April 4, 2024
Another in a series of observations of life as I know it.
When the moon is in the Seventh House
And Jupiter aligns with Mars
Then peace will guide the planets
And love will steer the stars.
-Gerome Ragni and James Rado
~~~~~
I am Woman. Hear me Roar. Where’s Helen Reddy when we need her?
Here’s a thought. The Army Corps of Engineers, which is in charge of fixing architectural defects in the nation’s landscape, needs to turn its prodigious attention to Florida. Specifically, along the state line with neighboring Alabama. There the Corps should carefully excise Florida and set it free into the Gulf of Mexico. It might hit Cuba on its way out to sea, but I’m not concerned. With luck, the Cubans have a few missiles left over from the 1963 crisis that almost toppled JFK. Let ‘em rip, mi amigos. Gracias.
Florida has deftly polka-ed right, allowing the Sunshine Supreme Court to rule that abortion, henceforth and forever more, will be unavailable after 6 weeks. Now here’s the thing, boys. Let’s talk about the female anatomy. Stop squirming! This is very important. Most women who menstruate can’t really tell you from one month to the next exactly when their period will begin. It’s not an exact science and more and more medical folks agree that the lunar calendar affects the menstrual cycle. What does this mean? Well I will tell you. Women cannot accurately pinpoint when a period will commence or end. If their body fat content is low, periods can be erratic. And if it’s a blue moon, all bets are off. Six weeks is hardly a fair marker. In fact, it is an incomprehensible and draconian sleight of hand.
Clearly Tallahassee has some ‘splaining to do. The Court has effectively decided that abortion is illegal to women. All women. However, the heat and humidity does a lot to the mind down in the swamps. The judicial branch speaks out of one side of lips of Janus, whilst the legislative side of the house says something else. At the same time. Huh? The lawmakers in fair Florida have decided that, well, the Court says 6 weeks is the cutoff on all abortions. But come November, voters can mark their ballot, voting yes or no to abortion. Wait, what? As my old editor used to say, that’s a neck snapper. So if the Florida electorate votes against the abortion ban, then what? It is then law? I’m confused. Who’s on first?
I had the misfortune of seeing a piece in the Atlantic, I think, about White Christian Nationalism. The odd duck being interviewed posited that if his party came to power, women would not be allowed to vote, hold jobs or seek elected office. I don’t think he was from Florida, but then again, I could be wrong. However Florida could ostensibly ditch the two party system and offer up White Christian Nationalists. And that, ladies and gentlemen, would solve the conundrum. Remember also that once Florida has been set free from its Continental moorings, it can pass whatever it wants. Leaving women in the kitchen, barefoot and pregnant, wearing a house dress and a look of utter despair. But today, right now, women can still vote. In Florida and elsewhere. Come November, the ballot measures could not be more urgent. Just vote dammit. But as an added protection, ladies, I suggest moving to Connecticut. The weather isn’t as pleasant, but you will be free.
I have no problem dumping Texas into the Rio Grande
What an absurd mess! I wonder if both Florida and Texas could be removed from the remaining states since neither of them want to comply with any of the laws the others follow or believe in.