It’s a little strange here on Tuesdays at Weekly headquarters when there’s live news happening somewhere. We spend most of the day getting the week’s issue together, proofing pages, adding last-minute copy, laying everything out, plus the normal office stuff that happens here most days, so it can be a little hectic. Just like an episode of the HBO show The Newsroom, except the women here are intelligent, competent and not generally confused by the idea of email.
So, while we were still trying to get our work done, basically all of us were keeping one eye on a computer screen while Texas State Senator Wendy Davis’ filibuster attemped to thwart a vote on the wildly woman-hating anti-abortion Senate Bill 5 (which would likely lead to 42 of the state’s 47 clinics to close). Keep in mind, this is the same Legislature that includes such all-stars as the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Jodie Laubenberg, who believes that rape kits stop pregnancies because the victims are “cleaned out,” and Rep. Michael Burgess, a former obstetrician, who stated last week that male babies put their hands between their legs to “feel pleasure,” so her last ditch effort was certainly an uphill battle.
While I’m writing this, she’s still going, with four hours or so to go, so I can’t say how her effort turned out, but it was a deeply compelling political moment. Odds are, Texan conservatives will likely get what they want eventually (or, at least, they will until the demographics of Texas change creating a Democratic majority around the end of the decade or sooner), but I think we all appreciate those rare Mr. Smith Goes to Washington moments when a politician stands up against the odds to do what they think is right. Talking for more-or-less thirteen hours, standing the whole time, without taking breaks, eating/drinking, or even leaning against anything seems like a dare from an old episode of Fear Factor more than a political tactic, but in an era where it seems most politicans are looking for their next office or paycheck, it’s somewhat comforting that someone in a state fought against the odds, at least for a day.
Between this and the weird moment of bipartisianship in our own state to extend Medicare, it’s almost enough to make me drop the cynicism for a day, or at least until Frank Antenori opens his mouth again. It was fun while it lasted.
This article appears in Jun 27 – Jul 3, 2013.
You have every right to expect Frankie to open his yap at every opportunity trying to make the masses fear Obamacare. Even if he succeeds in getting the referendum on the ballot, it’s still going to be a major uphill battle for his cohort to convince Arizona voters to nix the whole concept of Medicaid restoration. And Wendy Davis did a tremendous job with her filibuster. And her supporters took it over the deadline… even though they will be back at it when Gov Perry’s next special session begins.
Republicans are right-wing nut Christian fanatics filled with hate for women. If you have seen one of their leaders in Texas, Dan Patrick, he looks evil and appears to be about to foam at the mouth with the rabid hatred he spews. He also has a radio station to blather his madness. You can look at Gov. Ricky Perry and see he is a dim bulb. Ignorance worked for Gov. George Bush. Bush became president and Patrick may have ambitions to get into the White House on the backs of the lunatic fringe. It won’t happen. It didn’t happen for Romney. Or Palin.
But these dim bulbs are united in greed and their desire to return to the Dark Ages.
I hope Texas women and men who love them will remain united and vocal against these men. Writer Molly Ivins told us to be vocal and non-violent. She urged us to laugh in the faces of these fascists. Do not give these men legitimacy by listening to their vitriol and obeying their commands. She said to make noise, to beat pots and pans and yell if we have to, laugh at these evil men, make fun of them, and expose them for what they are-out of touch with reality of what people want.
Republicans must be stopped at the local level. Rational, vocal people can make that happen. And Democrat politicians need to remember what Democrats stand for and stop lying to us and stop doing the bidding of lobobyists and big corporations now running and ruining our government.
It will be a big job to accomplish. On the local level many victories can be won to return the government to the people. Removal and resistance is a good start. We can all do our part, we can stop the stealing of our government and our rights.
That is our only hope, after all, we are We The People.
Make some noise, beat some pots and pans, organize.
Fear of Reprisal: I’m a little confused by this response, but I’ll do my best to respond.
I don’t know that I’ve really “attacked” commenters, but I do generally try to be honest and open with my communications in this and other places. I might take some comments too personally and respond accordingly, but by and large, if I do comment, it’s a reflection of what’s on my mind. The idea that I’m bullying anyone is absurd, but maybe I don’t get to be the judge of that.
However, I think I’ve closed one article for comments in the time I’ve been here, and that was just because people were using it for a chat room to hash out their issues with a local company. It wasn’t productive, wasn’t adding anything to the conversation, and didn’t enhance someone outside the conversation’s perspective on the article itself.
We don’t delete many comments. Generally, it takes hate speech, excessive profanity or general disruptive behavior to get your comment bounced (this month we’ve pulled 4% of posted comments, for what it’s worth), and you have to be a real jerk with nothing to say to get banned permanently (the last person we perma-banned was using the site only to advertise a local business). I’m certainly not managing the comments with anyone in mind other than the reader, and definitely not at the whims of Corporate America (whatever that means). I’m glad to provide a place for readers to interact with our content, but I’m determined to not let it become the free-for-all the Star’s pre-Facebook mess was.
If you’d like to discuss this in more detail (which would help me understand your concern better), feel free to email me.
This is the second time I’ve seen TW use the word Medicare, when Medicaid (AHCCCS) was being discussed. Is this a typo, or is there confusion on the part of TW between Medicare and Medicaid? Just curious.