Okay, yes Hillary was a kick ass Sec of State, but um… why the fuck are the shoes pink platform peep-toe shoes? We get that Hillary is a woman…and we know it’s Hillary’s because her name’s on the shoe, but WHAT?
Because everyone must be reminded that the former Secretary of State and all-around badass is a woman, and thus she is first and foremost a sexualized object/person and only after that a powerful, ambitious, intelligent, successful political figure. Plus, baby pink platform peep-toes are a symbol of fashion-conscious young femme sexuality, and this allows for Ms. Clinton to be subtly belittled by implying shallowness and reiterates that she is a female, i.e. childlike or childish, as well.
Reading things about Israeli-Palestinian relations and events in and around the Gaza Strip makes me anxious in general because it’s a pretty complicated situation with a good chunk of the issue stemming from European colonialism in the region pre- and post-World War II, not to mention the fact that situations involving a legacy based on the Holocaust, harboring terrorist factions, and innocent civilians tend to go very sour, very fast. I may not necessarily agree with all of Israel’s policies, but I also note many Americans and Europeans, both on and off Tumblr, are quick to condemn any action by the Israeli government or army, and it often becomes apparent very quickly that they do not have a grasp of the entire conflict.
First off, Israel was created in the former British colony of Palestine by European nations and the US after World War II, influenced both by long-standing Zionist desires and the mass genocide of the Holocaust of 6 million Jews (along with 5 million other persecuted peoples); this was a completely imperialistic move made by an entitled empire and has been seen to have results as disastrous as all the other countries whose arbitrary borders were drawn by retreating colonial powers, but it was also done partially out of guilt, i.e. to address the fact that European Jews would not have been massacred in quite as obscene numbers if there had been a country willing to take more immigrants in during the first decade of Hitler’s dictatorship. This is not the fault of those currently living in Israel, who deal with the repercussions of this history.
Secondly, the Gaza Strip is a region that many Palestinians fled to after the Arab-Israeli conflict— which began in the 19th century when Palestine was technically part of the Ottoman Empire (while the empire was heavily under the influence of England)—, which led to a civil war within Palestine in 1947 and in which all Arab league nations became involved after Israel’s formation in 1948. While most people living Gaza were born there, they generally identify as Palestinian refugees. Gaza is essentially a zone created by compromise between Israel and Arab states, and is now one of the Palestinian territories— along with the West Bank—, over which compromises and diplomatic meetings are incessantly being made. It is important to note that Gaza was also the main region affected by the Israeli unilateral disengagement plan in 2005, in which the Israeli government forced Israeli citizens to vacate any property they had settled on in Gaza or the northern part of the West Bank and return to Israel.
Thirdly, since the Palestinian National Authority split, Gaza has been ruled by two consecutive governments staffed by members of the Hamas political party, an extremely right-wing and radical Islamic party (which by no means is a representation of any Muslim people outside of those participating in this or similar radical, right-wing organizations). The US, European Union, Canada, Israel and Japan all classify Hamas as a terrorist organization (although most other countries do not), due in large part to the fact that it has an explicitly military wing. The charter of this political party is very clearly anti-Semitic, as it makes reference to “The Protocols of the Elder of Zion,” an entirely fabricated and ridiculous document containing information on false religious practices and plans for Jewish world domination that was also used as propaganda by the Nazi party, along with other statements declaring conspiracies surrounding Freemasons, the Rotary, etc. It also rejects the possibility of a two-state solution, which many agree is the most likely way to decisively solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. While Hamas does provide some forms of welfare services to Gaza residents that are not provided by the Palestinian Authority, the Human Rights Watch has cited these same Hamas governments for human rights violations against Palestinians.
Fourthly, in the case of today’s military air strike, I would like to make three overarching statements. First, when enacting defensive or retaliatory measures against Hamas, Israel must contend both with the fact that military branch of the Hamas government fires missiles indiscriminately into civilian zones and that these same militant members of Hamas mix themselves and their weapons amongst their own civilian population, using them as protection; Israel must attempt to do at little harm to any civilians and does its best to protect its own citizens and not harm Gaza citizens. Second, cutting off internet or any other form of communication is a human rights violation on Israel’s part, and there has not been sufficient media coverage or explanation for this action. Third, in this particular case, Israel was responsible for the assassination of a Hamas military commander— meaning that the onus of this particular event falls on it, along with the entirety of Operation Pillar of Defense, an IDF operation to eliminate militants and weapons in Gaza— and this particular strike responding to rockets sent from Gaza over civilian Israeli populations which were fired because of the assassination (just after Israel finished responding to shells fired by a non-Hamas militant organization believed to be backed by Syria on Saturday) and has wounded or killed less than a dozen civilians as of early this evening. In addition, from what I can gather understand from US and UK press releases, the Israeli ambassador to the UK maintains Operation PoD is a response to days of rocket fire out of Gaza and into Israeli civilian zones, although I may be mistaken and the ambassador may specifically only be referring to today’s air strikes.
This last point brings me to my conclusion. Israel is a nation created by imperial powers and is home to Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike, though it is a nation that all Jewish peoples hold as a homeland to which they have a special connection. Since its creation at the behest of Zionists and Allied nations reeling from World War II, the Shoah, and the Nuremberg trials (among others), Israel has been almost constantly attacked by Arab nations surrounding it and by terrorist organizations. In some cases, Israel’s response was far harsher than necessary, its preventative measures are sometimes questionable, and troops and leaders of the Israeli Defense Force have likely acted or reacted in ways they should not in some situations.
In the case of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, I will personally state that I am pro-Israel, consider myself to be more or less a Zionist, and am in favor of a two-state solution. I have based my positions both on the emotional and religious ties I hold to Israel as a Jewish woman, a friend of people ranging from former members of the IDF (both volunteer and drafted) to Palestinian-Americans and their families in the Middle East to Jewish and Muslim Iranians, and a descendant of a family that escaped the Holocaust and was scattered across two continents by it without much hope of reconnection as of my generation; and on the historical facts surrounding conflicts and politics in the region since approximately the mid-19th century. However, I do not demand that you agree with my position. Instead, I invite you to do your own research and come to your own conclusion from your personal emotional and logical positions, and to engage in constructive, friendly, respectful rapport regarding the situation and in full understanding of all sides of it, both with myself and with other global citizens.
YESSSS!!!
- polling places
- know your state voter id laws.
- and if you’re in line when the polls close, stay in line and you will still be able to vote.
Do Not leave if you’re having issues at the polls! Call Election Protection at 1-866-OUR-VOTE!
“Asked about the government’s responsibility to the 50 million Americans without health insurance, Mr. Romney said they already have access to health care: in emergency rooms. That, of course, is the most expensive and least effective way of providing care, as someone who once advocated universal care has reason to know. But it also reeks of contempt for those left behind by the current insurance system, suggesting that they must suffer with illness until the point where they need an ambulance.” NYT 9/24
The typical Romney response. Rather than truly believing that all Americans should have access to the same resources and acting towards that, he suggests a simple, incomprehensive, and privileged answer that “reeks of contempt” for a huge number of his fellow Americans. This is not the kind of leader I would ever support.
Your wonderful Mitt Romney:
- laid off thousands of workers as head of the investment company Bain Capital.
- set up shell companies in the Cayman Islands and Bermuda to avoid U.S. taxes.
- calls Obama’s payroll tax cut that would save middle class/lower income families $1,500 a year “temporary little band aids.”
- plan for a “middle class tax cut” would provide zero benefits to 73.9 percent of the middle class.
- called for taxes on the poor, saying low-income Americans having no income tax liability is “a problem” that will “kill the country.”
- would repeal the Dodd-Frank bill, which regulates the risky practices that led to the 2008 crisis.
- said he wants to “get the federal government out of education”
- As governor, vetoed a minimum wage increase to $8 an hour.
- said he “cannot see that a Cabinet position would be justified” for an American Muslim.
- opposes troop withdrawal from Iraq.
- said that catching bin Laden would be “insignificant” and it’s “not worth moving heaven and earth.”
- supports drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
- supports penalties for doctors who perform an abortion.
- would “absolutely” support a state constitutional amendment to define life as beginning at conception, which would restrict women’s right to an abortion.
- pledged to expand a Bush-Era policy of permitting doctors to deny women access to contraceptives.
- drafted a bill to exempt a religious group from nondiscrimination rules, allowing it to ban gay couples from adopting children.
- refused to condemn the booing of a gay soldier at a GOP debate.
- blamed pornography for the Virginia Tech shooting. (WTF?)
- first act as president would be to allow all states to opt out of health reform through executive action, which would be illegal.
- feels Americans’ pain because he’s “also unemployed.” Romney was worth $250 million in 2008.
- won’t release his tax returns.
- “loves” george bush
- thinks windows in airplanes should open
- believes that rapists should have parental rights over children resulting from the rape they committed.
So no, YOU do your research. If that last three, especially, don’t make you think Romney is a complete idiot, then you’re on some other shit.
Because they kinda do.
Rachel Maddow shares a clip from an Al Jazeera documentary featuring an Ohio State Legislator who is advocating extreme anti-abortion legislation.
TUMBLR TUESDAY: REGISTER TO VOTE EDITION
Does it feel like election day is still ages away? It’s not; in fact, early voting began for half of the country this week. And for half of the country, if you’re not yet registered in just two weeks, you’ll lose the chance to vote entirely. That’s what happened to 6 million Americans in 2008; this year, we’re participating in National Voter Registration Day to help make sure you’re not left out.
If you’re in the US, you should see the button above on your Dashboard; click it to register through our friends at Our Time.No matter how you feel about politics, remember that your vote has the power to make a difference for at least one critical candidate or ballot measure on your ticket. If you don’t participate in the voting booth, you allow others to make important decisions for you.Need some inspiration? Check out this gorgeous GIF campaign from MTV’s Power of 12, a new video from the cast of Workaholics, and a gallery of voting-inclined celebs at HyperVocal.
For more info, follow National Voter Registration Day on Tumblr, or track the tag #925NVRD. You can register in person at an NVRD meetup happening near you, or phone in any questions to the Election Protection Hotline at 1-866-OUR-VOTE.
And even if you’re already registered, please reblog this post to ensure none of your followers miss it!
This website is your nonpartisan (not aligned with any political party) one stop shop for everything you need. You can check your voter registration status, find a polling place, learn what kind of ID you need to bring, access absentee/mail-in and early ballots, and even get linked to another nonpartisan site that will give you information about candidates where you live. This website will help you register to vote quickly and easily, and is available in English and Spanish.
Here are some links to important things you need to check in order to vote this November if you live in LA County. Keep in mind, if you know that you may not be able to make it to a polling place, you can always vote by mail, which is very simple. This is a great option for college students and anyone that cannot miss work to vote.
Please, please get out there and vote. Thank you.
I was asked who I was voting for today by a girl in a Romney t-shirt and replied “Obama”. She just said ok, and ignored me. I asked her if she was registering people to vote and she said yes, but only Romney supporters. I asked if I could still…
by Vyckie Garrison | Reality Check
When I moved to Canada in 2008, I was a die-hard conservative Republican. So when I found out that we were going to be covered by Canada’s Universal Health Care, I was somewhat disgusted. This meant we couldn’t choose our own health coverage, or even opt out if we wanted too. It also meant that abortion was covered by our taxes, something I had always believed was horrible. I believed based on my politics that government mandated health care was a violation of my freedom.
[…]
Fast forward a little past the Canadian births of my third and fourth babies. I had better prenatal care than I had ever had in the States. I came in regularly for appointments to check on my health and my babies’ health throughout my pregnancy, and I never had to worry about how much a test cost or how much the blood draw fee was. With my pregnancies in the States, I had limited my checkups to only a handful to keep costs down. When I went in to get the shot I needed because of my negative blood type, it was covered. In fact I got the recommended 2 doses instead of the more risky 1 dose because I didn’t have to worry about the expense. I had a wide array of options and flexibility when it came to my birth, and care providers that were more concerned with my health and the health of my baby than how much money they might make based on my birth, or what might impact their reputation best. When health care is universal, Drs are free to recommend and provide the best care for every patient instead of basing their care on what each patient can afford.
I found out that religious rights were still respected. The Catholic hospital in the area did not provide abortions, and they were not required too. I had an amazing medically safe birth, and excellent post-natal care with midwives who had to be trained, certified and approved by the medical system.
I started to feel differently about Universal government mandated and regulated Health care. I realized how many times my family had avoided hospital care because of our lack of coverage. When I mentioned to Canadians that I had been in a car accident as a teen and hadn’t gone into the hospital, they were shocked! Here, you always went to the hospital, just in case. And the back issue I had since the accident would have been helped by prescribed chiropractic care which would have been at no cost to me. When I asked for prayers for my little brother who had been burned in a camping accident, they were all puzzled why the story did not include immediately rushing him to the hospital. When they asked me to clarify and I explained that many people in the States are not insured and they try to put off medical care unless absolutely needed, they literally could not comprehend such a thing.
This is a long read but worth it. A lot of Americans have huge misconceptions about socialized healthcare, and this article goes a long way in dispelling some of the myths.
I bolded my favorite parts but here are some other things from the article I liked:
In Canada, midwives and doctors were both respected, and often worked together.
I never went to the doctor growing up, we didn’t have health insurance, and my parents preferred a conservative naturopathic doctor anyways. And the doctor I had used for my first 2 births was also a conservative Christian. So I had never seen information on birth control and STDs. One of the pamphlets read “Pregnant Unexpectedly?” so I picked it up, wondering what it would say. The pamphlet talked about adoption, parenthood, or abortion. It went through the basics of what each option would entail and ended by saying that these choices were up to you. I was horrified that they included abortion on the list of options, and the fact that the pamphlet was so balanced instead of “pro-life.”
I started to wonder why I had been so opposed to government mandated Universal Health care. Here in Canada, everyone was covered. If they worked full-time, if they worked part-time, or if they were homeless and lived on the street, they were all entitled to the same level of care if they had a medical need. People actually went in for routine check-ups and caught many of their illnesses early, before they were too advanced to treat. People were free to quit a job they hated, or even start their own business without fear of losing their medical coverage. In fact, the only real complaint I heard about the universal health care from the Canadians themselves, was that sometimes there could be a wait time before a particular medical service could be provided.But even [..] in the States most people had to wait for medical care, or even be denied based on their coverage.
In Canada, the wait times were usually short, and applied to everyone regardless of wealth.
I never experienced excessive wait times, I was accepted for maternity care within a few days or weeks, I was able to find a family care provider nearby easily and quickly, and when a child needed to be brought in for a health concern I was always able to get an appointment within that week.
the percentage rates of abortion are far lower in Canada than they are in the USA, where abortion is not covered by insurance and is often much harder to get. In 2008 Canada had an abortion rate of 15.2 per 1000 women (In other countries with government health care that number is even lower), and the USA had an abortion rate of 20.8 abortions per 1000 women. And suddenly I could see why that was the case. With Universal coverage, a mother pregnant unexpectedly would still have health care for her pregnancy and birth even if she was unemployed, had to quit her job, or lost her job.
If she was informed that she had a special needs baby on the way, she could rest assured knowing in Canada her child’s health care needs would be covered. Whether your child needs therapy, medicines, a caregiver, a wheelchair, or repeated surgeries, it would be covered by the health care system. Here, you never heard of parents joining the army just so their child’s “pre-existing” health care needs would be covered.
In fact, when a special needs person becomes an adult in Canada, they are eligible for a personal care assistant covered by the government. We saw far more developmentally or physically disabled persons out and about in Canada, than I ever see here in the USA. They would be getting their groceries at the store, doing their business at the bank, and even working job, all with their personal care assistant alongside them, encouraging them and helping them when they needed it. When my sister came up to visit, she even commented on how visible special needs people were
I also discovered that the Canadian government looked out for it’s families in other ways. The country mandates one year of paid maternity leave, meaning a woman having a baby gets an entire year after the birth of her baby to recover and parent her new baby full-time, while still receiving 55% of her salary and their job back at the end of that year. Either parent can use the leave, so some split it, with one parent staying at home for 6 months and the other staying at home for 6 months.
Since all of these benefits are available to everyone, I never heard Canadians talking about capping their incomes to remain lower income and not lose their government provided health coverage. Older people in Canada don’t have to clean out their assets to qualify for some Medicare or Social Security programs,
Despite having zero percent support from black people, and support from significantly less than half of women voters, Mitt Romney could win this thing.
REGISTER TO VOTE. CHECK YOUR ID LAWS. PERSONALLY MESSAGE ME IF YOU NEED HELP DOING ANY OF THIS.
This absolutely cannot happen. If you live in a swing state especially, please vote!
I am seriously frightened of Romney winning. YOU SHOULD BE, TOO
Yo Ohio, we’re important. Don’t forget to register and vote!
Seriously Ohio. Fucking VOTE.
[And if you’re in a city that leans liberal, remember that all that farmland that makes up so much of our state leans Republican. Don’t be complacent because you see Obama stickers every 2 feet.]
never EVER listen to the polls, especially when there’s this much private interest and funding present.
It’s unfortunate that, regardless of popular opinion in the polls, all that matters is what happens in November. Which means all you motherfuckers need to get your asses up and VOTE so you can cancel out the votes of those AARP sons of bitches. Do you understand?
