Didn't we win one, though! The talking heads are still trying to claim that Komen had a point in trying to back out of contributing to Planned Parenthood, even on liberal MSNBC. But hitting them right in the pocketbook made them back down fast enough. The best thing about this is that women who might not have been aware that they could get health screening services even though they did not have medical coverage, now know that they can get what they need through Planned Parenthood. The media impression has been that PP mostly gives abortions, when that is only a small part of what they do. As a matter of fact they probably prevent way more abortions than they give.
I am afraid I could not warm up to the Phoenix area. When I was waiting for the bus in front of the egregious Papago Plaza in Scottsdale I saw a pretty hummingbird gathering nectar from some flowers planted by the bus shelter. As soon as it had fed it shot off at surprising speed and was out of sight in a flash.
Egregious Papago Plaza. Enlarge for the full effect.
So I came, flew in, gathered the nectar, and now I am jetting off to Seattle. I don't think I will ever come back here but was glad enough to see it and have the odd adventures that an old women with an outsider's point of view has in places like this. I use my elder license to talk to people and ask them questions about themselves and find out a lot. People using public transport are very friendly. I talk and joke with waitpeople and cleaning women, which of course is not a tony thing to do, but I love knowing what people are up to and how they are getting by.
I'm very glad now that I did low wage, low prestige jobs when I was young and so understand how people in that situation feel. I'm glad my work life was with hospital patients, immigrants and prisoners. Friends of mine who never did these things can't understand what it means always to struggle for the slightest recognition, to be blamed all the time. To be looked down on as a failure. It's the worst thing that can happen to you in this country, because you get punished over and over and get little sympathy.
So today, although still feeling bad about the friend who feels I betrayed him, I am happy that the enemies of womanhood lost this battle in their war on women's health. This feels to me like an important turning point for feminism, as women flex their political muscle.
I will be alighting this evening in Seattle and can hardly wait to see the kids and grandkids.
I guess it's the faux-adobe look of the Papago Plaza that gives it its badness. But otherwise, with the sunny sky and landscaping, it looks like Kona or Waikoloa.
I've never been to Arizona, but it seems there's little interaction among different classes.
Posted by: Brandon | February 03, 2012 at 10:23 AM
That's right, Brandon. Talking to people at bus stops and so on, the way I do, is not something your average middle class Arizonan would dream of doing. Above all, no middle class Arizonan would be caught dead on a bus. The traffic is simply beyond belief. I laugh when people say traffic is bad in Kona. Ha ha.
And the climate: dry as a bone. My skin is like leather and my eyes are red. It gets down almost to freezing at night and almost to 70 in the daytime. And this is the pleasant time of year.
Posted by: Hattie | February 03, 2012 at 10:35 AM
Thanks for the info and pics of Arizona. Don't think I am missing anything. Going back to your previous post, the only reason why we can spend as much money as we do is that we have a reverse mortgage. Without it, we would be out on the streets due to David's job demotion.
Posted by: gigi-hawaii | February 03, 2012 at 11:14 AM
Enjoy your time with your kids and grandkids Hattie...hope you relax and laugh a lot. Have a great weekend... ~Joy
Posted by: Joy | February 03, 2012 at 01:38 PM
I agree completely! We have contributed to the Komen charity through the races and was disturbed by they're decision against Planned Parenthood! I'm glad women didn't take it lying down and protested.
I do love being older which does give us license to speak to anybody. I don't think I would have felt as free to do that when I was younger.
Posted by: musings | February 03, 2012 at 09:36 PM
Ooops! I forgot to wish you a happy trip to Seattle! I did enjoy Arizona a lot but Seattle is fabulous!
Posted by: musings | February 03, 2012 at 09:37 PM
Joy: Nice to be here, and it is a sunny day.
Kay: Yes, it was a good time.
Posted by: Hattie | February 04, 2012 at 08:49 AM
Not holding breath that this will be "important turning point for feminism." That will only happen when women begin to lay out the necessary agenda for change, not wait for something to happen against them like Komen business. But I 'spose that would be too 1970s!
Posted by: naomi dagen bloom | February 04, 2012 at 11:25 PM
Naomi: Nonethess, a win is a win. And when I saw young women on TV saying that Planned Parenthood provided health services for women who could not afford medical care, I realized that this was an educational experience for them.
Posted by: Hattie | February 05, 2012 at 07:37 AM
Komen has been compromised long before this mess. And neither side respects it for its vacillating. Breast Cancer Action is a true grass-roots organization, one to which I might donate.
Posted by: Poppa Zao | February 06, 2012 at 12:41 AM
Brandon: Barbara Ehrenreich, a breast cancer survivor, is very critical of the Komen Foundation. She finds the attitude toward women with breast cancer to be patronizing and hates all that pink. This is the first I've heard of Breast Cancer Action. I might look into it. BTW: breast cancer rates have gone way down now that fewer women are taking "replacement" hormones after menopause.
Posted by: Hattie | February 06, 2012 at 06:51 AM