Rounding up coverage of Biden reaction last week, I quoted former Clinton adviser Howard Wolfson, who thought that Obama going the old white political insider route “gives an opening to the McCain campaign to pick a woman or make an out-of-the-box selection.” Well, today the McCain campaign took that opening and charged through it:

(h/t Petulant for the vid)

Now, before you get all ZOMG glass ceiling shattered!!1 at the prospect of a female veep (which begs the question: why didn't McCain vet Senator Clinton, hmm? No. Re. Spect.) keep in mind that Palin is, by and large, a Trojan hammer, as NARAL president Nancy Keenan outlines in the following press release:

Washington, D.C. – Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, said that Sen. John McCain’s selection today of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his vice presidential running mate is further evidence that a McCain presidency will be just another four years of the same old Bush-style anti-choice policies. Just like McCain, Palin opposes a woman’s right to choose. Palin has also stated her opposition to abortion even in cases of rape or incest.

"John McCain’s choice of Sarah Palin as his running mate proves just how rigid and extreme his administration would be when it comes to a woman’s right to choose," Keenan said. "For 25 years, McCain has opposed a woman’s right to choose, and we know that he will continue to push anti-choice policies in the White House. McCain’s pick of anti-choice Sarah Palin is further evidence that his White House will be just another four years of Bush-style policies. Any remaining doubts about McCain’s extreme anti-choice position should be put to rest when voters learn about the combined anti-choice records of Sarah Palin and John McCain."

Palin, a member of the anti-choice group Feminists for Life, said during her campaign for governor that she is opposed to abortion, even in cases of rape or incest. [Juneau Empire, "Abortion Draws Clear Divide in State Races," accessed 8/29/08 and Anchorage Daily News, "Governor’s Race: Top contenders meet one last time to debate," 11/03/06.]

"Americans are tired of the kind of divisive anti-choice policies that Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin have pledged to continue to support. The contrast between pro-choice Sen. Obama and anti-choice Sen. McCain is clear. Voters are looking for a leader who respects women’s freedom and privacy. Barack Obama is that leader."

Sen. McCain’s selection of Palin as his vice-presidential running mate is especially troublesome for the unique audience of women voters NARAL Pro-Choice America is targeting: Independent and Republican pro-choice women in suburban and exurban swing districts. These women play a pivotal role in the presidential election. Recent polling confirms how, once these voters know McCain’s extreme opposition to a woman’s right to choose and family planning, they will switch parties to support Sen. Barack Obama.

NARAL Pro-Choice America, which tracks all choice-related votes in Congress and ranks all 50 states on the status of women’s reproductive rights, classifies Sarah Palin as anti-choice.

Information about the polling can be found here. Learn more about NARAL Pro-Choice America’s actions to educate voters on McCain’s anti-choice record at www.MeetTheRealMcCain.com.

This 2005 Nerve article by Lynn Harris gives some background on Feminists for Life:

According to its tastefully designed website, FFL — describing itself as a "nonsectarian, nonpartisan, grassroots organization ... shaped by the core feminist values of justice, nondiscrimination, and nonviolence" — "recognizes that abortion is a reflection that our society has failed to meet the needs of women." The goal of the group: "systematically eliminating the root causes that drive women to abortion — primarily lack of practical resources and support — through holistic, woman-centered solutions."
Well, that's refreshing. No railing against the ladies for making selfish choices, no little pictures of tiny feet. A commitment to non-violence, a focus on the "root causes" — they use the word " holistic," for God's sake. It all sounds entirely reasonable, doesn't it?
Try radical. The group believes abortion is an act of violence that is unacceptable under any circumstances. Unacceptable under any circumstances. Including rape, incest, major fetal defects, and danger to the mother's life. This position — "holistic solutions" aside — puts [FFL] to the right of their sister organization, Attila the Hun for Life.

Not only that, but FFL is sketchy about birth control. "Preconception issues, including abstinence and contraception, are outside of our mission," reads their website. "Some FFL members and supporters support the use of non-abortifacient contraception while
others oppose contraception for a variety of reasons." So it's not clear precisely how FFL would go about reducing unwanted pregnancies. Or, for that matter, rape and incest.

Katha Pollitt disputes FFL's appropriation of the 'feminist' moniker:

It is indeed feminist to say no woman should have to abort a wanted child to stay in school or have a career--FFL's line is thus an advance on the more typical antichoice position, which is that women have abortions to go to Europe or fit into their prom dress. You can see why their upbeat, rebellious slogans--"refuse to choose," "question abortion," "women deserve better"--appeal to students. (But what do those students think when they find that the postabortion resources links are all to Christian groups and that FFL's sunny pregnancy-assistance advice includes going on food stamps or welfare?) Exposing the constraints on women's choices, however, is only one side of feminism. The other is acknowledging women as moral agents, trusting women to decide what is best for themselves. For FFL there's only one right decision: Have that baby. And since women's moral judgment cannot be trusted, abortion must be outlawed, whatever the consequences for women's lives and health--for rape victims and 12-year-olds and 50-year-olds, women carrying Tay-Sachs fetuses and women at risk of heart attack or stroke, women who have all the children they can handle and women who don't want children at all. FFL argues that abortion harms women--that's why it clings to the outdated cancer claims. But it would oppose abortion just as strongly if it prevented breast cancer, filled every woman's heart with joy, lowered the national deficit and found Jimmy Hoffa. That's because they aren't really feminists--a feminist could not force another woman to bear a child, any more than she could turn a pregnant teenager out into a snowstorm. They are fetalists.

All of which makes me wonder if, by picking Palin as his running mate, McCain is actually making a play for pro-life Evangelicals and Catholics, rather than disaffected Clinton voters. By tapping a socially conservative abortion foe, the McCain campaign may be attempting to once again make the Christian Right vote a factor in November, after many believed religious conservatives didn't trust McCain enough to wholeheartedly support him. David Waters of WapO's On Faith points to a recent CBSNews.com interview with Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission:

CBSNews.com: Who’s on the list of people mentioned for VP that you think would most excite Southern Baptists and other members of the conservative faith community?

Richard Land: Probably Governor Palin of Alaska, because she's a person of strong faith. She just had her fifth child, a Downs Syndrome child. And there's a wonderful quote that she gave about her baby, and the fact that she would never, ever consider having an abortion just because her child had Downs Syndrome. She's strongly pro-life.

She's a virtual lifetime member of the National Rifle Association. She would ring so many bells. And I just think it would help with independents because she's a woman. She's a reform Governor. I think that, from what I hear, that would be the choice that would probably ring the most bells... .

And, true to Land's prediction, (church) bells are ringing in exultation, as noted by Waters:

Evangelical leaders were elated Friday.

Tony Perkins, President of the Family Research Council:

"Sarah Palin clearly addresses the issues so many conservatives are concerned about. It balances out the ticket," said Tony Perkins, President of the Family Research Council. "She's also really a checkmate for the Democratic Party because folks who were looking to make history for Barack Obama can make history by voting for John McCain in seeing the first woman elected to the vice-presidency. It was a very strategic move by John McCain."

Pro-life advocates and website were buzzing Friday about McCain's choice.

"Sarah Palin is the whole package. There couldn't be a better vice presidential pick," said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony List, an influential pro-life PAC. "By choosing the boldly pro-life Sarah Palin as his running mate, John McCain has taken his stand as the one true, authentic pro-life ticket."

"[T]he one true, authentic pro-life ticket." I have a feeling McCain's [deliberately ambiguous] latter day pro-life branding effort has completely answered any lingering doubts conservative Christian voters may have held regarding his commitment to key socon issues. Instead of an 'out of the box' decision, choosing Palin as his VP nominee amounts to more of the same from John McCain: "a classic, Rovian appease-the-base choice."

Update: Ramesh Ponnuru believes the cons outweigh the pros with regards to Palin as VP. Interesting analysis, as Ponnuru is, theoretically, representative of the market being targeted.

Update 2: More on the conservative reaction to Palin @ The Great Orange Satan (h/t Chet).

Recommend this post at Progressive Bloggers

Eu, Pênis, solicito aumento de salário pelas seguintes razões:

Faço esforço físico no cumprimento de minha funções;
* Trabalho em grandes profundidades;
* Mergulho de cabeça em tudo que faço;
* Não descanso nos fins de semana ou feriados nacionais;
* Trabalho em ambiente extremamente úmido;
* Não recebo horas extras;
* Trabalho em ambiente sem iluminação e sem ventilações adequadas;
* Trabalho sob altas temperaturas, sem climatizações;
* Meu trabalho me expõe as doenças contagiosas.

RESPOSTA DA DIRETORIA (feminina)

Sr. Pênis, após a revisão dos seus pedidos e considerando seus argumentos, a DIRETORIA

REJEITOU seu pedido baseando-se no seguintes fatos:

* Você não trabalha 8 horas ininterruptamente;
* Você dorme durante o expediente após curtos períodos de trabalho em visível demonstração de ‘corpo mole’;
* Você não segue sempre as ordens da gerência e costuma visitar outras repartições;
* Não tem iniciativa. Precisa ser estimulado e pressionado para começar a trabalhar;
* Você deixa seu ambiente de trabalho bagunçado ao final do turno;
* Nem sempre você observa as normas de segurança de trabalho e abra mão de seu EPI - Equipamento de Proteção Individual. Ou seja, não veste a correta roupa protetora;
* Você se aposentará muito antes dos 65 anos;
* Você é incapaz de trabalhar dois turnos dobrados;
* Às vezes você abandona sua posição de trabalho antes de completar a tarefa;
* Ou passa mal e vomita ou simplismente desmaia;
* E se tudo isso não bastasse, temos observado que você entra e sai do seu local de trabalho carregando um saco de aparência suspeita.

Sem mais,

Atenciosamente

Diretoria Feminina.

Lynda Waddington reports that Kyle Payne was sentenced today to 6 months in county jail:

Payne received 360 days, with 180 days suspended on each of two counts of invasion of privacy, a serious misdemeanor charge. He was also given one year of probation on each count. On the charge of 2nd degree attempted burglary, a felony, Payne received an indeterminate term of prison not to exceed five years, with incarceration suspended. He will placed on probation for three years.

In addition, under a new portion of Iowa law that involves sexually-related crimes, Payne was given a 10 year period of parole. That sentence begins at the end of his regular term of probation. Because of the nature of his crime, he will not be required to register as a sex offender in the state of Iowa.

[...]

“This is the type of thing that happens, but not to you,” said the victim as she read a pre-prepared impact statement in court today. “… You might be given jail time, but for me this is like a life sentence.”

She added that since she was unconscious, Payne is the only person who truly knows what happened that night and left the implication hanging that there might have been more to the event than him partially undressing her, touching her inappropriately and shooting photographs and video.

The victim’s mother, who also provided an impact statement in court, said that the incident had “crushed the spirit of her daughter” and has fractured her ability to trust others.

“You are a sick young man,” the mother said. “I think you’ve done this before and will do it again. Our family does not accept your apology. We do not care about your self-inflicted suffering. You reap what you sow.”

So that's it.  Justice is served.  Cold comfort for the most important person in all this: the woman Payne victimized.

h/t Lauredhel

Recommend this post at Progressive Bloggers

A veces nos dejamos ganar por un bajo pensamiento que nos impone la sociedad: La mujer es completamente diferente al hombre. No podemos negar cierto grado de veracidad en estas palabras, pero debemos alegar que la diferencia de mujer y hombre no está en su SER. Veamos los conceptos de feminidad y masculinidad de una manera sincera y tratando de ser fieles a la realidad.

Algunas cosas que nos son pertinentes antes de continuar:

Los seres humanos son seres sociales. La explicación es la necesidad de una compañía adecuada para dialogar, evolucionar, etc. Podemos percibir esto en un modelo de sociedad cercano a casi todos: Familia.

La sociedad forma un conjunto de creencias en base a sus interacciones, y estas creencias las vuelven una serie de hábitos o tradiciones. A todo lo que estas creencias, hábitos y tradiciones llegan a construir (incluye utensilios, vestimenta y demás) lo llamamos: Cultura.

La cultura influye en la educación de las personas y esta educación es precisamente la que forma el pensamiento del ser humano en desarrollo. Al interactuar entre seres humanos educados por la cultura se obtienen una serie de conclusiones o postulados a los que todos terminan diciendo “amén”.

La cultura machista enseñando a ser femenina.

Podemos notar en la historia del ser humano una tendencia a subirle el ego al hombre (macho, varón, ser masculino), pero no ha sido afectado simplemente en su “superioridad” como poderío, sino en fuerza, violencia, y otras actitudes que hacen del hombre un “macho ideal”. Todas estas creencias bien podrían compararse con los comportamientos de los animales. Un ejemplo que me encanta es el del León:

1. La leona casa y el león descansa.

2. El león defiende la manada de otros leones. (macho alfa)

Estos dos sencillos puntos nos muestran las similitudes respecto al machismo que tienen los animales con el hombre.

Así se crea una sociedad que condiciona al hombre a ser un “macho ideal”, pero también pone parámetros a la “mujer ideal”. Y aquí es cuando nace la distinción entre lo masculino y lo femenino.

Resultados de la cultura machista como maestra de la feminidad.

Tal vez puedas mejorar esta lista, pero simplemente por dar un ejemplo, veremos de lo que hablo:

Empieza con: “Una mujer debe ser…”

1. Hacendosa.

2. Recatada.

3. Delicada.

4. Frágil.

5. Paciente.

6. Amorosa.

7. Detallista.

Entre otros. ¡Pero! Además, debe usar:

1. Falda.

2. Cabello largo.

3. Aretes, collares, y demás accesorios.

4. Colores pastel, en especial: ROSA, ROSADO, PINK.

5. Maquillaje.

6. Bolsa o Bolso colgado en el hombro.

7. Sandalias.

8. Tacón.

Y sus herramientas favoritas del hogar deben ser:

1. Escoba.

2. Trapeador.

3. Desinfectante.

4. Ollas.

5. Nevera.

6. Lavadora.

¿Por qué te sientes identificado con esta interpretación de mujer?

La cuestión es que desde el inicio la mujer representaba una propiedad del hombre para poder procrear y tener quién cuide de él. Por ahí escuché a una feminista que decía: “Todos esos sabios del pasado eran quienes eran porque la mujer les ahorraba su trabajo en el hogar” Algo exagerada, pero con cierto porcentaje de razón al observar a la mujer como la famosa “robotina” de “The Jetsons”

Y precisamente la lista anterior y el SER de la mujer como una ama de llaves y un útero es lo que ahora se entiende como “ser femenina”, y todo gracias a la cultura machista.

Cambiando el modelo. Realmente ¿qué es “Ser femenina”?:

Como vimos, el género femenino o masculino es un valor de la sociedad. Pero ahora es cuando nos desligamos de eso y tratamos de entender a ciencia cierta ¿Qué es feminidad?

Feminidad sencillamente es lo que hace a la mujer biológica diferenciarse del hombre biológico. Los comportamientos de mujer u hombre, son estereotipos dados por la sociedad. En pocas palabras, el cuerpo, las reacciones que las hormonas del hombre o mujer provocan son las que los hacen “diferentes” y que determinan “masculino o femenino”.

Entonces: ¿Es la mujer diferente al hombre?

En su parte física y las consecuencias mentales que pueda traer, SI ES DIFERENTE. Pero en su esencia como SER, la mujer tiene las mismas capacidades del hombre. De manera que, siendo un ser humano igual que el hombre; la mujer es inteligente, sensible, viva y claro: ACTIVA. La mujer tiene –como humana que es- una función sobre el planeta semejante a la del hombre. Dentro de la especie humana, tiene los órganos reproductores necesarios para engendrar a otro ser humano (tanto xx como xy) y el hombre tiene la capacidad de dar la semilla que determinará el sexo con el que el próximo ser humano será dado a luz por la mujer.

Carlos Cuervo.

Increíble pero tan cierto como que respiramos aire es que las mujeres pueden llegar a ser más machistas que los hombres; más aún en nuestro medio latinoamericano. Todo se debe a un factor de suma importancia en el ámbito de nuestra tierra: El catolicismo y las religiones indígenas.

El pasado de Latinoamérica frente al machismo es bastante obvio a simple vista. En el caso particular de Colombia, encontramos a los indígenas del cauca –por ejemplo- que desde pequeñas crían a sus hijas con la aspiración a que su marido llegue incluso a ser violento con ellas. No es raro encontrarse que uno valla por esa región y que una mujer indígena esté siendo golpeada o gritada muy violentamente por su marido y cuando la intentes defender responderá: “para eso es el marido”.

Ahora, aparte del pasado indígena, hablemos del catolicismo que hay en Colombia. Desde la época española hasta hoy, este catolicismo está tan arraigado que al hablar con protestantes o mirar sus prácticas culticas, verás muchas que pertenecen a los católico-romanos. Incluso mucha de la mística del latino con respecto a la hechicería, milagros y demás, se deben al catolicismo precisamente. Y bien sabido es la posición de la mujer en la iglesia católica. No tienen derecho a oficiar misas, las estudiadas se la pasan en monasterios lavándole la ropa a los curas, etc.

Todo este problema se ha reunido en la cabeza de la mujer colombiana y latina en general. En la zona cafetera, a la mujer se le entrena para ser la que lave, planche, cocine y mantenga todo listo para su marido. Prácticamente se les hace esclavas ideológicas del hombre, y las responsables son las propias madres. Notemos que no simplemente es este el caso, sino que se le da a las niñas una serie de juguetes con los que aprenderán a ser las sirvientas del hombre: ollas, trapeadores, muñecas barbie (Con su absurda ideología de ser bellas para tener chicos), entre otras. Las niñas son pre-condicionadas a ser el juguete masculino. Lo interesante es que este tipo de juguetes o juegos “femeninos” se le prohíben al hombre diciéndole que eso lo hará “marica” (gay, homosexual, en colombiano). ¿Cómo podría entonces el hombre ayudar a la mujer a dejar el machismo si él también es entrenado para no tocar las labores que se le suelen dar a la mujer?

Y he aquí el problema de todo lo anterior: Las mujeres han llegado a tal grado de machismo que piensan que el movimiento feminista no es más que patrañas, basura, o sencillamente un montón de absurdas ideas de utopía. Y cuando los hombres queremos abrirnos o ser parte del movimiento, son precisamente las mujeres las que no nos toman en serio y odian que tratemos de ser parte de esa idea “utópica”.

Una pregunta importante sería: ¿Quieren estas chicas liberarse del machismo?

La respuesta en realidad es: Si. Pero sencillamente está tan encarnada la idea de ser “buena esposa” que para ellas hace parte de sus sueños futuros ser esclava del hogar. Esperemos que reaccionen pronto y que la lucha por cambiar ese trauma infantil del que las han hecho esclavas sea de provecho.

Carlos Cuervo.

Estudiante de teología. Universidad Bautista.

Cali- Colombia.

Encuéntrame ahora, con TODOS mis artículos y escritos en general en: http://carlos-cuervo.es.tl/

O sa inchei aici, cu rugamintea de a-mi spune daca va plac melodia si imaginile.

p.s. Ati putea ura asemenea fapturi?

More on this tomorrow (maybe). I'm still getting over the WTF effect. And, yeah, that infinite tape loop of shitfuckgoddammitfuckingwhatthefuckyoufuckingasswipefuckheadedfuck?

Still going.

So, for now, what Cara said (h/t Caroline).

Oh, and In what is I'm sure totally unrelated news, Lynda Waddington of The Iowa Independent also reports that Payne's attorney has filed a motion to delay sentencing, orignally scheduled for August 11th:

Defendant is in the process of continued counseling, the results of which will be presented at sentencing in this matter and may bear upon the Court’s determination of the appropriate sentences in the above-entitled matter.

Counsel for Defendant is in the continued process of acquiring letters of support to support to the Court (sic) at sentencing and reasonably believes that additional time is need (sic) to acquire additional letters.

From Payne's...post:

My actions have been terrible and tremendously hypocritical, and they have caused harm not only to the victim, but to women generally, who deserve nothing less than an end to rape and all other forms of male domination. Recognizing what I feel to be my responsibility as a male ally to feminism, as well as a decent human being, I ask that any women reading this letter who wish to share their responses contact me via email at kyle.d.payne@gmail.com. I welcome your questions, concerns, feelings, and anything else you would like to share. And I would especially welcome your thoughts on how I might move forward in my life with respect and compassion toward women. As I mentioned, practicing this posture of listening is vital to any notion of justice, and furthermore, it represents, I feel, a way forward through which some good can come of this situation. [emphasis in original]

And, y'know, while you're helping Kyle be a better ally/human being, you can also pass along a letter of support for the poor duck--if you feel so inclined. Not that I'm suggesting that his heavily-promoted 'cry for help' ain't nothing but a desperate, cynical ploy to save his ass from getting what it deserves.

Of course not.

P.S.: Fuck you, Kyle.

Update: Or, as Renegade Evolution puts it:

Listen, you fucking moron asshole, YOU VIOLATED that woman. Period. End game. Who is to blame? YOU! Got it, jerk? YOU. I hope to ALL that is sane or holy YOU pay for it. You have NO place in feminist spaces, no place where victimized women might be, no place speaking for or with us, you stain. YOU are a predator, got it?

Right the fuck on.

Update 2: Go read Debi Crow's fisking of Payne's statement. Go. (Also via Caroline.)

Update 3: Practical advice from belle:

Seriously, WTF? Who is the genius legal counsel who thought this was a good idea? I can't even wrap my head around the REST of it. Just...die.

egh, never mind, sorry folks, better things to talk about here, just...wow.

--oh yeah, you CAN still write a letter to the judge to request that he get a -harsher- sentence (presumably this little heartfelt plea was meant to inspire the opposite response, God knows how). Details at Eleanor's Trousers:

An “open sentencing” in the state of Iowa means that the public can attend, but not that the public can speak. While it always looks good to have people show up in support of the prosecution — and I’d personally really like to see some strong support in the courtroom — the fact is that not everyone is going to be able to speak.

For those who have a unique interest in the case… for instance, have served as advocates or can somehow speak with authority as to how horrible Payne’s actions were… get in touch with me. lynda@essentialestrogen.com

If you want to share your (civil) thoughts about this incident prior to sentencing, your best bet is to write to the judge that will preside over the sentencing:

District Court Judge Don E. Courtney
Buena Vista County Courthouse
215 E Fifth St.
Storm Lake, IA 50588

As a final note, there has been some discussion about Payne being charged with child pornography. This is not a charge he faces from the state of Iowa.

- Lynda Waddington
email: lynda@essentialestrogen.com

Update 4: Yeah, about the whole 'more on this tomorrow' thing--fuck that noise.

Bastante Kim nails it:

I could do a long, well-thought out response to his statement, picking my way through his words paragraph by paragraph. I could explain how I feel after reading this statement and include in-depth reasoning why I feel as I do.

I could, and I'd do it well.

I don't wanna, tho.
Don't wanna talk about Kyle Payne no more!

If one is going to waste any more words on Kyle Payne, I would humbly suggest that one should do so in a letter to District Court Judge Don E. Courtney (which I plan on writing tomorrow).

Also see jfpbookworm (h/t) for, er, a long, well-thought out response to Payne's statement (along with a link round up of various blog reactions).

Update 5 08/03: Speaking of well-thought out responses, here's Hysperia upending Payne's abuse excuse (h/t Ren):

There is surely no question that male (and some female - but we’re talking about a man here) victims of childhood sexual abuse very often go on to become predators. That doesn’t make them insane adults who are neither morally nor criminally responsible:

Statistics involving men in New Jersey prisons convicted of sexual abuse, found that over 95% of the men, were in fact abused themselves. And we don’t know, but it could be that the 5% of non-abused men in that case don’t remember being abused as children; they may have amnesia or a traumatic dissociation.. Some abuse may be the attempt to relive one’s own abuse, with power roles reversed. Another reason may be these people have learned that abuse is a way of feeling in control. Fundamentally, in all cases of abuse, it certainly is about power and control. [...] It’s a complex and still unclear set of issues that drives childhood sexual abuse. However, it is up to adults to control their own behaviors.

Once again, here’s how Payne describes what he did:

While caring for the female student, I felt a sudden impulse to expose her breast. Not knowing how to deal with this feeling at the time – and to put it more clearly, not knowing how to make sense of such an urge, given my personal values and my politics – I acted upon it. With a digital camera I kept with me regularly, I briefly photographed and took a few seconds of video of the woman’s breast. She did not consent to this act, nor did she have any knowledge of it at the time. This event ended as quickly as it began, leaving me in a state of disbelief at what I had done.

That’s the excuse of a child with his hand in a cookie jar: woops, my hand slipped. Give that one a rest, Kyle. You say you didn’t know what to do with the urge? That suggests you thought about what to do with it. You know what the answer ought to have been. You had time to think about it. You had time to erase the photographs you took. You had time to find treatment and confess what you’d done. Apparently, you did none of that until, thankfully, you were caught and stopped. I hope your therapist tells you what to do with that urge the next time you have it. If not, check back here.

Also, Hysperia digs deeper into Payne's purported work as an on-campus rape counsellor.

Update 6: Also via Ren, my future potty-mouth wife (assuming his current marriage disintegrates) PhysioProf drives the nail home with this foul-mouthed hammer of a post:

One hopes that parties involved in the sentencing priceedings will make all of this very clear to the judge. His actions continue to demonstrate an absence of willingness to take responsibility for his actions, and his delusions about the significance of his participation in FEMINISM and his self-attributed stature as a WOMEN’S ALLY are a scary sign that he deserves the harshest possible sentence to wake his ass the fuck up.

How do them cookies taste, Kyle?

Update 7: Purtek has a hammer, too:

The thing about “making amends” is first that you have to have actually changed in order for it to matter, at least enough for you to recognize when your so-called amends are causing harm. One of the first questions male “allies” to feminism ask - and here I mean real allies, which you can tell because I identify them as the ones who ask - is what they can do as men to help women. To help women deal with male violence, with pressure and double-standards and past traumas and current fears, to help end “rape culture” and the ubiquity of sexual violence. In your case, there’s a really simple answer to this question: stop violating women.

Update 8: It's already been said, but it deserves to be repeated ad nauseam:

A true ally doesn't feel the need to assault women in this manner.  If you were even a half way decent human being, what you would have done is gotten up and left the room...but personal responsibility does not apply to you, does it?

Werd.

Recommend this post at Progressive Bloggers

kaptam egy labdát a román blogomon: "7kedvencdal". adom is tovább nellinek, betondnak, kis n-nek, edónak, zűrhajósnak, orsinak, jojen-nek, rékunak, péternek, csabának.

Louise Attaque: Léa
http://www.youtube/ez_mindig_bejön

Carmen Şerban: Femei provocatoare
http://www.trilulilu.ro/AnaPauper/hecc_pecc_na:PPP

Amorphis: My Kantele
http://www.youtube/régesrég_teccett_na...

Tracy Chapman: Give Me One Reason
http://www.youtube/ez_is_korai_örömdal!

Jimi Hendrix: Purple Haze
http://www.youtube/örökzöld_jimi_akárcsak_kimi*sigh*

Fatboy Slim: Praise You
http://www.youtube/mert_a_fuckinin_heaven_ciki_igaz?:PPP

Sex Pistols: Pretty Vacant
http://www.youtube/amikor_haraxom_a_világra...

(na meg Bach, SunRa, Coltrane, AzizaMustafaZadeh, MissyElliot)

Lembrança de Maria Gabriela Llansol

#5

De costas ___

ou de frente

sou mesmo

desejada,

numa

escrita

fina e

englobante;

___ pois  

vivo agora 

despida e

apaixonada,

permitindo

toda a

leitura

arrazante.

#6

Morro ___

agora no

exterior

da luz,

vendo o

cavalo

avançar

para ela;

___pois

sem estar

pregada

à cruz,

tenho uma

visão

brilhante

e bela.

#7

Iluminar ___

ou revelar

que sou

potente,

sentir

que tenho

testa de

pedra;

___pois

analisar o

fluxo eléctrico

na mente,

é não recuar

perante

a tortuosa

Fedra.

Lisboa, 2.09.2004.

Today's example: Slanderously appropriating catastrophic events in someone's life just to rig some Mean Girls redux game of "See? I told you those women are walking the razor's edge!"

Great--you've won a postcard from Clueville with the words "get a life" written on the back in cherry red lipstick.

Look, I can't for the life of me see any difference between comments like these and the recent decision rendered by Alberta Justice Peter McIntyre.  Rape/VAW apologia is wrong, regardless of who is spouting it.

Period.

Your Feminazi membership card ain't no pass for hyping a passive aggressive variation on "she was asking for it", y0. It should be obvious, but obviously bears repeating: women never, ever invite anything upon themselves.  There is no fucking excuse for violation of bodily sovereignty.

Period.

Recommend this post at Progressive Bloggers

Lembrança de Maria Teresa Horta

#1

- Oh! o cheiro

a corpo não é

___ negativo,

nem é o meu

desejo de

___ perdição,

ou de uma

queda na

___ paixão,

nem no

deboche

___ vingativo.

#2

- Oh! porquê

esta paixão pelo

___ cheiro,

que p’ra além

do próprio

___ limite,

na posição

passiva de um

___ dinamite,

sou possuída

pelo pensar 

___ sem freio.

#3

- Oh! porque sou

vítima desta

___ paixão,

se não é de

todo concu-

___ piscência;

se o que sinto 

é prazer na

___ violação,

da transgressão

interdita da 

___ paciência.

Lisboa, 6.4.2004

Lembrança de Maria Gabriela Llansol

#5

A memória está

comigo agora

___ na porta,

quando a justiça

toca as chamas

da entrada;

a maldição

está connosco

nesta estrada,

como a pele invisível

tocada que se

___ corta.

#6

Os gestos todos

que fiz e me fizeram

___ pedra,

ou quase todos 

nesta porosidade

desejada,

são como a membrana

da necessidade

mais amada,

um esquecimento

progressivo de que fui

___ Fedra.

#7

Agora desejo viver

apaixonada e a

___ envelhecer,

em gritos finos e

longos pregada a

esta cruz,

pois o que interessa

é tocar no exterior

da luz,

ou entrar em toda

a parte sem

___ estremecer.

Lisboa, 2.09.2004.

I can't really wrap my head around uber-hypocritical faux-feminist Kyle Payne. Over the past 24+ hours I've been vacillating between rank disgust, random profanity, and coming to terms with the fact that way too many people these days seem determined to dance a merry jig on irony's already well-trampled grave. So for the real 411 on BVU's "Male Leader of the Year" (retch), go read Ren, belle (h/t), Cara, Renee, Caroline, purtek, GallingGalla (again) Jeff Fecke and the many others who have more to say about this (as opposed to the infinite tape loop of shitfuckgoddammitfuckingwhatthefuckyoufuckingasswipefuckheadedfuck that's been running through my brain since this all came to light).

Oh, and as for Mr. Sensitive Male Sex Predator,

say hello to my little friend:

Asshole.

Recommend this post at Progressive Bloggers

Lembrança de Maria Teresa Horta

#13

O corpo esta carne

___ só a escuto

como maria,

(que caiu na

“santidade original”

ao despertar ),

numa lógica

de partilha

na vertigem

___ fria,

(em que o sentir

umbilical é fardo

___ tumular!).

(Que significa “união erótica” a cirandar:

”se a mulher é feita para ser encontrada

___ e o homem para a encontrar”).

#14

O teu corpo esta carne

___ só a escuto

quando sitiada,

(tal como uma

virgem aos gritos

perdida ),

numa lógica

viscosa ao ser

___ desejada,

(em que tudo olhavas

mesmo não estando

___ colhida!).

(Que é ser mulher- criança:

”senão dar gritos delirantes cheios de ardor

senão mesmo um tempo

___ em vez de um calor em mim”).

#15

O corpo esta carne

___ só a escuto

enquanto tremia,

(porque caiu na

“santidade animal”

de tudo abdicar ),

numa lógica de verdade

física que tudo

___ pressentia,

(quando deixava de

ser eu mas outra a

___ transbordar !).

(Que significa “união canibal” a vagabundear:

”se a mulher é feita para ser encontrada

___  e o homem para a encontrar”).

#16

O teu corpo essa carne

___ só a escuto quando

destravada,

(tal como a

mulher frívola a

cair desfeita),

numa lógica

submissa em tudo

___ desvairada,

(em que tu me olhavas

como uma mulher

___ eleita!).

(Amo-vos mulheres-esfinge:

”pois espia o tempo e este não é senão um calor

___  em vez de um ardor em mim”).

#17

O corpo esta carne

___ só a escuto

quando se alumia,

(porque caiu na

“santidade primordial”

da pessoa vulgar),

numa lógica de

pureza que tudo

___ repudia,

(mesmo na grinalda

votiva que te desafia

___ o olhar!).

(Que significa “união bestial” no limiar:

”se a mulher é feita para ser encontrada

___ e o homem para a encontrar”).

#18

O corpo a minha carne

___ só a escuto

quando enfeitiçada,

(tal como a

“santa passiva” na

sua mortificação),

numa lógica

de fractura toda

___ escancarada,

(numa crise

convulsiva até à

visão da salvação!).

(Pois andar cheia de frenesi comicial:  

ӎ ter este calor todo como pudor ___

senão mesmo um ardor  ou  tremor ___

em vez de um tempo ou desgramento em mim”).

Lisboa, 14.06.05

“If there’s no Dancing in the Revolution, I’m not coming.”

(Emma Goldman 1869 – 1940)

Jasmin Msamaki

ella dice:

Ande cabrón no se pase de chorizo..!!!

De los huevos.. por gandul....

Respete las señales por favor..

Becaria del Instituto de la Mujer

[audio=http://www.goear.com/files/sst4/988491aa52b9e81e2189c3d6d913d200.mp3]

(English written version)

Consultora experta en género

[audio=http://www.goear.com/files/sst4/ac6637c69aa5fe8c73bf60bd0802643f.mp3]

(English written version)

Coeducadora en cooperativa feminista (y migrante)
[audio=http://www.goear.com/files/sst4/1ff3fe3f6a412ce56bd80c5a5fa1724c.mp3]

(English written version)

¡NO PERMITAMOS LA COMERCIALIZACIÓN DE NUESTRAS LUCHAS FEMINISTAS!
Y si lo hacen, nuestros conocimientos y experiencias tienen un precio digno.

¡RECONOZCAMOS LAS RELACIONES DE PODER!
No me trates como amiga para poder explotarme mejor.

¡IGUALDAD DE OPORTUNIDADES PARA TODAS!
Hay otros mundos y hay otras mujeres.

SER EXPERTA EN GÉNERO NO ES SER FEMINISTA

ne tévesszen meg, szupermen!

Hot on the heels of the recent bestowing of the Canadian Labour Congress' Award for Outstanding Service to Humanity, CBC News reports that pioneering abortion rights activist Dr. Henry Morgentaler is now slated to be appointed to the Order of Canada:

Dr. Henry Morgentaler, who led the fight to legalize abortion in Canada, was supposed to be honoured Monday, but the ceremony has been delayed for unknown reasons, a government source told the Globe and Mail.

The honour, considered the highest in the country, is announced by the Governor General on the advice of an advisory panel.

Conservative MPs on Monday did not directly confirm the news, but stressed that appointments to the order are not made by cabinet. Nine people, including two government appointees, sit on the Order of Canada panel.

MP Maurice Vellacott, a Conservative from Saskatchewan who opposes abortion, told the Globe and Mail that he heard Morgentaler's appointment was not unanimous.

"This is a pretty divisive issue," he said. "I think we can all agree on that, so why would we have the highest honour in the country being issued when there is obviously a strong difference of opinion about it?"

[...]

Morgentaler, a trained family physician, argued that access to abortion was a basic human right and women should not have to risk death at the hands of an untrained professional in order to end their pregnancies.

Morgentaler's clinics were constantly raided by his opponents, and one in Toronto was firebombed. Morgentaler was arrested several times and spent months in jail as he fought his case at all court levels in Canada.

His victory came on Jan. 28, 1988, when the Supreme Court of Canada struck down Canada’s abortion law. That law, which required a woman who wanted an abortion to appeal to a three-doctor hospital abortion committee, was declared unconstitutional.

Cue the expected weeping and gnashing of teeth from outrage-addicted Canucklehead wing-nuts, courtesy Dr Dawg:

I was going to let this go and just party today, but reading the drivelling hatred oozing from the nut-o-sphere this morning has delayed my plans.

I'm referring to the speech-warrior crowd, the people who stand up for freedom in our Stalinist wasteland, who freep the hell out of newspaper polls, who can't even spell the name of the person they hate, the folks who make sleazy references to Morgentaler's Jewish ethnicity.

Yup, it's all the old familiar faces. There's Binky, aggregating blogposts about the Mark Steyn auto-da-fé, now dutifully directing us to various vicious anti-Morgentaler posts. Funny how the taste for freedom dissipates when women's rights are at stake. Funny how the bigotry kicks in.

Yes, that is interesting, innit? I'd once again say something about irony's untimely demise, but I think I've already buried that particular line of snark six feet under (and then some). Hey, flogging a dead horse is just too cruel, even for a baby-hating feticide-apologist like yours truly (yes, I really do think).

Maclean's columnist Andrew Potter [almost] right [except for the part about there being "no other serious champions" for reproductive freedom]:

Dr. Henry Morgentaler risked his reputation, his freedom, and his life for decades in service of a cause that had no other serious champion in this country.

He is a remarkable man who has lived a remarkable life. He deserves to be a member of the order of Canada, because, more than the vast majority of members of the Order, he has lived his life according to the motto inscribed on the medal: He desired a better country.

Or, as JJ puts it (as only she can):

I don't give a happy monkeyfuck if "others fundamentally disagree" -- they can get stuffed. Dr. Morgentaler has contributed more to Canadian women's right to self-determination than any other individual, and has risked his life and his freedom doing it. Before he stood up for our rights, our reproductive business was dictated by the state and whatever sex-obsessed authoritarian busybodies had its ear. Not acceptable: never was, never will be, and Dr. Morgentaler sealed the deal. His Order of Canada is long overdue... .

A-fuckin'-men, sister.

Look, I'm not one for overt displays of patriotism, nor for possessing much in the way of 'pride' in my country (as opposed to hope for humanity in general, regardless of national borders). Still, giving this particular honour to someone who essentially put his career--and his life--at risk to ensure that a Canadian woman's right to bodily autonomy is not constrained by the State makes even a staunch internationalist such as yours truly feel a twinge in ye olde chest cavity of--yes--proud nationalist sentiment--either that, or the kielbasa I ate earlier is repeating on me. In any case, don't expect ol' matttbastard to take a page out of Uncle Steve's good book and start asking 'God' to bless Canada (although I do reserve the right to hypocritically say 'gesundheit' when someone sneezes in my presence).

h/t skdadl and dBO, who offers the following wry observation in response to