politics

I've been waiting for three years and 364 days for today, for the chance to cast my vote and kick the Republicans out of office. Or, I suppose you could say I've waited seven years and 364 days. I cast my vote for Obama this morning, after checking about 22 times to make sure I had it right. I was somewhat disappointed not to vote on New York City's old school-lever pulling machine, which makes the most satisfying clunk when you vote, and which feels very serious, but it was still awfully satisfying to fill in that arrow with a neat and strong line.

I had taken today as a vacation day and planned to go up to New Hampshire to do voter support, but I got sick, so I had to stay home. I did make it over to the Cambridge/Somerville Obama headquarters for an hour to make some calls, and I spoke to one elderly gentleman in Virginia who told me that he had gotten up at 4am and had been the first in the line to vote. That was pretty inspiring.

Now I'm anxiously crossing my fingers for another four or five hours till we start hearing the poll results...

It's National Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read.

According to the American Library Association, here are the top 10 banned books in 2007 (annotated by me):

1. And Tango Makes Three, by Justin Richardson/Peter Parnell
Reasons: Anti-Ethnic, Sexism, Homosexuality, Anti-Family, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group
I've read this and it is one of the cutest children's stories EVER. What's not to love about penguins in love who want a baby?

2. The Chocolate War, by Robert Cormier
Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Violence
I read this many years ago, probably in sixth grade or so--I'm surprised it's still on the list.

3. Olive’s Ocean, by Kevin Henkes
Reasons: Sexually Explicit and Offensive Language
I haven't read this one, but it sounds really good.

4. The Golden Compass, by Philip Pullman
Reasons: Religious Viewpoint
This is a fantastic series...really interesting world, complex characters, strong female characters, good writing.

5. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain
Reasons: Racism
I read this years ago, as well. It's such a part of our culture--a friend just made a joke about painting a fence that referenced this book last weekend--I'm not sure how you could ban it.

6. The Color Purple, by Alice Walker
Reasons: Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language,
Another book I read many years ago; I'm ashamed to admit I don't remember it, so I'll have to add it to my library request list.

7. TTYL, by Lauren Myracle
Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group
I haven't read this, but something tells me I'm not quite the right age for it.

8. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, by Maya Angelou
Reasons: Sexually Explicit
I remember being amazed by this, but it's another one I need to re-read.

9. It’s Perfectly Normal, by Robie Harris
Reasons: Sex Education, Sexually Explicit
I haven't read this, but given my professional field, I probably don't need to.

10. The Perks of Being A Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky
Reasons: Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group
I haven't read this, but I like the title...maybe it'll be another library book.

I took a look through the list of top-ten banned books since 1991, and I've read and love many of them. As an avid reader, I know I first grappled with many serious issues through books...I can't understand why parents would prefer their child to learn about sex by, say, having it, or reality tv, instead of reading Judy Blume? I mean, they do know that pretending it doesn't exist doesn't actually work, right? Oh wait...no, that's why we still have abstinence-only education. Anyways, I don't have a week to write about all the books I love on the banned books list, but one of these days I'm going through it, or perhaps the Radcliffe top 100 list, and read all the ones I haven't yet.

Banned Books Week always makes me think of another favorite, Farenheit 451, which may be at the root of my love for dystopian novels.

Three years ago yesterday, Private First Class LaVena Johnson was killed in Iraq. She didn't die in combat. She died of a gunshot wound to the head. Oh, and a few other injuries:

Private LaVena Johnson's nose was broken, teeth were loose, one eye was concave and there were abrasions over her body. The supposed M-16 hole to the head was far too small for the revolver-sized exit wound, and was on the wrong side of her skull for a right-handed woman to have pulled the trigger. Her genital area showed evidence of acid, perhaps used to destroy DNA evidence. She had white military gloves glued to her burned hands.

It is far, far too likely that Ms. Johnson was another woman in the U.S. Military who was raped and murdered by another American solider. Yet the U.S. Army is calling this a suicide and refusing to investigate further. Her parents and activist Philip Barron are trying to get her case reopened.

You can sign a petition demanding justice, and contact your senator, and your representative.

The war is horrific enough. The last thing we need is our soldiers being raped and murdered by their own colleagues. This case makes me sick, and makes me furious. What about supporting and honoring our troops? If Americans really wanted to support our troops, they would be demanding justice for Ms. Johnson and all other other women "suicides", or working to bring the troops home, not sticking little yellow magnets on their SUVs.

You can read more about Ms. Johnson at the site dedicated to her, on Feministing, on Jezebel, or on Salon.

Inspired by Mandi's post on Martin Luther King, Jr, and by clips of his speeches that I heard this morning on NPR, I watched several of his speeches on YouTube this evening.

Much of this one, "Why I am Opposed to the War in Vietnam", speaks to today. Change a few words, update a few numbers, and he could have given this speech last week instead of almost 41 years ago. Forty years after Dr. King's assassination, five years after the beginning of the war in Iraq, I find this speech as inspiring and heartbreaking as it must have been when it was given here in NYC on April 30, 1967.

"...we as a nation must undergo a radical revolution of values. We must rapidly begin the shift from a thing-oriented society to a person-oriented society. When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, militarism and economic exploitation are incapable of being conquered."

The Pacifica Radio/UC Berkeley Social Activism Sound Recording Project has a transcript.

I plan on directly donating my tax rebate to several left wing causes that are directly working to counter the Bush administration. I'm thinking groups like the War Resisters League, for anti-war work; the National Network of Abortion Funds, which helps pay for abortions for women who can't afford them; and a group that works for GLBTQ rights (any suggestions for a good one?). Maybe I'll donate to People for the American Way or the ACLU as well. Then I will send a nice letter to Bush thanking him for allowing me to dramatically increase my giving this year, and telling him exactly where my money went.

Any other ideas for good places to donate? $600 is a lot of money!

October 24, 2007, is Blog Day for the MOTHERS Act. You can read a ton more about it at Postpartum Progress. Since I have to run to get to work, I'll quote them directly about the Act:

What is the MOTHERS Act? The Moms Opportunity to Access Help, Education, Research and Support for Postpartum Depression Act, or MOTHERS Act (S. 1375), will ensure that new mothers and their families are educated about postpartum depression, screened for symptoms and provided with essential services. In addition, it will increase research into the causes, diagnoses and treatments for postpartum depression. The bill is sponsored by Senators Menendez and Durbin.

And, stepping into my public health voice: Between 15 and 40% of mothers in the US suffer from postpartum depression, depending on population subgroups. While almost all new mothers get the "baby blues", postpartum depression is much more serious and long-lasting. Postpartum depression can strike any woman, but rates are exponentially higher among low-income women, women of color, adolescent mothers, women with a history of depression, and women who have a history of current or previous abuse. Very few women receive treatment. Untreated depression can have a life-long impact on a woman and on her children.

Please take a moment to call your senator about the bill today. More information is available at Postpartum Support International.

It's an enormous amount of work to be a mom. We, as a country, should do everything we can to support women in raising the children they chose to have. Here's me with my awesome mom.

Mom and I, originally uploaded by zannect.

October 3 is Rosie Jiménez Day, a day organized by the Abortion Access Project in memory of Rosaura Jiménez, the first woman known to die of an illegal abortion due to the Hyde Amendment. Ms. Jiménez died of a massive infection on October 3, 1977, after an illegal abortion. The Hyde Amendment (passed in 1976) bans the use of federal Medicaid funds to pay for abortions for low-income women, and is renewed each year. Low income women in particular still face huge challenges in accessing abortions, due to both the limited number of providers and the associated costs.

October is used to be National Abortion Access Action Month, in honor of Ms. Jiménez. (Comments on the RH Reality Check post indicate AAP doesn't run the month anymore.)

The image of illegal abortion that has stayed with me most strongly, since I first saw it many years ago, is the famous, heartbreaking photo of Geraldine Santoro, who bled to death alone in a hotel room due to a botched home abortion.

Read more at the Abortion Access Project, at the National Organization for Women and on RH Reality Check.

Average weekly salary for investment banking, all employees (includes top money managers, bankers, secretaries, clerks, etc), first quarter 2007:
Fairfield, CT: $23,846
Manhattan: $16,849
Nationwide: $8,367
All private sector jobs, nationwide: $841

Federal poverty guidelines, per year, 2007:
Family of one: $10,210
Family of two: $13,690
Family of three: $17,170
Family of four: $20,650
Family of five: $24,130

Basic needs budget, estimated, family of four:
National average, suburban areas: $40,000
New York: $55,140
Rural Alabama: $31,455

Number of children in the US, 0-18: 73 million. Of those:
Low income families (100-200% FPL): 39%, or 28.4 million children
Poor families (below 100% FPL): 18%, or 12.8 million children

I thought about writing a whole rant about this, but I think the numbers speak for themselves.



Sources:
Investment banker data: Pay at Investment Banks Eclipses All Private Jobs, by David Cay Johnson, New York Times, September 1, 2007.
Poverty data: National Center for Children in Poverty, various publications