The Women's March on Chicago has inspired me more than the political climate of this past election to make sure that I get more passionate about everything. Let's start by saying some thank you's:
- To the organizers of the Women's March on Chicago
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| Picture taken at the Women's March on Chicago |
- To our US Bill of Rights 1st Amendment right to free assembly (and free speech!)
- To my family for letting me be AWOL for a day
Thank you!
I am by no means a feminist which may upset a few people who read this blog. I have had many debates about equality. I believe in equality and let's leave it at that. I did attend the Women's March on Chicago yesterday. I was surrounded by a sea of a thousand pink hats. No, I did not wear one. I saw many posters directed at this country's new president. I did not have one of those either. Why? Because I did not go to the Women's March to be an anti-Trump supporter. No one man can destroy my rights. My friend and I went there because we are supporters of women's rights and other's rights. After all, women's rights are human rights. (There can be no argument in mind about that point!)
On an important tangent - I have also seen quite a few posts on Facebook and other social media from women who said they were embarrassed by the march or those women don't represent me. This I do not understand. I can say the new administration has not enacted policies that have taken away any abortion rights or women's rights yet. Are a lot of women upset about the platform and attitude that President Trump has expressed about women - again yes! Have I heard personally heard worse comments than "grab them by the p****!," of course I have. Please keep in mind that this is not from anyone that is to serve as the Commander-and-Chief of this great nation. Some women have expressed that they are not a disgrace to women because they did not attend. NO - they are not! This is their own personal choice. If you attended any march - that is your personal choice. It is a personal decision and women need to stay united for their rights no matter how this was expressed. And just as we need not slut shame women, we need not shame women who did or did not attend a march.
So to those women who did attend the march wearing pink hats and/or anti-Trump posters, I support your right to do so. I still consider myself a nasty woman. I understand there is nothing that can change the outcome of the election, so I need to work within the establishment to make sure my voice is heard. Have you ever agreed with every single decision or enactment of a political leader? I haven't! If you want a politician who shares every view point that you do, run for office! Even then, with all the fat that has to go into a bill to get passed, you may still not agree with everything in your own bill. Nature of the beast, I guess. Again, this is why I marched. I did so for several reason. #whyImarch
The spirit of the march to me was to show unity with the world about some of the social and political issues that we have and need to protect. This is non-partisan, in my opinion, and simply about being decent human beings. "All
First of all the Affordable Care Act (ACA) better known as Obamacare has made it that more Americans are insured than ever before. Is the ACA perfect? No! Does it need some changes? Yes! To all politicians, don't take it away without providing an alternative. It's like giving someone food and then deciding that the food isn't good enough. The food might be edible, but not cavier, so let's give them no food at all?!? I don't follow the logic. So I marched!
Secondly, my body = my choice! Whether you agree with abortion morally or not, it is not for me to tell you what to do. Stare decisis is a legal term meaning "standing by things already decided." Come on, Roe v Wade was decided before I was even born. De-funding Planned Parenthood that provides services to women simply because it has abortion services does not make sense. What about all of the other services it provides? According to the 2013 Planned Parenthood Annual Report, only 3% of its 10.6 million services were abortions. I don't eat pork, but I don't boycott restaurants that have it on the menu. So I marched!
- Gay marriage! Even Trump stated that the matter is settled. I don't plan on having a gay marriage, so I should tell others not to? So I marched!
- Muslim registry - the founding of this great nation was separation of church and state. I'm Jewish! The Nazi's registered my people and no religion should face that again. So I marched!
- Immigration - I'm 3rd generation here on every side of my family. My children's father is immigrant. This nation was built by immigrants and is so diverse. So I marched!
- Exercising my 1st Amendment. So I marched!
There are many more reason, but I mostly I did it for my children - 2 daughters, 1 son. My bi-racial children from a Jewish mother and an immigrant Christian father. They are my heart and the future. This country is so great because we are a melting pot. For my son who gets profiled because he looks Indian and gets stopped at the airport for "random" searches, I wanted to support him. So I marched! For my oldest daughter who one day hopes to grow up and be a civil liberty's lawyer, she wanted to attend the march but was at her speech competition. She was with me in spirit, So I marched! Lastly for my youngest daughter who has a heart of gold and much younger than the rest, she embraces and understands the freedoms of this country and the importance of protecting them far beyond her years. She inspires me with her old soul to do the right thing. So I marched!
Some women have posted why not march for the rights of people in other countries who do not have the same freedom's as I do in the US. Great - let's go do that too! #standwithaleppo Write your congressman, senator, or call them! There is so much more to do. But what we should not do, is ever stop challenging the establishment, protecting the rights of others, or being decent human beings. Regardless of your opinion about the march or political affiliation, we need to stand united to let both sides of the political spectrum hear our voices.
