Blogging for awareness about Sexual Violence is a good idea. There are many types of violence, some not so obvious as others. If we compare women in Muslim countries to women in the West, you'd say it's obvious that the Muslim women are subjected to violence constantly - war, genocide, systematic rape; punishment for learning to read or wearing anything other than a burka; being sold into marriage or sexual servitude as young children; and the horrible practice of female genital mutilation. Men in those countries won't even shake hands with women sent to represent our government. Women can't leave their homes unescorted because of the possibility they'll be abducted, raped and killed. A woman's own family may murder her if they feel she has dishonored them in some way. A woman's in-laws may murder her if her dowry isn't large enough. No human should live in these conditions for any reason.

Betty Friedan has passed away at age 85. A founding mother of modern feminism, she was many things. Warrior, author, philosopher, journalist, homophobe, mother, founding member of NOW and NARAL, conservative, moderate, revolutionary...

I'll no doubt be writing more about Betty Friedan's legacy in the next couple of days. But for now I just want to sit with my feelings of loss. She may not have been able to lead us all the way home, or perhaps even envision our ultimate destination, but she was an amazing force in getting this wave of the march started. May she rest in peace.

I was invited today to a "party" given by the parents of my son's latest love interest. A birthday party I was told. I arrived in the best casual I had (I've gained weight in the past years, so my fav clothes are presently unwearable)..

Anyhow, I also had to drive my ugliest truck because all other trucks and vehicles are presently broken down (get to that in a minute).

Parents were nice, if not a little bland. My son told me before hand: 'mom, don't talk about politics or religion or anything else that is controversial." So I was polite and towed the line.

One observation. The people's house was nice, they were nice. They showed me their library, very impressive woodwork, spiral staircase, glass cabinets and bookcases lining a wall on first floor and a balcony on second. But what were the books? Fiction, paperbacks, pulp fiction. More pulp fiction and sci-fi than I'd ever seen, save for a booth at a flea market. And the furniture seemingly unused and not a book withdrawn.

from Talk to Action

What is the contraceptive mentality, anyway? If you think it sounds like a good idea, not only are you probably going to hell, but you'll never, never cut it as a Texas legislator.

Courtesy of the American Life League, Monsignor Vincent Foy provides us with a brief primer on this insidious threat to our very survival as a nation. The monsignor would understand perfectly why a group of influential "Christian" legislators in Texas have embarked on a crusade to stamp out birth control while there's still time.

Our beloved Kactus has started her own blog! Let's show her some love!

http://superbabymama.blogspot.com/

Amanda over at Pandagon has a very interesting post up about mail order brides and recent changes in law that offer some new protections against domestic violence. Well worth a read.