A Friday commentary and then I'm going to insist on happy happy joy joy for the rest of the day: for any of my friends still waffling on whether or not to vote for a Republican - ANY Republican- into office in November, be aware that the GOP has adopted as a major part of its party platform a Personhood clause. Even if you think abortion is wrong, what a personhood clause does is to outlaw removing an ectopic pregnancy, ban in-vitro fertilization (multiple eggs are fertilized with a few being implanted and the rest destroyed), outlaw the morning after pill, prevent a doctor from giving life saving treatment to a pregnant woman if the fetus could be harmed (like in a car crash, or shooting, or major illness). Take it one step further: your sister, cousin, aunt, mother, best friend cannot seek treatment if they have been raped or incest has occurred. One more step further: your 13 year old virgin daughter has been raped, tells you immediately, you report it to police, and at the hospital the doctor tells you that it's illegal to give her the pill. Is this really the direction in which you wish our country to go? Women deserve a reproductive choice. Don't judge - any of these scenarios could happen to you.
I guess my mother's been visiting from the otherworld as I've been thinking of her all morning. Placed into my consciousness was an incident that happened when I was in my 20s and had dropped by mom's house for a visit. I had dated a guy named Dan when I was 15 and 16, and he and i still were on good terms with each other's mother. On that particular day, mom told me she had gotten her hair done and then went shopping at the mall. Mom: I saw Dan today, and he said, "Beep beep Miss Pat"! What on earth could he have meant? Me, looking at her new extreme hair style: um, you look just like the Road Runner, Mom. Needless to say, we laughed and laughed, and I'm laughing still. So Beep Beep Mom! I feel you, I appreciate and love you and I miss you...
Of course if this IS the direction the country goes, business will boom for me and other shaman peeps. Remember, I'm a medicine woman and herbalist and know the formula for herbal cocktails used by women since ancient times to end pregnancy
. But as with all herbal medicine, one type doesn't fit all, allergic reactions can occur, depending on the herbs used may be ineffective (and there are many scam artists just waiting to take your money and run), and certainly won't help in cases of ectopic pregnancy or major body trauma. Let's keep a woman's choice between her and her doctor a personal one, please.
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