Help Victims of Domestic Violence Get Access to Legal Resources

From NOW:

Put Volunteer Attorneys to Work for Domestic Violence Survivors
Write Your Senators

Survivors of domestic abuse face enough adversity. With legal assistance often beyond their reach, abused women may experience the justice system as yet another hurdle to overcome.

Tell Congress you agree that survivors of domestic abuse should have access to the same legal resources so readily available to more fortunate and affluent members of society.

The National Domestic Violence Volunteer Attorney Network Act (S.1515), introduced by Senator Joe Biden (D-Del), meets this demand for legal assistance by setting in motion an effort to mobilize 100,000 volunteer attorneys willing to work on behalf of survivors of abuse.

Take Action: Ask your senators to sponsor S.1515!

Studies estimate that fewer than one in five low-income survivors of domestic violence ever even see a lawyer. Yet legal advice is key for these women as they seek help from the police or court system. Often, stopping the violence hinges on the ability to obtain effective protection orders, initiate separation proceedings, or design safe child custody arrangements. Without legal knowledge, these options are not accessible.

Existing programs, like the Violence Against Women Act, assist women suffering domestic abuse but do not specifically address access to legal services. This network aims to fill that gap by working mostly with resources already in place. There are thousands of lawyers willing to volunteer to assist in domestic violence situations, but the mechanisms are not in place in most areas. S.1515 will allocate federal funds to create a network of those lawyers and match them to clients. The act will also give the National Domestic Violence Hotline $500,000 so it can provide legal referrals to victims who call in requesting help.

Passage of the National Domestic Violence Volunteer Attorney Network Act will place adequate legal aid within reach of the people who need it most, proving that the justice system works for-not against-victims of domestic abuse.

Thank your senators if they are already sponsors and urge others to sign on right away! Our automated system will provide the appropriate sample message, which you can edit if you wish.

The bill needs more legislative support! Tell your senator that ending violence against women is a priority.

And can I say that I just love that this was introduced by Senator Biden?

Two Problems with this Statement

"But her son has given Ms. Palin, 44, a powerful message. Other candidates kiss strangers’ babies; Ms. Palin has one of her own. [Trig] is tangible proof of Ms. Palin’s anti-abortion convictions, which have rallied social conservatives, and her belief that women can balance family life with ambitious careers." -NYTimes

The first: Raise your hand if you think calling Governor Palin's Down syndrome infant "tangible proof of anti-abortion convictions" is immoral and demeaning... The idea that a living, breathing child is being touted by the conservative right as a proof of ideology doesn't sit well with me. In fact, it makes me want to vomit in my mouth a little. Maybe it's because all this talk of Palin's choice to sanction Trig's existence, despite his disability, makes me think of eugenics in a Brave New World /Gattaca sort of way. Or maybe it's because even I (zealous advocate of reproductive choice) distinguish between an embryo and... oh... a 4 month old child.

The second: I don't know what to make of all the talk about Sarah Palin's "balancing act" between family and career. This issue in general is one on which I am deeply conflicted. On one hand, I am supremely pleased that the media is making average Americans consider the compatibility of motherhood and public power/leadership. Indeed, it warms my heart (at least least in the sense that indigestion warms the heart) that the hillbilly-bigot set is actually able to support a woman candidate, period. [The downside to that? Refer to string of anti-Palin posts below]. On the other hand, I can't help but experience periodic moments of disgust when I think about how much the GOP is exploiting Plain's almost-exploding femininity. Although the McCain campaign has yet to say it outright, the message seems to be: "See, OUR token female candidate is beautiful (a "VILP"), nurturing, soft-spoken, and not a bit like that OTHER female politician and her Sisterhood of Traveling Pantsuits." Has anyone else noticed this? I will return to this topic again soon....

Response to Tonight's RNC / Sarah Palin Spectacle

1. Rudy Giuliani - you suck. Be quiet.
2. If Sarah Palin were a) Democrat, b) pro-choice, c) anti-gun, d) had reasonable views on prevention-based sex education, e) not homophobic, f) not cozy with big oil companies, g) had national political experience, h) had any kind of foreign policy experience, i) had gotten her passport in 1977 rather than 2007, i) understood that public resources for her special needs child require taxes that she and McCain want to cut, j) didn't continue to call herself a freaking hockey mom, or k).... I'll add more to this list later.... If, if, if, if, if - then I would really like her. She is a strong political figure and - yes - a great speaker.... but her beliefs sit at the polar opposite end of the political spectrum on almost every issue I can think of. I will not go so far as to that say I respect her politics (because I don't), but I can see why conservative women and men could rally around her. And yes, it scares me a little. But she's no Hillary; her policy positions are downright scary; and I still think Barack and Joe will win the election. So there.
3. I love (and when I say love I mean that I was really freaking annoyed) how Bristol Palin brought her baby-daddy on stage "in solidary" with the rest of the Palin family. I'm sure this will be sanctified by evangelicals and conservative pundits in the coming days, despite the fact that the same base of bigots crucified Jamie Lynn Spears over the last few months for her pregnancy... even though the younger Spears handled the situation exactly the same way as Bristol ("choosing" to keep her baby - again the language of choice - and settling down with the man who put the bun in the oven). F-you Sarah Palin, and all the small-minded GOPers, who believe in abstinence-only sex education.
   
4. When McCain came out to greet Palin and family, I couldn't help but think that the crowd's excitement would be too much for him and all that "heartbeat away" talk would become.... well, you know. I know! I'm a horrible person. But the man is a fossil. I can't believe he's being considered a stable choice for president.
5. Again, CNN demeans its reputation by interrupting political analysis after a historic speech to air some country creep's "Raisin' McCain" song in its entirety. Crass.
   
6. Juxtaposing the national anthem with the Pledge of Allegiance... was weird. I say it didn't work.
   

Arithmetic

I'm often made fun of for my skills (or lack thereof) in... yes, addition and subtraction. I was recently out with a group of friends having a little tapas in Wicker Park, when I was heavily taunted after a little gaff following my attempt to figure out how to make my write-in tip "even." After settling on the idea that adding $4.22 to $21.88 would make it an "even" $26.00... well, you get the picture... I'm bad at math.

Which is why I've added an official visitor counter to the bottom of my blog, thus eliminating any guesswork needed to keep track of the statistical popularity of this blog of mine. Let the numbers speak for themselves.

NKOTB is back!

Go ahead and smile about this :)



From Rolling Stone:

Last night the reunited New Kids on the Block were in a playful mood as they celebrated their first new LP in 14 years at New York’s Marquee. “Do you think this song was better then, or now?” Joey McIntyre wondered aloud as “The Right Stuff” came blaring through the speakers. The DJ’s playlist included several NKOTB hits including “Hangin’ Tough,” the new “Single” (from The Block, out this week) and a track featuring Akon called “Put It on My Tab.” Swarms of die-hard fans were thrilled to party with their favorite childhood group, shamelessly tossing business cards and attempting to brush up against the five singers.

Coming back onto the scene after a decade and a half, it was clear that the band are still trying to figure out who their fanbase is. “We hear a 15-year-old’s ringtone blasting ‘Summertime’ and we’re thinking, ‘Is this our demographic?” McIntyre said. “Working with Ne-Yo was amazing,” he added, of the R&B star who worked on “Single.” “He’s a class act through and through — a singer, writer and performer, a triple-threat.” The album also features Lady GaGa, the Pussycat Dolls and production by Polow da Don (Fergie’s “London Bridge,” Usher’s “Love in This Club”).

The group will kick off their tour on September 18th in Toronto and remain on the road through late November. “We’re most excited about the Boston shows,” said Danny Wood of the group’s September 26th and 28th hometown gigs. Wood also revealed that VH1 will be airing three songs live from the second Boston show.

I already missed out on the Spice Girls reunion tour... I'm definitely going to rock it at NKOTB in a city near me.

Jesus hates your wrinkly skin-tight dress, Rachel Lampa

As if my normal level of exposure to evangelical drivel isn't bad enough...

Last night I was horrified to bear witness to Christian-pop princess Rachel Lampa's savior-worshiping during CNN's coverage of the Republican National Convention. I guess the GOP wants to set the record straight for any Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Atheists, etc who might subscribe to its openly homophobic, anti-women agenda: "Christ loves you! Good Republicans - nay, good Americans - are Christian! Praise the Lord - and wear cute lip gloss and chunky belts while doing it!"

UGGGH. Really, CNN? You couldn't find anything else worthy to cover last night but Republican celebration of the ever-expanding assault on American secularism? Come on!

It's one thing to have to sit through politicians making requisite references to God (e.g., ending a speech with "God bless America" or "God speed," like Hillary did last week at the DNC to my chagrin). Such statements are almost ubiquitously included in every candidates' stump speeches as a standard of practice. Indeed, I am constantly frustrated by the inclusion of such comments by all politicians (especially Republicans!), though I recognize they're not going away any time soon and thus I forge on. (See any of the polls on Americans' willingness to vote for atheists versus other minority groups for insight on another topic for another post.)

What I can't understand is why the evangelical pop-industry's proselytizing should get to monopolize precious airtime on a network that touts itself as being one of the world's leaders in news and information delivery, with its pulse on all the important headlines of the moment. The coverage of Rachel Lampa's performance I watched last night was not quality coverage of the political highlights of a major party's election-year convention... It was barely distinguishable from a Michelle Branch concert. This does not belong on CNN, people.

Yuck.

WTF Texas?

Teachers carrying guns in rural Texas schools? This is a disaster waiting to happen, y'all.

Read more about the redneck insanity here.