In case you aren't already convinced that next month's election is pretty frickin' important, here's something else to consider: the next president will almost certainly have the power to shape the future of the Supreme Court for decades to come.

Pop quiz, fellow progressives: how do you refer to the two sides of the abortion debate?

Did you say "pro-life" and "pro-choice"? Those are the terms I generally use when talking about the issue too. And, as I was reminded by a conversation between colleagues this morning, it doesn't make much sense.

You see a young woman walking towards you wearing a t-shirt. As she approaches, you begin to make out the writing. It reads: "I was raped".

What's your reaction?

If you're anything like me, you're more than just a little uncomfortable. Even as the former organizer of a Take Back the Night rally and sexual assault awareness programming, I still struggle with what to do when such an intense personal statement is thrust into the public sphere -- on something as ordinary as a t-shirt.

The shirts -- which are on sale at Scarleteen -- have a specific rationale as written by Jennifer Baumgardner.

A hearty, post Summit hello to everyone!! Judith Schaeffer, PFAW Foundation's legal director, and I had a fabulous time at the YP4 Summit in a workshop on how the courts affect our progressive agenda and what we can do about it. Turnout for the workshop was tremendous and we had a really engaging discussion about the rights and liberties we sometimes take for granted that, in fact, are grounded in important decisions by the Supreme Court. We all know about Roe v. Wade, but we also talked about things like the right to obtain contraceptives, the right of same-sex couples to engage in sex; the right of high school students to wear black armbands to school to protest the war (in the case decided by the Supreme Court, called Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District, it involved the Vietnam War, but it's obviously still relevant today); the right of interracial couples to marry; the right of an extended family of a grandmother, her son and two grandsons to live together in the same dwelling; and, of course, the case of Brown v. Board of Education, involving the right of African American children to a public school system free of legally-mandated segregation.

We've heard it all before.

It's the story of a big company that desperately wants you to know about something good it's doing -- and how you, too, can get in on a little of that karmic ju-ju through purchasing their product and, in this case, "use your period for good" (funny, I prefer to use my period for evil...).

This article, and the comments in response, make me want to throw something. The (white, male) author bemoans the frequency of teen pregnancy amongst the low-income, mostly non-white girls he teaches. He writes:

It happens too often. A female student approaches my desk, says "Mr. Okun?", and and whispers the two words no adult wants to hear from a teenager: "I'm pregnant." I want to scream, I want to cry, I want to shake her with anger. What have you done? Life is not hard enough already? Is it over, have you given up? What about finishing high school? What about college? What about your own dreams? What about enjoying the last of your own childhood? How can you parent a child when you are just a child yourself? How will you support your baby, how will you support yourself? Where is the man, will he be here next year? Will I see you and your baby coldly waiting alone for a city bus that will not come? Please look me in the eye and tell me you know what you have done.

Hello, YP4!

I was delighted to accept the invitation to blog with you when Jamia Wilson,

Back in February I posted a blog about how Tashina Byrd and her partner were denied over the counter emergency contraception at Wal-Mart in Springfield, Ohio. (You can read that post here:  http://blog.youngpeoplefor.org/story/2007/2/15/13419/1650)

After receiving a number of similar complaints, Planned Parenthood added Wal-Mart to their Fill My Pills NOW! Campaign (http://www.saveroe.com//campaigns/fillmypillsnow)  which involves intensive surveying of contraception providers. As a result of investigation Wal-Mart contacted Planned Parenthood today to say that they had changed their policies.  The new policy ensures customers "will now receive their prescriptions or OTC products in store without discrimination (no harassment or lectures)," "without delay," and "without judgment."

Last month Tashina Byrd and her boyfriend were having sex when their condom broke. Not wanting to risk having to deal with a possible pregnancy, the couple went to their local Wal-Mart in Springfield Ohio in search of  the emergency contraceptive pill known as Plan B®.  The couple was shocked when they arrived, asked for the non-prescription product and had a pharmacist not only deny their request but laugh in their faces. They were told that while the Wal-Mart stocked the product, they would not distribute it.

So New York isn't usually a haven for right-wingers. The political hegemony of the liberals was put on display last November when Democrats turned three congressional seats, and swept the statewide elections.

New York seems to be about as blue a state as they come but despite the recent statewide sweep, Republicans still control the New York State Senate. This does not make sense. Fortunately the tides of Republican control in the senate may be turning. In New York's 7th Senate District, there is a special election to fill a vacated seat by Republican Michael Balboni who was appointed Governor Eliot Spitzer's top homeland security advisor.