This is far and away the coolest thing I've read in ages

[ebonlock]

Many thanks to Aelf for forwarding me this:
Giago: Oglala Sioux president on state abortion law

"When Governor Mike Rounds signed HB 1215 into law it effectively banned all abortions in the state with the exception that it did allow saving the mother’s life. There were, however, no exceptions for victims of rape or incest. His actions, and the comments of State Senators like Bill Napoli of Rapid City, SD, set of a maelstrom of protests within the state.

Napoli suggested that if it was a case of “simple rape,” there should be no thoughts of ending a pregnancy. Letters by the hundreds appeared in local newspapers, mostly written by women, challenging Napoli’s description of rape as “simple.” He has yet to explain satisfactorily what he meant by “simple rape.”

The President of the Oglala Sioux Tribe on the Pine Ridge Reservation, Cecilia Fire Thunder, was incensed. A former nurse and healthcare giver she was very angry that a state body made up mostly of white males, would make such a stupid law against women.

“To me, it is now a question of sovereignty,” she said to me last week. “I will personally establish a Planned Parenthood clinic on my own land which is within the boundaries of the Pine Ridge Reservation where the State of South Dakota has absolutely no jurisdiction.”

Strong words from a very strong lady. I hope Ms. Fire Thunder challenges Gov. Rounds and the state legislators on this law that is an affront to all independent women."

President Fire Thunder is my new hero.

Edit: Hat tip to the always well informed kirbyk

Want to help out? kathrynt has a post up with all the contact info: http://kathrynt.livejournal.com/366823.html

I'll be sending along good wishes and a check to help out the effort today!

Update:
For those playing the home game, here are the governor of SD's latest results in the polls:

I thought people would enjoy knowing that Mike Rounds, the South Dakota governor who signed the abortion ban, has seen his approval/disapproval numbers go from 72-23 in February to 58-38 in March. He doesn't have a challenger for 2006, though that could change soon. I was sort of guessing that this abortion ban would blow up in its proponents' faces -- pro-lifers outnumber pro-choicers in South Dakota only 49-47.

Let's hope that the birth-control-denying state legislators of Missouri are next.

Comments

How to help!

[kirbyk.livejournal.com]

Kathryn, a friend of my friends up here in Seattle, actually called up Ms. Fire Thunder, and has contact info for donations:

http://kathrynt.livejournal.com/366823.html

Agreed that this is awesome. There's a lot of Indian Reservations in and near a lot of Red States.

Re: How to help!

[ebonlock.livejournal.com]

That is so cool, thanks for the head's up!!

It would seem to be self-evident...

[scoreboard.livejournal.com]

...don't fuck with somebody whose name is FIRE THUNDER.

Re: It would seem to be self-evident...

[ebonlock.livejournal.com]

Amen to that, brother. I just emailed her and she'll be getting a check tonight. Gonna' see if I can whore this info around the internets a bit and get some serious cash flowing in.

[ebongreen.livejournal.com]

I laughed out loud at the usual ineptitude: "simple rape" indeed. Open mouth, insert the feet of thousands of women - DUMBASS.

As much as I appreciate Pres. Fire Thunder's efforts, I hope this doesn't turn into the racist-yet-predictable blowback charge of "Indians (want to kill/are killing) [white] babies [again]". I can just see any number of really suck-tastic ways for that story to turn out.

Let's see - we can have white people invading tribal land to bomb or assassinate clinic workers. We could have picketing at reservation borders. We could have more hate-crimes of any number of sorts - not that racists and right-wingers need an excuse for these, but still. Oy.

[rexluscus.livejournal.com]

"Simple rape"? That's disgusting. What that suggests is that this guy has the notion that a woman raped in a dark alley by a stranger has a right to an abortion, but if she knew the guy, if it was date rape, if she started fooling around then wanted to stop and he wouldn't, then the pregnancy is somehow her fault.

Wow. That "simple rape" phrase really opens up a crack through which you can see just how misogynistic this law really is. Because there is no way to explain that "simple rape" exception, no handy "all fetuses have a right to live" excuse to hide behind, without basically coming out and saying you think women are sluts who should be punished for their promiscuity.

Ew. But the news about the reservation is nice.

[aelfsciene.livejournal.com]

That "simple rape" phrase really opens up a crack through which you can see just how misogynistic this law really is.

That's precisely what I was thinking when I read it. How it seems clear that these men believe women "ask for it" if they're raped, and then they need to face the "consequences" or some other bullshit.

I swear, if I was more violent, I'd get me a big 'ol strap-on and pay a visit to Napoli. He should really experience< sexual assault before classifying anything related as "simple."

[rexluscus.livejournal.com]

Seriously. What really disgusts me is the implication that some forms of rape are less serious or tragic than others. And I'll bet the dividing line in his mind is the woman's chastity. If a virginal young girl is assaulted by a stranger, that's "simple" rape. If a woman is fooling around with a guy and then tells him to stop but he doesn't, that isn't simple, because she got herself into the situation in the first place and must thus face the consequences of the most extreme outcome. So really, her crime is in being sexual at all. No woman with a long sexual history could ever suffer a "simple rape" because she chose to go down that path - or some such nonsense. Women must be punished for having sex drives.

Urgh! Sorry to be soap-boxing on your journal, Ellie. :)

[ebonlock.livejournal.com]

Not at all my dear, that's why I post this stuff, so we can all get it off our chests.

[tattermuffin.livejournal.com]

That seems in contrast to the link above of someone who called and talked to Fire Thunder herself? Maybe it went from "someone" to "hey I'm someone!" in the last few days?

Hmm, well I'll be interested to see more on this with some more concrete details ...

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

Maybe it went from "someone" to "hey I'm someone!" in the last few days?

That wouldn't neccessarily surprize me, actually. And I can hope. (:

[elenderel.livejournal.com]

Hmm, well I'll be interested to see more on this with some more concrete details ...

I agree. Or you could e-mail Ms. Fire Thunder and see what she says, although I understand ebonlock has already done so. And I might be able to get more details on this tomorrow.

Re: Fire Thunder

[ebonlock.livejournal.com]

Yikes, good to know that, though I hope the response she gets from folks on the net gives her a much needed push to do this.

Re: Fire Thunder

[elenderel.livejournal.com]

I couldn't agree more. She is a truly amazing woman and such a venture would be sure to succeed with enough support. I just hope there isn't a law against tribes accepting unsolicited donations; if there isn't, I would love to see something like that happen.

You may be interested in reading articles by Charon Asetoyer, founder/president (if I recall correctly) of a grass-roots women's health center (??) in South Dakota. She has been quite outspoken on the state's abortion law. Also I have seen releases indicating that Gov. Rounds' popularity rating has simply plummeted in the space of four-eight weeks.

Re: Fire Thunder

[ebonlock.livejournal.com]

If you know of any available online I'd love to share the links here with folks!

Re: Fire Thunder

[elenderel.livejournal.com]

Be glad to help! I can surf a bit tomorrow and give you some links; at worst, I can forward the releases to you. Charon Asetoyer shouldn't be too hard to find; I'll see what I get tonight.

Re: Fire Thunder

[elenderel.livejournal.com]

These links either mention Charon Asetoyer or contain articles written by her:

http://www.pww.org/article/articleview/8710/1/312

http://www.indiancountry.com/content.cfm?id=1096412594

http://www.womensenews.org/article.cfm/dyn/aid/2130

http://www.tompaine.com/articles/2006/03/08/south_dakotas_new_murderers.php


These are about Gov. Rounds:

http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/politicalblog/index.php?cat=1 (You'll have to scroll down a ways)

http://dakotatoday.typepad.com/dakotatoday/2006/03/bet_you_want_to.html (contains link to the actual survey site)

I would cheerfully send you some of the better releases I see daily on the SD abortion law, politics, etc. - I get dozens per day!

Re: Fire Thunder

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

Poo. I'm glad I saw that before I wrote a check.
I think I'll write me a letter.

Re: Fire Thunder

[ebonlock.livejournal.com]

Email first, that's what I just did. If she responds with, "We're absolutely going to do this" then she gets the check.

Re: Fire Thunder

[cyranocyrano.livejournal.com]

Yay!

Re: Fire Thunder

[jakejr.livejournal.com]

And even if she's not doing that, the Pine Ridge reservation is one of the most troubled in the country (or was, last time I saw anything on it) and could probably use a little financial help if there's some kind of charity we could be pointed at.

Re: Fire Thunder

[elenderel.livejournal.com]

if there's some kind of charity we could be pointed at.

I may be able to get follow up on this in the next day or two unless someone else out there beats me to it.

Re: Fire Thunder

[elenderel.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a good idea. I know ebonlock has sent her an e-mail, so let's wait and see what the response is.

Re: Fire Thunder

[elenderel.livejournal.com]

I would appear to be LJ-impaired tonight!