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Archive for February, 2012

The Touch That Hurts

Posted in Books, Journaling, Wedding, Country, tagged , , on February 7, 2012| 2 Comments »

“Have a heart that never hardens, and a temper that never tires, and a touch that never hurts.” Happy Birthday Charles Dickens! The Victorian novelist turns 200 today and some of his best quotes never made it into his books. I didn’t know my Mother the Flapper was quoting Dickens when she would say, “Charity begins at home…” but didn’t finish the line with, “…and justice begins next door.”

Well, justice is currently being sought next door in the murder trial of an ex-UVA Lacrosse player. News people from all corners of the globe have encamped in our fair city, and closed off Court Square as Lead defense attorney Francis McQ. Lawrence and the Commonwealth’s Attorney Dave Chapman face off over choosing the jury in George Huguley’s trial. One is a UVA Law grad, while the other was a Law lecturer for many years so it seems that everybody is connected through one degree of separation to Jefferson’s Academical Village. We were told last night as Huguley entered the courtroom, he has grown out his hair and lost weight. Honestly?

What I find particularly touching is that a UVA Law Professor, Anne Coughlin, took it upon herself to speak with students about the legalese of Virginia’s homicide law. The 24 year old Huguley was charged with 1st degree pre-meditated murder on the day of his arrest after admitting he slammed his ex-girlfriend Yeardley Love’s head against a wall several times. But did he have “Malice of Forethought?” Was his intent to kill her after drinking all day and ramming down her apartment’s locked door? So jurors will be asked to determine his state of mind, his intentions, probably without having Huguley take the stand. IF his lawyers can prove his intention was to harm and not kill, the charge would drop to 2nd degree murder, with a possible sentence of between five and 40 years. And here we see the benefits of privilege, with money to hire the best lawyers in town.

I wish that this young man might dream tonight of 3 ghosts. I wish that Love’s parents did not have to suffer through this trial. I wish that we all had a touch that would never hurt.
Here is the Cville daily trial blog – http://www.c-ville.com/Blog/Huguely_Trial_Blog/Huguely_Trial_Day_One_Young_People_Were_Out_of_Control/?act=post

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Still I Rise

Posted in Books, Journaling, Wedding, Country, tagged , , on February 4, 2012| 1 Comment »

This morning I was thinking. We never know, in the midst of super bowls and puppy bowls, who among us faces the night in a kind of quiet desperation. The Komen Foundation has only apologized for de-funding Planned Parenthood, it’s not really clear if they will continue their breast health grants for women this year. If you feel strongly that politics and religion should not interfere with our public policy decisions, please consider signing this petition.
http://pol.moveon.org/komen/?rc=pac_komen_letter.t0.fb.v2.g0&color=blue

For everyone who has had to sit in a salmon-colored hospital gown awaiting her mammogram results – to anyone facing the tide of life’s flotsam, here is a little Maya just for you.

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Semantics in the Air

Posted in Books, Journaling, Wedding, Country, tagged , , on February 2, 2012| 3 Comments »

Thank you VA State Senator Janet Howell (D-Fairfax Co) for introducing an amendment to require a digital rectal exam and a cardiac stress test to men seeking an RX for erectile dysfunction. Her reasoning? Simple; “The Virginia senate is about to pass a bill that will require a woman to have a totally unnecessary medical procedure at their cost and inconvenience. If we’re going to do that to women, why not do that to men?” She was making the point that a little gender equity might go a long way; Howell’s amendment was defeated 21-18. The GOP Bill that requires an ultrasound before an abortion was passed in the Senate and now comes to R-Gov Bob McDonnell’s desk.

Now besides my firm opinion that our government has no more need of sticking its rules and regs between the sheets in our collective bedrooms or the stirrups in our OB-GYN office, I rise today in opposition of the right’s tendency to hijack our language…we Democratic women are “Pro-Choice” and you, Republican led legislators are “Anti-Choice.” Who gave you the right to call yourself “Pro-Lifers?” Many of you are for the death penalty. Isn’t that a contradiction in terms? This VA bill also instructs a provider (insert Doctor or NP or Planned Parenthood) to ask the woman seeking an abortion if she would like to see the ultrasound!!?? It also requires that the medical professional performing the ultrasound “…obtain written certification from the woman that she was offered the chance to see the image….(and)…to record whether the woman chose to see the ultrasound image or hear the fetal heartbeat.” Oh and then wait some number of days to actually have the abortion.

If I am not hearing a collective gasp from blue and red women everywhere…really? Margaret Atwood help us please! Thank you Sen Janet Howell for pointing out the folly of this horrendous attack against women. Why not play by their rules and submit the old pay to play amendment – if you mandate such a procedure VA, then you get to pay for it! Whoops, the government paying for an abortion procedure?
I think not. Hold onto your pen Gov Bob, bend over and cough!

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