beautiful warrior

A Time for New Beginnings

jamilah — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 22:02:24 +0000

On January 18th, a group of anti-abortion religious fundamentalists came to Houston to protest at a new Planned Parenthood facility. These people call Planned Parenthood’s new Houston location an “abortion super center” because of its 78,000 square feet, and they call the location of the building itself racist because it is situated near Black and Chicano neighborhoods.

They claim that Planned Parenthood chose this location to target neighborhoods of the oppressed for abortions. Their agenda is to enslave women. Those of us who support a woman’s right to choose, who stand in opposition to the oppression of women, came out in support of abortion rights and Planned Parenthood.

Walking to the protest, and seeing the hundreds of anti-abortion protesters already in place, tape over their mouths with the word “Life” written on it and with reports of hundreds of more in place, set to march to Planned Parenthood, reinforced for some of us that things have sharpened politically, and that there is a need for a new movement that will take on the religious right, and put up a strong pole of resistance that can attract many more people to it.

About 1,500 people came out against abortion, bussed in by church groups throughout the area. They were countered by about 50 of us, who ranged from the Student Feminists Organization at the University of Houston to Revolutionary Communists, Anarchists, and the general public. Before we arrived at the location we knew that we would be outnumbered. Local media had given plenty of positive air time to Lou Engle, and his group, The Call to Conscience, which had called for the protest against Planned Parenthood.

While I am not pleased with the lack of people we were able to mobilize, neither am I discouraged. I think what happened in Houston reflects what is actually going on broadly in society. Bob Avakian talks about this pyramid dynamic and how right-wing politicians mobilize their social base, to a certain extent, to promote their agenda because that agenda is about the continuation of oppression and exploitation and it benefits them, while the Democratic Party is reluctant to do the same with their social base because they don’t want things to go too far to the left where they can lose control. And many people who oppose the atrocities and attacks upon the people feel paralyzed.

Avakian also speaks to the ability of the people to change this situation, through determined actions, and through countering the ideological offensive and confusion of the right wing. Over the past couple of months some of this has begun to develop, even if in still a very beginning way, in Houston, as courageous women at the University of Houston have stood up to expose and oppose the fascist woman haters who seek to outlaw a woman’s right to choose completely.

It was quite clear from the beginning that any counter protest that we held was going to be challenged by the State in the form of the police. The police had a heavy presence, and set up barricades in the middle of the street to keep the two sides apart. Actually, they were trying to keep us “protest pinned”. They were focused entirely on the pro-choice side. The second we held up our signs, the cops wanted to know “who was in charge”, and asked us, “Don’t you want to move? It would be better for your signs to be seen?” Meanwhile, they tried to keep our message from being seen and heard.

It looks like Houston, and this new Planned Parenthood facility, is becoming a focal point in the battle around abortion rights. What is painfully clear is that having leaders in the women’s movement, who tell us to lobby and vote for pro-choice candidates, and who then turn around and vote for legislation that strip away the right to abortion, demobilizes and demoralizes people. But it is also clear that there is a growing number of young women – and men – who are determined to make this a two sided fight.

We need a new movement that is willing to take on the religious right, that isn’t afraid to take a bold stand, and which realizes that you don’t seek common ground with those who would want to kill you, but instead, you resist.

I promise…

jamilah — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 21:39:49 +0000

…to write regularly on my blog. The one I totally forgot about…as you can tell by the really long time between posts!

days of birth

jamilah — Sat, 24 May 2008 22:35:38 +0000

as days of birth approaches

and the sun continues to shine

heat surround us

reminding us all that there is something bigger than us all

not some god

but energy suspended

aloof but kind enough to let us

feel

rays on our face

still sucks

jamilah — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 02:59:16 +0000

It’s very hard to watch your parents waste away. Especially both at the same time. This is not what I expected, though, nothing that happens is really what I expect. It’s a process. People go thorough the same things but it still sucks.

New Year, New Post

jamilah — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 15:02:26 +0000

There is way too much going on in the world for me not to write about it. I have been super busy, but I think that I will not let that be an excuse anymore. Besides, I need the practice of writing, so indulge me…

The Woman Question (part 1)

jamilah — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 01:44:07 +0000

I was offended when someone told me that as a woman I was oppressed. No Way! I could get a job, how was I oppressed? Yeah, right! When we live in a capitalistic society how can we expect relations between men and women to not reflect the bloodsucking nature of capitalism if we don’t consciously reject that?

And what is disgusting is that what is promoted is this “James Bond-Player-GQ Playboy-Alfie” sort of guy who flirts and carries on with different women as if they are his toys. This shit is promoted and celebrated and if you speak out against this then you’re no fun.

This is just one reason why I know the oppression of women still exists? This culture promotes this disgusting commodity relationship. Men rule and women are used.

I reject that shit!

summer fruit

jamilah — Mon, 28 May 2007 18:09:35 +0000

i want to share with you

blackberries

and

sugar.

open your mouth

and

your mind

to what is possible,

to what is sweet.

do not worry about

appearances.

just let the juices flow.

i will clean them up.

we will taste the summer

you will go back to your girlfriend

and

i wiil end up alone.

?

jamilah — Mon, 07 May 2007 17:46:13 +0000

i just wanted to write that i can’t think of anything to write.

musings

jamilah — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 15:54:04 +0000

i don’t think that who i am is a static thing. that what i am today will be who i am tomorrow. i feel that is a good thing as new information is received and experiences are had and that shapes you. i don’t want to be made to feel that i have to have all the answers right now and act accordingly.

also, what is up with people. there needs to be more communication. verbal communication not what is had through email and online. feelings get hurt when you can’t correctly emphasize your emotions-i mean you can use italics or bold or something but it’s just not the same as a hand on a shoulder, or a giggle in your speech.

i don’t digress easily

My Lament

jamilah — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 04:05:20 +0000

my tears no longer remain shut away in an embarrasing display of stoic non responsibility

i care

and perhaps too deeply

but Abu Ghraib has just hit me

there are more pictures and videos

children

women

men

abused

assaulted

killed

in my name?

in yours?

i have never felt so powerless

yet

so responsible

every person who upholds this war must hear from me

that torture is wrong

and that soldiers torture

so soldiers must be wrong

but is my logic correct?

is my premise accurate?

cause i do support some troops

only those who resist

and there just aren’t enough of them

and torture still goes on

and yes, good old boys have been sent to the middle east

do i breathe a sigh of relief

that they’re over there

instead of

over here

Hell No!

because Iraqis, Afghanis and Iranians

do not deserve this

and

all the yellow ribbons blowing in the wind

beckon a return of america’s finest

and

i suppose i should digress

but

that just ain’t gonna work anymore

i know too much to ignore

the blood that flows from Hadditha to Houston

and i have never met 15 year old

Abeer Hamza

though i will never forget her

the pain she went through

and the life cut too short

and for what?

imperialism?

so that the US can remain a superpower?

is it really that easy to destroy a people

instead of build them up…

i will no longer muffle my cries

in a bathroom towel

while dinner guests

discuss whether it’s a good thing if the us attacks Iran

maybe the anti-war movement will grow

how fucked up is that?

how about debating what to do to stop the attack in the first place

the people of the world are not the american government’s

pawns in a global chess game

neither do they belong to a liberal’s

check

mate

there is such a disconnect between

them

and

us that this society fosters

so we have to

reject that and connect

rise up and be strong

resist and stand firm

and refuse to go along