As March- Women’s History Month- Comes to a Close the War Against Women Continues. Mar. 29, 2012 The House Republicans Rejected the Violence Against Women Act

In 2012 Women’s History Month started with Limbaugh’s vulgar, crude and outrageous attacks on a female Georgetown law student; he called her a slut and a prostitute for speaking up about contraceptives. Not only did he attack her on the air repeatedly but he did so at his web site numerous times. His tirade continued for three full days. His programs air on 600 radio stations, so this woman was slandered and verbally attacked nationwide. In our present a 24-hour news cycle, the attack seemed to have gone on forever.  After many expressed outrage, some advertisers pulled out of the program.  Now barely a month later the furor has died down.  I wonder how many of those advertisers are already back and quietly supporting Limbaugh’s program.  Regardless of how much one worships the almighty dollar, how could any father or mother support Limbaugh’s program after his deplorable conduct? I find it puzzling that conservatives talk so much about values and decency, yet there was no great outcry from the conservatives about Limbaugh’s uncivil, vulgar and indecent conduct.  Isn’t that about values? What are the lessons we are teaching our children?!!!

In our illustrious Congress, the issue of contraceptives for women was handled by an all-male group.  This happened on Feb. 16, 2012.  ABC has been kind enough to have recorded it all here for us. Rep. Darrell Issa Bars Minority Witness, a Woman, on Contraception …  abcnews.go.com/…/2012/…/rep-darrell-issa-bars-minority-witness-a-…

A Capitol Hill hearing that was supposed to be about religious freedom and a mandate that health insurers cover contraception in the United States began as an argument about whether Democrats could add a woman to the all-male panel.  We the people need to pay close attention.  The clock on women’s freedoms is being rolled backwards.

“Where are the women?” the minority Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., asked early in the hearing.  She criticized the Republican committee chairman, Rep. Darrel Issa, for wanting to “roll back the fundamental rights of women to a time when the government thought what happens in the bedroom is their business.”

“We will not be forced back to that primitive era,” she said.  Interesting that Republicans are shouting loudly that the President’s Health Care Plan puts govt between people and their doctors; however, Limbaugh and an all-male panel want to dictate laws about birth-control to women?!!  Which is more intrusive?  The health care law is helpful to women, families,  people in lower socio-economic situations, the self-employed and to young adults in school.  What do these men and Limbaugh know about women’s lives and birth-control?  If more men would act responsibly and use birth control women would not have to bear all the burden of ensuring unwanted pregnancies and scurrilous attacks.

Issa bristled at the charge and said Democrats could not add their witness because she was not a member of the clergy, but a student at Georgetown. He also faulted Democrats for not submitting the name of the witness, Sandra Fluke, in time. Imagine if this were a discussion about prescription for Viagra and an all-female panel was out front giving the orders and making the decisions?!!!  From small community organizations  to our Congress there are arrogant, paternalistic men trying to turn back the clock on women.

March 29, 2012, Republicans in Washington voted against renewing the Violence Against Women Act, legislation that provides support to domestic abuse survivors and gives prosecutors the resources to convict violent abusers. Since it was championed and passed by our now Vice-President, Joe Biden, seventeen years ago, the Violence Against Women Act has helped to cut the domestic violence rate in America in half.
 It is absolutely unconscionable that Republicans would let this life-saving act expire. But you can help me fight back today.  (Rep. Rosa DeLauro; March 29, 2012 ROSADELAURO.COM)

Here is the full text put out by Press Release from Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney. NCADV:  “The House Republicans Reject Violence Against Women Act. In response, this evening, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (DNY) posed the question, “How could anyone oppose the Violence Against Women Act?” This landmark legislation provides support to domestic abuse survivors and gives prosecutors the resources to convict violent abusers — but Republicans refused to renew it on the House floor today.

“As the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence reminds us that the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) is a cost-effective, time-tested, constitutionally sound compendium of laws that guarantees equal protection to all victims seeking help under its auspices. Victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking look to Congress to keep this critical program going.

“VAWA, which is up for reauthorization, has changed the way our society views domestic and sexual violence. Once a “private family matter,” domestic violence is now recognized in every state and territory as a crime of violence against an intimate partner. VAWA has also encouraged states to adopt new and more effective strategies to respond to dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Thanks to Congress’ efforts in drafting and passing VAWA, approximately $430 million is distributed to the states, tribes, and territories every year to fund the training and work of courts, prosecutors, police officers, and victim service providers. Each state and territory receives a proportionate share of the formula grant funding, allowing them to develop best practices and resources to address the needs of victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in their jurisdictions.”[i] This legislation has been very instrumental in providing the necessary funding to support efforts to eradicate domestic violence. With that, in the words of Congresswoman Maloney: 

How could anyone oppose the Violence Against Women Act?   (I also ask this question)

On 3/29/12 Every single Republican (no exceptions)  voted against women by voting against renewing the Violence Against Women Act.  Sinclair Lewis once wrote: “When Fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in a flag and carrying the cross.” How can protecting women from violence be a partisan issue?  What are the values here?    Other media sources calling our attention to this important issue:

• War On Women: Chuck Schumer Says Violence Against Women Act …
•  www.huffingtonpost.com/…/war-on-women-chuck-schumer
• Gwen Moore and the Violence Against Women Act | Crooks and Liars- March 29, 2012    “Once upon a time, the Violence Against Women Act had bipartisan support, but as the Republican Party continues to devolve into rightwing extremism, Republicans like Rep. Bob Turner (R – NY) — a good pal of Rush Limbaugh, and instrumental in getting the conservative talk show host his own television program back when Turner was a television executive — voted against renewing the Violence Against Women Act. What a surprise.” Please click the link above and read this piece in its entirety; it is illuminating.

Violence Against Women Act Divides Senate – NYTimes.com – I ask- why should this be? Why should Republicans oppose a piece of legislation that protects all women against domestic violence? 

History Of 19Th Amendment      www.essortment.com/history-19th-amendment-21116.html

Overview of the women’s movement to gain the right to vote in the United States:   As March 2012 comes to a close and we look back on some of the events of the past two months it is evident  that even though we live in the United States of America we cannot take our rights for granted.  As we sit back and say it cannot happen here, we see evidence that slowly but surely there are those who are using various disguises to roll back the clock.  A 30 year-old law student is labeled a slut and a prostitute because she wants access to birth control.  A panel comprising only men is called  to testify about birth control. Women are being told that men know what is best for them and men are better able to determine how a woman should conduct her personal life. Roe v. Wade has been on the chopping block ever since it became law, and today, March 29, 2012, every Republican in the House of Representatives voted against the bill that would give women protection against violence. As Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (DNY) asks: “How could anyone oppose the Violence Against Women Act?” This landmark legislation provides support to domestic abuse survivors and gives prosecutors the resources to convict violent abusers — but Republicans refused to renew it on the House floor today.

We NEED to be vigilant about maintaining the rights and protections of all Americans.  We detest what happens to women in some 3^rdworld countries; let us not lose  sight of what is happening to women here.  Let us ask ourselves – how many men have been jailed for trying to get a good public school education for their children?  How many have had to plea to a felony and so become legally handicapped for life for doing what they have been told is the proactive thing to do — get your child a good education?  We might be 52.8 percent of the population, and we are responsible for bringing all of the men into the world, but we have a long way to go to be perceived  and treated as equals.   Although we are the majority of the population, what do you think would happen if women suggested only they should determine which men should be allowed to take Viagra?  Here are some figures of interest:

• We are now in the 112th Congress.  The House of Representatives has 435 members.

• The Senate has 100.  The entire Congress has 535 members. 
•  Ninety-two members of the combined congress are women; 443 members are men.
•  There are 75 women in the House of Representatives (51 Democrats and 24 Republicans)
•  There are 17 women in the Senate  (12 Democrats and 5 Republicans).
•  Three of the women who serve in the House are Delegates, representing the District of Columbia, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands; all are Democrats.  They have no vote.
• Excluding Delegates, women currently hold 72 (16.6%) seats in the House of Representatives, and
• 17 (17%) seats in the Senate, totaling 89 (16.6%) of the 535 voting seats in the 112th Congress.
• Including Delegates, women currently hold 75 seats in the House of Representatives, and
• 17 in  the Senate, totaling 92 seats (17.0%) in the entire Congress. 
• Bear in mind that we make up 52.8 percent of the total US population.   

Healthy Debate is a Canadian-based web site filled with good information.  OneWorld Progressive Institute highly recommends blog posts by Naheed Dosani, M.D., and many others.  Visit: http://healthydebate.ca/opinions/

BLOG: Screening for Poverty: Identifying an Important Social Determinant of Health by Naheed Dosani   http://healthydebate.ca/author/dosanin 

“Just as screening is important for other conditions or risk factors, like smoking, high cholesterol or domestic violence, so too is screening for poverty,” says Dr. Bloch, a Family Physician at Toronto’s St. Michael’s Hospital and a founding member of Healthcare Providers Against Poverty (HPAP).  Dr. Bloch is an advocate for poverty screening. 

Poverty, followed closely by ignorance, is at the root of many of the social ills that ails us as a society.  In every type of service provided, but particularly in health care here in the United States, providers need to screen for poverty and they need to provide subject or topic-related education.  Unless these two things are done the services provided will be of less value and will not achieve fully the intended purpose/s.  One area that immediately comes to mind is dental health.  A lack of adequate information and education about the perils of dental abscesses has cost the lives of young people as well as older people.  We don’t always hear about them, but they occur.  Another area is nutrition and exercise.  There needs to be more emphasis of the attending dangers to life and to overall well-being.

Also read: 3 Reasons Why Patients Should Consider Using Social Media | Jan 27, 2012  The Three reasons why patients should consider using social media are based on the Canadian system of health care; this is where Dr. Dosani practices; however, in this world of global media, people in the USA can also benefit from the information provided, and providers in the USA are catching up in using social media to communicate with patients.  American web sites are filled with all types of information; not all of them are reliable and not all should be used.  However, there are sites with significantly valuable information such as those listed below and many others.  We suggest staying away from commercial sites trying to seel you something, or those which are promoting specific health products. 

1. Your healthcare providers, clinics and hospitals are online and ready to interact with you.  
2. Equip yourself with knowledge: the latest studies, news and developments in health.
3. Patients sharing their stories in ‘virtual support groups’.  

Social media has provided an online environment for patients to discuss their health. Possibly the area of greatest potential, more patients are using it to share their stories including their rises and pitfalls, side-effects of therapies and the social and psychological aspects of their illnesses, to name a few. Online chat streams for patients with breast cancer and rheumatoid arthritis are examples of a growing list that are becoming more popular.

 Here are some reliable web sites with good medical information.  These are only a few of the many available to you.    How to Evaluate Health Information on the Internet – FDA   www.fda.gov/…/

•  WebMD – Better information. Better health www.webmd.com/ 

• www.genome.gov/11008303

• www.healthfinder.gov/  The National Institutes of Health at: www.nih.gov/

• DukeHealth.org www.dukehealth.org/  

• Evaluating Health Information: MedlinePlus
•  www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/evaluatinghealthinformation.html

The best thing we adults can do for all children over whom we have any influence is to give them the skills they need to survive and thrive. Let us imbue our children with self-love, self-respect and hope for a positive future.  That will not happen if we call them ugly names and tell them there is no hope.  If we take out our daily stresses and disappointments on their backs and their behinds they will also seek relief from those stresses  on the backs or faces of other children.  Some of our children are learning the skills of bullying at home; sometimes from their parents, older siblings or other relatives.  Later on either in school or in life other children and people reap from our kids what we sow at home.
Many schools are now trying to put in place a more lasting practice and positive practice. Read about it here:  Written by Chris Sullivan, 03/22/2012  Lacey school attacks bullying with social skills – MYNorthwest.com

Seven Oaks Elementary goes after bullying by teaching manners, conflict resolution and social skills, trying to prevent it before it actually happens.  
It holds two full days of social training at the start of each school year focusing on how to deal with conflicts and arguments so they don’t fester and spill into mean emails, texts, posts on Facebook or physical fights. 

This is worth reading.  Please, let us be thoughtful and proactive. We need to try harder to save our children and our communities.  Here are other resources for parents and teachers to deal effectively with bullying:

1. What to Teach Kids about Bullying — National Crime Prevention … 

2. www.ncpc.org/…/bullying/teaching-kids-about-bullying/what-to-teac 

3. Facts and advice to help kids overcome bullying. … What Parents Can Do … one of the most effective ways to stop bullying and prevent it from happening again.

4. Bullying Prevention – Guide for parents and children

5. www.partnershipwithchildrennyc.org/   

2)  In Sept, 2011, Kyle Willis (age 24) went to the hospital complaining of a toothache. Dentists reportedly told him he needed to have the tooth pulled. Mr. Willis was unemployed and had no health insurance to pay to have the extraction done.  When his face started swelling, Willis went to the emergency room, where he received prescriptions for antibiotics and pain medications.  Willis could not afford both, so he chose the pain medications.  Published reports said the cost of the antibiotics was an additional $27! The tooth infection spread to his brain causing it to swell; two weeks later he was pronounced dead at the University Hospital in Cincinnati.  This happened in America in 2011!

The U.S. does not have the best health care system in the world – it has the best emergency care system in the world. Advanced U.S. medical technology has not translated into better health statistics for its citizens; indeed, the U.S. ranks near the bottom in list after list of international comparisons. Part of the problem is that there is more profit in a pound of cure than an ounce of prevention.  (This is another reason why the rich corporate leaders and their mouth-pieces are denigrating the President’s Health Care Plan; it reduces the profit margin for some) Another part of the problem is that America has the highest level of poverty and income inequality among all rich nations, and poverty affects one’s health much more than the limited ministrations of a formal health care system. America’s Health Rankings and United Health  Foundation   www.americashealthrankings.org/

Education and health literacy are intricately linked – read more about that here:   Statistics on American K-12 Public Education – The Broad …  www.broadeducation.org/about/crisis_stats.html

Teen Pregnancies Hit New Low, But Disparities Remain (Previously posted 2/10/12 – technology has its challenges) NPR Shots blog, Shefali S. Kulkarni, 02/08/2012

Teen pregnancies are at their lowest rate in nearly 40 years, according to the latest data from the Guttmacher Institute, a research organization focused on sexual and reproductive health. While overall rates have dropped, there is still a major gap separating white, Hispanic and black teenagers.

OneWorld comments: The article linked above was published by RWJF News Digest: Public Health- which we receive on a regular basis.  The digest is full of relevant information.  As we celebrate Black History Month we also need to look closely at the state of Black life in 2012.  There are several things we can do (as individuals) to make things better in our personal lives and in our communities.  In addition to educational, economics, social/societal, and structural issues, there are also far more deep-seated and psychological issues that many of us do not want to talk about and don’t think others should talk about either.  However, if we are willing to honestly address these and other questions, we might find some workable answers.

What are the factual reasons behind these distressing statistics? How can they be changed?  Who needs to be involved? When, where, how and by whom should the interventions start? What about personal responsibility? What’s the cost to us all?

BRAINWASHED – Challenging the Myth of Black Inferiority – by Tom Burrell

Watch an interesting and dynamic Black History television program titled – “BRAINWASHED – Challenging the Myth of Black Inferiority” on Citizens TV, 7-8PM, Sunday Feb. 12, 2012. Enola Aird moderates the discussion with five New Haven residents; the centerpiece is Tom Burrell’s provocative book “Brainwashed.”  Ms Aird, the Founder of Community Healing Network, says African-Americans should set the year 2019, as a goal, to achieve total freedom/emancipation.  Is that really possible?  Watch and answer that question for yourself.  We encourage you to watch with your children.  During the month of February the program will also be on AT&T Uverse statewide, on Comcast Channels 10, 15, 18, 26, and 34, on Cox 15 and on Charter Communications 21. 

• Burrell says: “Black people are not dark-skinned white people; in fact, they are much more. They are survivors of the Middle Passage and centuries of humiliation and deprivation, who have excelled against all odds, constantly making a way out of no way.” Do we still need Black History Month? If so, how should it be celebrated? Visit our web site and browse all video sections including at: http://www.oneworldpi.org/education/education_videos.html  http://www.oneworldpi.org/multicultural_resources/black_history.html

• http://www.oneworldpi.org/health/health_videos.html             
• http://www.oneworldpi.org/civic_engagement/civic_engagement_videos.html

Another National Bestseller book by an African-American man is “Makes Me Wanna Holler” by Nathan McCall, a former journalist with the Washington Post. In this devastating yet inspiring memoir, McCall, now a lecturer in the Department of African-American Studies at Emory University (Georgia), shares with readers his life growing up in a working-class neighborhood; he was smart, but he ended up in prison.  He did three years. He then transformed himself; he got an education; he became a journalist.  He has escaped the cruel, mean streets, but he cannot escape racism. It is everywhere. So how do black people achieve mental, emotional, and spiritual emancipation? How should Black History Month be commemorated—if at all? What types of activities moves us further along the road to total emancipation?  The year 2019 will mark 400 years since Black Africans were brought to America (1619).  What does this mean for today in 2012? How far have we really come as a country and as a people – Black people?

Michelle Alexander’s powerful book “The New Jim Crow – Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness”  is a must read for every thinking American.  Of this book Glen C. Loury, professor of economics at Brown University and author of Race, Incarceration, and American Values, writes : “With imprisonment now the principal instrument of our social policy directed toward poorly educated black men, Michelle Alexander argues convincingly that the huge racial disparity of punishment in America is not mere result of neutral state action. She sees the rise of mass incarceration as opening up a new front in the historic struggle for racial justice.  And she’s right.”

BHM – We honor: William Still, born Oct. 7, 1821 – died July 14, 1902.  Mr. Still was an: abolitionist, conductor on the Railroad, writer, historian and civil rights activist.  He led many people to freedom.  Watch OneWorld Progressive Institute’s community education and information programs on AT&T Uverse, Channel 99 (find the stations on alphabetical order: Branford Community TV, East Haven TV, North Haven TV),  and on Public access : Totoket TV, Comcast Channels 10, 15, 18, 26 and 34, Charter Communications Chan. 21 and Cox Channel 15.