Upholding Equality and Defending Human Rights

As an activist and filmmaker deeply committed to upholding equality and defending human rights, I cannot remain silent in the face of the concerning challenges we are witnessing. The recent decisions by the Supreme Court of the United States have raised alarming questions about the future of our nation, our values, and the principles upon which it was founded. In this blog post, I aim to shed light on the potential consequences of these decisions and emphasize the urgent need for collective action to protect our democracy, human rights, and the well-being of all citizens.

The Threat to Equality

The 14th Amendment of the Constitution has been a beacon of hope for marginalized communities, ensuring equality under the law. However, conservative justices have repeatedly challenged this fundamental principle. Despite these challenges, all of my life, the Supreme Court has consistently upheld fundamental rights, until now. The recent shift in the Court’s stance poses a significant threat to the progress we have made. It feels as though the clock is being turned back on equality, human rights, and the power of the federal government to care for its citizens.

A Step Backwards

The current trajectory of the Supreme Court suggests a desire to dismantle the entire federal government and revert to a pre-Civil War era. This vision undermines the notion of “one nation undivided” and advocates for each state to become whatever Banana Republic it chooses making it free to establish their own laws and regulations as if they were its own individual and separate country with whatever dictatorship manages to get in control. Such a scenario could lead to the reinstatement of slavery, regression in voting rights, and the erosion of essential rights for people of color and women, potentially restricting suffrage to landowners alone. This regressive direction contradicts the vision of our framers and poses a severe threat to the principles of justice, equality, and democracy for all.

A Betrayal of Values

The recent ruling on Dobb’s decision sent shockwaves through my soul. It became evident that the Supreme Court is no longer committed to equality, they do not care for our federal government, or upholding ethical standards. This pattern of disregard for the law and ethical conduct has persisted, and it is disheartening to witness the erosion of the very foundations that our nation was built upon.

Upholding Equality and Defending Human Rights

As an activist and filmmaker deeply committed to upholding equality and defending human rights, I cannot remain silent in the face of the concerning challenges we are witnessing. The recent decisions by the Supreme Court of the United States have raised alarming questions about the future of our nation, our values, and the principles upon which it was founded. In this blog post, I aim to shed light on the potential consequences of these decisions and emphasize the urgent need for collective action to protect our democracy, human rights, and the well-being of all citizens.

The Threat to Equality

The 14th Amendment of the Constitution has been a beacon of hope for marginalized communities, ensuring equality under the law. However, conservative justices have repeatedly challenged this fundamental principle. Despite these challenges, all of my life, the Supreme Court has consistently upheld fundamental rights, until now. The recent shift in the Court’s stance poses a significant threat to the progress we have made. It feels as though the clock is being turned back on equality, human rights, and the power of the federal government to care for its citizens.

A Step Backwards

The current trajectory of the Supreme Court suggests a desire to dismantle the entire federal government and revert to a pre-Civil War era. This vision undermines the notion of “one nation undivided” and advocates for each state to become whatever Banana Republic it chooses making it free to establish their own laws and regulations as if they were its own individual and separate country with whatever dictatorship manages to get in control. Such a scenario could lead to the reinstatement of slavery, regression in voting rights, and the erosion of essential rights for people of color and women, potentially restricting suffrage to landowners alone. This regressive direction contradicts the vision of our framers and poses a severe threat to the principles of justice, equality, and democracy for all.

 

 

Page Content

A Betrayal of Values

The recent ruling on Dobb’s decision sent shockwaves through my soul. It became evident that the Supreme Court is no longer committed to equality, they do not care for our federal government, or upholding ethical standards. This pattern of disregard for the law and ethical conduct has persisted, and it is disheartening to witness the erosion of the very foundations that our nation was built upon.

The Role of the Supreme Court

The Supreme Court, comprised of appointed judges, bears the responsibility of ensuring the constitutionality of our laws. It is essential that they comprehend the intentions of our nation’s framers and adhere to the principles enshrined in our founding documents. They must also be held accountable for any actions that betray the trust placed in them, and their decisions should not go unchecked. It is deeply concerning that the highest court dictates what women can do with their bodies, restricts the powers of Congress, and hinders efforts to alleviate the burdens faced by students burdened by high debt.

The Threat to Human Rights:

Each passing day, we witness a regression towards a socio-political culture where human rights, women’s rights, and the rights of individuals based on their gender or sexual orientation are no longer protected. The freedom to make choices about one’s body, the freedom to marry whomever one loves, and the freedom to exercise voting rights equally are all at risk. If we fail to take action, we risk reverting to a society reminiscent of a hundred years ago, where countless individuals suffered under the weight of oppression and discrimination.

The Urgent Call to Action

 We must escalate what we do to draw attention to what is taking place. The time has come for us to rise together, raising our voices in every way we can, to draw attention to the grave challenges we face. We are heading towards a future as horrific for those groups of people as it was a hundred years ago . . . or more. We must not stand idly by while the fabric of our democracy unravels. Our loved ones—our mothers, daughters, sisters, and those whose orientations and identities differ from societal norms—are in danger of losing the freedoms we have come to cherish. The rising maternal death rate over the past year serves as a somber reminder that lives are already being lost.

Conclusion

Can we simply stand by and witness the erosion of the rights and well-being of our loved ones? I refuse to do so. Recently, someone questioned why I still care deeply about the issue of abortion, given that I am no longer able to conceive. The mere fact that this question was posed speaks volumes about their lack of understanding. They fail to grasp the profound consequences of losing our democracy bit by bit, as we succumb to the rule of an oligarchy that seeks to strip away the freedoms and voices of 98% of the population. If we allow this to happen, we risk descending into a society devoid of empathy, where self-interest prevails and the collective welfare is disregarded.

In the face of a Supreme Court that threatens our democracy, human rights, and the principles upon which this great nation was built, we cannot afford to remain complacent. As an activist and filmmaker, I implore you to join me in defending equality, human rights, and the dignity of every individual. Let us not repeat the mistakes of the past but instead work together to create a future where empathy, justice, and freedom prevail. Our voices, our actions, and our unwavering commitment can shape the course of our nation and secure a brighter future for all.”

Postcard 15 (6 × 4 in) v5

15

Watch the trailer here for this award-winning short film: 15

Postcard 15 (6 × 4 in) v5

A recipe for a lot of suffering: How abortion bans may strain the red states

The central paradox of the abortion debate is that the red states racing to outlaw or severely limit the procedure may be the places least prepared to deal with the practical consequences of the new restrictions. And that, experts project, could mean significantly more infant and maternal deaths and childhood poverty… [Read more on CNN]

Melody’s films are socially conscious, focusing on issues that you care about; voter rights, abortion access, women’s rights, inclusion, psychological and mental health.

You can enjoy Melody’s travels through her delightful creations while you support her FILMS!

NOTE: These items come from different manufacturers so the sizes vary. Please be certain to refer to the size charts to be sure you select the correct size for you.

WOMEN’S PANTS

robe peignoir goodnight moon by Oh Wow Melody Designs
robe peignoir goodnight moon by Oh Wow Melody Designs
robe peignoir goodnight moon by Oh Wow Melody Designs
robe peignoir goodnight moon by Oh Wow Melody Designs
robe peignoir goodnight moon by Oh Wow Melody Designs
robe peignoir goodnight moon by Oh Wow Melody Designs
robe peignoir goodnight moon by Oh Wow Melody Designs
robe peignoir goodnight moon by Oh Wow Melody Designs
robe peignoir goodnight moon by Oh Wow Melody Designs
robe peignoir goodnight moon by Oh Wow Melody Designs
robe peignoir goodnight moon by Oh Wow Melody Designs
robe peignoir goodnight moon by Oh Wow Melody Designs
robe peignoir goodnight moon by Oh Wow Melody Designs
robe peignoir goodnight moon by Oh Wow Melody Designs

Melody’s films are socially conscious, focusing on issues that you care about; voter rights, abortion access, women’s rights, inclusion, psychological and mental health.

You can enjoy Melody’s travels through her delightful creations while you support her FILMS!

NOTE: These items come from different manufacturers so the sizes vary. Please be certain to refer to the size charts to be sure you select the correct size for you.

WOMEN’S PANTS

robe peignoir goodnight moon by Oh Wow Melody Designs
robe peignoir goodnight moon by Oh Wow Melody Designs
robe peignoir goodnight moon by Oh Wow Melody Designs
robe peignoir goodnight moon by Oh Wow Melody Designs
robe peignoir goodnight moon by Oh Wow Melody Designs
robe peignoir goodnight moon by Oh Wow Melody Designs
robe peignoir goodnight moon by Oh Wow Melody Designs
robe peignoir goodnight moon by Oh Wow Melody Designs
robe peignoir goodnight moon by Oh Wow Melody Designs
robe peignoir goodnight moon by Oh Wow Melody Designs
robe peignoir goodnight moon by Oh Wow Melody Designs

Since the Supreme Court laid down the Dobbs decision, overthrowing the “decided precedent” of the Roe v. Wade decision that had stood as confirmed law for more than 40 years, many states have actively passed restrictive abortion measures. Those measures have already cost lives, pointless misery, and desperate attempts to manage unwanted or dangerous pregnancies without professional medical assistance. I read an article about the now infamous Jessica Duggar having had a miscarriage which resulted in what many states would have considered an illegal murder. The lifesaving procedure prevents hemorrhaging (uncontrolled bleeding).  

No one can argue that Jessica wanted to abort that fetus. Clearly, she and her husband were devastated by the news, and experienced the loss personally, and painfully. Yet if she had lived in one of the 13 states where it is now illegal for her to have obtained that procedure, she would have risked the life of 19 children’s mother. Or, she would have risked the states legal system throwing her in jail, along with her care providers, and her husband, leaving her children alone with no biological parent to continue raising them. 

I hear people argue all the time that there is no circumstance in which they would consider having to abort a fetus. They swear that they are followers of a just God, that everything happens for a reason and who are they to interfere with God’s plan? 

Honestly, I do understand the sentiment, and the love that drives those statements. I get it, faithful, devoted people who love and only want the best for all of us find themselves adamantly standing on that soapbox. That is, until the situation threatens their life, or the life of a loved one. Many times the very people who are loudest anti abortion advocates, are themselves the first people to make the choice to make an exception for themselves or a loved one. Why is that? Because, in fact, they are loving, and do want the best for their families. The difficulty seems to be that they do not perceive others to be making the choice with the same concern, care, and weight they experienced with their choice. 

In other words, because they feel certain of their own faith, their own devotion to the cause, and to their faith, they judge others to not possess the same level of concern, care and weight they do. As a result, they feel it goes against their understanding of truth to support those who do not believe as they do.  While there is a cognitive dissonance involved in their acceptance of their own choice and rejection of others choices, it is a faithful, caring perspective.

It is also dangerous and short sighted. Without having the ability to choose for oneself the correct course of action in medical circumstances, individuals lose the ability to experience their authority over their own lives. 

Ironically, this is something that was once considered an important part of being an American, of having protections within the Supreme Court to allow citizens to live freely in their pursuit of happiness. Our 14th amendment was put into place for this very reason, “The 14th Amendment ensures this through its multiple and interdependent guarantees of life, liberty, and equal protection—as does international human rights law.”

The argument that our founding fathers did not include abortion in their framing, is as ludicrous as staying that they also did not include women’s rights to vote and freedom from enslavement. These basic human rights, the very foundation of our nation, and the evolution of our human understanding of freedom, human potential and the pursuit of happiness are at core at risk with the overturning of Roe v. Wade. 

First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

—Martin Niemöller

November 8th, 2022 mid term elections is an important date in America’s history. Not just for women’s rights and the power of women, but also pivotal for where do we go from here. Predictions were that women would make no difference in the big picture, that women are not a concerted group in support of their own rights. Slate reported that the conservative politicians believed that women would have a short memory and that the economy would be more important to women. That women would forget about the abortion right that was taken from them and instead be more concerned about “the price of milk.”

The Economy and Women’s Rights

That is not at all what happened though is it? Women of all ages supported pro-choice candidates across the country and while no state’s constitution explicitly includes a right to abortion, shifts have been happening. First Kansas, then California and Michigan, Vermont (a full 75% of voters) did vote to include abortion rights in their constitutions. Now, even far right Kentucky where even Republican women refused to codify the “born alive” law; and in Montana an abortion rights bill could still pass. 

The mid term election strongly reflected how women will respond to the Supreme Court taking a right away. They have transformed the landscape for women. Women all over the United States responded by showing up to the polls, preventing the red wave that Donald Trump and his followers spewed as their BIG LIE. The Far right Republican BIG LIE rhetoric and other misinformation saw it’s decline and voter tolerance wane and push back and succeed at voting OUT those that are harming America.

We still have a long way to go, but we have made progress.

Access to Adequate Healthcare Includes the Right to Choose an Abortion

Women, and the men who love them, have spoken. Access to adequate healthcare includes the right to choose an abortion. When we garner our power together, women are unstoppable. Make no mistake, this is the battle of the sexes that has been coming to a head for the past hundred years.

In college, I read A Dolls House by Henrick Gibson.  It was a powerful story about a woman standing up to her controlling, demanding husband who refused to allow her the right to work, vote, and ultimately, to care for her children on her own. Her incredible strength to stand up to male authority figures was remarkable at the time, because it is not something that was at that time questioned. Now here she was, on Broadway, proclaiming her right to full personhood. That, a hundred years later, we are still fighting that fight, is shameful. America is supposed to be a bastion of freedom and democratic process. Yet it was only 100 years ago that women even achieved the right to vote at all, and only 50 years since we obtained the right to a credit card in our own names. 

As a woman growing up during the Women’s Liberation movement, I gave it little thought. My own life consumed with surviving the traumas of the very things the movement was pushing to change, I failed, at the time, to recognize what was taking place. Women were standing arm and arm and proclaiming that women deserve the same freedoms, respect, and rights as men. Even as I write that sentence I am appalled by what it suggests, that men continue to suppress the very people they claim to love. My own struggle with men who, under the surface, were misogynists, has followed the same path as the movement itself, and I did not have full awareness of that because the trauma of my own experience overshadowed he cultural battles. 

Women’s Rights

Today, we are at a turning point in history. Are we going to continue to allow ourselves to lose our rights, to step backwards in our cultural growth? Or, are we going to recognize that it is time to stop the prejudice against half of the human population. I always found it odd to consider women a minority, when, in fact, there are actually almost an equal number of women on the planet as men. We are, and continue to be, considered a minority simply because our rights are not equal around the world. Yet, its even more remarkable that in this bastion of democratic societies, women have held governorships only 17 times until the 2000’s. A growing number of women are rising to political power (the powerhouse Nancy Pelosi upsets men worse than any other female public figure).  The US is the only first world country to have never elected a woman as its leader.  We have a lot to overcome in the perception of women as whole humans, with capabilities, and intelligence that match our male counter parts. 

An uphill battle remains for women to obtain and retain their human rights.

This is not something I previously understood. In the past couple of years, I began actually reading Betty Friedan, and others who were the foremost voices for women in the past 50 years. My first exposure to understanding the impact of our suppression was in reading a book entitled Women and Madness which opened my eyes to exactly how much suppression, oppression, and criminal acts women have endured throughout history. Women’s power to procreate, to provide pleasure and legacy for their husbands has been met with a harsh and cruel coalition of “good ole’ boys” aligned to prevent us from living as fully human. Throughout history, white men have done their best to oppress people of color, they continue to do the same to women through the Dobb’s decision..

We are sitting on the edge of changing the course of history. This election, while it did not retain Democrat’s power in our Congress, was indeed a referendum for women. Women voted for politicians positioned to support restoring of our human dignity. Women politicians grew in numbers and young people voted in support of these rights. 

Freedom is not Free

Pro Choice is a Democratic Right

One of the sayings that has been ringing in my ears for the past six years, is that FREEDOM IS NOT FREE.  We have to take up the charge. We can no longer afford to assume that our rights are a given. Our current Supreme Court is the most biased in my lifetime. The overturn of Roe v. Wade was deeply disturbing to me primarily because it represents a shift in our foundations. My entire life SCOTUS was the bottom line protector of our rights.  I have said (in regard to legislation removing someones rights) “it will never get past the Supreme Court.”  The Dobb’s decision marked a significant change in that expectation. Now it is obvious that no matter what we vote for in our states, in our local governments, those laws we support with our democracy will no longer be protected by our Supreme Court. It was the balance of power that guaranteed our democratic process would continue to work for all of us. Now, thanks to decades of intense planning and strategic placement of key political and judicial positions, we are trapped in what can easily become legal fascism. Our laws are slowly turning in the direction of fascism with little recourse. 

I’ve always admired our constitution, and trusted in its ability to promote peace, freedom, and justice. Not so much today. I don’t know about you, but I feel betrayed. Betrayed by the very authorities set up to dictate my and my descendants futures. 

Losing the Rights that Make us Great

The continued degradation of our human rights will cause us to lose the very things that did indeed make us great, as a nation.  We must now do whatever it takes to regain the rights we are losing every day. Women are dying, children are suffering, and it will NOT get better without education, pressure, and action. While it might not seem to be something that could directly affect you if you are male, it will mean having to care and support unwanted children as well suffer the losses of the mothers and even the children as they will face increasing odds at being able to obtain the health care needed at the time they need it. They could be denied critical drugs necessary for a life-threatening condition because of religious or someone imposing their personal moral judgement. Yes, an individual has the power to prevent you, your wives, your mothers, your cousins, your best friends from obtaining medication and other healthcare based on their own personal biases and beliefs. Your mothers, your wives, your children, your grandchildren, your nieces and your cousins will be affected and have their lives ended or destroyed because of the shift that has taken place in the last few years. Are you going to stand by and allow it to continue? Or are you going to be one of the voices or supporting the voices of those courageous enough to speak up? 

You Can’t Take Democracy for Granted

You have a chance to continue to shape the political landscape more so today than ever. There are a couple of Senator races going to re-election. Your vote counts!

How Abortion Bans Lead to Fascism

Abortion Bans are Turning Mental Health Professionals into Mandatory Reporters

The multiple states banning abortions has a direct effect on the mental health profession. We are supposed to report anyone planning to commit suicide or homicide as a matter for the court to intervene upon. Ethically, and morally, this provides a dilemma for professionals that is unprecedented.  Individuals and couples facing the very real choices of life or death for their family members will need to discuss and disclose the issue of their decision making process with their mental health providers. Should they choose to protect their own lives, or support their family members in protecting their own lives, their mental health providers will be legally bound to report their plans to abort to the authorities. THIS is exactly how a legal fascism exerts itself upon society and our daily lives. 

What Can You Do?

What are you going to do? I know what I am doing and will continue to do, I will speak up, and I will continue to produce films exposing the realities we are facing as women attempting to live free and full lives in America. This is not a rehearsal. Though the films may be a dramatization of a reality, it is based on real life. And if you’ve ever watched a true story, you know that it is the most unbelievable of all. Who would have ever thought that we would be facing the type of BIG LIEs,

States claiming they are protecting the unborn are now sacrificing the living.

Without the protections of Roe v Wade three more states have passed complete bans against abortion.

Texas now has a total abortion ban in effect as of August 25, 2022.

In the state of Texas, you can go to prison for life now if you perform an abortion, and face a civil fine of not less than $100,000 plus attorney fees. Double jeopardy may play a role in these conflicting and confusing laws. While many of these laws might be overturned on challenge, it is super expensive to challenge. Medical professionals will lose their medical licenses and their practices.

Some states like Texas are said to be without an exception for rape or incest.

Abortion Bans in other Countries

Poland has banned abortion for the past 30 years.

In 2020 Poland struck down a fetal abnormality exception in their abortion laws, reducing the reasons a woman could get an abortion to two exceptions; Rape or incest or cases involving a woman’s life or health being in danger. That second exception however are left open to interpretation in the hands of doctors. Many women die and more will die because of fear from the medical profession of being prosecuted and challenged on their interpretations. Instead of focusing on taking care of your health, doctors are having to try and interpret laws and how they might affect them. Doctors are not willing to lose their medical license, their practice, and even their own freedom for a zealous government that is indifferent to the life of the living.

You can track the abortion bans on NBC news website page here.

There is massive blowback from the Dobbs decision proving that Alito’s decision to overturn Roe with the Mississippi case is a mistake. Kansas proved it was an error; and after the surprise election of Pat Ryan in a New York special election proved it was an error.

Justice Samuel Alito actually laughed in the face of outraged females who called out the bad history, bad economics, and bad medicine in his leaked draft opinion—their complaints were numerous and well-founded, yet he didn’t change a thing. Instead, he smugly told women that if they didn’t like the outcome in Dobbs, they could just “seek to affect the legislative process by influencing public opinion, lobbying legislators, voting, and running for office” and that “women are not without electoral or political power.” The court’s newest approval ratings suggest the same, though I don’t think Justice Alito likes that kind of political power very much at all because women are taking him up on the offer.

One analysis of the Kansas’ voter registration list showed that in the week after Dobbs, more than 70 percent of newly registered voters in that state were women. Those numbers, according to an Upshot analysis of 10 states with available voter registration data, show consistently higher registration for women after the Dobbs leak in May. As Jennifer Rubin recently noted, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that, “62 percent of women registering since Dobbs registered as Democrats, 15 percent as Republicans and that 54 percent were younger than 25.” And a Pew Research Center poll indicates that “a majority of registered voters (56 percent) say the issue of abortion will be very important in their midterm vote, up from 43 percent in March.” Tom Bonier, CEO Of TargetSmart recently posted on Twitter: “We are seeing early signs of what could lead to a huge increase in women voting in November. …This surge is young and female.” Both Mitch McConnell and RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel are panicking about the GOP’s odds in Congress, directly connected to fundraising around abortion.

Read the rest of Slate’s article here: https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2022/08/male-politicians-women-voters-abortion.html

Support the arts and watch this movie

Women are taking to film to voice their opinion on the recent onslaught of states passing abortion bans. One of them is Melody Brooke. Her most recent contribution is the short film Fifteen. Fifteen takes you on the inside of a typical American family working hard to make ends meet finds out that their 15-year-old whose boyfriend was 21 is pregnant. Based on Melody’s true life story where she grew up in the heart of Oklahoma. (Oklahoma is one of the states that has implemented their trigger ban on abortions.)

This movie is very timely and moving, yet tender and blatantly accurate. Once you watch what Angela and her family goes through with this excruciating experience, you can’t help but be changed. The raw performances are such a treat. I thought that I would have a favorite actor in the show, but I didn’t. They are all so good. You can tell that each of them has deep feelings about the topic as the passion that is delivered in each scene by all of them is unrivaled.

The more support this film receives, the more we can get it out to the public to keep it in the eye of the voters. This film helps you humanize the issue. Nobody will be able to ignore this issue once they watch this movie 15. Uplift women by elevating this film.

Want the movie out before November 8th, DONATE.




Why protect a right that the Supreme Court now says is not a right unless your state says it is, and even then that right will receive very weak protection. The right can come and go at the will of your legislators. As a new legislator is elected or an old one remains in office, that right remains at risk as long as it is not receiving federal protection.

Rights you have to beg for from those in power are not rights at all.

Time and time again states have proven that they will abuse your rights the first chance they get. This is why the people had to go back and pass the Fourteenth Amendment, applying the protection of the United States Constitution to the states. The Dobbs ruling by Alito now puts women’s rights to make medical decisions is now up to the court’s discretion.

Texas passed SB8 restricting abortions to 6 weeks or less and enticing individuals to stalk, harass, and track women’s menstrual cycles and invade their privacy by demanding private medical health information in order to sue them and anyone who helps them obtain an abortion of an unwanted pregnancy.

The Women’s Health Protection Act

Passing the Women’s Health Protection Act would not only restore the pre-Dobbs status quo but dismantle a slew of state restrictions on abortion.

The number of women who will die in pregnancy will increase dramatically if forced to carry a pregnancy to term that endangers their life.

NARAL president Mini Timmaraju said “And we owe these folks who are at risk of losing their lives because of things like ectopic pregnancies, we owe them the biggest, boldest solution possible.”

Why hasn’t the Women’s Health Protection Act passed yet?

This bipartisan Kaine-Collins bill passed the House twice but ended up in a Senate filibuster.

How can we get the Women’s Health Protection Act passed?

The Act would need 60 votes in the senate to pass legislation. Collins, Murkowski, and Sinema do not support overturning the filibuster even though Sinema does support the Women’s Health Protection Act. Collins, Murkowski and Joe Manchin oppose the legislation, calling it too expansive.

Kaine says “I think life post-Dobbs is a series of tragedies, and we have a sense that real life is going to push votes our way” just like the fight for gun control has had to wait for unspeakable number of tragedies before that has gained the support it needs to pass any kind of meaningful legislation.

Stop Criminalizing Women’s Healthcare.

Congress by introducing this Act is trying to protect women, but Congress has limited authority. Congress would need to justify it’s authority and would probably rely on Section 5 of the 14th Amendment or the commerce clause. Congress may be able to protect women’s rights for a bit but has limited authority to legislate in this area. The Supreme Court ultimately can decide that Congress does not have the authority.

There’s one more thing you can do.

Support the movies we are making to educate the public on women’s rights now at risk. There are 3 more states with abortion trigger laws set to activate by the end of August 2022. Women are expected to die at alarmingly increased numbers.

This movie shows you the consequences of limited access to abortion.

Melody Brooke films is periodicity the first of several films in a series about the impact Dobbs is having on women and children, beginning with the first movie about a 15-year-old girl who becomes pregnant by her 21-year-old boyfriend., and the hard choices they have to make in a Post Roe world.

Based on a true story.

Support the movie 15

Resources:

You can read more about what VOX says about this issue here: https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2022/8/22/23306142/kaine-collins-codify-roe-abortion-congress

Did you know that transpeople are affected by Dobbs too?

Yesterday as I was looking at news regarding the SCOTUS Dobbs decision I ran across a post discussing the impact of the decision on Transpeoples.

As if it wasn’t already an extremely difficult experience to navigate being a man in a woman’s body (and vice versa), now they have to grapple with how Dobbs will affect them too. Living a trans life can be painful, confusing, and so stigmatizing. And it is scary at times too.

Did you know that in our culture, trans people are assaulted at four times the rate of others of us. Just being trans is, by itself an extremely dangerous life. Imagine if every time you walked out your door, or interacted with another human in any way, there was a 4x greater risk of that person assaulting you than the rest of us?
It horrifies me what happens to these women.

They are humiliated, shamed, beaten, murdered, and raped simply because they do not fit into the norm of society. The pain of just living their lives in a way what is normal for them, they offend, shock, and terrify others. Then, on top of that, they are sexually assaulted at alarming numbers. Since they are not going to be taking birth control with their other hormones they risk becoming pregnant. And under the new Dobbs rule, if they live in a state that has banned abortion, they could be forced to birth a child!! Add in the challenges that laws like Texas SB 8 pose for being sued and states that are passing travel bans, they could face difficulty trying to travel to another state to exercise what used to be a protected constitutional right.

While the number of trans people, percentage wise, of our population is low, the violence against them is high. They are at extreme risk of the Dobbs decision affecting them in ways that feel like adding one assault after another.

Overturning Roe has removed the few protections that were necessary to prevent transpeople from adding injury to insult. Regardless of where you stand politically, a constitutional right is a constitutional right. When you remove any constitutional right you inflict injury.

And since our country and our political partys have gotten more radicalized and extreme, trans people needed those protections now more than ever before.

I know that there are many who do not respect the truth of their experience, those of us who can feel, do.

This is one of the topics I’ll be addressing in future films.

15 is just the beginning.

Please share.

And contribute if you can by clicking on this link: https://www.indiegogo.com/campaigns/15-and-pregnant-what-happens-in-a-post-roe-world/

What is transgender?

Transgender people have a gender identity or gender expression that differs from the sex that they were assigned at birth.

 

#15postRoe
#15postDobbs
#LGBTQ+
#kansas
#SupremeCourt
#Constitution
#Alito
#roevwade
#womensrights
#mybodymychoice
#reproductiverights
#abortion
#abortionrights
#plannedparenthood
#humanrights
#postROEactivist

  1. The Christian TRUTH about Choice

Since the 1970’s extreme Christian dogmas have pressed to increase the laws against abortions in this country. (I won’t even address the real cause of this, which is racism as a revolt against integration). And in one of this generations landmark decisions, the Supreme Court of the United States has now reversed a fundamental right so that it could expand religion to reflect the justice that wrote the Dobbs decision beliefs, Justice Alito. Alito admits that he is using his office to push his religious beliefs.

The Women’s Temperance Movement.

It reminds me of the Women’s Temperance movement of the late 19th century where Christian women organized in an effort to stop men from drinking. What resulted was decades of illegal liquor running, and back woods stills that produced ill tasting and sometimes poisonous potions. It did NOT stop men from drinking. What it did was increase violence. It just pushed alcohol into backrooms, and into secret. Alito overturning Roe will cause women to be afraid and have to hide their medical care needs again.
Alito condemns others for not knowing his religion and vows to use his office to expand religion.
Alito tells a story about a 10-year-old boy in Berlin that didn’t recognize, what we are lead to believe is Jesus. Alito then goes on to say that the more that China restricted religion and made it illegal, the more people adopted religion. So there is no reason to think that oppressive state laws won’t lead to having fewer babies and an increase in women dying.

 

 

Table of Contents

What does the bible say about the right to choose?

Deuteronomy 30:19)

“I am now giving you the choice between life and death, between God’s blessing and God’s curse, and I call heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Choose life.”

God created and gave to mankind the gift of free will — the gift of choice.

Control is Fundamentally against the Teachings of the Bible.

The insane part of the effort of men (and women) to try and CONTROL people’s choices is fundamentally against the teachings of the bible. The bible is clear that we are given free will over how we live our lives, and whether we choose to follow God or follow Satan.

Matthew 7 :: NIV.

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?”

The Bible Teaches Free Will.

To interpret the bible any other way is ludicrous. The bible teaches us to honor and respect others free will, whether we agree with it or not. Man (as in humankind) is NOT to be the adjudicator of consequences; that is God’s place. When you insist that somehow it is right for humankind to judge, you are audaciously taking on God’s role in humankind’s existence.

The Right to Choose is Fundamental.

This of course, includes the right to choose whatever religion, whatever way of life you choose. It is not up to us to condemn others for those choices. Yet, those throwing bombs at abortion clinics and raiding doctors office, and raiding back room liquor sales points, feel somehow justified by the bible to do exactly that. Those who do this, as it says in Mathew 7, “will be judged” by God.

Any other interpretation of the bible is just that, an interpretation, not in fact, as is stated multiple times.

Justice Alito is Using Religion to Violate Civil Rights.

Alito claims in his keynote speech at Notre Dame 2022 Religious Liberty Summit that being christian brings peace. He ignores that some of our most violent and bloody wars have been in the name of christianity.

Our Country is Based on Freedom of Religion

Our country was based on the never before tried idea that we are all allowed to worship as we choose, to follow whatever our hearts choose in our religious life.
The founding fathers, many of whom were a variety of different denominations, and faiths, were dedicated to the hope that life without religious persecution could actually provide a nation with freedom and a consistent form of government that could last without violence every time leadership changed. The tribalism of the rest of the world continues to incite violence as one form of religion attempts to forcefully, violently control those who follow other creeds into submission.

Study history; or you will be cursed with repeating it. Look at the truth of how our global social, religious dogma has incited more violence than any other single inciter. When you try and impose your dogma on others, eventually, violence will erupt and people will die.

Dobbs doesn’t just affect women.

Watching this happen to my beloved country is the most painful thing I’ve ever witnessed. And as as therapist of over 30 years experience, I have witnessed stories of the most horrific events you can imagine. This is a travesty that is happening to us right now. It’s not just women its happening to from the Dobbs decision, its happening to all of us. Parents in marriage enjoy protections to make medical decisions for their child. That isn’t written in the constitution, so according to Alito’s thinking in Dobbs, that is not a protected constitutional right. The right to make medical decisions for your child is protected under family privacy and is unenumerated. Alito would not protect it if he felt that it offended his religion. And that’s just one example of thousands of possibilities.

Question is; are you going to stand there and pretend its just politics, and you don’t “follow politics” while the violence begins?

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