Saturday, January 27, 2024

Gaza

Let's start with a laugh.  Phyliss Chesler has a column where she writes:

I have pioneered women’s rights for more than 50 years. 
Sadly, I must conclude that what was once a diverse and independent-minded movement has become hijacked by a “woke” death cult. 
Those American feminists left standing, including the icons among us, primarily favor gender over sex identity; are pro-trans rather than pro-biological-womankind; and are more obsessed with the alleged occupation of a country that has never existed (Palestine, Gaza) than they are with the occupation of female bodies in Gaza — where girls and women are forced into child and polygamous marriages, made to veil and, together with male homosexuals, “honor” killed by their families.



She's pioneered them, you understand.  All hail, Phyllis, the only woman in the world. You know before she came along, no one ever pioneered women's rights, no one.  The world -- and womankind -- just waited and waited.  Sisters would whisper to one another, "I hear Phyllis is on her way, I hear a girl child named Phyllis will be born in four score years.  We only have to hold on till then."  We bow before thee.  A 'woke' death cult?  Naomi Wolf take notes, this is how you'll be writing soon.  The occupation of a country that never existed?  Can't wait to read your tome, Phyllis, on early westward expansion in what's become the United States.  

Phyllis is ridiculous.  She gets more ridiculous all the time.  Unlike Naomi, she didn't go chasing chemtrails, her anger and hurt is more understandable.  From Miriam Greenspan's review of Phyllis' A POLITICALLY INCORRECT FEMINIST for THE LOS ANGELES REVIEW OF BOOKS: 


The biggest bombshell in a book replete with many is Chesler’s account of being raped in 1980 by her boss, a prominent UN official, and subsequently silenced by two iconic feminist leaders, Robin Morgan and Gloria Steinem. Morgan, says Chesler, insisted that confronting her rapist “would make the American feminist movement look racist” because he was a black man from Sierra Leone. Morgan instead made common cause with the attacker, elbowing Chesler out of the book that would emerge from the UN women’s conference in Oslo that Chesler herself had organized. Steinem contributed to the cover-up, promising to support Chesler in confronting her rapist and then reneging on her promise. These betrayals, according to Chesler, were opportunistic moves to gain control of international feminist networks and consolidate the Ms. brand of media-propelled feminism.


We've gone over this topic many times before.  Phyllis' crazy is understandable, she was raped and she was betrayed by her friends.  She's not a sell out, she was someone who was pushed out.  And some topics, as a result, leave her a little unhinged.  In the column we quoted at the top, for example, she also writes "Rape in a war zone is considered a crime" -- forgetting that crimes, to be established, require proof -- evidence, witnesses, a woman stepping forward to say she was raped.  But mainly forgetting that rape is considered a crime.  Period.  Not just in a war zone.  I guess that pioneering spirit combined with an aging mind, doesn't leave one with a secure grip on facts.

Why are we even covering this.  Again, we've noted the horror Phyllis went through before.  Why cover it now?  Arpan Rai (INDEPENDENT) reports:


The UN’s aid agency in Gaza is on the brink of collapse, its head has said, after nine nations including the US and UK decided to suspend funding over allegations that several agency workers participated in the Hamas attack against Israel.

The Foreign Office said in a statement that the UK was “appalled” by allegations that UNRWA (the United Nations Relief and Works Agency) staff were involved in the 7 October attack, “a heinous act of terrorism” that the UK government has repeatedly condemned.


Facts.  Context.  Devil's advocate.  Let's go with the last one first.

Let's say that the accusations are true and staff were involved.  So what?  You punish those involved.  I know this is hard for the Israeli government because it's so fond of utilizing collective punishment.  The aid agency is not accused.  There is no reason to cut funding.

Context?  We started with the rape of Phyllis.  There are may more rapes, there are many more scandals.  Some UN staff in Iraq are, right now, accused of taking bribes.  No one's screaming to stop all aid to UNAMI (United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq).  

Which brings us to facts.  There are none.

The Israeli government has made a claim.  The UN announced that those being 'accused' have been suspended and that an investigation is taking place.  

'Accused'? Where are the names?  If you're accusing someone of an act of violence, do so.

That is the other thing.  Israel didn't go public with the claims.  The UN did.

And you should ask yourself why that is.

The way it looks to me, the Israeli government was attempting to intimidate and coerce the UN.  And they were using this claim to achieve the control they wanted.  That's why they didn't go public.

There is still no evidence that a single woman or girl was raped on October 7th during the attack.  Yet that didn't prevent the Israeli government and their operatives from insisting rape took place.  Seems strange that they'd do that but be reticent to make a charge that UN staff were part of the October 7th attack.  

The UN is investigating.  There's no reason to cut funds.  If they refused to investigate the claims, that would be your reason to cut funds.  And they didn't just launch an investigation, they also fired the 12 accused.  I actually think firing was too much.  Suspend them while you investigate, absolutely.  But firing them based upon an accusation?  No, I don't support that. 


The head of the main U.N. aid agency in the war-battered Gaza Strip warned late Saturday that its work is collapsing after nine countries decided to suspend funding over allegations that several agency employees participated in the deadly Hamas attack on Israel four months ago.

Philippe Lazzarini, head of the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, said he was shocked such decisions were taken as “famine looms” in the Israel-Hamas war. “Palestinians in Gaza did not need this additional collective punishment,” he wrote on X. “This stains all of us.”


The suspension of funding threatens its operations in the West Bank, Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan – where the agency provides hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees with education, healthcare, welfare services, financial assistance, infrastructure projects and emergency response.

Critics have said the funding cuts amount to the collective punishment of Palestinian refugees, many of whom rely on UNRWA relief and services to survive.

More than 100 UNRWA employees have been killed since Israel’s offensive on the strip began, making it the deadliest conflict for the UN yet in such a short amount of time.


Yesterday, the International Court of Justice issued their ruling that the case South Africa has brought against Israel could continue.  It was a victory for South Africa and a defeat for Israel.  As we noted in yesterday's snapshot, "It's a win for justice, it's a win for Palestinians.  The Israeli government gathered a bunch of elderly idiots who tried to quash the case via procedural points.  They lost on those procedural points.  The case is going forward.  And the world knows it."  There was never a strong argument for refusing to hear the case.  But Israel actually lost the case when they began choosing key members of their legal team -- a point we made in real time.  

Let's note this press release:

26 January 2024

 

Statement by South Africa welcoming the provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice against Israel

 

Today marks a decisive victory for the international rule of law and a significant milestone in the search for justice for the Palestinian people. In a landmark ruling, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has determined that Israel’s actions in Gaza are plausibly genocidal and has indicated provisional measures on that basis. For the implementation of the international rule of law, the decision is a momentous one. South Africa thanks the Court for its swift ruling.

 

The United Nations Security Council will now be formally notified of the Court’s order pursuant to Article 41(2) of the Court’s Statute. The veto power wielded by individual states cannot be permitted to thwart international justice, not least in light of the ever-worsening situation in Gaza brought about by Israel’s acts and omissions in violation of the Genocide Convention.

 

Third States are now on notice of the existence of a serious risk of genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza. They must, therefore, also act independently and immediately to prevent genocide by Israel and to ensure that they are not themselves in violation of the Genocide Convention, including by aiding or assisting in the commission of genocide. This necessarily imposes an obligation on all States to cease funding and facilitating Israel’s military actions, which are plausibly genocidal.

 

Above all else, the provisional measures are directly binding on Israel, which is required pursuant to the Court’s order and to the Genocide Convention itself, to stop all acts by it that are plausibly genocidal, such as those raised by South Africa in its Application and request for the indication of provisional measures. There is no credible basis for Israel to continue to claim that its military actions are in full compliance with international law, including the Genocide Convention, having regard to the Court’s ruling.

 

South Africa sincerely hopes that Israel will not act to frustrate the application of this Order, as it has publicly threatened to do, but that it will instead act to comply with it fully, as it is bound to do.

 

South Africa will continue to act within the institutions of global governance to protect the rights, including the fundamental right to life, of Palestinians in Gaza – which continue to remain at urgent risk including from Israeli military assault, starvation and disease – and to obtain the fair and equal application of international law to all, in the interest of our collective humanity. Notably, South Africa will continue to do everything within its power to preserve the existence of the Palestinian people as a group, to end all acts of apartheid and genocide against the Palestinian people and to walk with them towards the realisation of their collective right to self-determination, for, as Nelson Mandela momentously declared, “our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians”.

 

The indication by this Court of provisional measures pursuant to the Genocide Convention marks a significant historical step towards that goal.

 

For more information: Clayson Monyela (Head of Public Diplomacy) +27828845974

 

ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION

 

OR Tambo Building

460 Soutpansberg Road

Rietondale

Pretoria

0084



The international court of justice on Friday ordered Israel to prevent acts of genocide by its troops in Gaza, and to allow more aid into the besieged territory. The court, which is the UN’s highest judicial body, stopped short of calling for an immediate ceasefire. But it was a victory for the Palestinians, and for the global south in general, in that Israel is being held accountable for its military actions for the first time, and by one of the world’s most important courts.

By allowing the case brought by South Africa to go forward and calling on Israel to comply with the genocide convention – and to report back to the court within a month – the ruling raises the stakes on Israel’s western backers to pressure Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to rein in its devastating invasion and bombardment of Gaza. The ruling is embarrassing to Joe Biden and his top aides, especially the US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, who described South Africa’s case as “meritless” a few weeks ago.


The embarrassment keep piling up for Joe this election year.  Ali Harb (ALJAZEERA) writes:


Arab Americans are angry.

And they let United States President Joe Biden know it when they shunned his campaign manager as she visited Michigan to reach out to their communities this week.

Many elected Arab-American officials, including municipal leaders and state legislators, declined to meet with Julie Chavez Rodriguez, arguing that as long as there are mass killings in Gaza, they will not discuss the elections.

“It’s unfathomable at this point in time that we’re trying to talk about electoral politics with a genocide unfolding,” said Abdullah Hammoud, the mayor of Dearborn, a Detroit suburb.

“This is not a time to talk about politics. This is a time for our humanity to be recognised, and for us to be sitting down with decision-makers and policymakers to talk about a change of course of what’s unfolding overseas. And it does not happen with campaign staff.”

Arab-American local officials in Southeast Michigan told Al Jazeera that their constituents are furious and frustrated with Biden’s policies in Gaza – anger that could prove detrimental to the president’s reelection chances.


COMMON DREAMS' Jessica Corbett also reports on the reaction in Michigan noting:

  U.S. President Joe Biden narrowly won Michigan in 2020, but his reelection campaign's trip to the key swing state on Friday made clear that his support for Israel's war on the Gaza Strip is angering Arab American and Muslim voters.

Assad Turfe, a deputy Wayne County executive, was coordinating a Friday afternoon meeting with Biden's delegation, led by campaign manager Julie Chávez Rodríguez. He reached out to over 10 Arab and Muslim leaders in the Dearborn area.

"As the community got to learn about the meeting, there was definitely a lot of outrage and, ultimately, the decision was made to cancel the meeting," he told The Detroit News, adding that the cancellation was "in the best interest of the community."

Turfe also publicly warned the Democrat's campaign that "unless something drastic happens, you have lost the Arab American and Muslim community."

"At this point, from what I can see, there's no winning them over. That was the idea of the meeting," he said. "Until there's a cease-fire, the overall consensus in the community is they're not welcome here, essentially." 



Gaza remains under assault. In fact, it's day 113 of the assault in the wave that began in October.  Binoy Kampmark (DISSIDENT VOICE) points out, "Bloodletting as form; murder as fashion.  The ongoing campaign in Gaza by Israel’s Defence Forces continues without stalling and restriction.  But the burgeoning number of corpses is starting to become a challenge for the propaganda outlets:  How to justify it?  Fortunately for Israel, the United States, its unqualified defender, is happy to provide cover for murder covered in the sheath of self-defence."   CNN has explained, "The Gaza Strip is 'the most dangerous place' in the world to be a child, according to the executive director of the United Nations Children's Fund."  ABC NEWS quotes UNICEF's December 9th statement, ""The Gaza Strip is the most dangerous place in the world to be a child. Scores of children are reportedly being killed and injured on a daily basis. Entire neighborhoods, where children used to play and go to school have been turned into stacks of rubble, with no life in them."  NBC NEWS notes, "Strong majorities of all voters in the U.S. disapprove of President Joe Biden’s handling of foreign policy and the Israel-Hamas war, according to the latest national NBC News poll. The erosion is most pronounced among Democrats, a majority of whom believe Israel has gone too far in its military action in Gaza."  The slaughter continues.  It has displaced over 1 million people per the US Congressional Research Service.  Jessica Corbett (COMMON DREAMS) points out, "Academics and legal experts around the world, including Holocaust scholars, have condemned the six-week Israeli assault of Gaza as genocide."   The death toll of Palestinians in Gaza is grows higher and higher.  Friday, United Nations Women noted, "Since 7 October 2023, more than 24,620 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip, 70 per cent of whom were women or children. More than 1.9 million people -- 85 per cent of the total population of Gaza -- have been displaced, including what UN Women estimates to be nearly 1 million women and girls. The entire population of Gaza -- roughly 2.2 million people -- are in crisis levels of acute food insecurity or worse."  THE HINDUSTAN TIMES notes, "At least 26,083 Palestinians have been killed and 64,487 injured in Israeli strikes on Gaza since Oct.7, the Gaza health ministry said in a statement on Friday."  AP has noted, "About 4,000 people are reported missing."  And the area itself?  Isabele Debre (AP) reveals, "Israel’s military offensive has turned much of northern Gaza into an uninhabitable moonscape. Whole neighborhoods have been erased. Homes, schools and hospitals have been blasted by airstrikes and scorched by tank fire. Some buildings are still standing, but most are battered shells."  Kieron Monks (I NEWS) reports, "More than 40 per cent of the buildings in northern Gaza have been damaged or destroyed, according to a new study of satellite imagery by US researchers Jamon Van Den Hoek from Oregon State University and Corey Scher at the City University of New York. The UN gave a figure of 45 per cent of housing destroyed or damaged across the strip in less than six weeks. The rate of destruction is among the highest of any conflict since the Second World War."  Max Butterworth (NBC NEWS) adds, "Satellite images captured by Maxar Technologies on Sunday reveal three of the main hospitals in Gaza from above, surrounded by the rubble of destroyed buildings after weeks of intense bombing in the region by Israeli forces."   




CNN filmed rare footage Saturday of Palestinian men detained by Israeli forces in Gaza and brought across the border to Israel — witnessing the men blindfolded and barefoot, with their hands bound behind their backs.

The Israel Defense Forces said the men are “suspected of terrorist activity and were arrested in Gaza and transferred to Israel for further interrogation.”




Israeli soldiers continue to film themselves as they destroy Gaza and mock Palestinians and post the videos on popular social media apps.

In one of the latest videos published from the besieged Strip, a soldier can be seen flashing the sign of the horn and smiling as yet another neighbourhood is blown up by explosives planted inside homes by the Israeli military.

In another video posted on TikTok, which appears to have been filmed from an armoured vehicle, an Israeli bulldozer can be seen destroying a house with a white flag in front of it.


The following sites updated:





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DIANA ROSS Tell Me Again- Red Hot R&B

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NYC Union Square Rally For Palestine | 01.27

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Tracy Chapman performs unreleased song 'My Sweet One' in 1986

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Ashford & Simpson - You're All I Need To Get By (1982)

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Gaza's Nasser hospital nears collapse, doctors warn

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Ashford & Simpson - I'll Take The Whole World On (1982)

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Valerie Simpson On Motown Artists -

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Michael Jackson & Diana Ross sing Rock With You - Los Angeles - 1981-

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Roland OBLITERATES Tim Scott For ‘Trump Did More For Minorities Than Biden Will Ever Do’ LIES

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"I Want to Know What Love Is" (Live 2023) - Patti LaBelle

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Palestinian Analyst Exposes Why ICJ Means Big Trouble For Israel - w/. Mouin Rabbini

 

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Tracy Chapman - i did it all (Roma 27-07-2009)

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Tlaib, Bush Joint Statement on International Court of Justice’s Initial Ruling in South Africa’s Genocide Case Against Israeli Government

Tlaib, Bush Joint Statement on International Court of Justice’s Initial Ruling in South Africa’s Genocide Case Against Israeli Government

Jan 26, 2024
Justice for All
 

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (MI-12) and Congresswoman Cori Bush (MO-01) released the following joint statement on the International Court of Justice’s provisional measures ruling:

“Today the International Court of Justice signaled an end to impunity for the Israeli government in the international legal system. We welcome international accountability for the ongoing atrocities the Israeli government is perpetrating in Gaza. The Court overwhelmingly recognizes the risk that the Israeli government could be committing genocide in Gaza and believes immediate action is necessary to prevent further harm to the Palestinian people, even as the case continues. We applaud South Africa for speaking up for human rights and our shared humanity. 

“This ruling underscores the urgency of the humanitarian catastrophe caused by the Israeli and U.S. governments in Gaza. The only way to implement the Court’s orders is by facilitating a lasting ceasefire that includes the release of hostages and those arbitrarily detained. 

“This ruling also puts the U.S. government on notice for enabling violations of the Genocide Convention. The Biden Administration must not only affirm the legitimacy of this ruling and facilitate an immediate ceasefire—it must comply with federal and international law by suspending military assistance to the Israeli government. 

“After more than 100 days, over 26,000 Palestinians killed, over 64,000 injured, over 8,000 missing, and over 1.7 million displaced, there are no excuses for inaction. We will continue to demand a lasting ceasefire, full accountability, and a credible diplomatic process that achieves genuine peace and justice for all.”   

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Liz Phair - Divorce Song / Emotional Rescue (Sound & Vision, 1993)

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Congressman Garcia Leads Colleagues in Oversight of Pentagon’s Work to Upgrade Veterans Discharged Under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”

 

Congressman Garcia Leads Colleagues in Oversight of Pentagon’s Work to Upgrade Veterans Discharged Under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”

January 26, 2024
•
Press Release

Washington, D.C. – Today, Representative Robert Garcia (CA-42),a  Co-Chair of the Equality Caucus, wrote an oversight letter to the Secretary of Defense urging the Department seeking information on their efforts to proactively review and upgrade cases LGBTQI+ veterans who were discharged under less than honorable conditions for their sexual orientation prior to the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) 12 years ago. The Congressman was joined by Equality Caucus Chair Mark Pocan (WI-02) and Co-Chair Chris Pappas (NH-01). 

“Our service members made the ultimate sacrifice to defend our country. ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ was a policy that should have never existed in the first place, but we’re unfortunately still feeling the repercussions of it to this day. Now, the Department of Defense has the responsibility to uplift LGBTQ+ veterans who were previously degraded because of their sexuality. We are calling on the Secretary of Defense to continue prioritizing the Department’s commitment to reevaluate the thousands of cases where an LGBTQ+ serviceworker was discharged under less than honorable conditions in an attempt to correct the record and honor them the way they deserve,” said Equality Caucus Co-Chair, Congressman Robert Garcia.

“The United States government has a moral obligation to right the wrongs it committed when it dishonorably discharged veterans from the armed services on the grounds of their sexual orientation. The DoD’s plan to upgrade the less-than-honorable discharges of queer servicemembers is an important step towards ensuring that every veteran’s record reflects their honorable service and profound sacrifice, and making sure they are able to access the benefits they deserve.” said Equality Caucus Chair, Congressman Mark Pocan. 

“While it’s been thirteen years since the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’, the trauma of these policies is not over, and for far too many LGBTQ+ service members and veterans their injustice has not been corrected,” said Equality Caucus Co-Chair, Congressman Pappas. “I’m pleased that the Department of Defense has recently taken critical steps to review records and increase outreach efforts to those discharged under this discriminatory policy. We must continue working to improve this process and enable LGBTQ+ service members who were unjustly discharged to receive the benefits they earned.”

The letter asks a series of oversight questions and requests information regarding the Department of Defense’s September 2023 decision to proactively review records of service members dismissed under DADT and forward these cases to the respective service secretaries for consideration for potential correction through the service boards. In 2010, Congress passed the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT) Repeal Act into law. The policy officially ended in 2011, ensuring any American who wishes to serve in uniform can do so without discrimination because of who they love. However, since the DADT repeal, many veterans who sought to upgrade their less than honorable discharges reported a prolonged and burdensome process, often requiring the use of a lawyer, to seek the respect and benefits they rightfully earned. And far too many veterans discharged under DADT had no idea they could seek an upgrade or where to start the process.

Congressman Robert Garcia believes that government has a responsibility to protect the LGBTQI+ community—especially transgender and nonbinary Americans—and defend the important progress our nation has made on issues like the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” As Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs, he always pushes back against GOP efforts to politicize the military for partisan purposes, arguing that we should be taking steps that actually support men and women in uniform. He also led the charge in submitting an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act restricting U.S. security assistance to Uganda over the country’s recently enacted anti-LGBTQ+ law.

As former Mayor of the City of Long Beach, Congressman Garcia helped ensure the city achieved a perfect score in the Human Rights Campaign's Municipal Equality Index every year he was in office. Under his leadership the city made gender-affirming care available to all employees and began the process of establishing a first-of-its-kind historic district to commemorate the LGBTQI+ residents, businesses, and legacy of activism in the Broadway corridor neighborhood.

Issues:Expanding Protections for the LGBTQI+ Community
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The Supremes - I Hear A Symphony [Hullabaloo - 1965]

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Senator Baldwin Marks 51st Anniversary of Roe v. Wade; Leading Fight to Restore Reproductive Rights

 01.22.2024

Senator Baldwin Marks 51st Anniversary of Roe v. Wade; Leading Fight to Restore Reproductive Rights

Senator Baldwin leads 48 Senators on legislation to restore right to abortion; 66% of Wisconsinites think abortion should be legal in all or most cases

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) is marking the 51st anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision, which for almost half a century gave women the constitutional right to comprehensive reproductive freedom. Since the Dobbs decision overturned Roe v. Wade and nearly 50 years of precedent, Senator Baldwin has been a leading voice for restoring reproductive rights, leading 48 of her colleagues in the Senate in introducing the Women’s Health Protection Act, legislation to restore the right to an abortion. Ahead of the Roe v. Wade anniversary, Senator Baldwin hosted a briefing to highlight the impacts of abortion bans, hear the dire stories of those impacted, and continue advocating for passing her bill to restore the right to abortion nationwide.

“In Wisconsin and across the country, the reality of post-Roe America has been dire. The Dobbs decision has endangered women, inserted judges and politicians into doctor’s offices, and infringed on the basic rights of Americans who are just trying to make their own health care decisions,” said Senator Baldwin. “I am proud to lead the Women’s Health Protection Act to restore the right to abortion nationwide, returning the decision to start a family back to women and their doctors, without interference from the government. Wisconsinites have said loud and clear that they want their rights and freedoms back, and I will not let up on this fight until comprehensive reproductive care is available nationwide.”

For 15 months, women in Wisconsin were living under an 1849 statute with virtually no access to abortion services, despite overwhelming support for restoring access. In November, a Marquette Law School poll showed 66% of Wisconsinites think abortion should be legal in all or most cases.

Senator Baldwin has been leading the fight to restore reproductive rights in the wake of the Dobbs decision, leading or co-sponsoring legislation to protect and expand access to abortion care and birth control. These measures include:

  • Women’s Health Protection Act – Senator Baldwin re-introduced her Women’s Health Protection Act with a record number of co-sponsors in March – 48 Senators and 208 House members. The legislation creates federal rights for patients and providers to protect abortion access and creates federal protections against medically unnecessary restrictions that undermine Americans’ access to health care and intrude upon personal decision-making.
  • Right to Contraception Act – Senator Baldwin is a co-sponsor of the Right to Contraception Act, a bill to put into law Americans’ right to contraception, which the Supreme Court first recognized more than half a century ago in its Griswold v. Connecticut decision.
  • Reproductive Health Travel Fund Act – Senator Baldwin introduced this legislation in June to provide women the support they need to access reproductive health services by providing grants to organizations, including abortion funds, to offset the cost of travel-related expenses.
  • My Body, My Data Act – Senator Baldwin is also a co-sponsor of My Body, My Data to protect personal reproductive and sexual health data by minimizing the information collected and retained, and preventing that information from being disclosed or misused. This bill is aimed at preventing people getting, seeking, or facilitating reproductive health care from being at risk of having their digital footprints weaponized against them.
  • Protecting Service Members and Military Families’ Access to Health Care Act – With servicemembers stationed based on the needs of the nation and not personal preference, many serve in states that have banned, restricted, or worked to curtail access to abortion. In response, Senator Baldwin and her colleagues introduced legislation aimed at ensuring service members have access to comprehensive care, regardless of where they are stationed.
  • Reproductive Health Care Training Act – In June, Senator Baldwin introduced legislation to ensure that health care professionals can get the training and education they need to meet Americans’ dire reproductive health care needs. In the wake of the Dobbs decision, medical education institutions face additional obstacles in maintaining their accreditation and ensuring that residents and students receive proper training in abortion care.
  • Convenient Contraception Act – Alongside more than a dozen of her colleagues, Senator Baldwin introduced legislation that would improve access to contraceptive products, including over-the-counter contraceptives. The bill provides individuals covered by private health insurance with the option to receive up to a full year of safe, effective contraception at the time their prescription is issued instead of the current three-month supply or less that is standard in many states.

Senator Baldwin's video message on the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision is available here.

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The Pretenders - "The Needle and the Damage Done" | Concert for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

 

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Murray Joins Colleagues in Cosponsoring Amendment Reaffirming Longstanding U.S. Support for a Two-State Solution

 

Murray Joins Colleagues in Cosponsoring Amendment Reaffirming Longstanding U.S. Support for a Two-State Solution

Amendment Reiterates Longstanding, Bipartisan Consensus on Need for Separate, Mutually-Recognized States for Israelis, Palestinians

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, joined 48 Senate colleagues in announcing plans to file an amendment to the forthcoming national security supplemental package that reiterates longstanding U.S. policy in support of a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict.

“We must be unequivocal: a two-state solution is the only path to achieving lasting peace so that Israelis and Palestinians can live alongside each other with the security and dignity they deserve,” said Senator Murray. “As we continue working to deliver much-needed humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza and support for our allies, this amendment makes clear it is the policy of the United States to support a comprehensive, negotiated solution to the conflict that ensures a peaceful and secure two-state future. Rejecting the prospect of a Palestinian state denies Palestinians the rights, dignity, and self-determination they deserve and jeopardizes Israel’s own security.”

The amendment, which is led by Senator Brian Schatz (D- Hawai‘i), was cosponsored by 48 Senators including Senator Murray, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawai‘i), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Angus King (I-Maine), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), and Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.).

The amendment reads:

It is the policy of the United States—(1) to support a negotiated comprehensive solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict resulting in two states with Israelis and Palestinians living side by side in peace, security, and mutual recognition; and (2) that such a solution must ensure the state of Israel’s survival as a secure, democratic, and Jewish state, and fulfill the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people for a state of their own.

Full text is available HERE.

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Diana Ross & The Supremes "Someday We'll Be Together" on The Ed Sullivan Show

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ICYMI! NEW: Food is Our Medicine, Love is Our Medicine

 

Bioneers Pulse – updates from the Bioneers Community

Bioneer, 

Rooted in the wisdom of ancient cultures and thriving in today's world, herbalism takes a holistic approach to health and wellness through recognizing the healing properties found in plants. Botanical medicine has played an important role in Indigenous cultures and millenia-old healing and folk medicine traditions around the world, and those repositories of knowledge have been preserved and passed down for generations. Contemporary herbalism draws from this wisdom, offering a bridge between ancient practices and today's use of plant medicine. 

In this week's newsletter, learn about contemporary herbal medicine, the healing promise and pitfalls of plant medicines in a globalized world, and what we miss when we oversimplify nature's complexity.

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Exploring the Healing Promise of Plant Medicines in a Global Industry

Ann Armbrecht is an author, filmmaker and the director of the Sustainable Herbs Program. Since her time studying with legendary herbalist Rosemary Gladstar, who emphasizes a kin-centric relationship with plants, Armbrecht has explored the nature of plants as living entities rather than merely inanimate objects to ingest. In this interview, learn more about her book, “The Business of Botanicals: Exploring the Healing Promise of Plant Medicines in a Global Industry,” and how the commodification of herbal medicine affects the essence of plants.

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Layla K. Feghali | Food is Our Medicine, Love is Our Medicine

In her book, “The Land In Our Bones,” Lebanese ethnobotanist, sovereignty steward, and cultural worker Layla K. Feghali offers a layered history of the healing plants of Cana’an (the Levant) and the Crossroads (“Middle East”). Tying cultural survival to earth-based knowledge, Feghali asks into the ways we become free from the wounds of colonization and displacement.

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The Pitfall of Plant-Based Pharmaceuticals and Therapies

Why might someone develop resistance to a pharmaceutical drug based on one active plant ingredient but be successfully treated by the plant itself? In this article, ethnobotanist Mark Plotkin and physician-scientist Karyemaitre Aliffe discuss what we miss when we oversimplify nature's complexity, and how we can correct our thinking.

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Katsi Cook: Revitalizing Indigenous Knowledge and Medicine, Nurturing Health and Cultural Resilience

Katsi Cook, a wolf clan Mohawk, is a prominent midwife, environmentalist, and women’s health advocate known for her impactful work in the Mohawk Nation at Akwesasne. In this talk, she shares a deeply edifying look at the cultural context of Native American plant use in general and then of peyote use. Her descriptions of indigenous views of plants and their relationships to humans offer the non-indigenous among us very important cautions about the risks of arrogant and disrespectful use of plant medicines and sacraments.

A version of this talk appears in "Visionary Plant Consciousness: The Shamanic Teachings of the Plant World."

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How To Find Plant Products You Can Feel Good About

“We live in a world where we are all using the earth’s energy, the oil, water, the resources of the earth. I don’t think any business would deny that. What is important is that those companies are doing their utmost to ensure that they are putting back what they are taking out.” – Sebastian Pole

It can be challenging for consumers to know where to look for the best product – one that is good for your, for the people doing the work, and for the Earth. In this article, learn about ways to let companies know you are paying attention and how to take action as a consumer.

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