Supreme Court Bans Buffers

In 2007. Massachusetts created a 35 foot “buffer zone” in front of abortion clinics where protesters weren’t allowed to stand and harass or verbally abuse women and doctors express their dislike of abortion procedures. There are 10 various buffer laws in the nation to protect patients and doctors at clinics where violence against them is threatened often and even carried out. 

Are? I meant were. There were 10 of these laws until Thursday when the Supreme Court unanimously overturned the buffer zone laws. Their explanation said that these buffer zones put a “serious burden” on protesters who merely wanted to “speak” and “counsel” patients going into the clinic. 

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What about the burden that is placed on doctors who have to worry about getting murdered for doing their job? The buffer zone laws originally passed as a response to the fatal shootings of two abortion clinic staff members in Brookline. What about the burden that being called a slutty murdering whore puts on the women trying to obtain their constitutional right to an abortion? These protesters don’t know anything about the women or doctors they yell at and harass. They’re not going to be speaking or counseling these women. These protesters most likely aren’t certified to counsel anyone and they never just “speak” to the patients.

The Attorney General, Martha Coakley, defended the buffer laws. In response to their destruction, she has vowed to protect doctorws and patients. 

“We will utilize all of the tools we have available to protect everyone from harassment, threats, and physical obstruction,” said Coakley, adding that her office’s Civil Rights Division was prepared to issue injunctions against “those who would threaten or harass.” 

The buffer zone laws do not prohibit free speech. Protesters are welcome to stand behind the painted yellow lines and say what they wish. They aren’t being told they can’t protest or say what they want. 

If making zones where protesting is illegal is against the constitution, then we should abolish the 252 foot buffer zone that Supreme Court Justices have the privilege of enjoying. Demonstrations and protests are banned on the plaza and front steps of the Supreme Court, meaning that people protesting the SCOTUS must deal with the “serious burden” of being nearly 300 feet from the court. 

I believe that the anti-abortion protesters have the right to say what they like and protest what they want. That’s the beauty of America. But they don’t have to block sidewalks- which has gotta be a fire hazard- and freedom of speech does not mean freedom to harass and “counsel” women in conversations they don’t want to have. 

These buffer zones protected patients and doctors alike. They made the space around clinics safer and calmer and made the clinis more accessible. There have been so many assassinations of abortion providers that these buffer zones saved lives. If the SCOTUS can have a buffer zone- and a 252 foot one at that- then people who legitimately can get killed for doing their job should certainly be provided with a 35 foot safety zone

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  Layout of the area around and Planned Parenthood in Boston. 

On the Wage Gap and Waitress Wages

The wage gap is one of the most known aspects of feminism. No one can talk about women’s rights and not mention equal pay. But many are confused about what the wage gap is. 

I have been told many times that the wage gap “doesn’t exist” because that person’s mom makes more than their dad. Or their aunt has a better salary and better benefits than the men in my opponent’s family. But just because some women make more than some men doesn’t negate the existence of the wage gap. 

The wage gap refers to the pay difference between a man and a woman working the same job with the same qualifications or experience and yet the man is paid more than the woman because of sexism. And this wage gap is costly. By the time the average woman is 60 years old, she will have made over $450, 000 less than a man in the same position. (Source: http://boston.cbslocal.com/2013/10/01/women-money-the-pay-gap/) 

We’ve all heard the “women make $0.77 to every man’s dollar” statistic, but when you add it up and face the reality of the wage gap, you realize this is so much worse of a problem. 

I work as a waitress at a national chain restaurant. I’d name it, but I honestly don’t know if I’m allowed to. In Texas, they can legally pay me $2.13 an hour- and they do. I work for tips and that really sucks. Tip out sucks even more. I have to give 3% of my sales to the house and so if I get cut early and don’t get tipped that day, I have to pay out of my own pocket for the tip out. Yes, the company must reimburse me if my combined tips and meager wage don’t equate $7.25 an hour, but I shouldn’t have to live off of your generosity. The restaurant shouldn’t be taking from my tips or my pocket. They should just pay their employees a decent wage.

I have an Associate of Science degree at 18 years old. That’s the same degree my managers have. Only 3 servers in my restaurant have degrees- including me. I know I can get a job better than waitressing, but I can walk to my job now and there are no other close places hiring. I can’t drive and even if I could afford to get my license, I don’t have a car. My parents need their cars for work. 

I can only console myself with the knowledge that my male coworkers are making the same shitty ridiculously low wage that I am. But is that really something to console myself with?

Lobby Day

While I’m in DC next month, we will be on Capitol Hill on July 9 to participate in the YDA’s Lobby Day. As a Leadership Academy student, I get the opportunity to go and speak to my representative(Pete Sessions) about important, hot topic issues. I aspire to be a lobbyist in the future, so this is especially exciting. 

I’m hoping Pete Sessions will actually listen to me, despite our drastically differing views. I’m sure other HSLA students from conservative states will be hoping the same thing. This will be an exciting and educational experience! I get field training in my intended career and I get to show my representative that the people of HIS district- Texas 32- are liberal and progressive. Sessions is 59 and as the younger(and more likely liberal) population become voters, he needs to know that he will not maintain his position if he doesn’t start representing the views of his constituents. Dallas especially has been known as a little blue dot in a sea of red and our representative needs to represent us! 

Last Feminist Society Meeting

Last Monday, June 2, I presented at my last Feminist Society meeting. It took me 2 years to get this group approved and running, so it’s kind of my baby. Passing on my presidency and my group in general hurt, however it was inevitable. It hurt in a good way though.

This group has done some amazing things- we donate to battered women shelters and participate in Who Needs Feminism campaigns and spread general awareness. We educate our peers and inspire those around us to look at issues and society with new perspectives. We also encourage each other to stand up and speak out. Many a shy person has gained the courage to speak eloquently in front of large groups at LCFS meetings.

My group did not exist without struggle though. We were mocked and harassed and people who don’t know what feminism is or understand it would “come at” us. It was ironic, I think, that a group that started because I was fed up with harassment ended up causing quite a bit of harassment.

But we were well known. People I didn’t even know would call me the “Feminist Girl” and call at me in the hallways at school- and one guy even said “Congrats Feminist Lady!” at graduation. Publicity, guys. We had 0 ads run on the school news but we got lots of new members throughout the year simply because they’d heard about us. And most of those walk-ins became regular members. They liked what we were doing, saying and discussing. LCFS was a welcoming group and they will continue to be.

Our sponsor, Ms. Goolsby, was the best sponsor our group could ask for. This upcoming 2014-2015 school year will be her last year of teaching and then she’s moving to Southern Illinois. It will be up to the new president to find a new sponsor for the group, lest we cease to exist.

I would like to end this post with a congratulations to next year’s officers:

(Left to Right)
Blaire Samson, Vice President
Adam Bohn, Historian
Amanda Hardy, Treasurer
Martha Rodriguez, Secretary
Stephanie Garcia, President

Good luck guys!

2013-2014 Officers
(L-R)
Janin Hernandez Placensias, Secretary
Natalie Thomas, President and Founder
Katelyn Robinette, Vice President and Co-Founder
Richard Ervin, Treasurer

Sorry for the Absence

Sorry for my absence guys, I’ve been working non-stop the past couple days- finals, work and college orientation have been things that happened. But I have posts coming up, including one about George Will and his Washington Post article.

Leadership Academy Update 2

Today I coughed up $252 for my plane ticket out of DC! I only have one more installment on payments for the YDA Academy. I’m not looking forward to paying that credit card bill later, but at least I’ll be building a credit score. I’m only a waitress, but hopefully tips will be good at work. 

Of course, you can always contribute to my fees by clicking on the PayPal link to the left! Any contributions are welcome and you’ll get mentioned in a thank you post! 

Leadership Academy Upate

Yesterday, I finished paying my first installment for the YDA Leadership Academy! I have about 3 weeks before I have to pay off the second $225 installment. 

I’d like to thank Carrie Williams for contributing to my payments as well as my mom who stepped in when I couldn’t make up the difference in time. I work for $2.13/hour plus tips as a waitress, so money can be tight. But these wonderful people have helped me get this far! 

The academy is in just over a month. My ticket to DC is purchased and my payments have been made on time. While I still need my ride back, that’s being worked on and tips are getting better as school years end and graduation parties come to my restaurant. I can’t wait to be in DC this summer- there will definitely be lots of blog posts about that as the date gets nearer and then after I get back! 

“I swore never …

“I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” -Elie Wiesel

This is my favorite quote of all time. It’s also my motivator. Being a vocal liberal feminist in Texas is hard. I get mocked, laughed at, put down and even threatened sometimes. The feminist part is probably the hardest simply because so many people don’t know what it is(more on that later.) But this quote is what gets me through the rough days. I know that if I don’t take a stand, if I stay silent and never speak out, then I am only being a bystander. 

The world needs upstanders. 

Laci Green on Elliot Rodger

Laci Green is an amazing sex educator on YouTube. She also speaks publicly on college campuses across the continent. Following the shootings this past weekend, she uploaded a video response. During today’s Feminist Society meeting, I showed this video and we discussed its content as well as our own reflections on the event.

Thank You Post!

This summer, I will be attending the High School Leadership Academy for the Young Democrats of America. The YDA takes approximately 50 students a yer- one per state. I will be the Texas student this year and then next year hopefully I’ll be going to the College Leadership Academy.

However, this opportunity costs money(see my page on the Academy to the left!) Luckily, I have family and friends who love me. So I’d like to thank the people who have helped me so far.

Thank you, Mr. Haddox for asking your Congressional friends for donations and helping me pay my deposit.
Thank you, Betsy Thomas aka Gramma Betsy and Dorothy Elminger aka Great grandma Dorothy for helping me pay for the plane ticket to DC!
And thank you Jonathan Brasch for offering to help me get a ticket back from DC!

If you would like to make a donation, please see the YDHSLA link to the left   <–  for a link to my Paypal, or contact me via email. Corporate donations are welcome too!