A couple of dreams in May and June might should have prepared me for the brutality of this Supreme Court decision, but I couldn’t figure the dreams out at the time. Perhaps they presaged today’s decision? This should probably go in the Dream thread...not sure how to find it.
May 13 dream: A clear perception that the Government was planning to pass a law prohibiting women from cutting their hair. It would be forbidden, and it would be a crime.
June 8 dream: I was in a courtroom as an observer. Two court reporters, women, were working furiously side by side and they asked for quiet so they could hear the proceedings. There was a break and I left to go get something to eat, a snack. A taxi picked me up, with a male driver and two male riders. They let me out at a women’s boutique to get something to eat there. The taxi driver was in the boutique, he went in to use the bathroom and I could hear him in there. I paid for my ride with a $2 bill and left on foot to get back to the courtroom. I finally found it after asking people on the sidewalk the way, but it was not the courtroom I had been in. It looked from the street like a cross between the Roman Temple of Minerva in Assisi + Penn Station in NYC. The writing across the top of the courthouse, which spelled out COURTHOUSE in letters carved into the stone of the building, was broken and crooked.
@cindy it's all good, Cindy... I do admit I love to drive my mother insane most days on things, as she's in her 80's and as feminist as they come, and I seem to be able to be the only person to start something with "well... " and pretty much put her back into the thick of things. She taught me well :)
However, today, I am sure Jeanne would have put me in a penalty box for a time-out if I wrote and hit send on many of my thoughts. Not that any of you would disagree contextually, just silver linings.
For that, I think another friend brought it up; while there's been a "quiet" civil war for some time, today's ruling was the actual first shot. It is a civil war; despite the quack gun laws you guys have (sorry), it will not be fought with arms. Usually, the first shot does not win the war.
@marigold, it's pretty clear tonight that the justice system in the US at the top is a mess. Still, then the US justice system, with its reliance on star chambers, AKA grand juries, and a for-profit prison system, has a few issues that need to be dealt with besides rapists, cult members, drunks and liars in high office... ok that sounds like a Rogue's gallery. I digress, this will put light to it, and perhaps the continued use of the penal system as a form of retribution will end.
x marks the generation :)
@allyn , or any other lawyer here (for the fun of it):
I've been reading the joint dissent of today's fiasco. I refuse to read the opinion itself for obvious reasons. What keeps capturing my attention is the reference (& rejection of the notion in the dissent) that the freedoms listed in the 14th amendment don't apply to abortion as it was not a concept at the time the amendment was written. With such heavy reliance on history & original intent, can't we now say that all modern guns aren't covered by the second amendment? Only flintlocks & muskets are allowed for personal ownership? Let's not overwhelm them with the militia issue...
Well, Ohio passed the 6 week heartbeat bill with no exception for rape or incest, and it also makes it harder for women to access the care they need in a timely manner. I work as a therapist mainly with women with PTSD, it's about to get even more difficult in this state. Part of me wants to leave, part of me knows I need to stay to help.
I assume that women who can afford it will drive to Toronto for abortions. There will likely be YouTubes explaining to women how to set it up. Am I off base with this? I was in college in Western Mass before Roe was passed and girls would go to Montreal. However, you did need money and poor women won't have it. They will use dangerous means and women will die.
There are grass roots organizations, and I expect many more will pop up, to fund travel and medical expenses for girls and women who need abortions. In NYC there's at least one organization where you can volunteer to offer room and board to women coming to access abortion care. You can also accompany them as well. But look for extremist legislators to try to criminalize anything that can be interpreted as assisting someone to get an abortion. What's coming isn't pre-Roe times, it's going to be much, much worse. The lawyer in me says that while you should help as much as you can, make sure you aren't creating liability for yourself. The goal will be to bankrupt regular people and terrorize them financially, to stop anyone from helping desperate women. We need to do as much as we can, but how helpful can anyone be if they're ruined financially? Be informed.
Also what's next on the menu is nationwide bans (although the GOP doesn't have the numbers to pass the legislation, at least not yet), and perhaps tee'ing up some sort of fetal personhood case to SCOTUS. That would be truly terrifying.
There have been a few articles lately about how Warren Buffet plans to leave most of his fortune to groups that fund abortion care. Google "Warren Buffet Abortion" and you'll see a bunch of them pop up. I've been wondering if he won't accelerate his donations now that the money is so desperately needed. He popped into my head this morning. Maybe he'll announce something soon. He's got like over $60 billion, and if that gets focused on abortion rights it could be a game-changer.
It's a race now to see whether reason or fascism reaches the finish line first. I'm rooting for reason.
@jeanne-mayell I remember when there were still laws on the books of some states which stated that a husband could not hit his wife with a 'stick' larger then the size of his wrist... Net/net: Man is of God, woman is the source of all evil and must be corrected whenever necessary and with the blessing of the state.
I don't think you are off base. I have been thinking it will be like a tourist industry in the sense that there will be organized busses and payment for transport and hotels will be done ahead of time like the travel industry.
I have to wonder how many women are now looking at their options for sterilization as well?
@jeanne-mayell I saw yesterday that my governor, Gavin Newsome has partnered up with the governors of Oregon and Washington to keep abortion access safe and welcome to all refugees seeking abortion. If I am not mistaken, CA (and possibly the others) are also planning to pay for the airfare/fees associated with the women who are in need in other states. Gavin Newsome also signed a bill in to law yesterday that keeps women and providers here protected from prosecution from these states that will attempt to. There is a video embedded in this link that the governors put out.
I’ve been back in school studying sociology and even more specifically Women’s health and financial equity and trying to figure out what is next for me career wise. I think it might be time to look in to working for abortion providers to help coordinate the refugees here in to CA
@cindy I fully agree with you, although I do see a physical war. We are already looking at the physical war - in Uvalde, in Buffalo, Boulder, Sandy Hook, the Pulse, our churches, our supermarkets, our schools - the very seat of our government. We've been seeing violent war here for 20 plus years and although everyone screams let's not let this become the "norm" it IS the norm. We're in a violent war as we speak. We have just conditioned ourselves to ignore it.
I see things the same way. We are already having a civil war, but no one has the balls to say so and react accordingly.
Of note: ALL the violence is coming from the right. Those in the middle and on the left are not creating their own combat battles.
I'm not sure about anyone else, but I have the feeling of waiting for the other shoe to drop. Not like I'm waiting for another ruling to drop, but something else is coming. Anyone else getting something on the horizon?
On Monday the SCOTUS schedule shows it could be the last day for opinions to be rendered till the fall. I'm not feeling that's it. I've wondered if it might be related to Jan 6 hearings. Or possible violence over protests or towards protesters.
Condemnation from foreign allies have been pouring in. The SCOTUS (minus the 3 dissenters) I don't feel have a clue what they've unleashed or how they personally have diminshed the institution, the people's view of the court, or themselves. It will be an eyeopening experience for them. It's like they are still feeling smug about what they've "acomplished", being clueless about the consequences of their actions. This will change with time.
The total lack of obiding by the founding principles of this nation- the separation of church & state is incredible. I'm saying this as a church member who has keys to her church. Many religions do not agree that life begins at conception, therefore this court has placed jurists' religous view as predominant over others. The founding fathers had differing opinions from these jursists ("originalists"?) on the subject as well. I'm wondering how many lawsuits by non-christian individuals will be forthcoming.
Before we can get things codified, there will be horror stories that will capture widespread attention. I'm not saying there will be hordes of these misfortunes, but enough to attach residuals to the court and the individuals (jurists, congressmen, senators, TFG) for years.
Alas, while this is difficult to actually live through, it's like giving birth. Labor is hard & dangerous. You want it to stop. You want the pain to go away. You wonder how much longer you'll have to suffer. But once it's over, you marvel at the joy and love you feel for the new life produced.
I assume that women who can afford it will drive to Toronto for abortions. There will likely be YouTubes explaining to women how to set it up. Am I off base with this? I was in college in Western Mass before Roe was passed and girls would go to Montreal. However, you did need money and poor women won't have it. They will use dangerous means and women will die.
This is why we need to set up Underground Railroads for women in need.
A bright spot today: My husband's employer, Silicon Valley based software firm, announced to all employees that any female employee located in any state where restrictions are happening, the company will pay for travel and expenses of whatever reproductive healthcare they need, whether it's prepartum care or abortion, etc. The email also said something to the effect of "you don't have to agree with this, you don't have to go get an abortion, but you are not permitted to try to prevent us from doing this as long as you choose to remain employed here."
A bright spot today: My husband's employer, Silicon Valley based software firm, announced to all employees that any female employee located in any state where restrictions are happening, the company will pay for travel and expenses of whatever reproductive healthcare they need, whether it's prepartum care or abortion, etc. The email also said something to the effect of "you don't have to agree with this, you don't have to go get an abortion, but you are not permitted to try to prevent us from doing this as long as you choose to remain employed here."
Wow! That is a strongly worded email.
Good for them!!!
Ok a small amount of FU to SCOTUS today! Earlier this week, SCOTUS rules that Maine could not exclude religious schools from their voucher program. This tweet is from @santiagomayer.
”
You know how SCOTUS said Maine couldn’t exclude religious schools from their voucher program?
Maine just changed the guidelines to exclude schools that discriminate against LGBTQ+ students.”
First good laugh I have had in days.
Ok a small amount of FU to SCOTUS today! Earlier this week, SCOTUS rules that Maine could not exclude religious schools from their voucher program. This tweet is from @santiagomayer.
”
You know how SCOTUS said Maine couldn’t exclude religious schools from their voucher program?
Maine just changed the guidelines to exclude schools that discriminate against LGBTQ+ students.”
First good laugh I have had in days.
This is great news!!!
Here is an article about what Maine is now doing.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/religious-schools-supreme-court-ruling-lgbtq/
@jeanne-mayell Yes. There are many on the ground efforts already in place for helping those in need of abortion services. These efforts will be strengthened by average citizens, and there is a group of Western states that are stepping up to provide help as well.
Post Roe America by Robin Marty has very good info. I read it when the decision "leaked".
The underground railroad for services is in place and will get better.
@laura-f Yep. I'm not happy about the hot civil war and really not happy that no one will acknowledge it. And yes, the right is the primary source of violence. There is some on the left, but not much. This goes back to Timothy McVeigh - even further. Honestly, the Civil War never ended, just cloaked itself in white hoods and carried on guerilla style.