What is Washboard Express?

Washboard Express is a way for me to express my own opinions, to be a provocative gadfly, by writing a "letter a day" to the President. I may miss a day here and there, because sometimes my family with be my first priority, but my goal is to write a total of 365 letters, representing one full year. To say I have opinions about most things would be to understate the obvious. Those of you that know me, know this is true, those who don't know me, will learn that it's true. The Washboard is a reference to going back to basics and "keeping it clean," so if you would like me to post your comments or opinions on this blog, I only ask that you be respectful. So go ahead, express yourself, and I look forward to an exchange of ideas and opinions.

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Letter #143... Dear Mr. President... Trivialized, Marginalized, Traumatized!


Dear Mr. President,

Women are being 'trivialized'
We know that men are quick to go to war, invade other counties without provocation (Iraq), and stomp around the world flexing their muscles against one group or another, but why on earth did they decide to pick a war with women... Again! Don’t men see what has happened historically when the women in their lives, their communities, their homes and the workplace are not respected?

We've seen the brutality that follows when women are oppressed and treated like chattel. The beating, stoning, burning, starving, and yes... the murdering of women around the world is appalling. Honor killings by a member of a family, due to the belief of the perpetrators (mostly men) that the victim (mostly women) has brought dishonor upon the family or community. Every year FGM or Female Genital Mutilation affects as many as 3 million young girls worldwide, and contrary to popular belief, this is not a religious ritual. I mention a few of these horrific things to illustrate the point that the war on women is worldwide, and the women of America will not take a step backwards in time to satisfy those who would oppress us in any manner.

It was only 95 years ago that women in this country were literally fighting for the right to vote. While picketing the White House, 33 women were arrested for obstructing sidewalk traffic. They were beaten, choked, dragged, kicked, and chained to cell bars, some barely alive. Alice Paul went on a hunger strike in protest of the worm infested food and foal water, so they tied her to a chair, forced a tube down her throat and forced fed her until she vomited. This continued for weeks until word was leaked to the press regarding her torture.

And today women are being trivialized, marginalized, and traumatized at the hands of men that we have helped put in office to protect our rights and pass laws that promote our health and well being. We did not elect them to take us back to the 50's and force us to fight for our rights all over again.

'Marginalized' by Darrell Issa
Women are being trivialized by men like Foster Friess, who said that in his day they used aspirin for birth control, “…the gals just put it between their knees.” We are being marginalized by men like Darrell Issa, who convened the panel of 5 men – 0 women to talk about contraception. And traumatized by laws that are being passed by the GOP that require women to undergo invasive ultrasound procedures before they can seek an abortion… under the guise that we need to be fully informed before we can make that decision for ourselves. Outrageous! Unacceptable! And any other word you can think of to describe how intolerable this is, and how offended women are.

Women are being 'traumatized'
This ‘War on Women’ has got to stop, and it will be stopped in voting booths across this nation in November… and I hope you will stand with me, and all women across America. We want to hear your voice in concert with ours, because we are NEVER GOING BACK!

Most Respectfully,

Marcia Reimers, 
Your Gadfly Granny

3 comments:

  1. This is great! I'll post it tomorrow on womankind.

    In Sisterhood,
    Blue

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    1. Thanks Blue... sign up to follow, and welcome aboard the Washboard Express.

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