Can I do this without getting sick? Maybe? #DearJohn, #trafficking, and the Super Bowl

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Storyteller Knight, it would seem that our Republican state reps are competing with each other over who can destroy women's rights faster. Yours introduced a bill that would strip away equal pay. Mine is the lead sponsor of the latest anti-abortion bill. I think NJ "wins" :-(

Ok, seeing as I am FINALLY in a better mood (my car is fixed! And my mother is officially declaring war on my abusive, deadbeat bastard father! Somehow this makes me happy. I don't know why. I think I'm just glad to have my car back... despite having to miss work because I couldn't get out of the driveway, as it had been blocked by fallen power lines...) I think I can attempt to tackle this HR3 bullshit without throwing up. Every time I hear about it, I want to. Oooh, and there's more. So yes, today we're talking about women's rights, abortion, and rape & sexual assault (which is not solely a women's issue. I wrote that 5000 word essay for a reason... But in this particular instance, I am focusing on women since bio men physically cannot have abortions...yet?).

So what is HR3? It's the GOP's way of prohibiting taxpayer funded abortions. Guess how? By redefining what constitutes as rape, and denying rape victims survivors the right to an abortion. Let me clarify - a bunch of men, and 2 women, want to A) tell women exactly what they can and can't do to their bodies, and B) redefine violent acts by (the congresspeople's) perceived level of violence.


(Ok, seeing as how that was written earlier in the week... The rape redefinition part has been taken out due to all of the backlash. And pro-choice NJ will be hanging our heads in shame of Rep. Chris Smith. Sponsored an anti-human trafficking bill, the nation's first ever, and now this. He went from helping rape victims survivors, to... I don't even know what this is anymore.)

I'll be compiling a bunch of petitions here for the time being (you may have seen some of these from Twitter). Next break I take from #Egypt (which will likely be Sunday), I'll be back to actually discuss this, and human trafficking (did you know that that Super Bowl is a magnet for child sex trafficking and prostitution? Now you do. So help us fight it, and protect and defend children during the Super Bowl.), and about what it really means to be pro-life. Hint: all of these war-mongering, guns-in-schools-loving, anti-abortion peeps? I'm going to go out on a limb here and say ultimately not pro-life. Details to follow.

ACLU - Tell your representative: "Don't play politics with women's health."
via Change.org - Stop Anti-Women Groups from Shaping Reproductive Health Policy
MoveOn.org - Redefining Rape?
Credo Action - Stop the radical rightwing's assault on choice

What's Happening in #Egypt? Days 9-10 | #Jan25 #Feb1

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I didn't end up finishing yesterday's updates for various personal reasons. But here's what we missed:

Wednesday, Feb 2

• Violence escalated in Alexandria and in Cairo's Tahrir Square as pro-Mubarak hired(!) thugs attacked protesters gathered. As heard on Al Jazeera's broadcast, entrances to Tahrir were barricaded (by the army) as the men attempted to protect the women and children in the center. Hundreds were injured in a stampede towards the exits. Protesters from both sides threw stones at each other, though pro-Mubarak forces, including police officers, also reportedly had knives, tear gas, assault weapons, clubs, horses, camels, and tanks. Thousands were injured, and at least 20 people were killed in the clashes that evening.
• ID cards captured from the pro-Mubarak crowds show that they are actually police officers in plain clothes. There have also been rumors that they were all paid roughly $17 to fight for Mubarak's regime and quash the rebellion.
• Meanwhile, the Egyptian army has stood by and watched...
• Doctors in the square have been setting up makeshift clinics. If you are able to get supplies to them, please do so! Water, blankets, bandages, anything.
• The internet is back up and running, but is still somewhat blocked and slow. Keep running relays and bridges!
• Protesters refuse to back down, but it also seems that they have been somewhat successful in holding back pro-Mubarak demonstrators from gaining any control of Tahrir Square.
• The Egyptian army has been making arrests. Also, any suspected undercover police officers are being handed over in citizens' arrests throughout Tahrir Square.

Thursday, Feb 3

• Protests have begun in Yemen. Find this on Twitter using #Feb3
• Earlier this week, President Saleh (who has been in office for 32 years), has also vowed not to run again, along with his son. However, this means he plans on staying in office until 2013.
• Protests have also been planned in Sudan (#Jan30), Algeria (#Feb13), Syria (#Feb5), and Bahrain (#Feb14). For more information, you can also check out hashtags #OpEgypt, #OpTunisia, #Feb1 and of course, #Jan25 and #Egypt.
• Journalists in Egypt, including Anderson Cooper, have been constantly attacked over the past few days. Cooper and his crew were attacked a second time this morning. Many reporters are being detained.
• A government car in Egypt mowed down over 20 people today... Watch at your own discretion.
• Apparently, the US is contemplating exchanging Mubarak for Egypt's new Vice President, Omar Suleiman. Not a good sign...
• But Suleiman himself has spoken out about reform in Egypt on State TV today. He claimed that reforms are "on their way," blamed foreign countries for meddling in their affairs, and announced that violent protesters (both pro- and anti- Mubarak) will be brought to justice. Because the protesters were the ones hurting Egypt, he believes.
• via the Huffington Post, this just in - Christine Amanpour has gotten an exclusive interview with Hosni Mubarak. Footage to come soon.
• 4:45pm - Mubarak's interview with Amanpour -  "If I resign today, there will be chaos."  So is he delusional, ignorant, or what? Look outside. Look at what your police are doing. Egypt will be better off without you. Just go.
• 5:02pm - Al Jazeera reports that things have finally been calming down. If you are having trouble watching the live stream on their site (as it has been down for most of the US today), check out the feed on their Youtube channel.
• Egypt's Torture Victims Describe Beatings, Electroshock, Rape Threats 
• Journalists in Egypt are still being attacked, detained, arrested.
•  

And it just occurred to me that I wrote this entire thing with Daria's voice in my head... I should stop playing it while I sleep.

What's Happening in Egypt? - Day 8 | #jan25 #Feb1

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A little less "reporting," a little more commentary today...

This morning, Al Jazeera reported that attendance at the historic "March of Millions" in Tahrir Square was over 1 million people, with an estimate of over 2 million protesters in all of Cairo.

Mubarak is expected to give a speech later soon, presumably in an attempt to appease and diffuse the crowds. Not likely to happen - many report that he will be simply stating that he will not be running in the upcoming election. (Like he had a chance, without rigging it or claiming office by force...)


Mother Jones has reported on Mubarak's human rights abuses. You can check that out here.

Also, earlier today, the US ordered the evacuation of all nonessential American personnel in Egypt. If I remember correctly, Canada and... Britain? also ordered evacuations.

Currently on BBC world news - very, very angry protesters...  Everyone feels quite strongly about this"Go to hell, Mubarak! Go away! Leave us alone! We will make it! We are not the first people in the world to get rid of a dictator!" as shouted by one woman. Even little children are leading the chants...

What amazes me so much about this is that this is truly a national, all-encompassing movement. The Egyptian people are putting aside all differences to fight for a common cause. The army that once fought against them is standing with them all... Christians and Muslims are publicly vowing to protect each other from harm, especially while praying. (That is unheard of in the US...) Citizens are sharing with each other-- "from each according to his ability, to each according to his need," as an Al Jazeera reporter stated this morning. So putting aside the Mubarak as Hitler images, and noose-hung effigies (and of course the bouts of violence) this, to me, is beautiful in a way...



4:00pm EST - Mubarak has begun his speech... Will update once I can get a transcript. Damn ADD... Al Jazeera's translator & CNN's closed captioning are... different, so if I get exact wording off, it's because la atakallam arabi. I can't speak Arabic. Oh hey! Al Jazeera is now broadcasting the speech in English... Oh, no, it's just a guy rereading it.

As expected, the protesters are very angry. This falls very short of their demands... Mubarak is expecting to finish out the remainder of his term, however, we have yet to see if that will happen as the protesters continue to chant "leave! Leave!" Mubarak vowed that he will die on Egyptian soil (meaning he has no intentions of running away in exile)... and as soon as he said that (and I heard/read the translation ^^"), I cringed. He probably shouldn't have said that... That might happen sooner than he thinks... :-/ Word of advice, Mubarak - when they're hanging you in effigy, it might not be the time to bring up death, ok? Angry people + deep-seated hatred of you + volatile sociopolitical situation = potentially really bad consequences for a dictator. Best just go enjoy exile in Senegal...

Commentators have been saying that Mubarak wants to leave honorably, which is why he intends to finish out his term. Maybe it's just an American's way of looking at things, but wouldn't it be more honorable to say "Ok, I understand that I haven't lived up to your expectations, and I'm sorry. You 'elected' me, I am here to serve you. So if you want me to step down, I will"? Instead of this nonsense of him trying to hold on to the tiniest threads?

Though I also have to say, I wonder how things would be once the emotional response subsides. If he were allowed to finish out his term, perhaps in a "limited" capacity of some sort, what would happen? He is going to leave whether he likes it or not-- that much is definitely certain. The question is, when? Now? In September? Or if he were allowed to stay, would he try to quash the rebellion and supplant himself within the presidency for another 30 years? (I suspect other countries wouldn't be so cool with that, though... "Protector" USA would totally jump in at some point. Not sure how I feel about that right now. General policy is None of Our Business unless it would be unethical to ignore the problem, or they actually, seriously want our help-- but no wars; but if Egypt asks for our help, could we refuse?)


5:15pm - CNN headline is "MUBARAK WILL STEP DOWN" Um... ok, that's the problem, though. It's not the same as what the protesters are demanding. Eventually, most presidents step down. Again, the issue is when.

5:25pm - Mother Jones is reporting that the protest has gotten violent in Alexandria. Shots have been fired, as Mubarak supporters clash with protesters. Al Jazeera is saying that the shots came from the Egyptian police. (Apparently there actually are Mubarak supporters... and they're fighting back?)

6:45pm - President Obama - "...an orderly transition must begin now."

"  Oh freedom... May G-d make it happen... Tonight."  

P.S. - this is the translation of what the protesters were chanting earlier....
..if you're wondering why it's here.