Madison Rising is coming to Texas!

May 8^th  - Grand Stafford Theater, Bryan, Texas

May 10^th – Jokers Ice House, Killeen, Texas

May 11^th – Love and War, Plano, Texas

The Star Spangled Challenge:

  Last summer after Bill Press of Current TV said, "The Star Spangled Banner is stupid and embarrassing,” and comedian Daniel Tosh joked, “No one has the Star Spangled Banner on their iPod,” rock group, Madison Rising decided to do the Star Spangled Challenge: http://starspahttp://starspangledbannerchallenge.com/ngledbannerchallenge.com/

You know what makes me livid?  Watching incredibly intelligent, well informed, dedicated women work very hard, to dispel the myth of the ‘War on Women’ only to have some lunatic politician make an appalling statement that reinforces the meme.   Through my personal life and through activism, I have found the vast majority of conservative men to be supportive of gender equality and strong female roles within the home and society, but there are small minorities of exceptions.  I would also like to shout far and wide from the rooftops that being in the GOP does not equate to being a conservative.  During the last election season, when the Obama campaign was putting forth the ridiculous and misogynistic theme that women need government, many Smart Girls and limited government bloggers mocked the foolishness of this notion.  I am sure we all remember the insulting and stupid comments made by failed GOP senate candidates Todd Akin of Missouri about ‘legitimate rape’ and Richard Mourdock of Indiana about rape and pregnancy.   When reading these comments, I cringed, thanked goodness that I was not a voter in either of those states, and told my husband, “That’s it.  Race over.”

For every sexist and ignorant comment made by a Republican, there is a Democrat example as well, like the 'snake in my pants' creepy comment made by Democrat Ernest Hewett to a 17 year old girl.  We also know that the media punishment for Democrats is substantially less if it even happens (i.e. how the media completely ignored the Anthony Weiner flasher pictures on Twitter until the social media steam roller made it impossible for them to continue to ignore it – thank you Andrew Breitbart.)

We see these colossal political failures of male politicians who are compelled to speak on issues of rape and abortion and we know that the media is looking for examples of GOP misogyny.  So, why would any fool do something as moronic as send out an email referring to women as ‘vaginas’?   From the Huffington Post:

​“A Republican New Hampshire lawmaker referred to women as "vaginas" in an email to colleagues on the official legislative electronic mailing list earlier this month, drawing outrage from his own party.”

Actual quote from his email regarding the debate over the New Hampshire ‘Stand Your Ground’ bill:

“What could possibly be missing from those factual tales of successful retreat in VT, Germany, and the bowels of Amsterdam? Why children and vagina's of course. While the tales relate the actions of a solitary male the outcome cannot relate to similar situations where children and women and mothers are the potential victims.”

And did State Representative Peter Hansen back down from his remarks?   

Hansen initially did not back down. But on Tuesday, he claimed his comments were misinterpreted and he apologized "to those who took offense."

"Can there be any doubt my comment is being misinterpreted and taken completely out of context?" Hansen said in a statement. "It was not, and is not, my intention to demean women at any time. It is apparent that the intent of my remarks has been misinterpreted, the true goal of the message lost and for that I apologize to those who took offense."

His initial response to the controversy was different. "Having a fairly well educated mind I do not need self appointed wardens to A: try to put words in my mouth for political gain and B: Turn a well founded strategy in communication into an insulting accusation, and finally if you find the noun vagina insulting or in some way offensive then perhaps a better exercise might be for you to re-examine your psyche," Hansen wrote.

First of all, who does he think he is to refer to any woman (me, my mother, my daughter, ANYONE) in that vulgar term?  I feel sorry for the women in his life.

Second, many of us are legitimately working hard to demonstrate that the 2nd Amendment and gun rights are sensible and reasonable lifestyle choices for our own personal protection and freedom (in much the same way we are trying to counter the ‘women need government’ myth).   These despicable comments soil the whole argument and its supporters.  

Lastly, his candor is important.  I would rather that true sexists be honest with their words so that they can be purged from public service.

If limited government advocates want to advance the ball, the outrage against this blatant sexism must cross party lines.

As for Mr. Hansen, if ever the unfortunate circumstance arises that his name comes up on my radar again, I will subsequently refer to him as ‘Dick Hansen’. (h/t Lisa Jacobs on Facebook)

Now, can we get back to the real war on women?

I received this message from a friend Gillian Tevlin, from Casa Grande, Arizona, and wanted it share with SGP members.  Below is the blog from Gillian:

Last week, my husband and I went to our Western Pinal County Republican Club meeting, where a 26-year veteran Border Patrol Officer, Zachary Taylor, spoke to us for over an hour and told us the true facts about the border.  We are more than ever convinced now that our government is deliberately lying to us, and keeping information from the press and the public.  We thought we were well informed, and generally speaking, we are more informed on these issues than most Americans, but what we heard the other night was horrifically disturbing.  Please take the time to read the following short summary of items Officer Taylor talked about last night.  He showed us very disturbing information and pictures that shocked a here-to-fore, well-informed audience!  We must all become vigilant and get serious about this issue. Here are some of the main issues he brought up in his presentation.  Read this background information, and then open the attachment to the National Association of Former Border Patrol Officers below to get more details.

The Border Patrol polices the whole border, right? WRONG.

Presently Border patrol officers are prohibited from patrolling Federal Lands and designated wilderness areas. Federal lands and designated wilderness areas comprise the great majority of area along the southern border.

Wilderness areas are good for all of us, preserving wildlife, right? WRONG.

Drug cartels in Mexico have already contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars, and continue to contribute to environmental organizations like the Sierra Club, ($350,000) who lobby the federal government to create more wilderness areas.  Because the Border patrol is prohibited from patrolling these areas, the drug cartels use them as human and drug-smuggling corridors, and even grow drugs there.

When new wilderness areas are designated by the federal government (Department of the Interior,) one of the criteria is that there be no through-road access, so if there is already a road, the feds send the Forest Service in to destroy it so that there is no access. By law enforcement, that is.  The drug cartels love this!!

Only 5% of the border area is secure

The Forest fires that raged throughout southern Arizona last year were deliberately set by drug smugglers, either:

1.       To distract Border patrols who were coming too close to their smuggling corridors

2.      Or to burn the drug-smuggling corridors of competing drug cartels to expose them to the Border Patrol

Either way, Arizona is losing much of our land and wilderness areas because of the drug and human smuggling activities.

The illegals who are paying up to $5,000 to be brought north by human smugglers, (coyotes) are innocent Mexican immigrants only looking for jobs. WRONG.

Many are Chinese, Venezuelan, Colombian, or Middle-eastern, who come into America and vanish. Many of the Middle Eastern aliens begin home-grown terrorist cells in the U.S.

He showed us a picture of a drug cartel leader who lives on a ranch in Ruidoso, New Mexico.  He has a multi-million dollar ranch property and two, million-dollar race horses.  His picture was in the local paper when his race horse won the big race there.  His profession is listed as “bricklayer."  THEY LIVE AMONG US.

The Drug Cartels who smuggle humans north usually rob them of all their valuables, (you have seen the pictures online of all the “rubbish” and clothes they leave behind,) or abandon them in the desert. The women and girls are routinely taken to “Rape Trees” where they are forcibly stripped and raped.  Small girls.  Children.  Their bras and panties are hung on the trees as trophies.  They can’t report this to the police if they get north because they are illegal.

The officer told us of a four-week old baby who had been sexually abused to death.

PLEASE LOOK AT THE  National Association of Former Border Patrol Officers  WEBSITE BELOW:

http://nafbpo.org/

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/04/02/video-allegedly-shows-mexican-cartels-at-work-in-the-arizona-desert/

WE MUST SECURE OUR BORDER, BUT WE CAN’T DO IT UNLESS WE ARE INFORMED!  Contact your senators and congressmen and demand action!

Zachary Taylor has been trying to educate people all over the country about the border problem.  Below is an attached link that gives more information. He lives in Nogales, Arizona.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20120207143715AAEzWD3

There are many great ways to get involved with Smart Girl Politics depending on your interests and situation.  Many busy members blog or do social media from home. We are in need of people to do voter registration events as well as have issue-based home parties for friends.  Let us know your interests and we can discuss ways to get involved and active that fits within your schedule.  Contact Jennifer Leslie, National Field Director, at J.Leslie@smartgirlpolitics.org.