Sorry Darling, Republicans Only at the Voter Reg Table

Sometimes when I hear all the political rhetoric flying around, I think there’s no way it could actually reflect your average guy on the street. It’s just too…crazy. Clearly all of the nuts we’re seeing on TV are just the loud, proud radicals who get their voices heard because it’s interesting.

But as it turns out, not so much. I got this today from my friend, Xiomara Rodriguez. Xio’s a political activist who I met during the Obama campaign. She always has some thoughtful insight when it comes to the lunacy of the world, but this particular experience just shocked me off the couch (yes, I’m being a couch potato today — don’t judge). Anyway, as Xio said, she is so flipping angry and so flipping proud about this. I couldn’t agree more.

 

On my way out of a local supermarket, there was a voter registration table by the exit. To tell you the truth, I had not noticed the table on my way in. As I approached, there was this young woman who might not be older than maybe 20 talking to a man who I gather was doing the registration. There was no political affiliation attached to the voter registration group. So I approached to hear what the man was telling the young woman.

But what about “preexisting conditions” the young woman asked.

“Look, the market and the insurance companies would take care of that, that whole idea that insurance companies would deny service or coverage is just something that is not really true,” he said.

At this point, the blood in my veins started to boil, but I kept my cool.

“But what about contraception,” the young woman asked.

“Look darling, the best method of contraception for a young and beautiful girl like you is to avoid sex; abstinence is the best way to avoid getting pregnant. Just remember that we are just trying to protect you,” he said

Once again, I had to control my temper; I wanted so much to ask him if abstinence is the best way to control a pregnancy, does that also go for men. Does it not make more sense to teach our young people the importance of making sure they are protected to avoid an unwanted pregnancy?

Also, “protect” me against what? Women are very capable of making decisions about their bodies. We don’t need some man or the government to tell us what is and what is not best for us. Many of us, in our daily lives, make life or death decisions in an instant; we are in war zones, we pilot planes (both commercial and military), we are astronauts, doctors, firefighters, police officers, and so on and so on. We can make the hard everyday decisions, but we CANNOT MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT OUR BODIES. REALLY!

Yes, I was just one step away from going off on this man when the young woman looked at me as if to say “please keep calm” and then she continued: “But what about abortion in cases of rape and incest,” she asked.

“Look darling, you know as well as I do that many cases of so called rape are women trying to cover up an indiscretion and that way being able to have an abortion. Remember that legitimate or as some want to say forcible rapes are really not all that common, and looking at you, I know you are a good girl and that will never happen to you,” he said.

After those words my young friend was calm. I, on the other hand, was about to jump the table and tell him a few things, because as a two time rape survivor (yes I said it two times), I know a little bit about what being rped is all about. Rape is something that has no social, racial, or economic barriers. It can and it could happen to anyone. It is something that is with you for the rest of your life. What is this “retrograde” saying? What does he really know about being raped? There was so much I wanted to tell him, but my young friend once again gave me one of those looks.

Then she said, “Can I have one of the forms?” I watched her fill in each box very carefully and I watched the expression of triumph on his face I was sure he was thinking “one more for my side.” After she finished and signed the form, she handed it to him. He looked it over and then said, “I can’t take your form, you are going to have to mail it in or take it personally. All forms for THEM have to be mailed in or taken in.”

My young friend took her form back and without a word walked away. I followed her and asked if I could see her form. She showed me and, yes, it was the wrong party for him, but the right party for me.

She looked at me and said, “I just needed to find out what they were saying and doing, so we can give our young people the proper information to face people like him. Thanks for keeping your cool.” Then she walked away.

So, my question to all women reading this today is simple: Come November, which way are you going to go, the way of those who want government DICTATING control over your BODY or the way of those who are going to let you make your own decisions REGARDING YOUR BODY? Think about it!