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INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY -- MARCH 8, 1999
Plenty
of time to plan ahead for International Women's Day. Born
in the U.S.A., it has been supported by the United Nations since 1977.
The date has been attributed to one of the first organized actions by working women anywhere in the world. On March 8, 1857, hundreds of women workers in garment and textile factories in New York City staged a strike against low wages." -- Holt's Website
Today, women still face virtually unsolvable problems in places such as Afganistan, and life is still very hard for most women in the undeveloped countries of the world.
Our own Congress (controlled by the Vatican, and the far right, religious, authoritarian G.O.P. leadership) is responsible *for the lack* of birth control information and supplies that the U.N. used to distribute to impoverished countries..
March 8, 1999 is also the day that an out-of-control special prosecutor once again brings Susan McDougal into a courtroom -- this time charged with CRIMINAL contempt.
Last time it was CIVIL contempt and she served all 18 months of the sentence.
Her crime? Prosecutius interruptus. Refusal to confirm the fondest fantasies and wet dreams of the Special Prosecutor, Starr.
Did we think that anything had changed just because the G.O.P. House majority impeachment failed to force the Senate to throw out the President? No way. It just served to intensify the efforts of the Rychus ones to continue their siege.
Also, for the same reasons, Web Hubbell was indited AGAIN by the I.C.O., as it hurls itself headlong into amassing new charges for still another attempt at a presidential unseating.
Not content with just the old Whitewater stuff, Kennie Starr (having acquired an appetite for sleeze?) is pursuing evidence to support Kathleen Willey's charge of an alleged presidential groping, by going full tilt after Julie Hiatt Steele. <shhh! it's not about sex>
Meanwhile, the Rychus press is hooting and hollering allegations of a rape of over 20 years ago said to have been perpetrated on one Juanita Broaddrick.
This one has been around so long it has whiskers. N.B.C. refused to air these allegations without confirmation, but far right media have gleefully done so after taking great care to place it safely in their "Editorial Section." Other media, cautiously report the allegations by quoting these editorials -- that still have not been confirmed.
The "Hate Radio" talk shows have intensified their rhetoric anew going back to alleged presidential murders and darkly predicted incidents of alleged misdeeds to come.
As the affectionados of Hate Radio continue to roll the salacious details from the I.C.O. across their collective tongues, they moan, "...what is hearing these nasty words doing to our children?" They always blame Clinton for the words they use, but never themselves for keeping them constantly spoken on the airways.
Surprisingly, a good answer to them came from "Miss Manners." She offered the suggestion that about the only effect on children would be irritation.
She continued by saying that since children have always loved to repeat words to adults that make them cringe, and since these words no longer make the adults cringe, that the children are annoyed and frustrated that they cannot get a rise out of their parents.
The announcement of Hillary Rodham's intentions to check out a New York Senate seat has Hate Radio callers salivating pure bile. It is evident that only a public hanging or beheading of the first couple will suffice.
At a recent meeting of Talk Radio personalities, Paul Begala was asked if he knew why there was so many "conservative" talk radio shows and so few "liberal" ones.
He answered that he didn't know, but he had observed that mostly conservatives LISTENED to talk radio and hopefully, mostly liberals VOTED.
Amen
to that, but we wonder. How many
of us, brainwashed by years of "Barbie
doll" and her constant painted-on smile, will throw away our reproductive
choices just to vote for the first woman president?
Or, how many of us, culturally conditioned to react emotionally to years of he-man, action-figure heroes, will mindlessly vote for the rich, handsome cowboy?
The G.O.P. is putting out all of its cultural snares to entrap us. They JUST want our VOTE, it is that simple. Then they will have control of OUR bodies -- like they now control the bodies of so many women in poorer, undeveloped countries.
So we will do well to clear our heads of all the old conditioning tapes, and consider how just maybe a lesser luminary might serve our interests and maintain our freedom of choice.
For example, Banal Al may not excite our glands or our fantasies, but he appears to us to be eminently preferable to Marlboro Man or Barbie dole and Viagra Bob.
Have a joyous March 8th. A really good day to come together with like minded women and form a political support group for the candidates you want to see elected. And please, keep a good thought for SUSAN.
1999-009
Copyright 1999 Renee T. Louise and Ruth M. Sprague, Ph.D. These articles may be republished for noncommercial use only, provided that they are copied intact, and that this copyright notice is attached. Address all queries to: twanda@together.net.
G e n d e r G a p p e r s T M
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