Do Something

Assumptions:

People who are reading my blog know me personally.

If you read this and don't know me personally (or my family/friends personally), well, I'm not sure why you're reading my blog, but my political views come out every so often. If you don't agree, don't read.

You will pardon my incoherence (and help me correct it)...I am an overworked teacher, after all.

Okay, if you're still reading, I'm going to ask you to do something. You need to email your senators and representative right now and tell them what you think of their recent votes regarding the Health Care Bill. Right now, the Republicans are doing whatever they can to keep Health Care Reform from happening at all. The way I see it, Republicans are putting abortion bans in the bills (despite the laws already on the books) so that Democrats won't pass the bill as a whole. They are playing their cards so that the midterm elections are advantageous for them, without fully considering the needs of their constituents.

For the 54 Senators who voted on the side of civil rights today, they need our thanks and appreciation (especially those who are facing tough re-election battles next fall). You can head to Planned Parenthood to thank all the Senators who took Nelson-Hatch off the table.

Tonight, I went to a meeting of people in the area who are concerned about the implications of the Stupak Amendment in the House Health Care Reform Bill (the equivalent of Nelson-Hatch). One thing I heard loud and clear is that there are not a lot of young women involved in this fight right now. It's true, we haven't had to fight to get equality. I was playing soccer and baseball with the boys from an early age. I was never told that I couldn't be whatever I wanted. I never considered that I might not have access to the health care I needed and the advice of doctors about my health as a woman. I haven't had to take my friends to get illegal abortions. But there are a great many women alive today who continue the fight for women's rights and we must join them. We can't take their work for granted. We must continue to remind our politicians that they need to speak up for us women...we are more than half of this country.

But, I have had students who have been faced with the choice. And I know each of them made a choice. They didn't all choose an abortion, but I know they all made a choice. We cannot let this choice disappear for those who cannot afford private health insurance.

For every woman you know, for every woman whose voice is not as strong as yours, and for every girl that inherits the rights we currently maintain, rights that we must protect, send an email or get on the phone. Talk to your friends.

My guess is that you're like me and you haven't really heard of the Stupak and Nelson amendments until someone called it to your attention. Here are some links about women's health and the Stupak bill that I found interesting, but are not necessarily on both sides of the aisle.

Not Under The Bus

Rachel Maddow (oh, how I've missed you)

Kaiser Family Health Report

Five Thirty Eight Analysis