Voicemail (October 18, 2007)

Last week’s Democratic radio address had seventh grader Graeme Frost prompting President Bush to reconsider his threat to veto the SCHIP health care bill for children. Democrats said in a press release he was a kid from a working class family. In the address, Frost suggests Bush isn’t smart enough to know the dire need for an expansion of children’s health care in America. Instead of being moved by the child’s message, the Republicans immediately investigated the Frost family’s earnings and reported it had an adequate income, owned real estate and sent their children to private schools. Very embarrassing, huh?

Yes, it was stupid of the Democrats to use that particular family as an example. Especially when there are millions out there who have less. But the bottom line remains the same. Even a seventh-grader probably does realize how awful it is for a family in America to remain uninsured today. Younger kids than that obviously hear their parents talk about this problem, and when they’re sick they are being told they’ll just have to try to bear it because insurance is too expensive and emergency room care is so high.

It appears the only people who think everything is fine and dandy are the staunchly rigid conservative Republicans who fear anything that helps the poor. They profess “family values”, but don’t care when malnutrition creates learning problems. Free breakfast in schools? They deem that a needless program likely to cause illegal immigrants and affluent welfare mothers to take advantage of the system. They also don’t care if the high cost of medical care prompts parents to fight over that line-item in the family budget.

Let’s face it: Many conservative Republicans tend to be heartless and cruel when it comes to children from poor or working class families. They prove it every day. They salivate with “patriotism” when it comes to spending billions on war, calling it “protecting our troops.” They find tax breaks for the rich essential to our “growing economy” but forget to mention the debt they have strapped to our grandchildren’s backs. They keep repeating the mantra of “free trade” when it comes to demanding that China stop exporting lethal products. No sense stepping on China’s toes. They do, after all, own most of our national debt.

President Bush, are you smarter than a seventh-grader?

The obvious answer to that question is — No!

United Mountain Defense has been doing outreach, education, direct action and litigation on the issue of mountaintop removal coal mining since 2004 as part of the  Mountain Justice Summer movement.  We seek a work-trade exchange for a property with paid utilities to house volunteers year-round. UMD volunteers pass a screening process. Two full-time volunteers will live on the property year-round ensuring it stays in good shape. We can offer home improvement and landscaping as work trades.

With our 501c3 number, your donation of rent, utilities or other donation(s) can be written off for your taxes.  The property needs at least one or more livable structures with electricity so that we could continue media and newspaper production, camping space, a firewood lot and a spring or well.  We seek fiscal sponsors for the following utilities: electric, water, long distance phone and high-speed Internet and investors to help purchase a permanent campaign house or undeveloped coalfield properties. If you have anything to offer, please contact: mattlmattl@yahoo.com. Also check out our Web site: www.unitedmountaindefense.org or www.mountainjusticesummer.org.

Recently, the “anti-choice” movement in the South seems to be reaching an all-new high.

In the past 16 months, two abortion clinics in Alabama closed, and new regulations make it difficult for other clinics to stay open. Anti-abortion groups are strategizing ways to outlaw birth control and eliminate sex education.

In Knoxville, a fleet of commercial trucks drives around town laden with glossy adverts depicting 8-week-old bloody fetuses, noting “Abortion is murder” and “End abortion.”

What used to be a Saturday morning protest along Concord Avenue is now a week-long “anti-choice” interactive showcase from sunrise to sundown, with anti-choice protesters parading large photos of fetuses and holding sit-in prayers.

Here in Knoxville, the anti-choicers occupy these public spaces — intimidating and threatening young womyn (sic) — and not one soul is on the streets making our town a safe place for womyn who desire options for reproductive justice.

Knoxville.  The South.  Anywhere — is not their's to terrorize.

I am a womyn who utilized my right to choose 13 months ago.  

Had it been illegal, I still would have made that decision, and likely risked my own life to access those health care options.

For me, it’s been a very long, very hard process, which I think is not often thought of in terms of how we discuss reproductive justice.  Some womyn are cast away from their families and communities for making that choice.

I’d like to say I am over it, but the anti-choicers spilling onto the greenway I run on every morning drive me to fight back more, and when I see this anti-choice movement growing every day — I wonder: Why is there no one standing up to them? Where is the safe space for womyn?

I believe with every ounce of my soul I made a powerful decision that day I exercised my right to choose. I am not proud of being at a point of needing that choice. But the reality is it happens. It happens to one out of three womyn in today’s society.

Regardless of the law, the reality will not change — womyn of all incomes and backgrounds need access to safe health care and reproductive options.

Reproductive justice is a womyn’s right, it is a human right.

Educate yourself, fight back — even if it’s just understanding and standing for or with someone making that choice.