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Tag Archives: abortion

This is far from over

05 Tuesday Jul 2022

Posted by Michael Bersin in meta, Resist

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

#resist, abortion, meta, missouri, protest, Roe v Wade, Supreme Court

In the past five days we’ve covered four different pro-choice demonstrations in Missouri – Sedalia, Jefferson City, Warrensburg, and Kansas City. The smaller demonstrations have been organized at the grassroots level via social media. The weather has been miserable – high humidity and high temperatures. Yet, people show up. That’s what happens when half the country loses their bodily automony on the whim of six right wingnuts.

This is not going away. It’s definitely not over.

I’ve shot close to 2000 frames at these demonstrations.

“…Because you get none”

The image is from the July 3rd demonstration in Jefferson City. The rally had already started. The three individuals were walking on Lafayette toward the federal court building.

One thing we noticed five years ago was that many of our images of protests, demonstrations, and marches taken over the years featured women. It took us a brief second to grapple with the reality that much of the labor in recent activist history has been carried by women. If women are organizing and showing up at demonstrations chances are the images taken at those events are going to be of women.

As is the case with this recent round of pro-choice demonstrations, men attend, but they’re distinctly in the minority.

I suspect there may be different results with other ideologies.

The image may be a harbinger of the future. Confident young women asserting their voices, humanity, and autonomy, accompanied by a supportive friend.

The pro-choice demonstration in front of the federal courthouse in Jefferson City at noon on Sunday was well attended. The humidity and heat were oppressive. The original announcement of the event had the location at the Capitol – it was moved to the federal courthouse (ironically, next to the decrepit and deteriorating old state prison) because there were already July 4th events taking place at the Capitol. And it ended up that there was no march to the Capitol (but a “break off” group apparently did make the trek).

Anyone who has attended a protest on a weekend in Jefferson City knows that there will probably be no one else around to witness it. The site at the federal courthouse is one of the most deserted places in Jefferson City on a Sunday afternoon. In this instance there appeared to be about a dozen people at the entrance of the old prison lining up for a tour. That was a “win” of sorts.

I’m not complaining (other than about the heat and humidity) because I knew I’d get some good images to feed the content beast at Show Me Progress.

“Abort the patriarchy”

This image is from the July 4th demonstration in Kansas City. The rally had started and people were still streaming into Mill Creek Park from all corners (depending on where they parked).

This, too, may be another harbinger of the future. Passing the torch to another generation.

This larger demonstration – it was difficult to estimate the size, but definitely more than 1000 – was more centrally organized. Though, again, word was circulated via social media. The Kansas City metro area obviously has a greater population to draw from. There is a difference.

In Kansas City at the beginning of the rally there were two distinct groupings, with individuals easily moving between them. There were those who lined up on the sidewalks facing traffic and engaging passers by and, those listening to speakers in the park. The host merged again later to march through the Plaza (there are spectacular drone images of the march through the streets). As is customary for demonstrations at this location, many of those who cannot march remain on the sidewalks at the edge of the park to picket facing passing traffic.

Again, the heat and humidity was miserable. And people still showed up.

Media and social media do create audiences, but the point of public protest is to inform, and yes, inconvenience and make others aware of your greivances.
From experience – you don’t necessarily need a large crowd to accomplish those communication goals. One individual on a street corner has a powerful impact, though I would point out there is safety in numbers.

One million people in a street protest in Washington, D.C. does have an impact. Fifty or twenty or two people in every town and city in America has a much greater impact. Over a thousand in a public place out in the heat on a holiday works, too.

It takes a lot of courage to put yourself on the line organizing a public protest event under any circumstances. It takes a lot of courage for an individual to take that step in public on their own. It is a start.

No one will listen to your greivances if they’re not put in a position to actually listen. Polite defference to their sensibilities and convenience will get you nowhere. They’ll only notice you if you’re there, persistent, and inconvenient.

You’re supposed to make people uncomfortable with injustice. We all are.

Make it so.

Previously:

Pro-choice Demonstration – Sedalia, Missouri – June 30, 2022 (June 30, 2022)

They want to believe they’re winning, but know they’re losing again (July 1, 2022)

Pro-choice Demonstration – Johnson County Courthouse – Warrensburg, Missouri – July 2, 2022 (July 2, 2022)

Pro-choice Demonstration – Jefferson City, Missouri – July 3, 2022 (July 3, 2022)

Heartland POD: The 4th of July (July 4, 2022)

Pro-choice Demonstration – Kansas City, Missouri – July 4, 2022 – part 1 (July 4, 2022)

Pro-choice Demonstration – Kansas City, Missouri – July 4, 2022 – part 2 (July 4, 2022)

Pro-choice Demonstration – Kansas City, Missouri – July 4, 2022 – part 3 (July 4, 2022)

Pro-choice Demonstration – Kansas City, Missouri – July 4, 2022 – part 4 (July 4, 2022)

Pro-choice Demonstration – Kansas City, Missouri – July 4, 2022 – part 4

04 Monday Jul 2022

Posted by Michael Bersin in Resist

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

#resist, abortion, Kansas City, missouri, protest, Roe v Wade, Supreme Court

“Today, staring before 11:00 a.m., in high humidity and with the temperature in the 90s, hundreds of individuals gathered in Mill Creek Park near the entrance to the Plaza in Kansas City, Missouri to rally in support of reproductive rights.

Several hundred lined the sidewalks facing the streets with their picket signs. Hundreds more constantly, also with signs, streamed further into the park for a rally and to hear speakers.

The reaction from passers by was overwhelmingly supportive (this is Kansas City). There was an unending chain of car horns and shouts of solidarity and raised fists from those in the passing cars.

There have been a number of similar demonstrations scheduled across Missouri over the past few days.

There were, of course, scores of creative and informative protest signs…”

“Abort the patriarchy”

“Doctors and patients, not politicians and churches”

“When did my privates become so public?”

“Forced pregnancy is slavery”

“…the system”

“It’s a beautiful day to smash the patriarchy”

“You don’t trust me with a choice but you trust me with a baby?”

“My body, my choice”

“I will not go quietly back to the 1950s”

“Seven years, seven deployments…”

Previously:

Pro-choice Demonstration – Sedalia, Missouri – June 30, 2022 (June 30, 2022)

They want to believe they’re winning, but know they’re losing again (July 1, 2022)

Pro-choice Demonstration – Johnson County Courthouse – Warrensburg, Missouri – July 2, 2022 (July 2, 2022)

Pro-choice Demonstration – Jefferson City, Missouri – July 3, 2022 (July 3, 2022)

Heartland POD: The 4th of July (July 4, 2022)

Pro-choice Demonstration – Kansas City, Missouri – July 4, 2022 – part 1 (July 4, 2022)

Pro-choice Demonstration – Kansas City, Missouri – July 4, 2022 – part 2 (July 4, 2022)

Pro-choice Demonstration – Kansas City, Missouri – July 4, 2022 – part 3 (July 4, 2022)

Pro-choice Demonstration – Kansas City, Missouri – July 4, 2022 – part 2

04 Monday Jul 2022

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

#resist, abortion, Kansas City, missouri, protest, Roe v Wade, Supreme Court

“Today, staring before 11:00 a.m., in high humidity and with the temperature in the 90s, hundreds of individuals gathered in Mill Creek Park near the entrance to the Plaza in Kansas City, Missouri to rally in support of reproductive rights.

Several hundred lined the sidewalks facing the streets with their picket signs. Hundreds more constantly, also with signs, streamed further into the park for a rally and to hear speakers.

The reaction from passers by was overwhelmingly supportive (this is Kansas City). There was an unending chain of car horns and shouts of solidarity and raised fists from those in the passing cars.

There have been a number of similar demonstrations scheduled across Missouri over the past few days.

There were, of course, scores of creative and informative protest signs…”

“Reproductive rights are human rights”

“What about my heartbeat?”

“…Protect women’s rights”

“We will fight”

“We will not be silent!”

“…Not your incubator”

“Just ignore abortions like you ignore mass shootings”

“…Until…”

“Thou shall not mess with women’s rights”

“Bans off our bodies”

“Pro vasectomy”

“Off with their dicks”

Previously:

Pro-choice Demonstration – Sedalia, Missouri – June 30, 2022 (June 30, 2022)

They want to believe they’re winning, but know they’re losing again (July 1, 2022)

Pro-choice Demonstration – Johnson County Courthouse – Warrensburg, Missouri – July 2, 2022 (July 2, 2022)

Pro-choice Demonstration – Jefferson City, Missouri – July 3, 2022 (July 3, 2022)

Heartland POD: The 4th of July (July 4, 2022)

Pro-choice Demonstration – Kansas City, Missouri – July 4, 2022 – part 1 (July 4, 2022)

Pro-choice Demonstration – Kansas City, Missouri – July 4, 2022 – part 1

04 Monday Jul 2022

Posted by Michael Bersin in Resist

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

abortion, Kansas City, misosouri, protest, Roe v Wade, Supreme Court

Today, staring before 11:00 a.m., in high humidity and with the temperature in the 90s, hundreds of individuals gathered in Mill Creek Park near the entrance to the Plaza in Kansas City, Missouri to rally in support of reproductive rights.

Several hundred lined the sidewalks facing the streets with their picket signs. Hundreds more constantly, also with signs, streamed further into the park for a rally and to hear speakers.

The reaction from passers by was overwhelmingly supportive (this is Kansas City). There was an unending chain of car horns and shouts of solidarity and raised fists from those in the passing cars.

There have been a number of similar demonstrations scheduled across Missouri over the past few days.

There were, of course, scores of creative and informative protest signs. A personal favorite:

“[Eric] Schmitt is a Fascist doosh”

“Regulate your dick”

“I object”

“Mind your own uterus”

“Keep your politics off of my uterus”

“Regulate Dick, not Jane”

“WTF is going on?”

“Keep your fucking laws off of my body”

“Hey patriarchy, get your religion off my body”

“Abortion is a human right”

“Abort the court”

“My body, my choice, my life, my voice”

Previously:

Pro-choice Demonstration – Sedalia, Missouri – June 30, 2022 (June 30, 2022)

They want to believe they’re winning, but know they’re losing again (July 1, 2022)

Pro-choice Demonstration – Johnson County Courthouse – Warrensburg, Missouri – July 2, 2022 (July 2, 2022)

Pro-choice Demonstration – Jefferson City, Missouri – July 3, 2022 (July 3, 2022)

Heartland POD: The 4th of July (July 4, 2022)

Pro-choice Demonstration – Jefferson City, Missouri – July 3, 2022

03 Sunday Jul 2022

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

abortion, demonstration, federal courthouse, Jefferson City, missouri, protest, Roe v Wade

Today at noon, in high humidity and a temperature in the high 80s, close to three hundred individuals gathered in front of the federal courthouse in Jefferson City, Missouri to rally in support of reproductive rights.

The street in front of the courthouse was blocked off for the rally. Several speakers addressed the crowd.

There have been a number of similar demonstrations scheduled across Missouri over the past few days.

“You can only ban safe abortions”

“My body, my choice”

“…for safe and legal abortion”

“…Keep your politics out of my uterus”

“I’m 14…”

“We won’t go back!”

“Im a woman, not a womb”

“…More regulated than guns”

“Keep your rosaries off my ovaries”

“Abort the patriarchy”

“Motherhood should be a choice, not a punishment”

“Keep your theology off my biology”

“You will never have the comfort of my silence”

“Keep your laws off my daughters”

“If it’s not your body it’s not your decision”

“My rights don’t end where your beliefs begin”

Nailed it.

“When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty…”

“Reasons women get abortions…”

“…Because you get none”

“Bans off my body” “…The elephant in the womb”

At the federal courthouse in Jefferson City, Missouri – July 3, 2022

Previously:

Pro-choice Demonstration – Sedalia, Missouri – June 30, 2022 (June 30, 2022)

They want to believe they’re winning, but know they’re losing again (July 1, 2022)

Pro-choice Demonstration – Johnson County Courthouse – Warrensburg, Missouri – July 2, 2022 (July 2, 2022)

Pro-choice Demonstration – Johnson County Courthouse – Warrensburg, Missouri – July 2, 2022

02 Saturday Jul 2022

Posted by Michael Bersin in Resist

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

#resist, abortion, missouri, protest, Roe v Wade, Supreme Court, Warrensburg

Early this afternoon over a hundred individuals gathered on the Johnson County Courthouse lawn in Warrensburg, Missouri to demonstrate in support of reproductive rights.

They were greeted with supportive car horn honking.

There are a number of such demonstrations scheduled across Missouri over the next few days.

Pro-choice Demonstration – Johnson County Courthouse – Warrensburg, Missouri – July 2, 2022

“Separate Church and State”

“…Abolish the filibuster”

“Someone you love…”

“I support a woman’s right to choose”

“I love someone…”

“Reproductive Rights are Human Rights”

“…Reproductive Rights are Human Rights”

“You will never have the comfort of our silence”

We suspect that’s a warning.

On the Johnson County Courthouse lawn.

Jess Piper (D).

Keep your laws off my body”

Pro choice is not anti-life”

“My body, my choice”

“My private parts should not be up for public debate!”

Here we are again”

“It won’t end here”

No, it won’t.

Previously:

Pro-choice Demonstration – Sedalia, Missouri – June 30, 2022 (June 30, 2022)

They want to believe they’re winning, but know they’re losing again (July 1, 2022)

They want to believe they’re winning, but know they’re losing again

01 Friday Jul 2022

Posted by Michael Bersin in meta

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

abortion, dumbass, Fascist pig, meta, right wingnut, Roe v Wade, Supreme Court, troll, trolling

“Stupidity may be inherited. Ignorance is a personal choice.”

“…We don’t allow ignorant comments out of moderation to be linked with the original post, but we do occasionally present some of them in subsequent posts for the purpose of public derision and mockery. As we see fit…”

We see fit.

Pro-choice demonstration – Sedalia, Missouri – June 30, 2022

A post on yesterday’s pro-choice demonstration in Sedalia, Missouri went viral. Of course, that attractes right wingnuts who attempt to assert their perceived intellectual dominance:

What idiots. They sound retarded it’s not about it’s about the millions of babies they are murdering each day. Ban viagra that’s ok because it still won’t stop God from planting the seed of life ( a baby) in a woman’s uterus. Sure some pregnancies are horrendous in the way they happened but don’t give the baby the death penalty give the rapist instead

Uh, where to start?

“…They sound retarded…” As, say, opposed to illiterate and ignorant? What’s our troll’s excuse?

“…it’s about the millions of babies they are murdering each day…” However you count it – sperm, zygote, fetus, actual baby – that’s a lot at an annual rate. Our troll also appears to have issues with math literacy. That’s not a surprise.

“…it still won’t stop God from planting the seed of life ( a baby) in a woman’s uterus…” Ah, magic. That explains a lot, just not what our troll thinks it does.

They’re so insecure. Why show up here if they believe that they’ve got what they’ve always wanted?

And finally: When someone submits a comment here their email address and I.P. address are linked to the comment.

Previously:

What gives you the mistaken impression we give a shit about what you think? (June 10, 2022)

Doing the same thing as everyone else and expecting a different result (June 11, 2022)

It’s a cult (June 19, 2022)

Once again, for the people who just got here (June 22, 2022)

It’s been a long road to now

24 Friday Jun 2022

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

abortion, Roe v Wade, Supreme Court

Twenty-two years ago.

A t-shirt distributed by NARAL to delegates at the Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles in 2000.

They had a plan.

Forced birth

24 Friday Jun 2022

Posted by Michael Bersin in Claire McCaskill, Resist, social media

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

#resist, abortion, Claire McCaskill, missouri, reproductive rights, Roe v Wade, social media, Supreme Court, Twitter

Today:

Claire McCaskill @clairecmc
Missouri is now the first home of government mandated pregnancy.
11:15 AM · Jun 24, 2022

Previously:

But, her emails… (June 24, 2022)

In Missouri Mike Parson (r) now makes your health care decisions for you (June 24, 2022)

In Missouri Mike Parson (r) now makes your health care decisions for you

24 Friday Jun 2022

Posted by Michael Bersin in Missouri Governor

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

abortion, governor, health care, Mike Parson, Roe v Wade, Supreme Court

Mike Parson (r) [2019 file photo].

GOVERNOR PARSON SIGNS PROCLAMATION TO END ELECTIVE ABORTIONS IN MISSOURI IN RESPONSE TO U.S. SUPREME COURT DECISION

JEFFERSON CITY — Today, in response to the United States Supreme Court’s ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, Governor Mike Parson signed a proclamation giving legal effect to Section 188.017 RSMo and activating the “Right to Life of the Unborn Child Act.”

“Nothing in the text, history, or tradition of the United States Constitution gave un-elected federal judges authority to regulate abortion. We are happy that the U.S. Supreme Court has corrected this error and returned power to the people and the states to make these decisions,” Governor Parson said.

“With Roe v. Wade overturned and statutory triggers provided in HB 126, we are issuing this proclamation to restore our state authority to regulate abortion and protect life. Thanks to decades of conservative leaders, Missouri has become one of the most pro-life states in the nation, and our Administration has always fought for the life of every unborn child. Today, our efforts have produced what generations of Missourians have worked and prayed for: Today, we have won our fight to protect innocent life,” Governor Parson continued.

Governor Parson’s proclamation notifies the Missouri Revisor of Statutes of the effective date of Section 188.017 RSMo.

Section 188.017, or the “Right to Life of the Unborn Child Act,” includes several provisions:

Prohibits doctors from performing abortions unless there is a medical emergency;

Creates criminal liability for any person who knowingly performs or induces a non-medical emergency abortion and subjects his or her professional license to suspension; and

Protects any woman who receives an illegal abortion from being prosecuted in violation of the Act.

The “Right to Life of the Unborn Child Act” was included in HB 126 and contingent upon the U.S. Supreme Court overruling Roe v. Wade in whole or in part. Governor Parson signed HB 126 in 2019.

[….]

Wire coathangers on the fence at the Governor’s Mansion in Jefferson City – June 2, 2019.

Previously:

But, her emails… (June 24, 2022)

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