April Reign

Speak your mind even if your voice shakes

Blogging

The Optics of abortion

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In recent years, support for legal abortion has waned, which Lord attributes to the growing power of Christian fundamentalists: “We, like the good citizens of Iran, live in what amounts to a theocracy.”

A great article from Womens’ Enews showing how the media on abortion has been skewed to promote the anti choice agenda.

“Not one op-ed discussing abortion on the op-ed page of the most powerful liberal paper in the nation was written by a reproductive-rights advocate, a pro-choice service-provider or a representative of a women’s group,” reported the Prospect. “Instead, the officially pro-choice New York Times has hosted a conversation about abortion on its op-ed page that consisted almost entirely of the views of pro-life or abortion-ambivalent men, male scholars of the right and men with strong, usually Catholic, religious affiliations. In fact, a stunning 83 percent of the pieces appearing on the page that discussed abortion were written by men.”

Well isn’t that special! Nothing like equal time. [Read more…] about The Optics of abortion

Enquiring minds sorta want to know

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There has been alot of talk about the NDP being dead, no longer with us, nailed to the perch….

So why then the constant flapping of silly gums about various ads, who said what to whom about dirty dancing…er merging with what party et bloody boring cetra.

If the NPD is dead and no threat why bother with the Minister Ministry of Silly Walk Talk about them?

Seems to me time would be better spent finding a way to get Harper de-elected.

Petition to reinstate My Blagh

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on PB today Scott penned

The year is what the moderators agreed is the minimum time to let pass before hearing an appeal for reinstatement on his indefinite ban. It was agreed to by Wayne.

All further enquiries can and should be sent to Wayne if you dont agree with the moderators’ decision. He is the owner of this site and the final authority.

I believe coordinated efforts are always best therefore I have created a petition which will be sent on to Wayne Chu owner of Progressive Bloggers.

You can sign the petition here

and you can use this image on your site to link to the petition or link here

my blagh

The Big Tent is as the Big Tent Does

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The Big TentIt would seem a weekly event the thread asking for definition of progressive, asking who would not fit under the big tent. No answer was ever forthcoming except that the owner and mods did not feel it their place to determine what people wrote on their blog.

Self definition of progressive then seemed to be the criteria for fitting under The Big Tent.

Blogging for F4J – acceptable, maligning female politicians [see numerous posts on Belinda Stronach]- acceptable, adhering sexist and politically derogatory labels to feminists [again see PB diaries around abortion,Elizabeth May]- acceptable, debating a womans’ right to choice [many blogs, tags-abortion,Elizabeth May]- acceptable, defaming a persons reputation and all who associate with him – acceptable.

Whether or not Roberts’ post was wrong has been discussed throughly, what I would like to know is how it was worse than any of the previous examples?

The Big Tent is either Big enough to handle and accept all sides of a controversy and to allow free speech OR it moderates views and speech.

If PB has decided on the latter will we soon be in receipt of a policy clearly defining the progressive views and values the mods and owner find acceptable?

A policy on what will be acceptable blog topics, words used, groups and/or persons that can be maligned freely?

It would seem echo chamber is in the eye of the beholder.

Freedom’s just another word..

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… for nothin’ left to lose.
Me and Bobby McGee

What is the concept of freedom?

Is it something cute to wrap the flag around during political speechifying.

Is something to be doled out in measured doses in order remind us that is it there but we don’t want to wear it out. Something like company linens.

Perhaps freedom is accounted to the few and the many are given a facsimile of, fredum..you can buy it on the corner in New York.

There is much to lose if we do not see freedom as the one of the cornerstones of a just and civil society.

There have been times, such as the Witch Trials, when people were given a label to which there was no defence. Given trial in which there was no justice. And perfectly nice people, friends, neighbours rushed to give evidence all the better to disassociate and save themselves.

There have been other times when people were willing to smear and sellout their neighbours, even issuing signs to mark the differences.

It is disheartening to realize that we have forgotten so much history.

Music Meme

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Tagged by Joseph at Canada’s Debate

The premise

List seven songs you are into right now, no matter what the genre, whether they have words, or even if they’re not any good but they must be songs you’re really enjoying now. Post these instructions in your blog along with your seven songs. Then tag seven other people to see what they’re listening to.

The List

1.Pretty much anything by James Blunt (love his voice)
2.Joe Hill Joan Baez version
3.Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon (entire album)
4.Flippin’ the Bird by Tea Leaf Green
5.Crying Like A Church On Monday by New Radicals
6.He’s a dick by Golden Smog
7.Mad World by Gary Jules

I won’t tag anyone else because some of the people I know hate tags and some are mean and would hit me with virtual keyboards. 😉

But if you feel inspired….