March is Women’s History Month.
Tonight, let’s celebrate the first day of the month by offering hope and assistance to our Native American sisters.
Fundraising portion crossposted at Street Prophets
A study released by the Centers for Disease Control in February showed that:
American Indian and Alaska Native women suffer from the highest rates of domestic violence, according to a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report.
In the largest-ever survey of its kind, 39 percent of Native women said they were victims of intimate-partner violence. This was by far the highest rate among women of all racial and ethnic groups.
Source
MMWR CDC Report
And so many of these frightened and endangered women have nowhere to go. Thankfully, though, this is no longer the case for the women of the Standing Rock reservation in South Dakota:
Jackie Brown Otter created The Pretty Bird Woman House in 2005 after the brutal rape and murder of her sister, whose Lakota name means Pretty Bird Woman.
Last fall, after the original PBWH burned down, many terrific kossacks helped raise more than $87,000 to buy a new home for the women who depend on it. And in case you missed the good news, as of February 16th, the house is theirs!!
Here is Georgia Little Shield receiving the keys:
More good news:
A nearby reservation recently renovated the hotel attached to its casino, and donated furniture to Standing Rock, including a number of entertainment centers, chairs, tables, and nightstands. The Tribal Council then distributed them among the service organizations on the reservation. The shelter now has an entertainment center for the living room and the basement, nightstands and those entertainment centers for some of not all of the bedrooms, and chairs and tables for the kitchen and living room.
Source.
Now it’s time to give them a housewarming!
As SallyCat pointed out in a great diary on February 21st, PBWH is still assembling materials, and, among other necessities, desperately needs blankets, pillows, sheets and other bedding, towels, shower curtains, cookware, tableware, small appliances --all the good things that transform places of walls into a comforting place.
Here’s a Wish List created by betson08 at Target. It has items that range in cost from just a few dollars to a few hundred; each and every one of them would be welcomed. Best of all: it's easy. Click and have the item sent to the address below.
Want to choose your own gift and send it? Here is the address for mail sent by UPS, FedEx or DHL:
Pretty Bird Woman House
302 Sale Barn Rd.
McLaughlin SD 57642
(Note: This is the address for the Tribal Council.)
And here’s the address for packages sent via US Mail:
Pretty Bird Woman House
P.O. Box 596
McLaughlin, SD 57642
Pretty Bird Woman House has continuing financial pressures, and always can use donations, which can be made here. Right now, they still need money for some items of furniture. I have a special place in my heart for women who need a means to escape from domestic violence. I’ll match the first $100 of donations made tonight for our sisters at Pretty Bird Woman House.
Thank you!
(Pretty Bird Woman House Mascot a/k/a Georgia's chihuahua)
And now on to Top Comments:
*****
From be the change we seek:
(A worthy nomination made too late for last night’s diary)
I loved the thread in Delaware Dem’s Daily Kos Roll Call that began with gchaucer2’s demographic and ended with an Olde Englishe turnout tale.
And from today:
This, um, profane ditty from jayden, which wins the award for best subversion of a commercial jingle. (From which JeffLieber diary it is drawn will be obvious.)
And from the same diary, this serious comment from thisniss.
*****
More nominations from the JeffLieber diary, from nodden:
(A Top Comments first!): "Not sure if this follows TC etiquette, but I am nominating every single comment contained within."
(Ed. note: TC Etiquette?)
*****
From Carolita (whew! A treasure trove!):
Moody Loner has the perfect comeback to Troutfishing's snark in John McCain Courts Holocaust Revisionist.
Boston Boomer gives some interesting backstory on Dr. Strangelove in labwitchy's What’s Your Favorite Politically Themed Movie?
wdmosely explains why Texas caucuses are likely to be disaster in Political caucus problems in Texas. (Hint: the decision to consolidate huge precints into very small buildings was made by GOP-dominated county commissioners and the GOP isn't caucusing, so they just don't care -- or maybe they even think it is humorous, in typcial GOP-vote-suppression fashion.)
Cartoon Peril has a suggestion: if Texas caucuses are a disaster, why not send in Fema trailers?
*****
From kestrel9000:
condoleaser the, um, spellchecker.
*****
From Ninepatch:
Bob Johnson's diary, Nation: Obama embraces grassroots 50-state strategy, party building; Clinton old-school, top down inspired the best discussion I've seen in a long time. These thoughtful, well-reasoned comments made it a real pleasure to read:
pepper mint
hannah
alizard
mayan.
*****
Top mojo from my very own mojo hero, BeninSC:
Top Mojo - excluding search-identifiable tip jars and first diary comments (top 30 of each plus ties):
1 Count me in as one of the 8K in Selma.... by fromdabak - 137
2 We start with the cities by FishOutofWater - 131
3 Then tell Hillary to change her FUCKING campaign! by Shane Hensinger - 131
4 Disenfranchised Democrats. by Melody Townsel - 105
5 Shit I thought it was gonna be by Redstateresident - 104
6 When I was a young whippersnapper, by Dave the Rave - 94
7 Jeff, honey - by The Fat Lady Sings - 89
8 I'd love to believe that, but just can't until by jeff in nyc - 89
9 Soon come, man... by mayan - 86
10 I love dailykos by socratic - 84
11 Let's leave the candidates out of it, please. by Dave the Rave - 80
12 just think... by cardinalzen - 78
13 That's the second mention of Keyes today by rightiswrong - 78
14 Ok, my political life is OVER. by JeffLieber - 73
15 We are in a universe by gchaucer2 - 73
16 The demographics are definitely changing... by Melody Townsel - 72
17 The 50-state strategy is insignificant. by Geekesque - 72
18 META: suggestion to preserve sanity in IP diaries by klizard - 71
19 You're writing is always outstanding. by Bob Johnson - 70
20 Well, makes sense by Lisa Lockwood - 67
21 nothing like a little helper by FireCrow - 66
22 I went to vote today by TX Freethinker - 66
23 oh just stop it by ratador - 66
24 but i don't understand by missreporter - 65
25 A crank? by DemocraticLuntz - 65
26 The Squirmy Rooter dildo jingle by jayden - 65
27 Luke by pooh74 - 65
28 Prairie View A&M isn't "city" and... by skywriter - 64
29 Wish this Diary was up before I posted in openthr by bastrop - 63
30 A Pete Sessions story, if I may.... by Melody Townsel - 62
31 Chronic problem with Obama campaign by John R - 62
Top Mojo - everything included:
1 ......and now back to your 7 out of 8 diaries by clammyc - 577
2 * by The Field - 425
3 Ah, the things you purchase... by JeffLieber - 366
4 Texas is Turning Blue by FishOutofWater - 354
5 tips by dday - 234
6 tip jar! by fcvaguy - 234
7 Flame away by gchaucer2 - 210
8 Count me in as one of the 8K in Selma.... by fromdabak - 137
9 as usual, do with this what you will by teacherken - 134
10 We start with the cities by FishOutofWater - 131
11 Then tell Hillary to change her FUCKING campaign! by Shane Hensinger - 131
12 Disenfranchised Democrats. by Melody Townsel - 105
13 Shit I thought it was gonna be by Redstateresident - 104
14 When I was a young whippersnapper, by Dave the Rave - 94
15 Good morning to all! by Frankenoid - 93
16 Jeff, honey - by The Fat Lady Sings - 89
17 I'd love to believe that, but just can't until by jeff in nyc - 89
18 Soon come, man... by mayan - 86
19 I love dailykos by socratic - 84
20 Let's leave the candidates out of it, please. by Dave the Rave - 80
21 This may be getting through... by Rob Cole - 79
22 I am much more afraid of by KnotIookin - 78
23 just think... by cardinalzen - 78
24 That's the second mention of Keyes today by rightiswrong - 78
25 please spread the word by anna - 77
26 Tip/Recs Appreciated! by IndianaDemocrat - 74
27 GOTX! by kath25 - 74
28 Ok, my political life is OVER. by JeffLieber - 73
29 We are in a universe by gchaucer2 - 73
30 The demographics are definitely changing... by Melody Townsel - 72
31 The 50-state strategy is insignificant. by Geekesque - 72
Remember!! If YOU want to be a Top Commenter, send your Top Comments to top comments at gmail dot com before 9:30 pm EST.