ff

 {borrowed from here}

happy 40th birthday to roe v. wade. i wish i could be more chipper cheerful about your birthday. but i'm feeling pretty low about the whole chipping-away-at-you thing that is happening in the states. our not-far-away-we-look-to-them-too-often neighbour. it makes me scared and it makes me tired. here are some roe v. wade gifts:

* npr fresh air talks with carolyn jones about the process of getting an abortion in texas.

(this is very good. this fresh air piece. i mean, sure it had me crying on the subway and really wishing i had a small space i could go into and scream and scream until my voice was gone from the anger of it. but. it is a good good perspective to hear. someone who chose to abort a very much wanted baby, knowing that the baby would live a horrible painful life... her story is compelling and brutal but she is level and reasoned in her telling. and terry gross also manages to keep herself even and calm throughout the interview, which i respect because, again, all i wanted to do was scream and weep which maybe aren't the most useful things.) and, too:

* always wonderful jill has a bunch of gooood info in this piece for the guardian

* maya summerizes what is happening in mississippi with the erosion of choice

and i have a question for you lot. what do we do? how do we fight hatred and ignorance and fear? what do i do? how do i be a loud, informed voice, but also not lose my mind with anger and desperation? how do i handle the absurd hypocrisy? i want to be useful. i don't know how.