babylonsister
babylonsister's JournalOnline abortion pill provider ordered to cease delivery by FDA
Online abortion pill provider ordered to cease delivery by FDA
By Jessica Ravitz, CNN
Updated 2:24 PM ET, Sun March 17, 2019
Abortion wasn't always taboo in America
(CNN)A European organization that provides doctor-prescribed abortion pills by mail is under order by the US Food and Drug Administration to stop deliveries.
The federal agency sent a warning letter to Aid Access this month requesting that it "immediately cease causing the introduction of these violative drugs into U.S. Commerce."
"The sale of misbranded and unapproved new drugs poses an inherent risk to consumers who purchase those products," the letter says. "Drugs that have circumvented regulatory safeguards may be contaminated; counterfeit, contain varying amounts of active ingredients, or contain different ingredients altogether."
Dr. Rebecca Gomperts, founder of Aid Access, did not respond to a request for comment on the new letter. But last fall, soon after her work went public, she said that safety concerns about Aid Access and the medications it prescribes were "totally unfounded." She insisted that everything she does "is according to the law" and that the FDA's restrictive handling of abortion medication is "based on politics, not science."
Aid Access is "not intended to replace existing services," she added; rather, it exists "to serve women who don't have access."
For more than 12 years, Gomperts' site Women on Web has been offering a similar service to women in countries where abortion is illegal. She says she quietly began offering services in the United States, under the name Aid Access, after receiving about 1,000 emails from people requesting help.
"I realized it was time," she said. "Something had to be done."
more...
https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/15/health/fda-aid-access-abortion-pill-warning/index.html?fbclid=IwAR2ZMg5-1pUj9US0P3Ar4uPClpHsQdLRgOfgkYPdei6vmXC8BcWpDO2nuYI
Ursula K. Le Guin: "We are not great powers. But we are the light."
Found on FB~
Ursula K. Le Guin:
What was it like, if you were planning to go to graduate school and get a degree and earn a living so you could support yourself and do the work you loved—what it was like to be a senior at Radcliffe and pregnant and if you bore this child, this child which the law demanded you bear and would then call “unlawful,” “illegitimate,” this child whose father denied it … What was it like? […]
It’s like this: if I had dropped out of college, thrown away my education, depended on my parents … if I had done all that, which is what the anti-abortion people want me to have done, I would have borne a child for them, … the authorities, the theorists, the fundamentalists; I would have born a child for them, their child.
But I would not have born my own first child, or second child, or third child. My children.
The life of that fetus would have prevented, would have aborted, three other fetuses … the three wanted children, the three I had with my husband—whom, if I had not aborted the unwanted one, I would never have met … I would have been an “unwed mother” of a three-year-old in California, without work, with half an education, living off her parents….
But it is the children I have to come back to, my children Elisabeth, Caroline, Theodore, my joy, my pride, my loves. If I had not broken the law and aborted that life nobody wanted, they would have been aborted by a cruel, bigoted, and senseless law. They would never have been born. This thought I cannot bear.
What was it like, in the Dark Ages when abortion was a crime, for the girl whose dad couldn’t borrow cash, as my dad could? What was it like for the girl who couldn’t even tell her dad, because he would go crazy with shame and rage? Who couldn’t tell her mother? Who had to go alone to that filthy room and put herself body and soul into the hands of a professional criminal? – because that is what every doctor who did an abortion was, whether he was an extortionist or an idealist.
You know what it was like for her. You know and I know; that is why we are here. We are not going back to the Dark Ages. We are not going to let anybody in this country have that kind of power over any girl or woman. There are great powers, outside the government and in it, trying to legislate the return of darkness. We are not great powers. But we are the light. Nobody can put us out. May all of you shine very bright and steady, today and always.
Fernand Amandi: 'Ask Merrick Garland About The Wisdom Of Waiting For An Election'
https://crooksandliars.com/2019/05/fernand-amandi-ask-merrick-garland-about5/18/19 9:55am
Read time: 3 minutes
Fernand Amandi: 'Ask Merrick Garland About The Wisdom Of Waiting For An Election'
On AM Joy this morning, Armandi urged Congressional leadership not to wait for 2020 to settle anything Trump-related.
By Aliza Worthington
Video at link~
Fernand Amandi joined Joy Reid's panel on Saturday right after Democratic Representative Jamie Raskin spoke to Reid. Rep. Rasking discussed the increasing number of Dems in Congress coming around to the side of being in favor of impeachment hearings for Trump. Amandi, like many, MANY other Democrats, asked, "What the hell are we waiting for?"
In a forceful assessment of Democratic leadership, Amandi respectfully pointed out that the cognitive dissonance of Congressional leadership is hurting Americans here, and that the world is watching. He made the on-point prediction that if we're waiting for the election to settle things, the premise is faulty because the 2020 election is NOT going to be a normal election. We already KNOW there are ongoing attempts to mess with the electoral systems and no moves effectively to combat it on a national level. He predicted Trump wouldn't even APPEAR in the debates.
Furthermore, one of our staunchest allies seems to be no longer steadfast. Angela Merkel has listed the UNITED STATES as a country against whom Europe needs to unite. She put us in the same category as Russia and China. Let that sink in.
FERNAND AMANDI: Absolutely I believe the American people respond to strength, the American people respond to reasonable leadership that reacts to the moment, and when, what's obvious is, with all due respect to Congressman Rankin, he seems to be suffering from what the Congressional Democratic leadership seems to be suffering from which is this delayed cognitive dissonance, and dissonance story from recognizing this idea that, unprecedented, admittedly in the American experience, that the United States of America is under attack by the sitting president of the United States. That is very difficult, I think, for them to understand and believe but they need to face the facts that after two years where we are seeing nothing but evidence in our faces — now confirmed by the Mueller report — that speaks to illegal obstruction, that they are either bordering on a dangerous dereliction of duty at worst, or dangerous naiveté at best, and this idea of punting to the 2020 election and letting it resolve also under the very naive idea that the 2020 election is gonna be normal. Let me share a dirty little secret with the American people. Donald Trump is not going to act like a normal president in the seeking re-election in the campaign. He is probably not going to participate in a single debate. For people who say, "Oh, wait until the nominee gets him to debate." That's probably not gonna happen. He has already weaponized the Department of Justice to intimidate, threaten and perhaps even jail his political opponents.
The answer to this is to use the powers that the Founders gifted us through the generations in the Constitution, which is impeachment. A couple of other very quick points. The world is also watching, Joy. This week, a chilling thing happened. Angela Merkel made a statement that Europe and Germany need to unite against global rivals China, Russia and the United States. What may be prompting that thinking from Angela Merkel is the lack of action, real action, use of real power by Congressional Democrats to oppose the administration. If you don't believe me, I think you'll maybe need to ask Supreme Court Justice Merrick Garland about what the wisdom is of waiting for an election to decide what should be done for the American people.
Students and Faculty Walk Out of Vice President Mike Pence's Commencement Address at Taylor Universi
Students and Faculty Walk Out of Vice President Mike Pence's Commencement Address at Taylor University
By Gillian Edevane On 5/18/19 at 3:29 PM EDT
As Vice President Mike Pence gave the Saturday morning commencement address at Taylor University — a Christian school in Pence's home state of Indiana — dozens of graduating seniors and faculty walked out in protest.
The small demonstration came after Taylor students and members of the surrounding Upland, Indiana, community started an online petition to bar Pence from giving the address, citing concerns that it could be construed as an endorsement of President Donald Trump’s policies.
Not everyone who protested the speech walked out. Some remained at the ceremony but quietly denounced Pence’s presence by sporting buttons that declared, “I am Taylor Too,” which appeared intended to show that the university houses a multitude of viewpoints and should not be defined by its invitation to Pence.
Close to 10,000 people signed the Change.org sheet, although only a fraction of the roughly 500 graduating students actually ended up walking out of the speech. Still, the demonstration marked a rare instance in which a member of the Trump administration was rebuffed in what was supposed to be friendly territory.
more...
https://www.newsweek.com/students-and-faculty-walk-out-vice-pres-mike-pences-commencement-address-1429607
More than one million Londoners ready to demonstrate against US president, survey suggests
Would not surprise me if he canceled again.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/trump-uk-state-visit-when-london-protests-blimp-a8915331.html?fbclid=IwAR2ReIqujaZElkVYAj45VeCXR3oU1rU3TGmJkF_2pN-5eg0y0-LXMn8F9ZU
Trump UK visit: More than one million Londoners ready to demonstrate against US president, survey suggests
Protest on course to be among the biggest in the country’s history – with 13 per cent of city’s population ‘likely’ to turn out
Rob Merrick
More than one million Londoners are ready to demonstrate against Donald Trump’s visit to the UK next month, a survey suggests.
A staggering 13 per cent of the city’s 8 million residents say they are “likely” to join the protest, which would make it among the biggest in the country’s history.
An even higher proportion of 18- to 24-year-olds – one in five – said they expect to march on the streets during the state visit, which will take place on 3-6 June.
And Londoners of all ages oppose Mr Trump’s trip by a margin of more than two-to-one, with 54 per cent against it and just 24 per cent supporting it, according to the poll by YouGov and Queen Mary University of London.
The results set the scene for an extraordinary few days, after the US president shunned London when he visited last year because he did not want to be confronted with protesters.
This time, he and first lady Melania will enjoy the full pomp and ceremony of a state visit, including a banquet at Buckingham Palace – although several leading political figures will boycott it.
Jim Jordan claims horrific report on sex abuse at Ohio State exonerates him. It doesn't.
https://thinkprogress.org/rep-jim-jordan-report-sex-abuse-ohio-state-680ff8bbff8e/Jim Jordan claims horrific report on sex abuse at Ohio State exonerates him. It doesn’t.
The report says the abuse was an "open secret" when the Ohio congressman was employed by the university.
Lindsay Gibbs
May 18, 2019, 10:52 am
snip//
While the report did not mention Jordan by name, it also did not confirm that he knew nothing.
In fact, according to the report, many former students interviewed were adamant that Strauss’ abuse was an “open secret” on campus — that athletes, coaches, trainers, and administrative staff were all aware of Strauss’ propensity to shower with students, often multiple times a day, but took no steps to protect them.
snip//
But his denials have not satisfied the men he used to coach.
Despite the allegations that Jordan knew about Strauss’ abuse and did not act to protect student-athletes — which led to widespread calls for his resignation — the Ohio congressman easily won another term in 2018. He is currently serves in a leadership role on the House Oversight Committee.
As a gay Christian, Pete Buttigieg's visibility gives me strength
https://www.salon.com/2019/05/17/as-a-gay-christian-pete-buttigiegs-faith-and-visibility-give-me-strength/As a gay Christian, Pete Buttigieg's visibility gives me strength
They said I couldn't be a Christian and gay, but I never lost my faith. These attacks on Pete make me stand taller
Silas House
May 17, 2019 11:00PM (UTC)
snip//
Although there has been progress, all these years later, those with the biggest platforms are still attacking LGBTQ Christians and saying we are not worthy of God. Presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg, who is an openly gay married man and an Episcopalian, is at the center of this conversation. Over the last couple of weeks his faith has been called into question repeatedly because he is gay. Vice President Mike Pence was among the first. “My family and I have a view of marriage that’s informed by our faith,” Pence said about Buttigieg, in essence declaring that Buttigieg’s faith doesn’t matter, or perhaps even that Buttigieg isn’t a Christian.
Evangelist Franklin Graham offered that Buttigieg would be punished by “eternal damnation.” Everett Piper, president of Oklahoma Wesleyan University weighed in by saying “you don’t get to make up your own Christianity.” Talking head Erick Erickson attacked not only Buttigieg but also the Episcopal church. Michael Brown, a leader of the Charismatic movement, put forth that “As an out-and-proud gay man, Buttigieg must discard the entire testimony of Scripture.”
This is not only suggesting that Buttigieg is not worthy of his own faith — it is also homophobia. These men have done exactly what they set out to do: get other homophobes riled up. Recently, Buttigieg was interrupted by hecklers at an Iowa rally who chanted “Sodom and Gomorrah!” and “You betray your holy baptism!” Social media is filled with endless discussion of Buttigieg’s “depravity,” “perversion,” and so on. At another event Operation Rescue founder Randall Terry showed up dressed as Buttigieg and whipped a man dressed as Christ while someone in a Satan costume shouted “Yes, more blood, Peter!” among other taunts. Terry told the Associated Press he was doing it because Buttigieg “glorifies and normalizes a sinful behavior.” Protesters yelled “Repent!” and “Marriage is between a man and a woman!” while the candidate tried to address a packed audience in Dallas last Friday.
The thing that none of them realize is that every time they allow their judgement to rear its head, support for Buttigieg grows even stronger among many potential voters. And every time his sincerity as a gay Christian is questioned I feel as if my own faith is strengthened. Whenever they attack the Episcopal church I’m prouder to be a member. Each time his marriage is held up as an act of depravity I cherish my own marriage even more.
snip//
The boy I used to be could have never imagined the day that a gay man is being seriously considered as a candidate for president. He would have been amazed to know Buttigieg is also standing up for the fire of belief that burns in us both. Sometimes I wonder how we kept going, how we survived it all. Then I wonder if the very people who set out to break us aren’t the ones who ended up making us that much stronger.
Flynn Contacted GOP Mueller Critic (Gaetz) While Cooperating
https://politicalwire.com/2019/05/17/flynn-contacted-gop-mueller-critic-while-cooperating/Flynn Contacted GOP Mueller Critic While Cooperating
May 17, 2019 at 9:37 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard
“Flynn sent Twitter direct messages to Rep. Matt Gaetz, encouraging the Florida Republican to ‘keep the pressure on.’ It’s not clear if Flynn sent additional messages to other lawmakers.”
Obama Unveils Unity Fund To Build A Strong Party To Topple Trump
https://www.politicususa.com/2019/05/17/obama-unveils-unity-fund-to-build-a-strong-party-to-topple-trump.html?fbclid=IwAR1jRRzqwELfqhXIGUY-7lUjRXoi5-MrSEynDKhTpuV8lNf8ARj1ICM7pqoPosted on Fri, May 17th, 2019 by Jason Easley
Obama Unveils Unity Fund To Build A Strong Party To Topple Trump
Former President Barack Obama announced that the Democratic Unity Fund which will be used to back the party’s nominee with a strong organization.
Obama is helping Democrats organize for 2020
Obama wrote:
The Democratic Unity Fund is a promise that whoever earns our nomination, he or she will have a strong, united, and well-organized DNC ready to spring into action the moment the general election starts — a DNC that’s ready to lift us all to victory in November.
Democrats are learning from their 2016 mistakes
The DNC is looking to function more like the RNC did before Trump got his hands on it. The DNC should be a separate organizing force that is dedicated to getting Democrats elected up an down the ballot. The DNC should be about party building especially in places where the Democratic Party has been neglected, especially at the local level.
It will take a party-wide effort to beat Donald Trump in 2020, and that effort will be powered by a strong grassroots organization.
Saudi Arabian State Media Urges U.S. To 'Hit Iran Hard' With Punitive Airstrikes
So are we taking marching orders from SA now?
May 16, 2019, 02:08pm
Saudi Arabian State Media Urges U.S. To 'Hit Iran Hard' With Punitive Airstrikes
Zak Doffman
Iran sees the escalating tensions with the U.S. as extending to include Saudi Arabia and Israel. And on Thursday, an editorial in Saudi Arabia's Arab News demanded: "Iran must not go unpunished... In [our] considered view, there has to be deterrent and punitive action in order for Iran to know that no sinister act will go unpunished; that action, in our opinion, should be a calculated surgical strike."
A day earlier, the head of Iran's IRGC claimed the country is "on the cusp of a full-scale confrontation with the enemy. This moment in history, because the enemy has stepped into the field of confrontation with us with all the possible capacity, is the most decisive moment of the Islamic revolution." Hossein Salami has previously threatened the "triangle" of the U.S., Saudi Arabia and Israel, and in 2015 said that Iran "would welcome" war with the United States.
The Saudi newspaper claims that the drone attacks on Tuesday and the attack on four oil tankers off the coast of the UAE at the weekend "represents a serious escalation on the part of Iran and its proxies, should the initial conclusions of an international investigation prove to be accurate."
more...
https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2019/05/16/saudi-arabian-state-media-urges-u-s-to-hit-iran-hard-with-punitive-airstrikes/?fbclid=IwAR0aKq_w4m_FIQPNTA78pQQqatNhnK2Y_zFcI21MnfjSTa1ZHsCDJcA_YWY#688bced69484
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Member since: Mon Sep 6, 2004, 09:54 PM
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