedded video.

I don’t recommend clicking on the link if you don’t like vulgarity. Why bother posting this song? A couple days ago I was meeting with a friend who has recently started working on domestic violence. One of her proposals was to work on educating young people and men on women’s rights/issues. Her point was that it is best to teach young people, particularly men, to respect women. That makes sense to me.

As I’ve mentioned before, it took a while for me to understand the offensiveness of this song. When a woman like Randi Rhodes is using this type of language, what signal does that send to young boys? Randi Rhodes outburst doesn’t help my friend working on reducing domestic violence. That she was publicized on Barack Obama’s website makes it even worse–a presidential candidate promoting such vile hate and misogyny. Combine this with Obama’s “tea time” comments and Samantha Power’s monster comment and you have a very disturbing pattern emanating from the Obama campaign and his supporters. Obama said earlier that this sort of thing comes from the tenor set at the top, and it seems more and more likely that that is true. Is it any wonder that a young woman’s Facebook profile in my “friends” list had the comment “I agree with Samantha Power 110 percent”.

Randi Rhodes has been suspended from Air America for ”making inappropriate statements about prominent figures, including Senator Hillary Clinton” at a recent public event, that were caught on a YouTube video (WARNING: Strong language):

Click here to view the embedded video.

I’ve never been much of a talk radio fan, but I used to enjoy listening to Randi’s show occassionally, until I grew tired of her propensity to attack our own. The misogynistic screed in the video above is astounding, simply astounding.

Quite frankly I think Rhodes should be fired, not suspended. There’s nothing progressive about her in my book — she’s the liberal, female version of Rush Limbaugh on a good day.

H/T to Taylor Marsh. The HuffPo has more and Melissa chimes in on Shakesville.

UPDATE: Geraldine Ferraro, who was one of the targets of Rhodes’ rant said “Rhodes should be fired.”

“What did they do with Don Imus when he went after the young black team who was playing basketball with kind of the same language? Treat them both the same,” Ferraro told FOX News. “She’s coming at me and Hillary in a … sexist way”

Ferraro added that her comments about Obama were blown out of proportion and taken out of context so that the race card could be played, which was apparently effective since she has received a considerable amount of hate mail.

“To incite people with language like this young woman just did on radio is very, very dangerous because … some people take this stuff so seriously that it can affect your security,” she said.

Memeorandum has all the buzz in the sphere.

No kidding, it’s April Fool’s Day and there are a whole lot of April Fools in the news and, alas, none of them are very funny.

Just for fun, I thought you all would get a kick out of the footage of GWB getting booed: Bush booed at 2008 Nationals home opener

There will probably be a few boos heard about today’s Ten Post Round-Up:

1: Lack of health care coverage is no joke, but the current initiatives in place in two states are not exactly sound, either…

Cautionary Health Care Tales–AlterNet

2: Obvious Alert: “Multiracial people aren’t some new hot thing”. My own children and many of my siblings, nieces, and nephews are multiracial. My grandmother used to call us her very own “Rainbow Coalition”…

We can’t stop here! This is MULTIRACIAL country!–The Angry Black Woman

3: See what happens when you don’t corral people into political free speech zones to protect GWB from teh negative?…

Bush Gets Booed–BuzzFeed

4: Ironic? Guy who gives advice on how to deal with credit cards gets the runaround from his own credit card company…

Credit Card Expert Disputes Erroneous Charge, Frustration Ensues–The Consumerist

5: Walmart is definitely NOT laughing…

Wal-Mart Cancels 45 Superstores–Free Market News Network

6: Eventually, no matter how you live your life, something seemingly harmless will end up killing you…

Lack of Laughter Leads To Limited Love Life–Spice Up Your Life

7: This is electrifying! Law enforcement set to become more shocking…

Too quick with the gun? Hand them a Taser.–Pam’s House Blend

8: An interesting question to ponder…

Are Health Insurance Mandates Unconstitutional?–Reason Magazine

9: Oooh, goody! Some tangible (non-biblical) evidence of what happened to Sodom and Gomorrah (apparently, disaster DID come from the heavens!)…

Baffling Clay Tablet Finally Translated: Asteroid Struck Earth 5000 Years Ago, Destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah–Signs of the Times

10: Twisted misogynistic logic: Illegal to own more than 6 vibrators, but not illegal for 12-year old to dance in a strip club…

deep in the (insert organ of your choice) of texas–skippy the bush kangaroo

Please note: some of today’s links do NOT go where they appear to go (but ALL are definitely work-safe).

293 días hasta el final de un error…

Peace.

(I double-dog dare you to click this link…)

Click here to view the embedded video.

Every day we seem to hear that Hillary needs to drop out. Lambert has a watch going. But I think it would be a full time job monitoring the posts emanating from the new Obama 527.

Well, there are still some level headed folks in the blogosphere and I’m glad to have found some. Feel free to leave links to your favorite in the comments. And to the Blog Boyz and the bullies who have turned off thousands of people from the old progressive blogosphere, I dedicate “Special” by Garbage to ya’ll. If you ever stop foaming at the mouth, I’d be happy to kiss and make up and start fighting for progressive values.

Today, was a miserable day. Sure, it was a beautiful sunny day. But, noticing that we have passed a casualty milestone in Iraq and hearing how cold-hearted the Vice-President was, in response to that milestone, broke my heart. Every day, I hope that my soldier will not become part of that milestone, yet, the current White House administration acts like, “it’s business, as usual”; not a big deal.

So, it’s only fitting that I re-post the following video, because it is a big deal that this president does not care that he is tearing this country apart: Dear Mr President – Pink

Meditate on today’s Ten Post Round-Up:

1: Being bullied: Sadly, just another day, for some kids…

What the f@#k is wrong with parents in Arkansas?–Brilliant at Breakfast

2: Decisions, decisions: If not McCain, then whom?…

Where Will Dobson Go?–Colorado Confidential

3: “Make your kids lose weight or they’ll be raised by the state”…

Obese children ‘may be put in care’–The Courier

4: Drug testing bar patrons?…

Coming Soon To A Pub Near You–duckplops

5: But, for the grace of blogs, go I…

Media Turns Its Back on Iraq–The Huffington Post

6: JPMorgan trying to schmooze Bear Stearns shareholders…

Bear Stearns shareholders don’t like “The Deal”–Its my Right to be Left of the Center

7: Apparently, the Pittsburgh Steelers think it’s OK to beat your girlfriend, so long as you have a religious reason for doing so…

Domestic Violence, Ownership of Women, and, Of Course, Jesus–Shakesville

8: Mortgage insurers refusing to do business in some ZIP codes…

Mortgage Insurers Have Blackballed 20% of US–Signs of the Times

9: Dear, Mr. President: “You’ve come a long way, from whiskey and cocaine”…

Cheney On 4,000 Troop Deaths In Iraq: ‘The President Carries The Biggest Burden, Obviously’»–Think Progress

10: Time in a bottle, circa 1986…

1986 message in bottle drifts 1,735 mi.–Yahoo! News

4000+ casualties: Why Bush can not even look any of us in the eye…

300 días hasta el final de un error…

Peace.

(Maybe GWBs prosthetic brain helps him feel our pain!…)

We got snow for Easter, in my neck of the woods.  As the snow began to melt, today, I could see the first signs of Spring, sprouting up out of the brown ground; the first sprigs of green grass.  I think we are going to need another decent snowstorm, to saturate the ground, to boost the colors of Spring; something I am looking forward to, along with the 60-plus degree temperatures.

It’s Monday, so ya’ll know what that means: Uncle Jay Explains the News – March 24, 2008

Thank goodness, a snow day is always a good excuse to churn out a Ten Post Round-Up:

1: History in the making: Transgendered man prepares to give birth…

Labor of Love–AlterNet

2: Obviously the Senate has too much time on its hands: A Ten Commandments Resolution?…

Silliness from the Senate–BlondeSense

3: It appears that the “Coalition of the Willing” may not exactly have been, ya know, “willing”…

Surprise! US Did Everything Possible To Force Iraq Invasion–duckplops

4: The more I learn about the Spitzer saga, the more I have to wonder who the real “whores” are…

Gone Fishin’–Firedoglake

5: Gruel and unusual punishment: The Supremes will decide…

Prison Calls It Food, Inmates Disagree–The Huffington Post

6: Taste of freedom, fleeting…

Symbionese Liberation Army Olson Back in Prison.–Hypocrisy.com

7: “Home-schooling has spread far beyond religious or counterculture families” (Almost 10 years on, I can vouch for that)…

Learning starts at home–Joanne Jacobs

8: China and Tibet: The spin they’re in…

China tries to do damage control in Tibet uprising–Its my Right to be Left of the Center

9: Vodka: Good for other than making “Screwdrivers”…

21 Amazing Alternate Uses for Vodka–The Life Hackery

10: I agree: “There are two things that will end this war quickly – a draft and taxes”…

The Army’s manpower squeeze – Los Angeles Times–Minstrel Boy

I’m going to take Dusty’s advice, today, and go get me some cheep Peeps at a discount when I make my rounds. The little ones will be egg-static!

301 días hasta el final de un error…

Peace.

(I got the best “Peeps” in the blogosphere, yo!…)