Yep. Totes. But the dominance of women by men has been the longest and most persistent form of tyranny and oppression. The fact that there seems to be a lack of acknowledgement of the humanity of women as something other than uterine incubators for sperm is a constant in the lives of ALL women EVERYWHERE and at EVERY TIME IN RECORDED HISTORY. Although flawed as a theoretical position in many ways (mostly because it is a weird blend of European socialism and 19th-century ethnographic methodologies), when Frederick Engels wrote, in On the Origin of the Family, Private Property, and the State, that the enslavement of women as baby machines in order to control access to their bodies by dominant men who wanted to guarantee paternity (since you pretty much always know who your mother is, but you can't be too sure of your father--which is why Jews follow "Jewishness" through the maternal line, since the rape of Jewish women was a common practice in pogroms throughout Europe) was the first form of enslavement and women the first form of private property, he was not wrong.
Thank you for my weekly dose of rage at the hypocrisy of “The Handmaids” political party. I watched “The Reagan’s” documentary on Showtime and it reinforced the reason I always throw up a little when I hear someone say what a great president Reagan was.
It gives me hope that President Biden is trying to undo “The Great Undoing”
Greg, great article. Reproductive rights are human rights. It is scary to have three SCOTUS justices chosen by 45, and of all three Covid Amy is the scariest. She was/is a member of the Handmaiden society.
Some years ago, The Atlantic had an excellent article about the abortion issue in America, claiming the reason it remained so controversial decades after Roe v Wade is because the 1972 Supreme Court Decision was so sudden, and complete (no restrictions regarding viability of the baby for example), that our country had not had time for a national conversation and debate about it. Had we, the author suggested, except for a few extremists, the country would agree that 1st trimester abortions are nobody's business as long as the health care system assures they are medically safe. And we citizens would mostly agree that 3rd trimester abortions are "birth" and should be avoided except when tragically necessary to save the life of the mother or baby, or when the baby will not survive because of a fatal condition. The national abortion conversation would thus focus on the ethical dilemma of the 2nd trimester, where most people will see the wisdom in leaving the decisionto the pregnant woman and her healthcare provider.
You have provided the perfect words that I wish I had a few years ago. I was at a Block Party where I met a woman who was about to interview to be the Republican nominee for state representative. Somehow we got on the subject of Abortion and her comment was "but the babies!!!!...." I told her that I felt that the Anti-Choice position was created to prevent women from being equal to men (ugh!) and to keep women "barefoot and pregnant" (not my exact words). Her reply was consistently "but the babies!..." She did end up getting the nomination but did not win the seat and in fact, got very few votes in the general election. I have been searching for the perfect reply in case I am ever in that position again, so thank you!
Gilead comes to SW Ohio. The city of Lebanon is the first city in Ohio to ban abortion even though there are no abortion providers in the city. Interestingly, some guy from Texas was at the meeting where this occurred; he travels to different states to promote these kind of ordinances.
I blog I read daily featured a comment from a woman lawyer in northern Ohio who frames these types of initiatives as Republicans really wanting to micro manage women's pregnancies and I find this framing to be even more terrifying than just a movement to ban abortions.
There's that.
Yep. Totes. But the dominance of women by men has been the longest and most persistent form of tyranny and oppression. The fact that there seems to be a lack of acknowledgement of the humanity of women as something other than uterine incubators for sperm is a constant in the lives of ALL women EVERYWHERE and at EVERY TIME IN RECORDED HISTORY. Although flawed as a theoretical position in many ways (mostly because it is a weird blend of European socialism and 19th-century ethnographic methodologies), when Frederick Engels wrote, in On the Origin of the Family, Private Property, and the State, that the enslavement of women as baby machines in order to control access to their bodies by dominant men who wanted to guarantee paternity (since you pretty much always know who your mother is, but you can't be too sure of your father--which is why Jews follow "Jewishness" through the maternal line, since the rape of Jewish women was a common practice in pogroms throughout Europe) was the first form of enslavement and women the first form of private property, he was not wrong.
Thank you for my weekly dose of rage at the hypocrisy of “The Handmaids” political party. I watched “The Reagan’s” documentary on Showtime and it reinforced the reason I always throw up a little when I hear someone say what a great president Reagan was.
It gives me hope that President Biden is trying to undo “The Great Undoing”
Thanks for all you do.
Seconded☝
Thirded!!
One of your best! This needs to be written as an op-ed for more to read!
Every time I read that name I wonder if ‘Tate’ is a nickname for ‘Potato Head’ or maybe ‘Tater Tot.’
😂
Mr Olear, this piece is nothing short of brilliant
Totally Agree!! Thank You.
Greg, great article. Reproductive rights are human rights. It is scary to have three SCOTUS justices chosen by 45, and of all three Covid Amy is the scariest. She was/is a member of the Handmaiden society.
Castration comes to mind.
Some years ago, The Atlantic had an excellent article about the abortion issue in America, claiming the reason it remained so controversial decades after Roe v Wade is because the 1972 Supreme Court Decision was so sudden, and complete (no restrictions regarding viability of the baby for example), that our country had not had time for a national conversation and debate about it. Had we, the author suggested, except for a few extremists, the country would agree that 1st trimester abortions are nobody's business as long as the health care system assures they are medically safe. And we citizens would mostly agree that 3rd trimester abortions are "birth" and should be avoided except when tragically necessary to save the life of the mother or baby, or when the baby will not survive because of a fatal condition. The national abortion conversation would thus focus on the ethical dilemma of the 2nd trimester, where most people will see the wisdom in leaving the decisionto the pregnant woman and her healthcare provider.
Nah, outlawing abortion was always about POWER. No national conversation. No rights. No privacy. No mercy. ENOUGH.
It is exactly as you say:
"The abortion debate has nothing to do with science, and everything to do with power.
You have provided the perfect words that I wish I had a few years ago. I was at a Block Party where I met a woman who was about to interview to be the Republican nominee for state representative. Somehow we got on the subject of Abortion and her comment was "but the babies!!!!...." I told her that I felt that the Anti-Choice position was created to prevent women from being equal to men (ugh!) and to keep women "barefoot and pregnant" (not my exact words). Her reply was consistently "but the babies!..." She did end up getting the nomination but did not win the seat and in fact, got very few votes in the general election. I have been searching for the perfect reply in case I am ever in that position again, so thank you!
Gilead comes to SW Ohio. The city of Lebanon is the first city in Ohio to ban abortion even though there are no abortion providers in the city. Interestingly, some guy from Texas was at the meeting where this occurred; he travels to different states to promote these kind of ordinances.
Here's a link to local news story about the initial ban: https://www.wlwt.com/article/lebanon-becomes-first-ohio-city-to-ban-abortions/36548070 and link to news story about impact to businesses: https://local12.com/news/local/lebanon-businesses-take-a-hit-as-people-protest-city-abortion-ban
I blog I read daily featured a comment from a woman lawyer in northern Ohio who frames these types of initiatives as Republicans really wanting to micro manage women's pregnancies and I find this framing to be even more terrifying than just a movement to ban abortions.
☹