UPDATE
The Virginia Senate today passed precedent-setting legislation that would force women to have an ultrasound before having an abortion.
The 21-19 vote on an amended version of House Bill 462, sponsored by Del. Kathy J. Byron, R-Campbell marked a victory for anti-abortion advocates and the conservative wing of the Republican Party, which has been frustrated in recent days with the scuttling of bills aimed at restricting access, funding and length of time a woman may access abortion services.
Senators agreed to an amendment under which a victim of rape or incest who reports the attack would not have to undergo an ultrasound to get an abortion. The amendment means that the measure must go back to the House of Delegates to see if it agrees to the amendment.
School violence: The Killing Fields?
I would like to talk about something that makes ME sick. Sick and numb. Today a third student has died as a result of that fatal shooting at Chardon High School outside of Cleveland. Every day there is violence in schools. Earlier in the week, an 11 year old girl died in California as a result of fighting with another girl, over a boy. There are probably others student deaths that weren’t sensational enough to make the news. Are our schools becoming killing fields?
What can be done to stop this type of senseless violence? The 11 year old girl was a participant. We can assume willing. However, the 4 students who were shot yesterday were simply sitting in the cafeteria eating breakfast. How did the shooter get access to the cafeteria? He wasn’t even a student in that school any more. He went to alternative school. We can only assume that he walked right in with the rest of the students at 7:30 am.
Is there a way to make our schools safer? From all accounts this school, like Columbine a decade ago, wasn’t in a heavy crime area. It was just an ordinary school, like our kids go to. It wasn’t inner city.
In Virginia: Women’s Strike Force forms to fight anti abortion legislators
Spurred on by David Albo’s silly, tiresome anecdote about his wife cutting him off because of trans-vaginal probes attached to his name, influential Virginia woman have sprung into action and formed a new pac called the Women’s Strike Force. Enough is enough. Leslie Byrne is one of the founders.
From the Women’s Strike Force website:
The Women’s Strike Force is a Virginia PAC dedicated to recruiting and supporting all candidates opposing any elected official who supported the “personhood” or mandatory ultrasound legislation in the Virginia General Assembly.
All funds raised will be used to beat every Virginia Legislator who voted in favor of HB1 or HB462/SB484.
Donations may be made at www.womenstrikeforce.org
They take credit cards and pay pal.
The women strike back. May the force be with them.
