Why do you Judge me?

You cannot see inside my mind.

Why do you judge me?

You have no idea what I have left behind.

Why do you judge me?

Am I walking to close to your line?

Why do you judge me?

I do not take what is not mine.

Why do you judge me?

Do I take away from your time?

Go ahead and judge me if you must.

I will not bend or bust.

Go ahead and judge me if you must.

In my heart, I know I am worthy of your trust.

Go ahead and judge me if you must.

But I am not just a victim to lust.

Go ahead and judge me if you must.

But I will not crumble like dried crust.

Go ahead and judge me if you must.

Though you know as well as I do our system is not just.

Go ahead and judge me if you must.

We will not allow tears to make us rust.

Now that your judgment has been cast,

Have you realized that my life you have not changed?

Now that your judgment has been cast,

Can you see that my life, you have not rearranged?

Now that your judgment has been cast,

Do you still believe that I have mange?

Now that your judgment has been cast

Are my requests really all that strange?

Now that your judgment has been cast,

Will your false opinion have a long term range?

Now that your judgment has been cast,

Perhaps you have realized we can make a peaceful exchange.

The peace will not last however, you will judge again.

You do not know how to move beyond your training.

The peace will not last however, you will judge again.

You cannot erase a lifetime of culture painting.

The peace will not last however, you will judge again.

You have been pressured to keep up the hating.

The peace will not last however, you will judge again.

Yet the culture you are fighting is not fading.

The peace will not last however, you will judge again.

Yes judge us, but we are done waiting.

The peace will not last however, you will judge again.

It is our future we are creating.

But while the judgment circle keeps spinning.

Know that we are strong.

But while the judgment circle keeps spinning.

Know that we have already been waiting too long.

 But while the judgment circle keeps spinning.

Know that wherever you are is where we belong.

But while the judgment circle keeps spinning.

Know that we have created a strong bond.

But while the judgment circle keeps spinning.

Know that someday you will be writing our song.

But while the judgment circle keeps spinning.

But most of all KNOW that being  WHO YOU ARE is not wrong.

I do not believe women should have abortions in cases except in cases where the result of her pregnancy is the result of rape, incest, she knows beyond any reason of a doubt the child could never have a normal life or be severely deformed, having the baby could kill her and in situations where lack of proper contraception has been repeatedly denied.

Having said all that I believe it is important to address the issue of punishment for women who still have abortions and did not become pregnant or have any of the problems listed above. Personally, though I would not support them, I would not judge them either. I do not feel it is my job or anyone else’s to tell other women what she can and cannot do with her body. To make abortion illegal and put women who have them, because you know it will still happen, in jail would just be another example of our government wasting our tax dollars.

The way I see it, if abortion is wrong in the eyes of a spiritual power then the ones involved will receive whatever punishment that power deems necessary when the time comes. I do not believe in a punishing spiritual power myself because we have been given free will for a reason and I seriously doubt it is so we can make a wreck of our lives and then punished in the end.

Too many women have died, been self banished from society, made permanently sterile and shunned by society. It is time to just let go of the whole issue, allow women to abort if this is their factual, completely informed decision. Do not make laws against it that will force women back into back alley clinics where they will be torched, perhaps raped and killed. Let abortions be done in proper facilities by professionals. And for God sakes since we know it is going to keep happening use the aborted fetuses for scientific research.

his week I am thinking about sexual harassment and date rape drugs. It seems to me that if you are a half way decent looking woman; and sometimes this is not even necessary, you cannot go out to a bar without being harassed by men. Why is this? Even if we dress in our holey old clothes it happens. Las week a close friend of mine went out with her sister to celebrate her upcoming wedding. They had not even been in the bar for five minutes before a group of guys started hitting on my friend.  She made it clear to them that she was not interested but they would not leave her alone. (Okay guys who might read this, no means no, have you forgotten?) After in during this for about fifteen my friend tried to move away from them but they followed her and somehow managed to drug her drink. God only knows where she would be today if her sister had not noticed them trying to get her out the front door. Not understanding what had happened, her sister just put my friend and drove home thinking perhaps she had had too much to drink. The next day however they discussed the incident and my friend had only one beer. So, tell me what did she do to deserve being treated this way?

The only thing she is guilty of is being a good looking woman. This type of harassment needs to stop. Men need to know we are not just out here for them to do with and treat as they please. I wonder what men would do if we started drugging them when they do not act like we want or expect them to act. Please do not misunderstand me; I know not all men are like this and that there are women out there already drugging men, you just do not hear about that as often. I just wish it could be safe and harassment for my friends and me when we go out. Unless more women start standing up and saying “NO” to this type of behavior, it will never happen.

Personally, I have never been called a feminist. Frankly though I would not care because there are elements in the readings that I have been going through that make me realize that I am a feminist in several ways if this is the label you choose to give me. I believe in equal rights for everyone, not just women. I believe in equality for all women, children, men and whatever other labeled genders and species we have roaming our land. I am grateful for all the women in history who have given their life’s work in order for me to be where I am today.

I call Donaven D-man or just D most of thetime. D came into the world at 1:52 pm on April 12th 1996. When he was first born he was not breathing and blue. The nurses took him from me and frantically worked on him until an eternity later; I heard a cry. The cry was the most beautiful sound I ad ever heard. After that first cry, he did not cry much. Donaven was a great baby; rarely id he fuss, puke or pee on me. By one years old he couldn’t walk and barely crawled but he was speaking in nearly full sentences. At two years old his favorite word to say to me was “actually”.  At age three he read his first word off of a building in Seattle, Washington, Fox. He attended pre-school for two years; during which time he charmed everyone who wrked with him. Also during his third year of life he decided he was no longer going to take anymore naps.

He attended Madison Elementry school from Kindergarten to sixth grade. He was always on the Honor Roll and working as a teacher’s pet. Oh yeah, when he was in the second grade; he began dressing in a button up shirt and green blazer and announce he was the FBI. He also played chess and participated in Ed-Com for two years.

Once he hit the seventh grade, still a charmer, he suddenly grew taller than me and enjoys rubbing it in. I believe it was also the same year he elected himself chairman of the Squirrel Lovers Association. He also fell in love with a puppy and lost her during this time. He has such a gentle way with animals that I hope he works with them in the future. Somehow D managed to get over his loss and found he had enough love in his heart for anothe puppy plus my Leader Dog.

Now he s in the eighth grade and kisses me on the forehead good-bye as he walks out the door to school.. A reminder of how quickly they grow and change. But there are few things about D that I don’t think he will ever change. Number one, he is a bit messy to say the least. He tries to keep things picked up sometime but since he rarely gets rid of anything, he has a lot of clutter. Number two, he will always be a gentle loving soul. Number three, h would do about anything for anyone, he is just that type of person. Now I could go on but I only have a million words so I better wrap this up before I get carried away. One last thought Donaven; I do not know if he will ever give up that unibrow!