Monday, April 17, 2006

Feminist Progress vs. Political Conservatism

"Because Chile's primary wealth is not its copper, its fruit or wood, but its people. This richness represented by ingenuity, desires, dreams, is what I want to see grow. I believe that all Chilean's are capable of more. More ideas, work, strength, and richness."
-Michele Bachelet

Chile has a history of political controversy and 2006 will prove no different. With the election of Michelle Bachelet as the first female presdient in Chile's history, debate has errupted ranging not just on the topic of her gender but on its political significance. I first want to discuss what I've heard many people say: Isn't great that a women was elected president?

So, if you are a Democrat, would you choose Condolezza Rice over a male Democratic Party candidate? But that topic I don't really want to discuss.

First, I began by doing some research and was surprised to find out that from 1900-2000 there were 46 females heads of state with the position of either presdient or prime minister. From 2001-2006 there has been 5, making it a total of 51 from 1900 to date. A women head of state has been in power in every continent.

Some of the most notable women include:
1. Margaret Thatcher, Prime Minister of United Kingdom (1979-1990) Resume: Also known as "Iron Lady" and as longest serving Prime Minister in UK history. When she entered the political arena, she quickly went up the ranks of the Tory Party because of her quick mouth and toughness. As PM she lead the privatization of coal mines and British Airways. Beat the National Union of Mineworkers in major labor battle from 1984-85. She also lead the Malvinas War (Faulkland Wars) in 1982 which ended with the slaughter of 3 times as many Argentine soldiers.
2. Isabel Peron, President of Argentina (1974-76) Resume: Third wife to well known Argenine military official and president, Juan Peron. His second wife, Evita, is much more known. But Isabel was his Vice-Presidential running mate, and when he passed soon after his election in 1973, she took the post. This was a time of which working-class struggles entered Argentina into a pre-revolutionary period. There were hopes by the capitalist class that Juan Peron could calm the situation. Isabel sent troops to repress the labor struggles, but was not able to squash them. She was ousted in a 1976 military coup that eventually lead to the death and disapearance of thousands of revolutionary youth.
3. Indira Gandhi, Prime Minister of India (1966-77, 1980-84) Resume: She was not related to Mahatma Gandhi, but took part in the Independence Movement. She came from a wealthy family and attended college in England. Her father was a known politician that helped her garin respect. As PM, she lead India to become the youngest neclear powerr in 1974 as well as taking part of what is known as the Green Revolution that allowed India for the first time to produce surplus food for export. She was assasinated during her second term in 1984 and remains a controversial figure in India.

Putting your political opinions aside, these three women proved to carry out what they promised and were sent to do. They proved themselves as capable, and some more, than their male counterparts.

The election of Bachelet is significant for several reasons. Ms. Bachelet represents a part of Chile's history that is deeply controversial. She's a long time member of the Socialist Party and was active during the Salvador Allende presdiential years. She, as well as her parents, were arrested during the military dictatorship that took power September 11, 1973 led by four Generals but the most known being Augusto Pinochet. During her presidential campaign, Bachelet's political past was well known, making it an important turning point in Chilean politics. It was not just her past, but recognizing the brutality done under the dictatorship, since the stance by most politicians has been "lets put the past behind". It is the hope of many Chileans that the prosecution of the criminals from the years of military rule will now be expidited. There is no more "let's ignore what happened", but what is being discussed and demanded by many is JUSTICE.

Also, there's a false notion that Chile is very Catholic and sexist nation since it was the last country in the Americas to legalize divorce in May 2004. The result over the last decade was that 40 percent of children in Chile were born from unmarried couples--not very Catholic.

Will we see change? Will Pinochet finally serve time in jail as well as all the other criminals? Will Bachelet help the poor and strengthen the rights of working people? Will it be a big turning point? I want to know what you think. I'll follow this closely as well as I hope you will.

For further info on----
Malvinas War visit:
http://malvinas-argentina's.8m.com/
Women heads of state 20th Century:
http://womenshistory.about.com/od/rulers20th/a/women_heads.htm

Sunday, April 16, 2006

Foundation Guayasamín Plans to Celebrate Fidel's B-day

The foundation of famous ecuadorian painter Oswaldo Guayasamín announced it will open a special exposition of his work in August in Havana to celebrate President Fidel Castro's 80 birthday. It is titled "A hug from Guayasamín to Fidel". There will be 100 of his paintings displayed, including four portraits of Fidel and some with social commentary. It will open August 13, coinsiding with Fidel's birthday and remain for 45 days. After the exposition it will tour Brazil, Germany, south Korea and China.

A few days before, on August 10, there will be a special concert titled "Todas las voces, todas" ("All of our voices, all"), which is the same name of a concert organized in Ecuador in the mid-90s in which a number of leftist singers got together after many of them living in exile due to the military dictatorships of the 1970s and 80s. During the concert, images of Guayasamín paintings from "Todas las manos, todas" ("All of our hands, all") were used to decorate the stage.

At this coming year's concert in Havana some of the artists will include Silvio Rodríguez, the pianist Frank Fernández, León Gieco, El Olimareño, Pueblo Nuevo, Illapu and Los Van Van, among others.

Contest!!! Foundation Guayasamín announced a contest that includes those living between the Rio Grande and Patagonia. The theme is "Portray Fidel in the second and definitive indipendence of Our America" (ie, Latin America). For more information write: guayasam@uio.satnet.net

For more information on this event go to: www.fidel80aniversario.org

Wednesday, April 05, 2006

American Indian Women in South Dakota Stand Up for All

This past March 6, the South Dakota legislature passed a bill that outlaws abortion even in cases of rape and incest. The South Dakota Campaign for Healthy Families, a pro-choice coalition, is currently organizing to collect 16,728 signatures in that state to place the measure on the November ballot. Sarah Stoesz, President and Chief Executive Officer of Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota said the organization has no plans to close the clinics it operates in Rapid City and Sioux Falls. Only the Sioux Falls clinic performs abortions.

Soon after the vote Cecilia Fire Thunder (seen above), the Oglala Sioux Tribe president, made the announcement that Planned Parenthood would have permission to set-up an abortion clinic on Indian territory. While Stoesz responded that Planned Parenthood has no plans in opening another clinic, Fire Thunder responds by sating that the tribe is considering opening a tribal-run facility. Even though there are debates whether that would be permissible, three topics have come to the floor: the lack of access to abortion for most women in the U.S., the effect this will have on American Indian women and the fact that American Indian reservations are not absolute sovereign land.

''I have very strong opinions of what happened. These are a bunch of white guys determining what a woman should do with her body,'' proclaimed Fire Thunder. Fire Thunder was a nurse and has worked with women who were traumatized by rape. She then continues, ''when a woman is raped and becomes pregnant she does not have the choice of aborting. How many men at the state house have ever been raped?''

American Indian women are impacted the most from sexual assults. According to national statistics, American Indian women are sexually assaulted at a rate 3.5 times higher than all other racial groups. That means there are seven rapes per 1,000 American Indian women. With 87 percent of U.S. counties lacking access to abortion clinics, the majority of women have to pay additional costs in travel and hotel stays to receive an abortion. This makes it difficult for poor women and teens to seek the services of an abortion clinic, which may increase the probability of self-induced abortions.

''It is very important that we have access to safe, legal pregnancy termination services, whether it is emergency contraceptives right after the assault or an abortion service,'' insists Charon Asetoyer, director of the Native American Women's Health Education Resource Center located on the Yankton Sioux Reservation.

American Indian women who live in the western part of South Dakota must either travel the few hundred miles to Sioux Falls or to Nebraska, which in both cases becomes expensive.

''This will force women out of the state and would cost more money and more time and a lot of women may not realize they have that option. It increases the trauma for those who have been sexually assaulted,'' Asetoyer said.

''It's this big myth that Native American women don't terminate pregnancies; they have always terminated pregnancies, do now and will in the future,'' she said. Asetoyer finished by saying it is the woman's personal business and that it is not to be scrutinized in the political arena.

''The Creator gave every human being [the right] to make choices for yourself. Another person may not think that is the right choice and a lot of people have made bad choices in their lives, but it's their choice,'' Fire Thunder said.

''We have to honor the gift the Creator gave us; one of the greatest gifts is to choose for ourselves.''

For further information to participate in the petitioning campaign in South Dakota visit:
www.prochoiceamerica.org