Quotes for Today:

It was we, the people; not we, the white male citizens; nor yet we, the male citizens; but we, the whole people, who formed the Union.... Men, their rights and nothing more; women, their rights and nothing less.  ~Susan B. Anthony

Reproductive Rights: Part 4

The cost for an unplanned pregnancy is much more expensive than contraception. Raising a child from infancy to age 18 costs over $220,000 per child; many of those with unplanned pregnancies wind up needing some type of aid which will be paid for by taxpayers.  In 2010, 46.9 million people in the United States were living in poverty, the largest number of people in the 52 years records have been kept.

Reproductive Rights: Part 3

I know there are companies that have a religious affiliation, and that a specific religion may not promote birth control, but not everyone who works for those organizations may be of that same faith or belief, and those people should not be penalized by the company’s primary religious affiliation or beliefs. Nor should an entity that accepts federal or state funding, which is taxpayer money, be allowed to deny those same taxpayers their reproductive rights. If a woman chooses not to utilize birth control, or chooses not to obtain an abortion, or utilize the insurance coverage for the same, that's her prerogative.  If she chooses to practice abstinence, that's also her right, but those rights or religious beliefs are not allowed to preclude or supersede the rights of others. 

Reproductive Rights: Part 2

First, let’s cover reproductive justice. The choice of when, or if, to have a child and the right to live under conditions that allow for optimal choices for her own life is the right of each and every woman.  It does not belong to anyone other than the woman involved, not the legislature, nor to any organization or church.  Our bodies belong to us and to no one else, and no one has the right to mandate that we have a child at any time in our life by denying us access to birth control.  To do so is not only a form of oppression but of enslavement to the beliefs of others.  

Reproductive Rights: Part 1

Women’s reproductive rights have once again become a major issue under the new healthcare act creating a firestorm of controversy.  Oklahoma, Nebraska, Ohio, Mississippi, Virginia, Georgia, Arizona – so far, 20 states have either passed or have pending legislation which limits, or eliminates women’s reproductive rights even though federal law made this illegal years ago.

Quote for Today

". . . women can act . . . Because the demographics and the opinion polls are on women's side.  Because women's hour on the stage is long, long overdue. Because, whatever new obstacles are mounted against the future march toward equality, whatever new myths invented, penalties levied, opportunities rescinded, or degradations imposed, no one can ever take from the American woman the justness of her cause."
~Susan Faludi, Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Women (1991)

Commentary: What Were They Thinking?

Oklahoma recently held its Presidential primary election.  Oklahoma has closed primary voting which means that only those people who jave chosen a party affiliation that has candidates in the election may actually vote during a primary.  That primary affiliation must be indicated on your voter’s registration card and you are only allowed to vote for those candidates that are affiliated with the party you identified. 

Coming Soon!

The title of this blog was derived from a quote by James Russell Lowell, "The foolish and the dead alone never change their opinions." 

With everything that has been going on in the world, the many changes, the political back-stabbing, the corporate corruption, the erosion of our civil rights, the fanaticism of some accompanied by the seeming apathy of the many, the title seemed appropriate. 

I don't know if I'll change anyone's opinion but frankly, I'm tired of holding my tongue.  This blog was created to provide a place of expression regarding a little bit of everything, from pet peeves to politics - whatever makes me so aggravated that I can no longer be silent. 

Prepare yourself for essays, commentaries, and yes, even some rants.  I won't guarantee that the information and opinions expressed here will be popular, but I will guarantee that essays will be researched, and any posting that is just opinion or a rant will be expressed as such.

I hope what you will read here in the future will get you thinking, perhaps touch a chord with you, and together we can make some noise. 

See you soon!