Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Thoughts Upon Release From Jail After Sunday's Abortion Rights Protest Inside St. Patrick's Cathedral

It's been just a few hours since I was released from jail in New York City. I was arrested yesterday and charged with “criminal trespass” and another lesser trespass charge as I was leaving St. Patrick's Cathedral after a group of women and men shouted out the following statements during a break in the service:

“Abortion on Demand and Without Apology!”
“Forced Motherhood is Female Enslavement!
“Stop the War on Women!”

Outside St. Patrick's Cathedral -Sat Aug 11, 2012

St. Patrick's is, of course, home of Cardinal Timothy Dolan – head of the U.S. Council of Catholic Bishops, a lifelong staunch opponent of abortion rights, and the person who spearheaded the U.S. Catholic church's recent political and legal revolt against birth control.


As I and one other woman, Alice Woodward, spent a long night each alone in a filthy cell, looking out between fourteen bars to cold flourescent lights, a dingy wall, and a window that revealed only the dirty bricks and tarp of the next building (no green and no sky), I thought of the women in El Salvador staring out of similar cells after being arrested out of the emergency room and imprisoned if the doctors suspect they are bleeding due to botched abortions. I thought of the women who are imprisoned in Afghanistan if they fall in love with the wrong man or end up pregnant while still unmarried. I thought of Dr. Pendergraft who had spent seven months in jail for illegitimate charges leveled against him by anti-abortion fanatics seeking to put him out of business.


There is a real war going on against women. Around the world, under the cover of religious authority, women's dreams are extinguished, women's bodies are treated like mere vessels for men's sperm and the incubation of fetuses, and women's lives are foreclosed. Around the world, women and men face not only the church, but also the state, if they dare to defy thousands of years of tradition's chains.
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posted by Sunsara Taylor at 5:26 PM | 1 comments

Sunday, August 12, 2012

ALERT! Sunsara Taylor arrested at St. Patrick's Cathedral. DROP THE CHARGES!

Aug 12, 2012 New York City:  Sunday morning a message was delivered at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, a historically right-wing, anti-birth control, anti-abortion, anti-queer and anti-woman stronghold of the Catholic Heirarchy.  Chants rang out: "Abortion on demand and without apology!"  "Forced motherhood is female enslavement!"  “Stop the war on women!"

Sunsara Taylor, initiator of End Porn and Patriarchy; the enslavement and degradation of women, and Alice Woodward, were arrested and held overnight in jail.


This action came at the end of 10 days of political protest in New York City, to Take Patriarchy by Storm.  The message that women are full human beings, not sexual objects for the pleasure of men, not breeders, and capable of equality in every sphere, was brought across the city: inside a Hooters restaurant, into porn shops, and a “crisis pregnancy” center.  Activists confronted the current political climate where people aren’t outraged by the subjugation of women.

Sunsara and Alice -- leaders in such a needed movement -- must be released now.  Drop the charges!

  • Write a statement to demand that charges be dropped. Send to stoppatriarchy@gmail.com and it will be delivered to court by defense attorneys to be noted to the judge.
  • Mon. Aug 13. 12 noon: Come to 100 Centre Street - outside courthouse.  Demand: Drop all charges against Sunsara and Alice. Join us!
  • Monday 7pm: Anti-Patriarchy Talent Show -
    Celebrating "Take Patriarchy By Storm!"  at Revolution Books - 146 W. 26th St. NYC (btw 6-7th Aves.)

    IF Sunsara and Alice are not released by 7pm on Monday: Anti-Patriarchy Talent Show will be held in front of 100 Centre Street. Call 212-691-3345 for updates.
     

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posted by Sunsara Taylor at 11:46 PM | 3 comments

 
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