John McCain is a stupid white man.

[raven]

In last night's presidential debate, John McCain used finger quotes around "women's health", to emphasise exactly how meaningless and facile a concept that is, and how much disdain he has for women, their health, and presumably, a decent proportion of their vote.

Hi. I am aware of my limitations. I am, particularly, aware of the fact I needed a two-hour nap after school today, because I am just that much made of fail. But, you know. I'm a human being. I'm an individual, and I'm a woman, and my body belongs to me.

Also? I am a baby lawyer. One day, I'll just be a lawyer. Small, timely reminder today of why that is, and why that's important. Constitutional literalism is an interesting thing; the right to privacy that Roe v Wade is based on does not, according to some commentators, have a constitutional existence. Now, I'm not an enormous fan of the American fetishisation of constitutional sovereignty anyway, but that's not the point. So help me god, the point is that women are people. That a human body, and what goes into it, and what feeds off it, and what may be done to it, is solely within the domain of the person it belongs to. As this post about constitutional literalism points out, it's not just Roe v Wade, either. The so-called right to privacy covers contraception and other reproductive freedoms, too. And, you know, freedom matters. Whether you squeeze it out of a centuries-old document or you stand up and say, from radical cloth, that women are people, it's kind of important.

I'm really not a great believer in armchair activism. I'm a baby lawyer for just that reason. Because I can blog, and express outrage, but also, can go to school every day and read my textbooks and pass my exams and grow up to be someone who matters. And now I return to the black lagoon. I have a) a lot of land law and b) no spoons at all.

Comments

[amchau.livejournal.com]

Go you! We (indicated groups ranging from 'liberal feminists' to 'the human race') need the kind of lawyer you're going to be.

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

Thank you! :) :)

[soupytwist.livejournal.com]

I wish you many more spoons in the near future, cause running out of spoons SUCKS.

Also, every time I think we've got to the bottom of how much of an asshole John McCain can be, it gets worse. Oy.

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

Spooooons. Also, McCain is kind of becoming self-parody. I do hope he keeps it up.

[marymac.livejournal.com]

Yes. Lawyers of your variety are getting scarily needful.

We were screaming at the radio last night, it was so obnoxiously, insidiously, horrifyingly wrong.

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

It was awful, wasn't it? So awful that if it had been in a film I'd have thought it was unrealistic.

[marymac.livejournal.com]

There was a lot of 'Did he just say that? Did he say that? Jesus God!' from Liz, who stayed coherent long after I'd given up and was howling quietly into a cushion.

But Powell just rocked up for Obama, so there is hope. There is. *convinces self*

[jacinthsong.livejournal.com]

Awww, what would we silly womb-mobiles do without male politicians to tell us our health and integrity are spurious concerns?

PS you are my favourite silly womb-mobile in all the land.

[jacinthsong.livejournal.com]

also just found http://punditkitchen.com/2008/10/15/political-pictures-sarah-palin-resistence-futile-assimilated-look-a-like/ . will never sleep again.

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

I love you. <3

[hips-lips-tits.livejournal.com]

that's why he picked palin, because she doesn't believe in anything having to do with anything good or useful or productive for women, and so he knows that he will be able to push her around and get his way, instead of having a running mate that actually makes helpful contributions to his campaign/presidency.

stupid fucker.

[insaneizzi.livejournal.com]

STUPID MCCAIN.

Would you like some spoons? I can buy you spoons.

[vampire-kitten.livejournal.com]

*hugs*

If it cheers you up any, it looks like Joe the Plumber is not actually registered to vote thus making nearly the entire debate pointless :)

(yesterday I asked katy who joe the plumber was, and she said he was someone who had asked obama why he hated the american dream and I THOUGHT SHE WAS JOKING. Why does US politics sounds like a punchline?)

[marymac.livejournal.com]

For optimism restoration purposes, go watch Obama's speech for the Alfred E Smith dinner. Superman references and everything.

[selenay]

My favourite moment in the debate this week was when McCain tried to accuse Obama of creating socialised medicine by the back door "like they have in Canada and England" and making socialised medicine sound like the Pit of Hell. He's obviously never tried to get treatment or coverage for long-term health issues or, even worse, pre-existing conditions. Pah!

You will make a terrific baby lawyer and the world needs ones like you :-)