A Man, I Don't Know, Who Made My Life Easier

So the other day in my blow-by-blow of Family camp, I mentioned Bill Baird. A drug rep from the 1960's who had a woman die in front of him after trying to give herself an abortion (She was already the mother of eight children) with a coat hanger. Because she was single at the time, no birth control was available to her. It was against the law to distribute it to her. In fact, Mr. Baird went to jail many times for handing out contraceptives to unmarried people. (A great example to me that not all people who go to prison are there for "bad" reasons.)

In my 21st century brain, that just doesn't make any sense to me. And in 1963, it didn't make much sense to Mr. Baird, either. His name is on three different pieces of legislation that make it safe and legal for all women to tend to their bodies regarding reproduction, and he and his wife run the Pro-Choice League.

He's also done amazing work in trying to bridge the gap between people who live their lives under strict religious doctrine so that both sides can at least respect their differences.

I said in my blog I was writing a thank you note... and I did. I totally stalked Mr. Baird online and sent him an e-mail. He answered back today. It was very sweet, and I'm glad I did it. Mr. Baird is now 80 years old, and he's spent his lifetime working to help obtain reproductive rights for women and I am grateful for him.

Childhood Role Models

Yeah, so I have the day off, well kind of. MacTroll is home but since he's on phone calls all afternoon, I have to stay home to take care of the X-man. The only time I get to wander off is when I'm working or when X-man is at school. Otherwise I start to think of the house as a cage after awhile. Sure, it's a very nice cage. But a cage all the same. We kept X-man home today to go have some fun this morning at my friend Heidi's school. But maybe after he gets up, I'll take him out in the 45 mph winds (seriously!).

Anyway, when I was a teenager there was this huge push at school about role models. I think it was about the time that the rap group NWA came out that people (as always) start needlessly wondering about the pop culture icons the younger generation look up to and criticizing them (rather than looking at them critically).

I was always a Princess Leia fan as a little kid. What was not to admire? She was awesome: mouthy, bright and always in the middle of a mess clamoring on about a greater purpose. As a teenager, I read "Postcards from the Edge" and loved it, but it was really "Surrender the Pink" and the main character's dual personality that hit home with me.

Anyway, attached is a speech she gave a while ago honoring George Lucas. It's an embodiment of how Fisher writes and all that I loved about Leia. I also think when Fisher first walks out you see a sense of fear behind Steven Spielberg's eyes. :-P

Star Wars geeks unite. Fly that freak flag. It's all good.