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International Women’s Day and Puppies!

By Rabble Rouser Reverend Amy on March 10, 2009 at 3:30 AM in China, Hillary Clinton, Human Rights, Misogyny, Sexism, Women, Women's Suffrage

As you all may know, March is Women’s History Month, and Sunday, March 8th, is celebrated as International Women’s Day, first celebrated in 1911! I can think of no better way to celebrate it then by presenting the following video of one of the Top 100 Speeches of the Twentieth Century, First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton speaking in China (I recommend just listening – unfortunately, the actufal footage of her speech seems to have been taken down):

And this more recent speech from the 160th anniversary of Seneca Falls:

Wow. Someone please tell me how is it that Hillary Clinton was depicted as “uninspiring”??? Only by those who had never actually bothered to hear her SPEAK is all I can figure. Yet another one of those memes started by someone to demean her.

Oh, what should have been. Sure would have made Women’s History Month this year something special. Instead, we get to “celebrate” the return of blatant sexism and misogyny in our country after this past election. Woohoo – NOT. Sadly, we still have far, too far to go…

And on a MUCH lighter note, it is time for photos of the PUPPIES! They are one week old today! Here they are:

Their names are, starting from the one on the bottom left, the first born, Lucas; the brown one is Leo; moving clockwise, the brindle is Leila; the one at the very top is Lucky; next is Luna (the last born); under her is Loco, short for Locomotion (he is motoring around all over the place, even though he can’t see where he is going!). In the top photo, Loco is the one with the triangle of white on his neck, with his head on top of Lucas; and in the middle is Lani. Notice a pattern with the names? Since their mother is Lucy, we thought we should give them “L” names! They have doubled their weight in a week, and seem to be doing well. Their mom is taking a few more breaks from them, but continues to be an excellent mother!

  • elise

    Looks like I’m the first to comment on your beautiful bundle of sweet puppies, RRRA. It’s easy to see why dogs are used by hospices and extended care homes to comfort the sick. They are irresistible. Thank you for posting those pics and commenting on Women’s History Month and Women’s Day International. I didn’t watch a lot of news yesterday, but not one of the programs I did watch mentioned the celebration. Families, communities and countries can only flourish when women have the opportunity for quality education and everyone every where recognize women’s rights are human rights and human rights are women’s rights. Why is it taking so long?

  • Sabina

    Thank You So Much For this.

    Mothers are primary caregivers, their work is not valued, it is not seen as valuable experience.

    Why are mothers still the primary caregivers even in western countries. In countries like India I can see why this is happening but in western countries?

    Just like racism and anti-semitism is a violation of human rights, so is misogony and homophobia but misogony and homophobia are two forms of bigotory that are tolerated and accepted in our speech and media.

    Racist jokes and anti-semitic jokes are not tolerated. But sexist and homophobic jokes are tolerated, entertainers can get away with these jokes and in the case of sexist jokes they don’t even have to apologise.

    Hillary should be President right now. I am so sad that the media and not just the media, even so caled progressive men got away with violating not just Hillary’s but women’s human rights.

    It is a pity no one is ashamed, no one is bothered with what happened in the past year except for the readers here.

    • http://www.rabblerouserruminations.blogspot.com/ Rabble Rouser Reverend Amy

      I am right there with you – you are spot on in your comments, ALL of them.

      Thank you.

  • http://AmericasFavoriteTerrorist.com Gerard McNedich

    you might find this interesting:

    http://www.nypost.com/seven/03102009/news/regionalnews/beau__i_got_a_wife_beating_158911.htm

    Stefanov declined to speak directly to The Post, but told pals he went to his hometown of Pittsburgh because he was embarrassed to be seen in New York with a black eye and cut face.

    “If I had done it to her, I would have been put in jail immediately,” Stefanov told his friend.

    “My injuries are worse than Rihanna’s – and Chris Brown was charged with two felonies.”

    After dating Bensimon for nearly four years, and being a surrogate father to her two daughters, taking them to soccer games and ballet classes, Stefanov isn’t ready to end their relationship.

    • Diana

      Women who beat on men are no better than men who beat on women. They’re equally disgusting. She should have been locked up.

    • Ferd Berfle

      After dating Bensimon for nearly four years, and being a surrogate father to her two daughters, taking them to soccer games and ballet classes, Stefanov isn’t ready to end their relationship.

      His situation sounds like the corollary to the denial a lot of women who have been victimized go through. The perpetrators are scum and my heart goes out to all the victims, irrespective of sex. It is not the victim’s fault-ever.

      • http://rabblerouserruminations.blogspot.com Rabble Rouser Reverend Amy

        Absolutely, Ferd and Diana. The thing is that there is NOT systemic, cultural abuse of men in our society (and others) the way there is of women. And while this is important, injecting this here may detract from the very real violence too many women in the WORLD are facing on a daily basis. It’s an issue of power – men still wield the vast majority of it and women do not.

        That being said, yes, men can be abused too, but the numbers are FAR, far smaller than women, though that doesn’t make it any less painful for those who are bearing the brunt of the violence (and men who are battered face a whole OTHER set of cultural issues). And of course, my heart goes out to ANYONE who is the victim of abuse.

        But violence against women is an accepted norm in our society – how else to explain one in FOUR military women being raped or sexually assaulted?? Or a woman being raped every SIX MINUTES in the US? Or a woman being battered every fifteen SECONDS?? That can only happen if others stay silent. It’s important to bear that in mind, and not shift the focus off of the many to the few.

    • elise

      Gerard, have you ever bothered to check the statistics on the number of battered women in this country or the number of women who die every year at the hands of boyfriends or husbands? Are you even aware this is Women’s History Month? I ask you to please listen to Hillary’s speech in Beijing and educate yourself on the number of ways and places women are subjected to violence and mutilation. From being sold into prostitution, genital mutilation, deliberate killing of girl children, being disfigured from acid or being doused in gasoline and set aflame because their dowry’s are too small. Rape in our country and in others as spoils of war is not a thing of the past, but happens many times a day. There is no excuse for violence of any kind, but your cut and paste of a relatively rare occurrence during a month set aside to bring public attention to women’s rights and the struggle millions of women face to gain a position of safety and equality is insensitive and telling.

  • Linda Anselmi

    Hey RRRA-

    Loving the pictures of the Puppies. And, of course, all the best names start with L!

    Thanks for the Great video of Hillary!

  • http://AmericasFavoriteTerrorist.com Gerard McNedich
    • elise

      Did you happen to scroll to the bottom of the page to see the pic of a beautiful young model beaten by her boyfriend or read the story of the woman who had contacted the police over a period of four days before he finally killed her. Sexual predators are publicly exposed and I think it might be a good idea to publish the names of abusers. It would probably change those statistics. In any case, the gender of the respondents was not listed and if it is the men who think it is ok to beat a nagging wife, one would think that as a man (and I am making an assumption based on your name) you would feel shame instead of validation. It is always a weak and cowardly person who physically attacks a person who is weaker physically. Any man who has no compunction about hitting a women is a very low life form and should exposed in public.

  • Ginger

    Thank you, Rev. Amy for reminding us of what’s important in life. A little puppy love goes a long way to making a great day! A lot of puppies make the day exceptional.
    Thank you, too, for just being here. I have enjoyed reading your columns. You are, truly, one of the women to be celebrated on this International Women’s Day.
    I have deep respect for you and our girl, Hillary. Thank you for your sincerity and profound words.
    You, like Hillary, have a servant’s heart.

    • http://rabblerouserruminations.blogspot.com Rabble Rouser Reverend Amy

      How very kind of you, Ginger! Thank you so much! Wow! I am truly, truly touched…

      Glad y’all like the puppy pics, too! Soon, their eyes will be opening, then their ears. I am going to try to get a video – the sounds they make are so cute, and you just can’t get that in the photos!

  • http://syd4.blogspot.com Stray Yellar Dawg

    They are beautiful! Thanks for posting their pics!!

  • Ginger

    International Women’s Day
    Hillary Rodham Clinton

    Secretary of State

    Washington, DC

    March 8, 2009

    On the occasion of International Women’s Day 2009, I am proud to honor women around the world who are blazing trails and surmounting obstacles in pursuit of equality and opportunity. Although you may not know their names or recognize their faces, these women advocates are hard at work in every country and on every continent, seeking to fulfill their right to participate fully in the political, economic and cultural lives of their societies. Often working against great odds and at great personal sacrifice, they are a key to global progress in this new century and deserve our admiration and support.

    Put simply, we have much less hope of addressing the complex challenges we face in this new century without the full participation of women. Whether the economic crisis, the spread of terrorism, regional conflicts that threaten families and communities, and climate change and the dangers it presents to the world’s health and security, we will not solve these challenges through half measures. Yet too often, on these issues and many more, half the world is left behind.

    This is not simply a matter of emotion or altruism. A growing body of research tells us that supporting women is a high-yield investment, resulting in stronger economies, more vibrant civil societies, healthier communities, and greater peace and stability. But even so, no nation in the world has yet achieved full equality for women.

    Women still comprise the majority of the world’s poor, unfed, and unschooled. Hundreds of thousands of women die in childbirth every year. They are subjected to rape as a tactic of war and exploited by traffickers globally in a billion dollar criminal business. Laws are still on the books denying women the right to own property, access credit, or make their own choices within their marriage. And honor killings, maiming, female genital mutilation, and other violent and degrading practices that target women are tolerated in too many places today.

    Like all people, women deserve to live free from violence and fear. To create peaceful, thriving communities, women must be equal partners. That means making key resources available to women as well as men, including the chance to work for fair wages and have access to credit; to vote, petition their governments and run for office; to know they can get healthcare when they need it, including family planning; and to send their children to school—their sons and their daughters.

    Women also have a crucial role to play in establishing peace worldwide. In regions torn apart by war, it is often the women who find ways to reach across differences and discover common ground as mothers, caretakers, and grassroots advocates. One need only look to Northern Ireland, Rwanda, the Balkans, and parts of Central America to see the impact of women working in their communities to bridge divides in areas of sectarian conflict.

    This week, as we celebrate the accomplishments and the untapped potential of women around the world, we must remind ourselves that ensuring the rights of women and girls is not only a matter of justice. It is a matter of enhancing global peace, progress, and prosperity for generations to come.

    When women are afforded their basic rights, they flourish. And so do their children, families, communities, and nations.

    # # #

    http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2009a/03/120129.htm

  • Sassy

    Amy, thank you for the reminder of Women’s History Month. I take solace in the fact that even though we can only go so far in society, things would certainly be much worse without the contributions of women!
    I took a walk yesterday afternoon and met up with 6 year old Carter and his black lab puppy. Ah, a good belly rub and life is good again!
    It took the sting out of grocery shopping yesterday! LOL!

  • Jackarooty

    The puppies are just too darling and too cute! I’ll bet if you have a moment or two of doubt during the day you can go and look at the puppies! I can’t wait for the video! How are those warm puppy bellies?

    • Elizabeth

      Awwww, aren’t they just extra cute ! Although hopefully not anything the cats have tried digging into, or vice versa, yet ! Although I would clip all my claws just as a precaution, and of course always supervise when you’re at home. :)

    • http://rabblerouserruminations.blogspot.com Rabble Rouser Reverend Amy

      That’s exactly it, Jackarooty – looking at them, and LISTENING to the adorable sounds the make helps to ease the other crapola…

      And Elizabeth, thanks for checking. Our cats love dogs – and they are FASCINATED by the puppies. They haven’t tried to touch them yet, though. (And I always keep my cats’ claws trimmed – better for all of us that way! :-) )

  • mary

    Thank you for posting the two BEST HUMAN RIGHTS SPEECHES OF ANY CENTURY by HILLARY!

    ah….what might have been were it not for the crookedness of the exDemocratic Party, the wickedness of the Obamabots, the sheer blasphemy of a non-roll call, and the urging by the “leg thrillers” (media) and the Kennedy clan for Hillary to get off the fighting ring before the fighting was done!

    WE SHALL NOT FORGET. WE WILL KEEP GOING….

    • http://www.rabblerouserruminations.blogspot.com/ Rabble Rouser Reverend Amy

      Amen to that, Mary!

      And Clinton’s speech was pretty great, wasn’t it? (How is it that the MSM never mentioned that it was listed in the Top 100 Speeches of the 20th century?? They went on and on and ON abt Obama’s speeches written by that frat boy, Favreau, but this speech? Hardly ever a mention…)

    • socalannie

      Hear hear! Well said Mary!

      Rev Amy, the puppies are soooo cute…love the names!

  • Ferd Berfle

    RRRA:

    Do those puppies have “baloney breath”, still? I remember as a child thinking that my puppy had breath that had the distinct odor of baloney. My wife does, as well.

  • Dawnelle

    A(wo)Men

    W00T! ;-)

    Lady Hillary!