Yesterday I heard HoWARd wade into the US presidential candidacy and US foreign affairs with this outburst and cringed.

“I think that will just encourage those who want to completely destabilize and destroy Iraq, and create chaos and a victory for the terrorists to hang on and hope for an Obama victory. If I were running al Qaeda in Iraq, I would put a circle around March 2008 and be praying as many times as possible for a victory, not only for Obama but also for the Democrats.” – John HoWARd.

Today I heard Democratic Presidential hopeful Barack Obama respond to HoWARd and grinned.

“I think it’s flattering that one of George Bush’s allies on the other side of the world started attacking me the day after I announced [my candidacy]. I would also note that we have close to 140,000 troops in Iraq and my understanding is Mr Howard has deployed 1,400. So if he is…to fight the good fight in Iraq, I would suggest that he calls up another 20,000 Australians and sends them to Iraq, otherwise it’s just a bunch of empty rhetoric.” – Senator Obama.

Not usually a fan of dichotomous thinking, I am very much enjoying that my PM is being bitchslapped by a junior Senator in the US Congress.

UPDATE: Our ‘Man of steel’ not so tough. While in New Zealand, during a press conference, a reporter asked HoWARd if he had any other advice for Barack Obama. Our Johnny went off,

“I do not resile from anything I have said“….

As is usual, on my drive home from work, I listen to PM on ABC Radio National. If it’s a late night I catch the repeat an hour later on my ABC Local Radio.

Used to the polished, experienced and all round in-control HoWARd for what seems an eternity, had me changing lanes with glee as I heard what can only be described as the PM sounding uncharacteristically tetchy.

“I think Mr Rudd is striving for a daily mantra without much regard to the consequences of what he says. He didn’t do too well with that farmer today.” – John HoWARd

Can it be that Rudd and Gillard and the polls and possibly even Amanda’s song with reference to first Australians, peace and multiculturalism has unraveled this consummate politician to the point where a girl like me can be a touch hopeful for a change of government which may be as early as August?

I sure do hope so.

“Indigenous Australians were here first, we are an immigration country, freedom is what we’ve enjoyed all our lives and we are under southern stars – everyone knows the Southern Cross,” -Senator Amanda Vanstone.

Image from here

For years now the anti-abortion group “Helpers of God’s Precious Infants” (HoGPI) have been a presence outside the Fertility Control Clinic in East Melbourne.

The Clinic which provides abortion services to women has been complaining for years about anti-abortion protesters congregating outside their premises and harassing women.

A security guard at the clinic, Steve Rogers, was murdered by an anti-abortion crusader in 2001. Six months ago, a man was charged with threatening to kill another security guard at the clinic.

Melbourne City Council has agreed that police can now fine people under council by-laws that previously had not applied to the protesters.

“They’re (the protesters) more inclined to be concerned with their actual cause rather than the effect that they have on people. It’s a simple issue of creating a real nuisance and impeding someone’s progress. They can still hold the posters or pamphlets out for people to take but they can’t block access to the gate or stand in front of them.” –Inspector Chris Duthie, from Melbourne East police station,

“Protesters were peaceful and prayerful and offering help to women. We know that people are always going to complain about people making it visible what’s going on inside that building, so we know that people don’t like being reminded that babies are being killed there.” -Tanya O’Brien from the Helpers of God’s Precious Infants.

Perished latex that has not survived the humidity of a tropical holiday.

Pill escapees. Long before the colour-coordination of the Pill, they were all red and free to escape their foil-y calendar only to mingle and jumble into a lucky dip of go-juice and placebo.

The time when yearning is hungrier than any sensibility.
The panic, the claustrophobia, the lack-of-control that can be an unwanted pregnancy.

A large enough family.

Rape.

Disability, malformation, chronic disease.

Not blue, but pink.
Not pink, but blue.

I am pro-choice because having sex, being passionate, fucking hard and often, is not always done to conceive. Paradoxically, sex can lead to conception. Conception is not always the desired outcome. Contraception fails, or is unpleasant, or is onerous, or is forgotten, or requires assertiveness, or is overwhelming…

If we so choose, we have the right to be gloriously empty or rapturously full.

Create and maintain a pro-choice environment. If you (or someone who asks for your support) ever need to exercise your reproductive rights you will be overjoyed to see that they are still there.

Image from here

Today about a dozen protesters held up placards and shouted out during a press conference given by Mr Debnam at Nepean Hospital in Penrith. Mr Debnam later said the protesters had pushed Mrs Debnam, Opposition health spokeswoman Jillian Skinner and Liberal Penrith candidate Tricia Hitchen out of the way. It seems that NSW opposition leader Mr Peter Debnam (WHO?) has not come to grips with what is involved in being a public figure, the rights of peaceful protesters in a democracy, what to expect when voters are unhappy at threatened job-cuts, what constitutes manhandling and that expecting special treatment of his wife, or women in general, is not only naive, but patronising.

He said wet paint from a protest placard had marked his wife’s t-shirt when she was pushed.

“Morris you can send your union thugs to follow me around the state during the entire election campaign – I’ve got no problems with that, I won’t be intimidated by them – but you make sure your Labor thugs stay away from my wife and stay away from my team, especially the female members of my team.” – Peter Debnam

Reporters at the press conference said they did not observe the protesters pushing anyone.

Newsflash Debnam. Paternalism occupies a redundant timeline. Women can and will defend themselves. Women can and will be assertive and demand their place. Women do not need you to protect them purely because of their gender and your perception of what that entails.

I’m not expecting any women in the NSW opposition to be seen as much more than fluff by WHO?