savant garde

Use your strength, American Woman!

So much turmoil, apathy, confusion, indecision and a cacophony of white noise in the U.S. political climate these days.

Obviously there needs to be some serious change. I think women are just the ones to make it happen. When women put their foot down, things happen. All this status quo bullshit has got to stop. Of course, y’all females need some solidarity, but I think there’s an issue out there to really provoke womankind in the states to get up in arms. I’m speaking about the appalling condition of natal and maternal health in these United States. If you were ever befuddled by all this health care debate… Whose right? Whose wrong? How are we going to pay for this? How will this work? Just know that the establishment health care in the U.S. is failing women, mothers to be precise, nationwide.

Failing is too nice. They are butchering our women. They are butchering our women and stealing from them!

“We have the best health care system in the world!” We all hear this time and again. Aped by all the pols, and the sheeple that follow them, in the pocket of Big Pharm, Big Med and the insurance industry. If we have such a great health care system, then why has the maternal death rate skyrocketed in the last 20 years?

“Maternal mortality ratios have increased from 6.6 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1987 to 13.3 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2006.” Read the Amnesty International report

These are women dying during childbirth. Rivaling numbers of under developed nations. These are our sisters in rural areas and in the inner city. Our medical community has just gone and turned their backs on these women. They don’t have the big fancy insurance policies. They don’t have the financial means. They oftentimes, don’t have the assistance needed to fill out forms to even hope to qualify for some type of medical program in their area. But fuck the poor, right?

If that’s not enough, take a look at the astounding increase in Caesarians performed. A procedure that once was only considered in emergency cases is becoming routine. It’s being encouraged! Watch the movie The Business of Being Born (trailer here). It’s an amazing movie. I caught it on HBO (I think…). I wasn’t intending to watch it. I was just channel surfing… I couldn’t bring myself to change the channel. It was so absorbing. My daughter was brought into this world by midwives, so I was predisposed to being interested, but it was so illuminating. Midwifery, you know… the way 99.9 % of all the people that were ever born in earth’s history were brought into being? Midwifery is marginalized as being “alternative” and “New Age-y”. Ha! A birth performed by a midwife doesn’t even get covered by so many health care plans. No, no, no, no, no… What the hell could women know about childbirth? No, no, no… you need a medical doctor! Never mind that midwives are safer and… guess what? Cheaper too! Pinch them pennies, girl! Have a baby at home! Doctor’s are overcharging you! You’ll go through your grocery receipt 3 times to make sure you didn’t spend an extra penny anywhere, but you’ll pay thousands more for a doctor to sell you stuff you don’t need? Crazy.

I am a firm believer in midwifery. I’ve seen it. I’ve been there. My daughter’s mother attempted to have a home birth with midwives. After 20+ hours of labor, and “failing to progress” (cervical dilation problem), we went to the hospital. But we were fucking geniuses! We had a certified nurse midwife as our hospital backup! She was a Roman Catholic nun. It was awesome. She wasn’t in full habit, but she sure looked official. She rolled up her sleeves and directed that hospital staff like a four star general! There was even this young intern who wanted to assist. She put that boy to work! And it was difficult. Everyone was exhausted. Especially the mom. But they got the job done. 9 lbs. 14 ounces! Not a rip or tear! Perfect health!

Y’all need to get your shit together, ladies. Stop letting men dictate how and when you should birth your children. Stop letting men butcher your sisters. Stop letting men turn their backs on your sisters because they are poor.

You have the power. You really do. Every man that has a woman in his life wants to keep her happy. Truly. The motivation behind that may be suspect sometimes, but, trust me, men want their women happy. You get in line on this issue, and the men will get in line right behind you. Get some unity and lead. I’m particularly looking at you so called Christian women. Do the right thing. Start living up the the “WWJD” crap you claim to adhere to. Do you think that Jesus would turn His back on anyone in need? “I’d like to help you. I really would, but have you taken me as your Lord and Personal Saviour?” Lead by example… not from the pulpit. What’s more Christlike? To chastise and judge those that are different than you or to help people in need?

If you’re reading this, then you have a computer. On the left side of this post your going to see some links. Amongst them is a link to THOMAS. That’s the search engine for all things legislative in your country. Get to know it. Use it. You can find out just about anything there. Stomp around there a little bit and find your representatives. Find your Senators. Look up legislation. That’s your tax dollars at work. Use it to get shit done. Contact those in office and demand that those stupid pols stop kowtowing to Wall St., and the oligarchy they have created, and fix our health care! Enough is enough.

p.