LOCAL NEWS
Is This Anti-Hahn Ad ‘The Most Offensive Ad In The World’?
Jezebel calls “Give Us Your Cash, Bitch!” (the work of Ladd Ehlinger Jr., already infamous for his Nancy Pelosi-as-Wicked Witch ad) the “World’s Most Offensive Campaign Ad.” The anti-Janice Hahn ad has already been denounced by the California Republican Party. Democrats are asking Craig Huey, Hahn’s opponent, to speak out against the ad as well.
East Bay Residents, Recognize This Man?
Oakland Police are searching for a man who allegedly sexually assaulted a woman after she used her cell phone to record him trying to rob her home. The footage has been released in hopes that someone will be able to identify him. According to KGO, the woman “was very much behind the release of this video.” Good for her. Check out the video and see if you recognize him.
Feminist Porn Shorts
The SFBG reviews ‘Dirty Diaries,” a series of shorts about feminist porn. “Tired of being told what’s hot and what’s not, these ladies strapped on their cameras and set out to create hardcore, feminist porn on their own terms,” reports the SFBG. Apparently this includes everything from flashing to phone sex.
NATIONAL NEWS
GOP Hopefuls Discuss Abortion
In last week’s GOP New Hampshire debate, the Republican candidates got the chance to express their views on abortion. Here’s a breakdown:
Mitt Romney: Was once pro-choice, is now steadfastly “pro-life.” CNN moderator John King gave the other candidates a chance to challenge his new views, but all agreed his prior beliefs were “no longer an issue.” Forgive and forget, right?
Rick Santorum said,”I’ve not only taken a position, but I’ve taken a bullet for the pro-life movement.” NICE metaphor there.
Tim Pawlenty called himself the “most pro-life candidate in the race,” highlighting his pro-life record while governor. According to the Christian Post, none of the other candidates called into question his one abortion exception in cases of “rape or incest.”
Michelle Bachmann called herself “100 percent pro-life.” The evidence: she has five biological children and has fostered 23 others.
The other candidates “did not appeal eager to tackle the abortion issue” and simply said they were pro-life, except for Ron Paul, who believes the federal government should not be involved in the issue.
A Tale Of Two Not Actually Lesbian Bloggers
Two popular lesbian bloggers, “Gay Girl In Damascus” and “Lez Get Real,” were “outed” as straight white males this week. Some ask: has the straight male obsession with lesbians gone too far? Or do some straight white males feel like their voices will only be heard if they impersonate the more marginalized? Either way, a good reminder if you’ve forgotten since your AOL chat room days that people aren’t always who they say they are on the Internet.
This Week’s Most Illogical Anti-Abortion Claim
Everyone knows that more contraception leads to more abortion! Wait, what? That highly illogical and confusing claim comes from the president of anti-abortion group “The Susan B. Anthony List,” who said this week that “every year that contraception and family planning increases, the abortion rate also increases in direct proportion. […] This is an undeniable fact.”
If You Feel Like Getting Frustrated
Check out Amanda Marcotte’s List of 10 states where abortion is “virtually illegal.”
BILLS, BILLS, BILLS
Fetal Pain in Alabama
Alabama Governor Robert Bentley is still considering a bill that would outlaw abortions after the 20th week, due to what bill supporters love to call “fetal pain.” The state’s abortion providers say the law wouldn’t have much impact on the number of abortions currently performed in the state, but that it would primarily affect women who wanted to be pregnant in the first place.
Good News in Texas
The Center for Reproductive Rights filed a lawsuit against Rick Perry’s mandatory transvaginal ultrasound bill that requires women to “hear a fetal heartbeat, if available, and to actively decline from seeing an image of the fetus, though they must hear a description of it from the doctor.”
Both Good and Bad News in North Carolina
NC Governor Bev Perdue vetoed legislation that would have banned Planned Parenthood from receiving funding.
But the North Carolina House also passed the “Women’s Right to Know” Act which forces women to wait 24 hours to have an abortion, see a sonogram and learn about the risks of abortion. “This is about respecting women,” said Rep. Ruth Samuelson, one of the bill’s sponsors.
Should Abortion Clinics Post Clarifying Signs?
Louisiana passed a bill requiring abortion clinics to post signs informing women about abortion alternatives. According to the Examiner, “The signs would say it is illegal for others to coerce a woman into an abortion; that public and private agencies can help them during and after pregnancy; that the father is liable for child support; and that adoptive parents may cover the medical costs of pregnancy. The information would also be posted online.” I’d be fine with this if the state’s crisis pregnancy centers were also required to post truth-in-advertising signs. Which they are not.
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