Keywords or Terms: War
against women; Reproductive and Health Rights; Planned Parenthood; Mitt Romney;
Republican Party; Patients Protection and Affordable Care Act; Violence Against
Women Act; Rick Santorum; Newt Gingrich
Republican war against women is heating up and it is not
getting funny anymore. Here are some fascinating examples of how Republicans
are taking the fight to women: 1) Mitt Romney, likely Republican flag bearer for
the upcoming 2012 general elections, wants to get rid of Planned Parenthood,
not withstanding that the organization is a private non-profit entity; 2)
Arizona State and Republican Governor want women to justify use of birth
control pills for purpose of health care; and 3) Pennsylvania Republican Governor wants
women to watch the fetus in their uterus prior to any procedures. These current
examples serve as fringe examples of what Republicans are unto regarding women
health.
If you are a woman who is very interested in your reproductive
health and other health issues concerning women, you may want to ask yourself
this question: what do Republicans intend to achieve by their new assault on
women and their reproductive health? You may want to ponder this question; because
your ability to answer this question may help you resolve the puzzle: Is it out
of religiosity? Is it out of a desire to undermine any governmental initiative
that provides and protect women health and their reproductive choices? Are Republicans
attempting to mortgage women’s health interests as protected in the Patients
Protection and Affordable Care Act? Republicans have been known to fight worker’s
union protection, labor wages, and higher taxation; hardly have the party and its
stalwarts, strive to undermine women interest aggressively as the Republicans
are attempting today. You imagine that there are women Republicans who are
concerned about the recent assault on women reproductive health; however,
hardly are you finding this group of women speaking out loudly regarding how
they object to the new, new thing, in Republican conservatism!
So, what should Republican women be doing now?
More than four decades ago, women sort to uphold their right
to their own bodies, including making choices regarding birth control, use or
non-use of the bra and other associated rights that were long overdue. Like
other women, Republican women must now accept that change is inevitable; and
more than ever, there is the need for Republican women to voice their opinion(s) regarding what contraceptives and other reproductive choices are doing for them
and their friends in the Democratic Party; including why it is important for
men to respect their right to make prudent choices regarding their reproductive
health. Invariably, men, Republicans, Democrats and Independents, must be made to
appreciate the pertinent nature of women reproductive tracts and why, except
you are in a woman’s body, which close to ninety-nine percent of men are not,
it is probably not wise to fight against public policies designed to help women
live a better and healthier life.
As anyone faced with a difficult aggression from an outside
group, who has hardly being in one’s shoes, women, Democrats or Republicans,
must insist in no uncertain terms that, this new aggression from republicans will
not be tolerated. If the Republican Party persists, especially among their
party leaders, it behooves women, to stand up for their right and insist on
their choices. Women, Democrats and Republicans, must insist that, when it comes
to issues regarding their body and reproductive health, their allegiance to
self comes first, not party affiliation. Democratic and Republican women must
remind men, who have chosen to fight an unholy war against their reproductive rights:
enough is enough! If the Republican leaders and their Congressional lawmakers persist,
as is expected, the Republican women must be strong enough to assert their
right and politely beg to disagree on this one: the newly found toy of
conservative Republicans to upstage women!
Conservative Republicans and extreme right are often known
to take position(s) that make many people wonder, if this group are living in
the 21st Century or 13th Century? Conservative Republicans
can hardly escape the kinds of mazes which women are being subjected to,
regarding their reproductive choices in today’s media place. The extremism in
the State of Arizona
and some others, regarding women’s body, are food for thoughts, both for women
and men. In the current brouhaha regarding insurance coverage for women’s
contraceptives under the Patients Protection and Affordable Care Act, the
debate has actually shifted from the narrow definition of women reproductive
health to one of sexual abstinence, a choice that men can hardly tolerate.
Perhaps, men should be reminded that it takes two to tango. Bad mouthing women
choices to use birth control or contraceptives to help pace child birth, manage
better menopausal problems or address issues regarding women health, is not
only retrogressive, it is politically uncivil. These new detractors that the
conservative Republicans have just stumbled on, may actually lead to ultimate
disintegration of an already tattered Republican Party. If Republicans doubt
this assertion, I challenge them to continue on the path of telling women what
they can do and not do, with their bodies.
Moreover, perhaps Conservative Republicans may want to think
twice before continuing on their path of destruction. The course and character
of women may be impinged when conservative men continue to knock women down
with derogation comments that are very despicable, even for other cautious
Republicans. Instead of wasting their time and arguments over whether women
should have health insurance coverage for their contraceptives, it may be wiser
for Republicans to concentrate on issues regarding the under-performing economy,
rather than the women body. It is better for the Republican Party or those
extreme rights among them, to accept things the way they are, regarding women
health status, rather than beating on the dead horse through unconscionable pronouncements
or political voyeurism.
Now imagine the current affront on the extension of the Violence
against Women Act in Congress. Many congressional women, Republican and
Democrat, are now speaking out against the attempt to marginalize women welfare.
How do Republicans expect women to react, when they perceive a siege against
their health and welfare? Do Republicans expect women to be stocked in the rot
and accept that their health and welfare are secondary to party’s allegiance?
Would Republicans want women to merely fall down and roll over or stand up for
their interests? The November 2012 general elections results will offer the
best answers to these questions.
So what should the Conservative Republicans be doing now?
Rather than simply waging war against women, the Conservative
Republicans must adapt to the new reality in their party: the conservative wing
of the Republican Party is currently turned apart like a fat man’s underpants. Neither Rick
Santorum nor Newt Gingrich is lighting enough fire among the base; while
Santorum may be making a headway among the truly or socially conservative, love
for his brand of culture war is not attuned to the wishes of the generality of
the base; and, the fiscal indiscipline and or probably marital indiscipline in
Newt Gingrich, are making some in the party, burp. If Conservative Republicans
are not totally in support of Mitt Romney; or, if they actually do not like his
North Eastern liberality, why are they not finding a credible conservative flag
bearer? If there is no credible conservative enough flag bearer among the current
aspirants for the party’s nomination, why are the conservatives not working
hard to lump their support behind either Santorum or Gingrich and move ahead in
preparation for the November General elections, rather than settling for a
candidate that all are saying, does not represent their values and understand
their plight. Why are conservatives splitting their votes and allowing their
personal preferences to be marginalized because of their extremism?
The current misadventure, going after women health or the
violence against women act, is more of a side show that could easily be
avoided. More than one third of women have experienced rape, assault and other
domestic abuses; the extension of the violence against women act may be
imperfect as some Republican lawmakers see it now, for its protection of
immigrant women and women trafficked into the country for sexual trades or
favors; however, this bill has passed before and zoomed though congress, with
bi-partisan support, why are Republicans dead set against it this time around? When
a female Republican Senator Susan Collins from Maine is mystified about the new objections
to the bill and is calling for an open debate of the bill, why are Republicans
still insisting on holding back their support? How else should women construe
this new recalcitrance or refractory from Republican lawmakers?
At the core of Republican’s new aggression against women and
their reproductive health are the following
observations: 1) A callous desire to turn the hand of the clock backwards on
issues of women civil rights and reproductive health; 2) Refusal to accept that
change has come and no one can rely on extremism views or position to deny
women their basic rights to their bodies and welfare; 3) It is about time for Republicans
to reassess their position on the Patients Protection and Affordable Care Act, including
the insurance underwriting for contraceptives as this is a complete distraction
in an election year; and, 4) Rather than being labeled a party of charlatans,
it is now time for Republicans to quit the fear mongering tactics and work
within the law to advance the welfare of women, rather than continue to be
difficult and unreasonable! For Republicans to find credibility among women and
Americans in general, once again, it is time to support and inspire support for
the extension of the violence against women act and work hard to advance the
goal of women rights to their body in modern day America.
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