This is rare.

I hardly ever write a post that is really just to get you to look at someone else's post. But that's what I'm doing today.

Why?

Well, the person who wrote the post is near and dear to me (The Texpatriate). And also, she very clearly captures and articulates the lightning-in-a-bottle fury that many of us--including me--are feeling as the Republican leaders in our country, and especially in this state, attempt to ride roughshod over reproductive freedoms (and many other female-centric issues) because, clearly, we poor little gals need their help so badly. The thinly veiled patriarchal sexism in this legislation hiding behind a sheild of "it's for our protection" bullshit is simply staggering. And the women who are complicit in moving these ideas forward? Shame on you. I'm embarrassed to share a gender designation with you.

This is NOT about religion or what's "best for women", and if any arguement couches itself in either of those claims, then it is in hardcore denial or fiendishly shrewd, knowing that this tack will draw more supporters who want the black-and-white, easy way out. No. This is, pure and simple, about women as property. Women as something to be controlled by men. This is about ensuring that women remain second-class citizens in a country that would like to be held up as a bastion of freedom and democracy for all.

You want to read something terrifying? Read Chapter 9 of Susan Faludi's Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Women*. It was written TWENTY YEARS AGO, and it reads like Johnny Carson's "Carnac the Magnificent," revealing the punchlines before the joke is read. Except this is no joke. It's terrifyingly, nauseatingly real. The war has not only been declared, it's being won by 7 to 2 votes cast by middle-aged white men.

*After you read the Texpatriate's post, that is.

Further proof that a 12 year old boy lives in my head where my brain should be:

One of my husband's job duties is to, when requested by land owners, review aerial photos of their properties as part of the assesment required to create an environmentally responsible wildlife management plan (which, if implemented, can provide them with nice property tax breaks).

So tonight he's working on his computer, viewing an aerial photo of a big ol' ranch in Blanco County he's working with, when this land formation just sort of visually "rises" out of its surroundings, and we just laughed and laughed and laughed:

The "Johnson Ranch" is what he named this screen shot, btw. The actual ranch name has been changed to protect the innocent if, in fact, the ARE innocent.

Glad to know I'm in good juvenile company.