I was just going to go, leave quietly.  Unfortunately, I can't.  I'm a newbie,it doesn't matter, but since I promised to do a series, I have an obligation.  So on behalf of that obligation, I came to say goodbye.

It was our first reality check on war.   Every night, the news would stream the names of those soldiers who were either killed, missing or had become prisoners, across the screen, in what seemed to be never ending.  There were no clips of the "Donut Dollies", the women of the USO seeing our troops off, only stark cold reality.  We learned then, by the coffins returning home, by the pictures of the little girl running, screaming down the road as her body was covered with napalm, by the men returning home, that war is hell.

Hollywood would no longer glamorize war.  The images of John Wayne and Audie Murphy valiantly driving off into the sunset in their jeeps were replaced with Robert Duvall and John Voight trying to hold on to their sanity.    For the first time in the history of the US, our soldiers were not greeted with a hero’s welcome, but were advised to not to wear their uniforms when they returned home.

I was probably in fifth grade, when we had the obligatory reproductive lesson given by the school nurse.  It was a girls only class, explaining the ovaries, the uterus and how babies are made.  At that time, the only method of birth control that was allowed to be taught was abstinence.  Although Griswold v Connecticut had made birth control legal for married couples, it wouldn't be until the next year, 1972, Einstadt v Baird allowed unmarried women access to birth control.  It would be a year after that, in 1973, abortion would become legal under Roe v Wade.  

It would be a few years that my mother decided it was time to get me the "Lifecycle" series of books.  No, she didn't actually sit me down and discuss the birds and the bees, but gave me books to read.  So I read them, and then asked questions.  We discussed sex and of course, I received the classic, "you'll want to wait until you get married".  It wasn't too long after that, while sitting on the steps, talking to my mother that I asked if I really had to wait until I got married.  

Cross posted from A Woman's View

You could feel the excitement in the house building for days.  It was like that anytime we had plans to head into the city.  We were kids then, so a trip to Kennywood, the zoo or a Pirates game was always a major event.  My parents planned in advance and would build it up, until the point, where the night before, we were sleepless from excitement.

The next morning, mom would be packing a picnic lunch and then we'd pile into the car, to make the 40 minute trip into the city.  Imagine three little girls sitting in the backseat of the car, giggling; chattering about what they were going to ride first, what animals we wanted to see, wondering if we'd catch the ball that Roberto Clemente hit.

On these trips, I often found myself looking out the window, watching the scenary as we drove along.  There was always one point where I knew we were close.  It wasn't the signs, nor was it the tunnels; I knew we were close when the sky started turning brown.

The struggle for freedom and equality is an age old story and not unique to one specific group of people.  Indeed, if you believe in God, then you acknowledge the Israelite's struggle for freedom from the Egyptians.  Throughout time, history books recount these struggles, sometimes in a short blurb, sometimes devoting whole chapters to them.  The basis for these struggles began as a fight against slavery, oppression, tyranny and injustice.

The short history of the United States has had several such struggles, itself.  Indeed, the creation of our own country was born on a fight against the oppression of King George and the injustice at the hands of his appointed governors.  It would be less then a 100 years since the Declaration of Independence was signed, that another struggle, another movement would begin.  This struggle, like the last would be an excuse for war, which pitted brother against brother and would divide the nation.  Depending on which history book one reads, the Civil War was either about the abolishing of slavery or independence from a government that chose to overtax its’ southern citizens.   Eventually slavery would be outlawed, but another struggle was forming.

As the 110th Congress took their seats in January 2007, they've promised the American voters many things.  Increasing the minimum wage, holding the administration accountable, work to end the war, and many other issues, that were fed to the msm.  As the nation was focused on failed referendums and bills with no teeth, something that never was announced publicly was introduced.

With the debate on reproductive rights, abortion and the erosion of women's rights raging on, not sure how we could have missed this one. I checked the archives and couldn't find it.  I looked for news articles and couldn't find it.  You ask what it is, come with me and I'll tell you.

The state of South Carolina isn’t in that much of a shock, given the recent indictment of Thomas Ravanel on cocaine charges.  In fact, it’s basically status quo, when it comes to our elected leaders.  Either they’re funneling state funds to personal projects, defying police authority, or under investigation for something illegal.  Okay, maybe I exaggerate.  Not all the elected officials are corrupt and dirty, but it only takes one straw to break the camels back, and the Ravanel instance may be the straw to break the Republican stronghold in this red state.

After serious deliberation, which amounts to 15 minutes before my first cup of coffee, I’m announcing my decision to throw my hat into the ring.  I believe that in 2008, a Democrat can challenge Lindsey Graham’s for the Senate and win.  Now all it takes is some help from the DNC.

The indictment of Thomas Ravanel has put a big blemish on the Republican party in my fair state.  The level of discontent and distrust amongst the voters for our elected officials is growing.  It's not the first time that a lawmaker here has been caught with his hand in the jar, defied police or has been subject to criminal investigations.  Frankly, the voters of this fair state are damn tired of it, too.

So I sat here thinking long and hard, about 15 minutes before having my first cup of coffee, that yes, I can do it.  I can challenge Lindsey Graham and win that seat as a Democrat.  The only question, can the Democratic party help me do it?

It’s been less then 100 years since women had won the right to vote.  That struggle wasn’t easy and women didn’t win the right and privilege overnight.  Today, if it even be suggested that, that right be taken away, we would see every woman in America rise up and say "oh hell no".

But why is it then that it is still necessary to struggle to maintain the rights that those who’ve come before us have fought for and won?  Regardless of which side of the issues that we stand on, common sense would deem that we should be able to come to the middle and agree, that it is not okay to give up those rights and that it is not okay to have them slowly eroded from us, regardless of the rationale.

Do the ghosts of  Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Alice Paul and Margaret Sanger walk this earth shaking their heads collectively, having watched the progress that has been made through the years, only to see it slowly wither away?  They would understand the desire of many men to remove these rights, but would they understand how many women would allow them to slip away?

She is 89 years old, and if you saw her now, you'd never give her hopes to go another month let alone another year.  Her husband died thirteen years ago and for a few years, she was able to make it on her own, with her husbands meager retirement, a small sum she was getting from his social security and healthcare through Medicare/Medicaid.

Once living by herself, she eventually moved in with her daughter, who helped provide care, until she reached a point where she was a risk to herself.  She spends her days in a nursing home now, her health and declining mental faculties made it necessary for her to have round the clock care.  Her moments of dementia are more often and longer then her moments of lucidity.

In the year 1981, women were struggling to be accepted as equals in the military.  Under an act of Congress, women were not allowed to be in positions that would send them into combat.  Because of this, the standards for women in the service were different then it was for their male counterparts.  

It was that year, that I was assigned to be a member of the squadron mobility team.  If you're not aware of what it meant to be mobile, it meant being ready to provide support in a wartime or disaster scenario.  I found this to be the first instance of many, where I had to raise my voice in protest.  Follow me as I explain.

How to Co-Exist Peacefully While Feeding Your Addiction.

Ok, I'll admit it, I've become addicted.  First it started off with a way to keep our families updated, then it progressed to maintaining entries on my weight loss, then it was recipes and cooking.  It get's worse.  It wasn't enough, not nearly enough.  I haunted the crafters blogs, and then, oh my, EBay's, and now I've plunged into the deep end and it's politics.  Yes, DKos, feeds a daily addiction.  I can't get enough of blogging and diarying.  It's the first thing I bring up in the morning, even before going to the bathroom and getting coffee.  It's up all day at work.  It's what I go to when I get home from work.  And this morning, I joined another blog.

It was my husband that introduced me to it.  He made me co-dependent.  I would sit and watch him, listen to him while he commented, created his own and then, stepped into DKos.  At first, I stayed away from where he posted, it worked for awhile, but then he whispered to me "join Daily Kos".  

It's funny how an aritcle or news of a law can trigger a memory.  Today, such an article I read, brought back such a great memory.  I was 20 years old and the base I was stationed at played host to the Special Olympics that year.  Hearing this, I took a days leave and volunteered to be a "hugger".  If, you're not aware of what a hugger does, it's spend the day with the person and provide encouragement and hugs.  

When I arrived, we waited to receive our "ward", there were three of us left, two friends and myself.  A couple had brought back a little girl, cute little thing, blonde hair in pig tails and a big, beautiful smile.  She was six years old.  Apparently, she was a little to "spirited" for the couple to handle and the three of us were asked to be huggers for this one little girl.

Follow me while I tell you about my day with "Jenny" and why Ryan's Law is important for kids like her and her family.

I remember coming home that day from work, when my husband met me at the door and told me that we invaded Iraq.  Unlike many Americans, I didn't buy into the claims of the WMDs, the terrorist link or the pre-emptive war rational.  And despite the fact that Hussein was an evil man who needed to be gotten rid of, there were other ways to do it.  However, that wasn't my first concern, the question I had was "what about Afghanistan?".

My concern was that Iraq would overshadow Afghanistan.  After all, we knew that the Taliban was harboring Al Qaeda, we knew there were terrorist training camps located here.  Once we knew who attacked us, we knew where to hit them.  And when we did, the world was behind us.  

I knew then, what we are seeing, or should I say, not seeing now.  The focus had shifted from our war on terror to the war for oil.  How eerily prophetic my question was to my husband that day.  

I would have loved the opportunity to sit down for a day and talk to Margaret Sanger.  To sit and listen to her, as she recounted her struggles, her beliefs, her work.  Despite the controversy that surrounded her on some issues, I would have loved to have found out what made her tick.  I would have loved to have the opportunity to have met her.  More importantly, I would love to have those who wish to push back or compromise on reproductive rights to have met her.  

For those who are not aware of just who Margaret Sanger is...

Note:  I know you're out there lurking, waiting to see what we're bitching, griping, complaining, asking about.  You're our elected officials, you're the candidates who are looking to get our votes in primaries, you're the one's who influence policies in your county, state, and the federal government.  I know you're there, I know you're taking notes.  I'm putting out a call to you to come and address us, address me on issues that concern us, concern me, a mother of a voting age young adult.  

I'd like you to meet my daughter, she's an intelligent, articulate, enthusiastic and caring 18 year old who graduated from high school two weeks ago.  She's excited, she's going to college in the fall.  She wants to be a doctor, not just any doctor, but an obstetrician.  She wants to bring babies into this world, and she wants to do right for women, for others, for the world.  Like every mother, I'm concerned for her and her future.

Please help me understand, please tell me where you stand.  Are you going to fight and perserve the advancements that women over the decades have done to help YOU get to where you're at or...

Note:  Not should Pro-life support gay rights, but should gay rights systematically support pro-life.

A few days back, I created a diary regarding a poll result from Winthrop University and ETV that had been published in the June 1st edition of The State Newspaper.  The story and poll reflected how the majority of South Carolina's pro-life leaning voters, were not completely against abortion, especially when it comes to special circumstances.

One reply that I had received asked us to debunk a letter to the editor in the June 1, 2007 Washington Blade.  The letter titled, Abortion issue blurs mission of gay groups, addressed another letter or response to an article written on May 4, 2007, It's not a gay issue.  I looked at the letter and said sure, I'll give it a try, however....

Or Why I Lean Left

The feeling of utter desperation came over her as she set on the bench waiting for the bus to arrive.  In one hand she held an expired bus transfer, in her arms, her 6 week old baby.   She had spent her last dollar to make the trip down to DHHS and now, after a futile day, she wasn't sure she would be able to get home.  

With her savings gone and now no money coming in, she didn't know how she was going to feed her baby. She was running out of formula, and there was barely any food in the cabinets for herself.  DHHS told her there would be a six week processing, they had to file for child support against her husband.  They directed her to the unemployment office, but she couldn't file until she had a doctor's release.  "How do I get to the doctor when I have no money to get there".  She'll never forget the shrug from the man behind the desk.  So here she sat on the bench, waiting for the bus, hoping the driver will have compassion on her and let her ride, biting back the tears that threatened to flow.

As the GOP candidates gear up to discuss abortion and terrorism again, and American's contemplate whether Paris Hilton will do her full time or not...