Lord, protect me from your followers.

Ladies – here is something completely OT but I thought of PUMApac first when I read it. Slave Labor has moved into the US from the middle east using girls as young as 3 years old.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081229/ap_on_re_af/the_slave_next_door

This post’s title reminds me of a Mark Twain quote:

“It ain’t the parts of the Bible that I can’t understand that bother me; it is the parts I do understand.”

http://thinkexist.com/quotation/it_ain-t_those_parts_of_the_bible_that_i_can-t/262060.html

Terrydo, contact me. I want to work with you on the ERA

Also, are there any SF Bay Area Pumas who want to get together and meet in person? I have a space at my place in East Bay. I do believe we need to come together in a physical place here in our neighborhood. Contact me at joannathemaid@comcast.net

On another front, thankfully Caroline’s credentials are being more closely examined and even compared against Hillary’s (just a little sarcasm here):

“Caroline Kennedy and the Sarah Palin Qualifications Test”
http://www.usnews.com/blogs/robert-schlesinger/2008/12/29/caroline-kennedy-and-the-sarah-palin-qualifications-test.html

“Caroline’s Pad Puts Hillary’s To Shame”
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28420644/

Just left this comment on the Globe article’s thread: (Paraphrase) “Are you kidding me? The Boston public schools are now asking girls to babysit boys who behave badly. I certainly hope that whoever is sponsoring this program is planning to pay the girls for their labor.”

We’ll see if the comment gets published.

I’m saving this episode for listing in 51 Percent’s Misogyny Museum.

TerryDo 12.29.08 at 1:16 pm Hi, Terry. I see your name alongside the ERA on the action center list. Are you chairing the committee? And what ideas do you have?

I must have missed something~~~~what , exactly, is the point of the “Woman Lynching forum?

Did the school system pay for this program? I wondered because of the connection between the School Committee member and the other pastor.

PROWL DONE

For what it is worth, I am pasting my letter (which is too long, great job Murphy on your letter, which I just added to, I just couldn’t stay off the soapbox).

Dear Mr. Mayor,
I read with dismay about the new program in city schools to blame girls for the gang violence of their brothers and boyfriends:
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2008/12/28/girl_power/?page=2
Based on the description in the article, this program, despite its admirable goal, is seriously misguided and will do harm to girls who are victims of abuse.

According to the article: “During school assemblies, the girls are told to realize that fights among themselves, spats with their boyfriends, even idle gossip or a dirty look can spark a chain reaction that leads to bloodshed. The campaign asks young women to acknowledge the part they play in a culture of violence.
High school boys ‘won’t listen to their parents or their teachers,’ said Michael Hennessey, the assistant chief of the Boston School Police. ‘It’s the girls who have a shortcut to the way these kids will react, and it’s a very important thing for them to know and a lot of them don’t realize it.’
Some criminal law specialists praised the effort as a unique way to combat the causes of violence and instill more confidence in women.
. . .
The Rev. Jeffrey Brown, cofounder of the TenPoint coalition, said another goal of the campaign is for young women to reconsider their relationships with violent men and send the message that a gun-wielding man will be a lonely one.”
What is clear from the quotes by the assistant chief Michael Hennessey and the description of Reverend Jeffrey Brown’s goal for the program that this is a program that teaches young girls that they can control the violence done by their boyfriends.

This is also clear from the scenes that are performed as part of the program. The plot, as described, reveals nothing about the young men taking responsibility for their actions. In fact, it is unclear whether the abusive boyfriend is held accountable in any way beyond the attempted retribution by the victim’s best friend through her lover.

Apparently, assistant chief Hennessey considers empowering girls in the context of teaching them to take the blame for what their boyfriend does, simply because he does not listen to authority figures. Why, then, would the abusive, drug dealing boyfriend listen to the young girl? Reverend Brown’s solution is for the young girl to withhold sex. Has it occurred to anyone that denying sex to a violent, amoral teenage boy would be ineffective?

Wouldn’t it be more empowering to show the young girls how to get help from abuse? Who is to say there is not rape where an attempted denial is made by a girl who wishes to make the stand suggested by the program? Are there any safeguards in place to help the target audience protect themselves from rape and more abuse?

Frankly, I am wondering if the people responsible for developing this program have any real understanding of violence against girls and women.

It is plain that at least one person in the target audience has bought into the notion that young girls are responsible for the wrongdoing of boys. The article features several quotes from a young woman in support of the program in which girls, called “set up chicks,” are blamed for egging on young men to commit violent crimes because of their relationships to the girls. Samantha Allen, the 17 year old quoted in the link above, has evidently made the judgment that other young women in her age group are to blame for what their boyfriends choose to do.

Because Ms. Allen has already adopted the belief system that victimizes girls and women, she may herself become a victim of abuse. Have the authority figures responsible for this program given Ms. Allen the tools to get help when she needs it? Do the tools even exist?

The notion that a young woman can, though her communication with a young man, control his actions is simply foolish. On principle, there is very little difference between this and blaming a girl for being raped – because she led him on.

Sadly, it is this indoctrination of girls that they are responsible for the actions of the men connected to them that contributes to domestic violence. Girls are not empowered when the underlying principle is that they are to blame for the actions of another.

It is important to pay attention to the bias of this program and how it hurts girls. Despite what some may believe about how far along women have come, the truth is that we have seen a shocking increase in wife and girlfriend murders in this country. A recent report from the Department of Justice showed a 24% increase in violent attacks against wives and a 42% increase in sexual assaults in the last 4 years.
Our young women and girls need information and guidance about improving their lives through education, independence, and personal empowerment, NOT by taking responsibility or being told to feel guilty for the actions of violent men and boys in their lives.
I am a member of Puma PAC, People United Means Action (www.pumapac.org), a Boston-based political action committee. We urge you to use your authority to put an immediate end to this terribly misguided program.

Hello all,

I have missed yall! I was at the office today, so before I left I wanted to drop in and say hello. My computer “should” be fixed by the end of the week and/or the first of next week. My computer had to be totally “wiped out” (cleaned) to recover from the virus.

I will be talking to yall soon!

Prowl done, but I didn’t do bcc’s cause it’s tough from my phone.

I was wondering, how many pumas work in politics? I’m in business consulting right now, but there is a lot of overlap with local/state politics, and I used to do political work.

So who are our experienced politicl operatives here? And who runs businesses?

Been away for a few days. If I can help with any of the action you speak of, please let me know.

This is old news, but I enjoyed it nonetheless (Savage on Blago corruption):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdL7eg9t4gM

Murphy, I’d like to join an action team, and I’d like your opinion about where I could be most useful. Which action team needs help, or which team is a priority right now?

24 murphy 12.29.08 at 1:57 pm
http://www.equalrightsamendment.org/supportorgs.htm

Supporting Organizations
The following is a partial list of organizations that support the Equal Rights Amendment.
To add an organization to this list, the chief executive should request the listing via email.

done:
***************************
*************************
Thanks you Murphy.
I have personally sent them an email to join also and I want to see how we can be effective with this group.

NO SENSE IN TRYING TO REINVENT THE WHEEL!

I am hoping that perhaps, we can use some of the ERA promotional materials, to inform women of all ages about the ERA and how we can together finally get this Amendment ratified.
Perhaps we can start with handing out flyers informing women about the ERA sending friends and family email etc..

Especially since in 2001 Opinion Research Corporation poll demonstrated that nearly three-quarters of the respondents – 72% – mistakenly assume that the Constitution already includes such a guarantee.

I think once it is ratified and has become part of the Constitution, the ERA will bring a huge psychological boost to all women’s movements.

mountainsong 12.29.08 at 2:49 pm

‘The notion that a young woman can, though her communication with a young man, control his actions is simply foolish.”
OMG, I BET my daughter would take issue with that comment. She is a beautiful woman. In Jr and SR High School, she was a ‘Hottie’ (putting it mildly) I used to laugh at how easy it was for her to control and manipulate the guys. If anyone needs to be re-educated it’s the boys.
But it wasn’t funny. Practically with just a look, she could get one boy to attack another because the attackee had pissed her off. Oh, yeah, being a parent is like getting older~~~not for wimps.
*****************************

Mountainsong, it would be an interesting input to this dialog if you emailed your daughter with the Boston Globe write-up and asked her to read this blog and then to have her input. From an adult (looking back) expertise regarding this matter by BLAMING THEM (Girls) for instigating, supporting, and encouraging much of it.
.
Does she feel it is up to the teenage girls to control the violence caused by their boyfriends and girlfriends?

I would welcome her take on this matter because she has actually been there.

I will do the prowl this evening – they will pleasantly surprised tmw to hear from another PUMA

Revised information #35 and #37 RE: Woman-Lynching Forum

The correct home site for the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence is below. This site contains numerous resources and action opportunities!
http://www.ncadv.org/

Plus their store does have the “Remember My Name” poster through last year, as well as some other posters to raise awareness of “woman-lynching.”
http://shop.ncadv.org/category.sc?categoryId=3

As TerryDo pointed out above about the ERA, perhaps PUMAs can join the efforts of this organization to accomplish overlapping goals.

about the difficulty in the women-lynching project…and any other project…
In education, in marriage, in religion, in everything, disappointment is the lot of woman. It shall be the business of my life to deepen this disappointment in every woman’s heart until she bows down to it no longer.
~Lucy Stone (1818-1893)

Thanks TerryDo for the ERA link, that is where I will start educating myself on the subject. I don’t have much time to blog these days but sent email to action center to work on the following three teams:
1- ERA
2- Election reform
3- Elimination or downgrading ACORN in the political process.

Thanks Murphy for all your hard work and hooking us up with the ERA group.

Another lawsuit filed re bo’s birth certificate:

http://www.indystar.com/article/20081225/NEWS0502/812250419

OK Prowl done.Hi Murphy girl and all pumas.

I agree TerryDo and Rancho of the idea of passing out flyers of the ERA issue when we are more informed…and knowing what area PUMAs live in would be a great tool.
It could be a great idea to have a place on the blog that states the area we live in and then we could try and ask for emails to link up and do prowls together.

Log in name and area…
IE: BillieJo – East Bay side of the Bay Area of Calif.

No one would have to post their area unless they wanted to meet and work with other PUMAs in their area.

We could also use it to alert folks of protest in their area.

Dances- I know we all have links to email groups in our area, but I get millions of emails from them and have little time to read though them and see what they are talking about.

First, women need to be educated that there IS an ERA, and what it is. And what ‘ratify’ means. And that the ‘dialog’ has been happening for decades. Seems like about 7 out of 10 women I talk to about these things just reply, “Huh?”

65 BillieJo 12.29.08 at 3:44 pm
“Dances- I know we all have links to email groups in our area, but I get millions of emails from them and have little time to read though them and see what they are talking about.”

**************************************
BillieJo you are right about too many emails and when the ERA Team begin communicating with each other on a special website or by email we will have a designated subject title so we will all know it is an email we desire to open.
I believe our ERA Team Leader has been selected and she will contact all of us shortly, until then it is a good idea to read up on the website both pro and con to help us deflect the negative comments we might get from non-supporters of the ERA.
I listed their fears on a previous blog and their fears have all been easily refuted.

Mountainsong, I love your straight up style. No bullshit, just kicking ass an taking names! Keep it up!

67
mountainsong 12.29.08 at 3:47 pm

First, women need to be educated that there IS an ERA, and what it is. And what ‘ratify’ means. And that the ‘dialog’ has been happening for decades. Seems like about 7 out of 10 women I talk to about these things just reply, “Huh?”
*********************************

Mountainsong, Lack of knowledge is Bliss sometimes, until we wake up to the ramification of our ignorance.
The ERA Team will demand the feminist type of (in your face) women like yourself and moi, who are not afraid to awaken the sleeping beauties.

Maybe, more precisely, SOMETHING has to unite ALL people. But we gotta start here.

One of the greatest statements I’ve ever read, greatest and most powerful principles of direction and incentive success tools in existence is:
Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.
Can we see that workng here?

Delle,

I walked back by the computer to turn it off and read your post.

First of all: ((((Delle))))

I am so sorry for any hurt that lingers in your heart’s memory. Thank you for your courage in sharing your story. And I am joyful for your happiness now.

Thank you again. Take care.

sandipuma 12.29.08 at 9:44 am

I had 5 hours sleep and had to get up and get in here to see what is going on.I was on the phone with a puma here in our town and we are planing a sort of like picketing thingy in the front of the Democratic Headquarters here.Signs saying We want Equal Rights with equal pay.Womens Rights,Fair and Honest Government.Women are not second class citizens and so on and so on.With join Pumapac.org on the top of the signs.Then work on getting a march organized here.And if one is organized in Cali we will go there and march also and other surrounding states.Make us heard loud and clear.Get attention and get the news more aware we are here and not cow downing and here to stay strong.Dang if empty headed Caroline wants to be a Senator well there are thirteen year old kids who could do a better job.

I wrote this downstairs earlier this morning and went back to bed.We are serious about this and wondered what you think.We have 4 so far that will do this and want to stand in front of the D Headquarters with at least 20 and then work on getting a mass to March and that will take some time.

I can relate to how you feel Delle as i went through that for many years. My ex hospitalized me 15 times. The last one was brain surgery from all the beatings in the head. I was stabbed and he had shot at me more than once while running through the field to the neighbours.I know i was protected by an angel and it is a miracle that i am still alive.God Bless you and all females in this world.

I will Murphy thank you

Oh Murphy do you know a puma from CT??I recieved a card with no return address on it and it had been opened and the card wasn’t even in it, just a empty envelope.

The 4 of us i was talking about thought it would be great to have a march every week throu out all the states . We in Nevada could go to surrounding states for thier marches too.That way we would allways have a great amount.Think about it as we would get our name out there faster and a lot of coverage.

I have a degree in Human Ecology – Family, Child, and Consumer Sciences and was President of The School of Human Ecology Alumni Association. I have studied human development from conception till death. I don’t claim to be an expert in the field of Child Development but I do have a strong understanding of it. This program is disturbing to me on so many levels!

The article states,”…the girls are told to realize that fights among themselves, spats with their boyfriends, even idle gossip or a dirty look can spark a chain reaction that leads to bloodshed. The campaign asks young women to acknowledge the part they play in a culture of violence.”

It is common for teenagers of both sexes to engage in gossip, give dirty looks to someone when they disapprove of their actions, and to have disagreements with their boyfriends/girlfriends. It is part of their maturation process; they are practicing to be adults. For this program to tell post-adolescent and teenage girls that THEIR actions lead to violence is abhorrent to me.

To lay the blame and responsibility on a teenage girl for the violent actions of their male cohorts is setting them up to become victims of “woman lynching” in later life. Imagine that a teenage girl is told she is to blame for the way her boyfriend behaves, and she changes her behavior to such a degree as to never make the males in her life angry; and when they do get angry she feels responsible. And, when they begin to hit her she blames herself because she “made him angry” and dismisses his actions because she is somehow flawed and cannot “keep her man happy”. It completely dismisses the axiom that a person is responsible for their own actions; in essence it lets teenage boys off the hook for their own decisions and control of their actions and emotions. Who will they blame when a girl is killed by her teenage boyfriend for employing these archaic rules of conduct for girls?

This is probably the worst social experiment I have ever seen. To use these girls as guinea pigs to determine if they can curb gang violence through manipulating the behavior of teenage girls is in direct violation of the protocol for conducting experiments on humans. There is a reason why experiments on humans are strictly controlled. I see no controls in this experiment. The potential damage to the girls self esteem is incalculable. Not only should this program be stopped, I believe there are legal consequences for the program administrators, and school officials! And that is what the next PROWL should be! I think a case could be made to prosecute the administrators of this program for human experimentation without informed consent and even more!

I can provide the ethics guiding human social experiments, if you are unable to obtain them. While there are many unforeseen consequences that occur as a result of many of the issues that PUMA prowls against; this is one particular PROWL that I am truly, truly, concerned with the unforeseen consequences on the teenage girls’ self-esteem and self-image of this program that PUMA opposes. We should not only oppose it, but we should get it stopped, through more than a PROWL. But, by legal means!

OT- Did I understand correctly that the school board is not elected but selected? If true this is egregiously undemocratic and smacks of cronyism. It might explain why these people are allowed to experiment on teenage girls.

completely off topic but hilarious description of A-rod by LameCherry today:

“Obama’s idea of dealing with the world is to now state “America has only one President at a time”, with the ever present Hitler looking troll of Igor Axelrod appearing on television telling Muslims the Jews are going to be allowed to blow their terrorists to bits”

Obama of Nipples

off topic too: Love that girl @the right on the photo beaming @ the girl on the left!

One more note, when I was in school and we were to observe children for a particular behavioral trait, we watched them through a one way mirror so as not to let them know they were being observed.

What these people are doing is sick!

Probably way TMI on my daily activities: read this thread, weeded through a massive about of bookmarks, organized my email accounts, going through Word Docs from last March to present, had my annual mammogram, went to lunch with my honey, read and reviewed half of the entire http://pumapac.org pages, and DID THE PROWL. Can I blog now?

Fan-f*cking_tastic. Thank you Murphy. I was unaware, but will update my post with a link to yours. Balls to the wall on this one folks. Don’t let up on Boston until they stop this bullshit! Thank you!

Best,
Anna Belle (who is drinking and celebrating he brand new full time job. Welcome me to the middle class, bitchez!)

Did anyone read the article before going berserk?

“There is a fine line that we ask everybody to be mindful of, between empowering victims and placing the responsibility on them to end the violence”

… a similar campaign will be geared toward high school boys and that the goal is eventually to have both male and female students in the same room exploring the causes of violence.

… encourages girls to dump boyfriends who would rather carry weapons and deal drugs than get their life together and treat their girlfriends well.

… send the message that a gun-wielding man will be a lonely one.

“School teaches you education but it doesn’t teach us how to be young women,” Allen said. “They don’t teach us how to survive in the real world.”

Sounds a lot like empowering girls, and giving them an out to the bonds of gang dynamics.