Sweet Blog o' Mine

Keep Your Laws Off My Body

Since I spent the evening last night volunteering as a model student for instructor trainees at my self-defense class, I'm feeling pretty strong-minded (and thanks to all of my trainer's efforts, strong-bodied as well).  When I initially took my self-defense class as a student, I reconnected with my college self in some ways:  the feminist, the women's studies minor.  I don't think those things ever went away, but I think they had gotten so strangely quashed by law school and particularly by my experience as an associate right afterwards that the class helped me welcome all that back into my life the way it is today. So yesterday, when I read the article in the New Yorker about South Dakota's law banning abortion outright being put on the state ballot this November, I got pretty fired up.

The article pins down a particular flaw in the right-to-life argument that seems to be stumping even some of South Dakota's most staunch right-to-lifers: 

If the premise is to remain intact, a person who professes to be pro-life but instists on a rape-and-incest exception (which covers most pro-life polititians in this country, including President Bush) is saying one of two things:  either it is justifiable to kill children in some circumstances, or what grows in a woman's uterus is a child if the woman had sex voluntarily but not if she was forced into it.

Interestingly, many citizens of South Dakota who generally consider themselves to be pro-life will likely outlaw the legislation by a simple majority vote, due to the lack of any exceptions.  I have to say that I am particularly curious as to how this plays out, as this is exactly the issue that got me interested in going to law school in the first place.  If the law stays on the books, it is likely to be pushed up to the Supreme Court; I hope it doesn't come to that. 

Reason Number 574

that I'll never really grow up:  I had planned for a quiet night tonight.  And in my book, it was, indeed, a quiet night.  I ended up going up to Strawberry Fields after work to reflect on the 25th anniversary of John Lennon's death.  I can't believe it has been that long -- I remember hearing about it on the news as a kid back in D.C.  I had returned home when Nathan called -- he is a huge Beatles fan -- he has built a huge model of John Lennon's self-portrait (out of Lego, naturally), and today he received an email from Yoko Ono, extending her praise and thanks for his work.  Pretty amazing.  Anyway, I digress.  I spent some time at home, cleaning up my apartment, sorting through my never ending piles of mail.  I changed into my pajamas and was still puttering around when Augie called from upstairs (he and Lauren live in my building).  He and Rob had just returned from a wine tasting and I he insisted I come up and try the leftovers -- no matter that I was in my pajamas.  I went up for about an hour, sipping wine and chatting with Augie, Lauren and Rob, and then headed down to bed. 

But the thing that went through my mind as I walked down the stairs in my pajamas, was: it's just like being back in a dorm.  Of course, I meant just the good parts -- the padding around in pajamas, impromptu gatherings with friends, and being within a few floors of some of your closest friends.  If only it could stay that way forever  . . .  Well, I'll enjoy it for as long as I can!

From New Orleans to Brooklyn

So it turns out that the high school student who relocated to Brooklyn from New Orleans and who was featured in this New Yorker article is in my brother's class (he's a teacher).  The word in the legal services/pro bono community is that there are roughly 500 evacuees in New York so far, and that number may increase soon. 

L'Chaim*

Although it had been planned since the beginning of the summer, if not longer, there was something somewhat bittersweet about having a shrimp boil out at the beach this weekend.  It made me very sad in some ways, as I thought about the loss of the rich culinary culture of the New Orleans but so grateful in others, as I realized that I was surrounded with great people about whom I care a great deal.  I am very, very lucky, and although each one of us gets wrapped up in our own personal problems -- the stress of a job search, the trials and tribulations of dating, health issues, death of loved ones -- a tragedy like Hurricane Katrina really puts everything into perspective.  I'm happy to be alive and living the life I have.  The rest of the pictures from the weekend are here. 

* Once again, proving that I'm a bad jew, using a Jewish toast in a post about a boil that included at least two separate and distinct types of traif -- shrimp and sausage.

Feeding New Orleans

Thankfully, those I know who have been hit by Katrina are safe and sound, having evacuated their homes before the storm hit.  Although some, like Danielle, aren't sure where they are going to relocate, they realize that the most important thing is that their families and loved ones are safe.  I finally reached her via text message -- it was impossible to get through any other way -- and Sue, Nancy and I called her together.  Given the fact that her house was entirely destroyed, she sounded calm and composed and ready to try and move forward.  Yesterday, after an announcement that the E train wasn't sticking to its ordinary route, I popped out and ran into my friend Ana, who was scheduled to get married in Pass Christian, Mississippi later this month.  We had already corresponded earlier this week about the wedding -- I hadn't made travel plans yet -- her response was "if you were considering coming down for the wedding, hold off.  I'm pretty sure the church and the reception site are gone."  We walked across town together, and she told me about all that she and her family have been dealing with over the past few days.

But these are the lucky ones.  As some of you may know, I was heavily involved in the pro bono legal work surrounding 9/11, and I'll be participating in a call next week with bar and legal services leaders from the impacted states, as well as the ABA and others.  Until the legal work gets underway, I've donated money to America's Second Harvest, and would encourage you all to give there or elsewhere if you haven't already.  I selected that organization in particular because of the times New Orleans has been there to feed me -- both my body and my soul:  two New Years' Eves, two Jazz Fests, late night burgers at the Clover Grill, soft shell crab po' boys, Rebirth, Kermit Ruffins, Ozomatli, the Mermaid, the generosity of Arielle's family and Danielle and Alan, and so many other great memories.  I figured I could at least try to return the favor in their time of need.

UPDATE:  Since the timing is right and I'm happy to be part of something so good in the blogosphere, the Hurricane Katrina Blog for Relief weekend, outlined here and here.

Yet Another Reason I'm Happy to Be Single

Man Sentenced to Death for Killing Wife Who Nagged Him to Cuddle After Sex

A Florida man who said he was angry with his wife because she nagged him to cuddle after sex while he wanted to watch sports on television was sentenced to death for killing her with a claw hammer.

[via Law.com ]

 

When Lawsuits Cross the Line

Thankfully the court had the sense to throw this case out. Talk about your frivolous litigation. Sheesh. Court Rules Woman Isn't Liable for Injuring Boyfriend During Sex.

Blizzard!

More Stupidity, Courtesy of our Jackass President

This article about a Congressional study on the failure of federally-funded abstinence-only sex education is a perfect example of the stupidity of the Bush administration.

The report, by the Democratic staff of the House Government Reform Committee for Representative Henry A. Waxman, Democrat of California, says the programs provide "false, misleading or distorted information" about contraception, abortion, sexually transmitted diseases and sexual stereotypes.

The report says some of programs erroneously teach, among other points, that condoms fail to prevent H.I.V. in heterosexual sex 31 percent of the time and that touching another person's genitals may result in pregnancy.

Nice, huh?  Back in high school, I participated in model congress.  I always sponsored the bill to distribute condoms freely in high schools along with thorough, accurate education on how to use them.  And yes, I think that kids shouldn't have sex until they're ready, and part of being ready is being responsible enough to obtain use birth control and use it properly, but condom distribution in schools is, to me, a no-brainer.  Kids are going to have sex, so it's better that they are protected from HIV, STD's and teen pregnancy because they have free condoms available to them.  It infuriates me to no end that the same folks who are constantly cutting funding for and limiting access to safe, legal abortion are also out there screwing up sex education -- most likely leading to unwanted pregnancies, among other things.   Boggles the mind, doesn't it?

Four-Letter Words We Love

Publisher: 'Blog' No. 1 word of the year.  I can think of several other four-letter words I love more, however . . .