Originally in the White Pine Press
http://www.whitepinepress.org/feature-columns/archives/2012-03-01/musings.html
Did you know that in the United States, only 17 percent of our government officials are female? That ranks us in 84 place for women in elected office – behind China and Pakistan. As the election year gears up, women around the country are waking up to the harsh reality that the GOP is waging a war – a war against women.
The year is 2012 and yes, we are debating affordable access to birth control. Faithful supporters of the Republican Party are now being forced to choose between women’s access to affordable birth control and their political party. The attack has moved from legal access to abortion to affordable access to birth control. This is a slippery slope.
Women’s access to abortion has long been a hot button topic; we all are on a spectrum when it comes to our beliefs about this issue, and rightfully so. The political scenery of the last few years has already primed us to make our political decisions based on our beliefs on abortion.
By making this topic cut and dry, our politicians are forcing us to choose between conservative fiscal political policies and basic healthcare for women. This is not fair, and women—Republican and Democrat alike—have had enough. We do not want to have to make this decision, nor should we have to.
If the new GOP has its way, even a young girl raped by her father will have no right to acquire an abortion.
Rick Santorum believes in requiring women and girls who are victims of rape or incest to carry a pregnancy to term. “To put them through another trauma of an abortion, I think is too much to ask,” he declared at an Iowa presidential debate. “One violence is enough.” Rick even believes that doctors who perform abortions in the case of rape or incest should be criminally charged.
As the right wing fly’s farther right, more and more Republicans are being forced to ask themselves, does this party still represent me?
Women in this country are rightfully getting tired of this—who says it is only Democrats who support access to quality, affordable health care for women? When will enough be enough? The attacks on women must stop. Many formerly steadfast Republicans are sadly realizing that their long beloved Republican party has been hijacked into some sort of anti-woman theocracy. A new poll by the New York Times reveals that 67 percent of Catholic voters actually support the federal mandate for health insurance plans to cover the full cost of birth control. So what is the problem? Why aren’t they listening? What is a moderate pro-choice Republican to do?
Recently the new conservative regime has tried to minimize domestic violence, they have blocked women’s voices from hearings on contraceptives, moved towards personhood laws that are intended to give fetuses constitutional rights and override Roe v. Wade, and they have even demonized rape victims in the military. In a statement that managed to offend level headed people across the board, Fox News analyst Liz Trotta, announced publicly that men in combat zones can’t really help raping servicewomen. Trotta believes that “wasting” money on sexual assault victims’ services is a part of some feminist conspiracy. She simply believes that women should not be allowed to fight wars—because of rape.
Women (and men!) around the country and across party lines are beginning to say enough is enough. Women deserve to have their voices heard in political debates, especially ones that are centered around women.
“We are women and we are strong and beautiful and we are the backbone of civilization. Men do not own us, they are not in charge of us, and we will not allow them to minimize us, or demean us,” said columnist Erin Nanasi. “It’s time to stand up. It’s time to march.”
Nanasi is an organizer for the upcoming peaceful demonstration, the We Are Women March in Washington DC this April 28. Already thousands of women are purchasing plane tickets to make their voices heard. Nanasi is hoping for tens of millions of women to convene, to stand shoulder to shoulder and demand their voices be heard.
Women, Republican, Democratic, and Independent alike will not sit idly by while those in charge gear up to remove access to legal abortions or access to birth control. Women will not accept these decisions being made for them. Many Americans – men, women, clergymen, have fought for women to have the ability to choose when, how and if they bear children. There is too much at stake to remain apathetic.
Nanasi quotes an old African proverb: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go with others.”
Now is the time … will we see you in Washington?