The paternalists continue their attack

Most revealing tweet of the day:

Bills regulating women's bodies in 2013 alone: 624. Bills regulating men's bodies since the dawn of time: 0— @AuthorKimberley

A Republican party dominated by middle-aged and elderly white men continues its attacks on women and women's rights. This week alone Alabama, Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi, South Dakota, and Ohio all passed and/or implemented new restrictions on abortions. All of these laws were passed by Republican legislatures (again mostly white men) and signed by Republican governors (ALL white men). And all of the laws were based on false premises and unscientific "facts" such as that an abortion puts women at high risk for breast cancer or makes them infertile and unable to bear a child later in life.

Most, if not all, of these laws require doctors and abortion providers to lie to their patients about the effects of abortion on the fetus and on the woman. The laws require medically unnecessary ultrasounds, in most cases invasive vaginal ultrasounds. Just try to imagine for a moment what it would be like if a medical treatment needed by a man was required to be preceeded by an unnecessary, invasive, and sometimes painful procedure or if doctors were required by the state to give obviously false information to the man about his treatment.

Moreover, many of these new laws require additional waiting periods for a woman seeking an abortion. Thus the hypocrites who claim to be appalled by late term abortions are forcing women to wait longer and longer into the pregnancy to have the abortion performed, assuring later term abortions.

If you ask a Republican, he will tell you that all of these restrictive and draconian laws are simply meant to "protect" the poor little incompetent woman and make it possible for her to make an "informed choice." You see, in Republican World, women don't really understand what pregnancy is all about. It's doubtful that they even know how it happened! And if they can just be made to stop and think about the consequences of their actions, they will be willing and eager to continue the pregnancy regardless of whether or not they can afford it, even if it was started by rape or incest, regardless of how many other children they may already have, regardless of how it may disrupt their plans for their life.

As for making these laws, well, women shouldn't worry their pretty little heads about that. Men know what is best for "the ladies." As Rick Perry helpfully explained a few days ago, "The louder they scream, the more we know that we are getting something done."

Perry made unbelievably condescending, insulting, and vile personal remarks about Texas State Senator Wendy Davis who became a national political star with her filibuster against Texas' proposed paternalistic restriction on women's rights to control their bodies. (Except it wasn't really unbelievable because this is Rick Perry we're talking about.) Most ironically, he made his remarks at a National Right to Life(!) conference where he opined that "Texans value life." His remarks came on the same day that his administration executed a 52-year-old woman, the 500th person the state has executed since the Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty.

Yes, Texans like Perry, that is to say paternalistic Republicans, "value life" as long as it's in a woman's womb. Once it's born, they couldn't care less about it. Especially if it's female.

There is a cure for all this condescension and paternalistic government. It is called women voters. Women make up more than one-half of the electorate and we do vote. Now if only women will vote their interests, we will finally see an end to paternalism. Yes, even in Texas.

Poetry Sunday: Don't Hesitate by Mary Oliver

How about we share another Mary Oliver poem? After all, you can never have too many of those. In this one, the poet seems to acknowledge that it is often hard to simply live in and enjoy the moment, perhaps because we are afraid it can't last. She urges us to give in to that moment and fully experience the joy. Although "much can never be redeemed, still, life has some possibility left." Don't Hesitate by Mary Oliver If you suddenly and unexpectedly feel joy, don’t hesitate. Give in to it. There are plenty of lives and whole towns destroyed or about to be. We are not wise, and not very often kind. And much can never be redeemed. Still, life has some possibility left. Perhaps this is its way of fighting back, that sometimes something happens better than all the riches or power in the world. It could be anything, but very likely you notice it in the instant when love begins. Anyway, that’s often the case. Anyway, whatever it is, don’t be afraid of its plenty. Joy is no...

Poetry Sunday: Blackberry-Picking by Seamus Heaney

My mother was a farm wife and a prodigious canner. She canned fruit and vegetables from the garden, even occasionally meat. But the best thing that she canned, in my opinion, was blackberry jam. Even as I type those words my mouth waters! Of course, before she could make that jam, somebody had to pick the blackberries. And that somebody was quite often named Dorothy. I think Seamus Heaney might have spent some time among the briars plucking those delicious black fruits as well, so he would have known that "Once off the bush the fruit fermented, the sweet flesh would turn sour." They don't keep; you have to get that jam made in a hurry! Blackberry-Picking by Seamus Heaney Late August, given heavy rain and sun For a full week, the blackberries would ripen. At first, just one, a glossy purple clot Among others, red, green, hard as a knot. You ate that first one and its flesh was sweet Like thickened wine: summer's blood was in it Leaving stains upon the tongue and lust ...

Poetry Sunday: Hymn for the Hurting by Amanda Gorman

You probably remember poet Amanda Gorman from her appearance at the inauguration of President Biden. She read her poem "The Hill We Climb" on that occasion. After the senseless slaughter in Uvalde this week, she was inspired to write another poem which was published in The New York Times. It seemed perfect for the occasion and so I stole it in order to feature it here, just in case you didn't get a chance to read it in the Times . Hymn for the Hurting by Amanda Gorman Everything hurts, Our hearts shadowed and strange, Minds made muddied and mute. We carry tragedy, terrifying and true. And yet none of it is new; We knew it as home, As horror, As heritage. Even our children Cannot be children, Cannot be. Everything hurts. It’s a hard time to be alive, And even harder to stay that way. We’re burdened to live out these days, While at the same time, blessed to outlive them. This alarm is how we know We must be altered — That we must differ or die, That we must triumph or try. ...

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