Posts with the tag Women to Women

Live Marathon Going on Now - Real Women Respond to Sarah Palin

Irish Musician for Progressive Solutions — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 15:31:11 EDT

It all started with a letter written by two women (Lyra and Quinn) that they emailed to 40 of their friends. “We are writing to you,” wrote Lyra and Quinn, “because of the fury and dread we have felt since the announcement of Sarah Palin as the Vice-Presidential candidate for the Republican Party.. She does not represent us.”

Within one week 100,000 women responded with their own impassioned stories and statements about why Sarah Palin should not be Vice President.

Join us on October 30th, 2008, when performers from all walks of life (unknown and celebrity) will lend their voice and human presence to the thousands of women across America who responded to Lyra and Quinn’s letter across America by reading their comments LIVE. Where? Right here!

Watch the Webathon LIVE NOW

http://womenrespondtopalin.com/

Women and Sarah Palin

Angelina from Greensboro, NC — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 13:11:04 EDT

The National Organization for Women has endorsed the Obamba-Biden ticket for just the reasons listed below. They usually do not endorse, but in this case believed it was absolutely necessary to take a stand. if you agree, please pass this on.

Women and Sarah Palin

Friends,

We are writing to you because of the fury and dread we have felt since the announcement of Sarah Palin as the Vice-Presidential candidate for the Republican Party. We believe that this terrible decision has surpassed mere partisanship, and that it is a dangerous farce on the part of a pandering and rudderless Presidential candidate that has a real possibility of becoming fact.

Perhaps like us, as American women, you share the fear of what Ms. Palin and her professed beliefs and proven record could lead to for ourselves and for our present or future daughters. To date, she is against sex education, birth control, the pro-choice platform, environmental protection, alternative energy development, freedom of speech, gun control, the separation of church and state,and polar bears. To say nothing of her complete lack of real preparation to become the second-(and possibly first)-most-powerful person on the planet.

We want to clarify that we are not against Sarah Palin as a woman, a mother, or, for that matter, a parent of a pregnant teenager, but solely as a rash, incompetent, and altogether devastating choice for Vice President. Ms. Palin's political views are in every way a slap in the face to the accomplishments that our mothers and grandmothers and great-grandmothers so fiercely fought for, and from which we've so demonstrably benefited.

First and foremost, Ms. Palin does not represent us. She does not demonstrate or uphold our interests as American women. It is presumed that the inclusion of a woman on the Republican ticket could win over women voters. We want to disagree, publicly.

If you agree that Palin is an irresponsible, even dangerous, choice for VP, please consider participating in this drive. Gentlemen, send this to the women you know and care for. I know it's tough to understand the way this choice is impacting women, but I have never seen so many women so outraged, angry and distraught in my entire life. We'd like our voices heard. If you agree, PLEASE FORWARD 20 WIDELY! If you send this to 20 women in the next hour, you could be blessed with a country that takes your concerns? seriously. Stranger things have happened.

A Woman's Worth

Angelina from Greensboro, NC — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 15:52:59 EDT

A Woman's Worth

We've come a long way baby
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
By Goldie Taylor

I have been a mother all of my adult life. A single working mother. I put off dating, took menial jobs far beneath my qualifications and baked my share of ginger bread cookies for PTA Night, all so that three incredible children could have a better life. I chose their lives over mine. I don't have to tell you that it wasn't easy. Unfortunately, my story, our story, is not unique.

We slept in cars, bought groceries with food stamps and prayed for a better day. When that wasn't enough, I put myself through school at Emory University and took a part-time job as a staff writer at the Atlanta Journal Constitution. That was over a decade ago.

Along the way, things got better. I've been an executive at two Fortune 500 companies and a practice director at two multinational public relations firms. Today, I own an advertising agency and I've authored two novels. A third and fourth are on the way, God willing. All of this was possible because somebody laid a brick or two on the road for me.

A few weeks ago, I woke in tears. It was my 40th birthday and certainly not a time for sadness. Rather, I cried in joy because for the first time I realized and could embrace the value of the struggle. The bright little girl, who once cried in my arms because we didn't know where we were going to live, was headed off to Brown University . The small boy who had been the "man of the house" far too soon was now truly a man. And the tiny, angelic baby who had come to this world precious and innocent just 15 months after him was now a 16 year old girl headed out to her first job interview.

For all of this, maybe I should be proud of a woman like Sarah Palin. Maybe, just maybe, I should be rejoicing in John McCain's selected running mate.

But I'm not.

I am not a "bed wetting liberal" nor am I a "right-wing zealot." What I am is a working mother. And I cry foul.

I won't, for a moment, denigrate her experience or lob spit balls at her family. I will, though, take issue with what she knows. Or more succinctly, what she does not know. Living in Alaska , I'm not sure how much she knows about the people living in inner city Baltimore I don't know how much she cares about the 125 murders this summer in Chicago I have no idea what she believes about HIV/ AIDS and the havoc it wrecks on Black women or the cancer rates in East St. Louis . She hasn't said nary a word about Hurricane Katrina or the infant mortality rates in Appalachia .

I do know that she's a life-time member of the NRA, a proponent of individuals who wielded the very weapons that killed my father and brother. I do know that she "lives really close to Russia ," but I'm not so certain she is ready for Putin. I know she wanted to ban books for public libraries and sex education in schools, but that her 17 year old is pregnant and preparing for a shotgun wedding. I know that she loves her husband enough to allow him (and probably did herself) use her office to settle a personal score--one that the McCain campaign would now like to cover up under a blanket of Juneau snow. I know that the Alaska Independent Party, and its secessionist platform, was enticing enough for her to attend its conference (and for her husband to become a card carrying member). Does she love her country? I'm sure. Enough to support those who want to leave it.

But I have no earthly idea what she knows (or could possibly know) about national domestic policy or foreign diplomacy. For all of her working class values, she never once mentioned the Middle Class in her diatribe that mocked her opponent's experience. Having been the mayor of Wasilla (pop. 6,000 at the time) and governor of Alaska (a state a smaller than the county I live in) for a little over a year, she felt she was qualified to do that. And obviously, so did John McCain.

If she's qualified, then so am I.

But in this country I love, she has been afforded the ability to run. The very constitution she says doesn't apply to the men at Guantanamo says she can. But this is about more than that.

As Gloria Steinem said in a recent Los Angeles Times editorial, "Feminism has never been about getting a job for one woman. It's about making life more fair for women everywhere. It's not about a piece of the existing pie; there are too many of us for that. It's about baking a new pie."

The good news is thanks to Shirley Chisholm, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Angela Davis, Condoleeza Rice, Anita Hill, Madeline Albright, Maxine Waters, Kathleen Sebelius, Hilary Rodham Clinton and a slew of others, there are 18 million proverbial cracks in the ceiling. Our collective political and economic power is due to the strides (and leaps) they, and others, took on my behalf.

I am grateful. I am deeply humbled to stand on the bricks they'd laid before me.

But, whatever our struggle was (and is) that last thing I want is to be patronized. Just as I cannot support just any African American who decides to offer themselves up for public service, I will not toss my vote to someone just because we share the same chromosome mix. To do so would dishonor the vow I made to my children, to myself. I did not vote for Al Sharpton, wasn't old enough (nor would I have) voted for Jesse Jackson and I certainly will not support Sarah Palin. Identity politics, especially in this case, are a sham of the worst order.

When I cast my vote, it will be for people who will lay more bricks for people like me. It will be for people who will put diplomacy before war, challenge us all to provide healthcare for the sick, help another child go to college, and check the special interests in Washington .

This fall, I'm not looking for a woman. I'm looking for a brick layer.

I could care less if that person hasn't spent "enough" time in Washington or can "properly field dress a moose". I could care less if that person likes hockey, soccer, football or table tennis. I could care less if they graduated from Harvard or the University of Iowa I'm a Christian, but I could care less if they are down with Deuteronomy, Leviticus or Numbers. I want them to uphold the Constitution.

So no, I will not sit idly by as they attempt to suspend habeas corpus at Guantanamo Bay, engage wiretaps on American citizens without a warrant, and hide behind executive privilege when they are caught firing attorney generals based on how well they tow the Republican line. I won't let them cost us $12 billion a month fighting a war that should have never been authorized and never been waged. Not while working people lose their homes to predatory lenders and watch as we bail out the financial institutions that created the housing crisis.

I will not, in the name of history, vote for a woman like Sarah Palin who does not share my values.

But here's what I will do.

I will continue raising money for Barack Obama. I will get on the phone again and call people in distant states I've never met. I will e-mail, call, and knock on doors until the final vote is cast. I do this, not because he shares my skin, but because I admire his principals and he shares my values. I do this because Barack Obama is more than a community organizer, he is a bricklayer. And he sees -- just as he sees the light in Michelle's eyes -- my struggle, my worth as a woman.

From Hillary Supporter to Obama Team Leader

Michael in Ohio — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 14:48:51 EDT

Ever since June, dedicated volunteers have been hitting the doors and the phones on behalf of Barack in the general election. Through events like Unite for Change parties, and Women to Women meetings, former Hillary supporters have smoothly transitioned to become an integral part of our effort, and they bring a drive and dedication to changing this country that is truly admirable.

Some have even stepped up to become leaders. An organizer describes one such amazing woman, Robin, in Toledo:

Robin was a huge supporter of Senator Clinton in the primaries, travelling to four states, working, in her words, "thousands of hours," to make the change we need in this country. After the primaries ended, Robin was disappointed, but knew that she needed to help Barack...
Over the last several weeks, Robin has held a Unite for Change House Meeting where Hillary supporters got a chance to clear the air and move forward. She has made hundreds of calls to Hillary supporters from the primary, and my friends, I have never seen so many undecideds turn into supporters in my life. Robin is essentially single-handedly unifying her area of Toledo. Several days ago Robin got 5 Hillary supporters from the primary to come to the office, she trained them on Unity calls (as she calls them), and had a three hour Unite for Change phone bank.

Robin...has been an inspiration to me, by helping ensure that Democrats will be united to make history in November. And thank goodness the primaries are over, so I get to work with the wonderful Hillary supporters like Robin.

Are you a former Hillary supporter? Have you had a unifying experience with a Hillary supporter? Let us know in the comments section below!

And to join our movement in Ohio, click HERE.

Akron Becomes a Pillar of Hope

Michael in Ohio — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:07:17 EDT

Akron continues to put itself on the map as the home of a successful grass-roots movement for change this summer.

First there was the on-site re-enactment of a historic Sojourner Truth speech, to commemorate women's rights, last weekend, followed by a canvassing session. Just yesterday there was the Akron Campaign for Change office grand opening, which was attended by (and no doubt expanded) the area's active volunteer base--just one opening of many across the state. And yesterday morning was the Akron Area Educators for Obama meeting.

With a healthy showing of twenty-four attendees, those involved in local education talked about what they specifically could do to get the word out and expand the effort in Akron. Conclusions revolved around a continual voter registration drive aimed at high school and college students, as well as the promotion of local volunteering opportunities within the campaign to those students who are Obama supporters... and might have some time and youthful energy to spare for Barack.

It was the perfect example of a professional or social group looking at the skills and resources they bring to the table, pooling these tools together, and putting them to work in the name of change.

Woman to WoMansfield

Michael in Ohio — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 09:12:44 EDT

Ashland and Richland counties certainly aren't the first places you think of when you consider where a progressive candidate, who strongly advocates for women's rights, would have support, as both have voted heavily red in the past. But on a beautiful Sunday in north central Ohio, some truly empowered women gathered in two meetings in adjacent counties to talk about women's issues, commemorate the 160th Anniversary of the Seneca Falls Convention, and collectively devote their time and energy towards the candidacy of Barack.

Both forums were marked by their intimacy--by the opportunity for women to speak honestly about how they feel about the issues at hand, the election, and what they think they must do to move forward in the name of women.

In the picture from Ashland above, Louise, second from left, listens to Nikki talk, along with her daughter (next to her), Sandy (on the left), and Mary (second from right). Louise shared the story about how she wasn't very involved in the primary, but her son's enthusiasm for Barack drew her in for the general election.

Here, Kelly talks while Jean listens. Like a few of the women in attendance at these meetings, Jean was a Hillary-turned-Barack supporter. She spoke about how, being a butcher, in what is thought of as a "man's profession," she had to work hard to get equal pay as her male counterparts.

One town over, in Mansfield, in a spacious office, Field Director Jackie kicked off the meeting by telling her personal story and what this election means to her as a woman. Like in Ashland, those present watched a video, shared their own stories, and asked questions about what they could do to help the campaign.

Among those in attendance were Barbara and Emily, whose families' joint political involvement goes back generations. Barbara also was for Hillary in the primary, but has already started to canvas for Barack. Similarly, Carol, second from the far end, was initially resistant to doing voter contact, but has now become one of the staples of the volunteer effort in the area. Local Field Organizer Katie told about how Carol held a house party a couple weeks ago, and since then every single person who attended her meeting has come in to canvas for Barack. Talk about a success ratio!

Power and Rights, from One Woman to Women Everywhere

Michael in Ohio — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 23:22:41 EDT

This weekend, across the state, women are uniting around the change they want to see in this country, in commemoration of the 160th anniversary of the historic Seneca Falls Convention.

Women to Women events, as they're called, trace the struggle for women's voting rights to the struggle for the rights and protection that women seek today, and find hope for in candidates like Barack. Women across Ohio will take the energy passed on by the generations that preceded them, and use it to take action in this campaign. There will be canvassing, phone-banking, and organizational meetings.

Nowhere was the connection between the past and the present of the struggle more evident than today in Akron, where canvassing was preceded by a performance of Sojourner Truth's famous speech on women's rights, in the very place where she delivered it. Regional Field Director Max described the afternoon:

This event featured Mrs. Shirley Washington’s (an interpretive speaker) account of Sojourner Truth’s historic “And Ain’t I a Woman” speech in 1851. Sojourner Truth, a former slave, was a leading voice in both the abolitionist movement and the women’s rights movement.
This reading and canvass kickoff was held next to the Sojourner Truth Building which was erected years later at the site of this landmark for women’s rights.
Two of our favorite lines of hers after her interpretation were:

“Women still don’t believe that we can speak up, stand up, and act up. But it is only through acting up that we will create change and get Barack Obama elected.”

and

“Women have to reach out to women so we do what is right. And what is right for women is to vote for Barack Obama.”

Following her interpretation and comments by other leading women in Akron, Organizing Fellow Liz gave canvassing instructions and we broke out into groups that covered sections of Akron ranging from Summit Lake, Goodyear Heights, and North Akron.
[In this shot is] organizer Beth instructing mother/daughter volunteer duo Mary Beth and Mary.

Events like today's show that Barack's is just the latest in a long line of movements for change, to the voices of everyone heard.