Right Now...

I'm sitting on Sproul Steps reading Cymbeline and occupying Cal. Like I do.

On The Personhood Movement...

This whole trend of fetal personhood is really starting to piss me off. And I'll tell you why. 

There are the conventional pro-choice arguments (which I love), but this new brand of pro-life venom is particularly perturbing because it leaves out the most important part of the equation:

THE WOMAN.

They spout their theology and their crap about "fetal rights," but the problem I have with them is that they don't mention the woman at all. Not even as "the mother." It's ALL about the fetus. It's as if this fetus is developing in a vaccum, when in fact it is developing in a living, breathing person.

Argument Fail #1:

"Abortions should not be used in cases of rape because it's wrong to punish the child for it's father's sins."

OK. This argument acknowledges the rapist and the fetus, but not the rape victim. It's even worse to punish the woman, who has already been through so much. And let's think about this. What kind of life is that child going to have knowing that it's a constant reminder to its mother of the violence done to her? You can't talk about rape without talking about the woman. You just can't. Leaving her out is like raping her all over again. 

There's so much hoopla about fetal personhood, but not enough about female personhood. And that isn't ok. 

GAH!!!! *face palm*

The 99%

I've seen a lot of these and I wanted to add my voice.

My name is Ali Arman. My dad came to this country and my mom came from a working class home. Both of them sacrificed to I can go to college at UC Berkeley.

My dad made money in the stock market in the 1990s. We're not in the 1%, but we're up there. I have WAY more than I need.

I've dedicated my life since I was 11 to social justice and using privilege for good. But that's not always enough. I support the 99% because I'm part of that 99%, after all.