Women's Marches

[Danny Bateman]

 

 

 

So, any other news on why the Pro-Life Women's groups were 'un-invited' from the DC march?

 

Source?

 

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/excluded-pro-life-group-womens-march-organizers-espouse-a-specific-type-of-diversity/article/2612565

 

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/how-the-womens-march-took-a-wrong-turn-by-excluding-pro-life-women/article/2612516

 

 

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/social-issues/is-there-a-place-for-anti-abortion-women-at-the-womens-march-on-washington/2017/01/17/2e6a2da8-dcbd-11e6-acdf-14da832ae861_story.html?utm_term=.d54d3d1f26a4

Still, when the Atlantic magazine reported this week that an antiabortion group, New Wave Feminists, was an official partner of the march, the backlash was strong. The march organizers quickly dropped the group and apologized, writing in a statement that “we look forward to marching on behalf of individuals who share the view that women deserve the right to make their own reproductive decisions.”

 

The Women's March platform is very clearly pro-choice. Too bad they couldn't have handled it better though. Probably should not have accepted them right from the start, if they were going strongly pro-choice.

 

 

May have been a situation where they did not understand that part of that group's platform before accepting them.

 

Either way, yeah, that is definitely a bummer. We've got to learn to bring people together even if they've got differing political views on certain things for the good of the nation.

[cornstar]

It is a march, outside, on public grounds...anyone can go.

 

 

This is not Jeff Hills 7th grade birthday party...that dick...WHY DIDN'T YOU INVITE ME!

I like Jeff Hill. Sorry you didn't get invited.

[cornstar]

Just flipped on CNN to see what these looked like... Pretty cool to see this many people getting active for what they believe in.

Which is?

 

Their candidate lost, get over it.

[Moiraine]

 

Just flipped on CNN to see what these looked like... Pretty cool to see this many people getting active for what they believe in.

Which is?

 

Their candidate lost, get over it.

 

 

 

It's not about a lost election. Get a clue.

[cornstar]

 

 

 

Just flipped on CNN to see what these looked like... Pretty cool to see this many people getting active for what they believe in.

Which is?

 

Their candidate lost, get over it.

 

It's not about a lost election. Get a clue.

So clue me in please.

[Moiraine]

 

 

 

Just flipped on CNN to see what these looked like... Pretty cool to see this many people getting active for what they believe in.

Which is?

 

Their candidate lost, get over it.

 

It's not about a lost election. Get a clue.

So clue me in please.

 

 

 

Nah. You can easily do that yourself if you make any attempt at it.

[GBRHouston]

The Lincoln one broke a ton of traffic laws. That is the most extreme it got, however. I followed them the entire time. While I disagree with literally everything they said, I kept my mouth shut for the most part.

[Lil' Red]

 

 

 

 

Just flipped on CNN to see what these looked like... Pretty cool to see this many people getting active for what they believe in.

Which is?

 

Their candidate lost, get over it.

 

It's not about a lost election. Get a clue.

So clue me in please.

 

 

 

Nah. You can easily do that yourself if you make any attempt at it.

 

I'll help him out.

[mrandyk]

I joined in on the march here in Vermillion. I would estimate 300-400 people were there, not too bad for a town of 10k. Very cool to see millions of people demonstrating in hundreds of cities across the nation.

[JJ Husker]

 

 

 

Just flipped on CNN to see what these looked like... Pretty cool to see this many people getting active for what they believe in.

Which is?

Their candidate lost, get over it.

 

It's not about a lost election. Get a clue.

So clue me in please.

Apparently they were in support of women's rights, particularly the right to choose an abortion.

 

I thought they were going to be more anti-Trump in nature and that is how the news is presenting them, as the other side of the coin to the inauguration crowds. But, since organizers apparently rebuffed anti-abortion women's groups from participating, it would seem they were primarily about abortion rights.

 

IDC, as long as they were peaceful and it appears they were. Great thing about this country, we all have the freedom to peacefully protest. Personally I have some problems with the prevalence of abortions in this country but I sure won't try to deny them the right to express their views.

[NM11046]

There was absolutely zero discussion of abortion or abortion rights in Boston. Talking points were womens's health (and reproductive rights - specifically birth control) equal pay for equal work, fair treatment of minorities, equal treatment for LGBTQ folks, public eduacation, global envirnmental issues, rights for immigrants, etc. it was peaceful, positive and was NOT a prolife or anti-Trump gathering.

 

I cant speak too much to the back and forth that happened in advance of the DC march with pro lifers. What I can say is that there were a lot of "trolls" attempting to stir things up (like this) online here and for the most part nobody took the bait.

[Moiraine]

Abortion was only part of it. There are many other issues. For some it was just a show of solidarity against a sexist, chauvinist president. It was a way of showing that women aren't just going to be silent. But also, the ACA did some very good things for women. It made it so health insurance companies couldn't overcharge women, and contraceptives were free/cheap in many cases. The vote on the ACA Congress just had made it seem that these two things are on the chopping block.

 

My personal opinions:

 

On abortion: I'm pro-life except with rape and when the mother's life is in danger. But I don't put a lot of stock in the opinions of a senate and house made up of 80% males. I very strongly agree that this isn't something men should almost solely decide. They've never been pregnant. Women's voices should be WAY more weighted than they currently are in this. On the other hand men should have a say and so should the men whose girlfriends/wives want to abort their babies.

Planned Parenthood is sort of a part of this, but they do a lot for women in need that has nothing to do with abortion, and no funding to them is used for abortions.

On Trump's sexism: He's made it clear with his words that he's not going to champion women's causes, but if this makes one little bit of difference, it's worth it. Maybe he'll get defensive and try to prove he's pro-women by doing some good. (As an aside, Jeb Bush wasn't a whole lot better. Quote from the primaries: "I’m not sure we need a half a billion dollars for women’s health issues." I mean... a large number of women have at least one very expensive procedure. It's called giving birth).

 

On ACA: It's stupid as hell not to promote contraceptives more and reduce their costs. The abortion issue would become even less of an issue if this happened. That absolutely should be part of the new health care plan. As for the health insurance costs, again, women are the ones having the babies. Maybe instead of charging them way more, men should have to pay part of the price of child birth. I'm not totally serious but it does seem like women shouldn't bare the sole financial burden of having the child. Obviously in couples/marriages they aren't doing that, but if the woman is on her own she is. I don't know because I've never looked it up if a single woman can sue a man who impregnated her for part of the hospital costs. I kind of went off track there. Hadn't really thought about the topic before.

[mrandyk]

While it may not have been the main focus, these demonstrations absolutely had an anti-Trump element to them. That's my take at least. I'm sure they wouldn't have happened if someone like Bernie Sanders was inaugurated yesterday. When someone with zero respect for women gets elected to the most powerful position in the world you have to respond.

[Moiraine]

While it may not have been the main focus, these demonstrations absolutely had an anti-Trump element to them. That's my take at least. I'm sure they wouldn't have happened if someone like Bernie Sanders was inaugurated yesterday. When someone with zero respect for women gets elected to the most powerful position in the world you have to respond.

 

 

Yes. It was about making their voices heard by the new president/congress/senate, obviously, and the need for that would not have been as strong with Clinton/Sanders as president because they would likely have had plans in place to fix ACA without removing its benefits for women. They also wouldn't have had plans to completely defund Planned Parenthood, and they are both pro choice. It's not about losing an election. This isn't a sporting event. It's about speaking loudly to the people who plan on making these decisions that negatively impact them.

[JJ Husker]

Moiraine and NM, thanks for explaining what these events were for the participants. Unfortunately some of the national news coverage I've seen is trying to spin them in a little different direction. Typical media behavior I guess.

 

Sounds like it was a positive experience for you NM. That's great. I've just never been very inclined to march or protest anything. Too lazy I guess. But I think it's great that people can do it in this country, especially when they do it peacefully and it is generally positive in nature.