NON SERVIAM

If equal affection cannot be, let the more loving one be me.

—“The Proxy Marriage” by Maile Meloy, from the New Yorker (May 21, 2012)

hciwrc:

Congratulations! This means:

Campus Organizing Team

Youth Activist Network Campus Organizing Team is a project of Advocates for Youth. Campus Organizers serve as activists, advocates, and spokespeople on issues of adolescent sexual and reproductive health.

The goals of the Campus…

WOOHOO! SNAPS FOR US! 

hciwrc:

Advocating violence against women is never OK. Jay Townsend must be fired for his comments right away”

This week, a spokesman for Representative Nan Hayworth (R-NY) flippantly advocated for violence against women senators and he needs to be fired right away. Can you join the growing call demanding that he be held accountable?

Here’s what happened: Rep. Hayworth’s campaign participated in a Facebook discussion with her constituents.

Rep. Hayworth’s spokesman, Jay Townsend, responded to criticism from a constituent by writing, “When is Tommy boy going to weigh in on all the Lilly Ledbetter hypocrites who claim to be fighting the War on Women? Let’s hurl some acid at those female democratic Senators who won’t abide the mandates they want to impose on the private sector.”¹

Advocating violence against women in any setting and under any circumstance is unacceptable but it is especially disturbing that a member of the United States Congress would condone this kind of hate speech. The call for Rep. Hayworth to fire Jay Townsend is growing from inside her district and in the media. And if we act now, we can help ensure she does the right thing and sends a strong message that hate speech aimed at women is NEVER OK. Can you sign the petition demanding that Jay Townsend be fired?

Click here to sign the petition

The Facebook page where the discussion took place is called “NY19 U.S. House of Representatives Discussion Center,” and is a place for constituents to discuss issues and concerns they have about the district. The page offers this description of its purpose:²

“Our mission is to foster civil multi-partisan discussion about issues impacting citizens of New York’s U.S. House District represented by Republican Congresswoman Nan Hayworth… We do not welcome personal attacks, spamming the page with posts, or other types of troll-like behavior.”

Yet it was Rep. Hayworth’s own paid spokesman who used that platform to attack and advocate violence against democratic women Senators.

That kind of conduct should not be tolerated by anyone, much less a Congresswoman.

If we want to live in a society where hate speech and violence aimed at women is unacceptable, we must speak out when powerful people cross the line and make sure that they are held accountable.

The call for Jay Townsend to be fired is growing and it is clearly the right thing for Rep. Hayworth to do. Can you add your name to the petition and help make sure he is held accountable?

Click here to sign the petition

Thanks for speaking out!

—Nita and Shaunna, UltraViolet

socialismartnature:

Residents in the South End, Roxbury, and Jamaica Plain might have noticed a few posters appearing around their neighborhood that feature pictures of people of color and quotes about “coming out”.

The posters, affixed to walls and utility boxes by two Grove Hall artists, are meant to raise awareness about the challenges of being gay for people of color. They sprouted up shortly after President Obama gave his back to same-sex marriage and the NAACP restated its contention that gay rights — including the right to marry — are civil rights.

“Often for both of us and for other LGBT folks there is this duo invisibility,” said one of the artists, who asked to remain anonymous because the posters are considered graffiti. “I think for LGBT folks of color we walk this line where in one community we can’t talk openly about our homosexuality and one community can’t talk openly about race.”

The artist, a lesbian and person of color, said that the gay community oftentimes doesn’t want to discuss race and the communities of color don’t want to acknowledge homosexuality.

“It’s like a don’t ask, don’t tell in the community. Oftentimes the black clergy will speak out against it and I think people have become conditioned to not stand up, so we just kind of keep it silent,” she said.

Now with the posters, the duo hopes to bring the discussion to the street.

The posters, which can be found in Dudley Square, on Centre Street, and Blue Hill Avenue, feature vintage photos and quotes or “postcards” with messages of support, solidarity, and understanding.