Call Joe Bruno -- (518) 455-3191

Today's Monday, July 16th -- does everyone remember what that means? State senate is back, probably very busy not passing the Healthy Teens Act. For more reasons why they should, check out PPNYC's President Joan Malin in today's Metro: http://www.ppnyc.org/new/releases/inthenews/metro071607.html

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In other news, Louisiana has the dubious distinction of becoming the first state to outlaw an abortion procedure since SCOTUS upheld the federal abortion ban. Like the federal ban, Louisiana has outlawed a safe, effective abortion method unless the woman's life is in danger (who cares if her health is in jeopardy, right?).

Why, some may wonder, does the state need to its own ban when the federal government has already (foolishly, dangerously and purely politically) done the deed for them? Well, this way the state can arrest and prosecute doctors itself rather than having to wait for the federal government. Nice going Gov. Kathleen Blanco: you've come a long way, baby...

Bruno to teens: Drop Dead

Speaking of sex ed, remember how last month the NY State Senate (e.g . Joe Bruno) let the session expire without bringing the Healthy Teens Act to the floor for a vote? Despite the support of 85% of New Yorkers, despite there not being a mandate, despite no funding just yet, despite the Assembly and the Senate's own health committee passing it?

Well, on Monday, the Senate (e.g. Joe Bruno) returns to…drumroll... once again refuse to let the bill come to the floor for a vote.

Granted, I'm some years out of social studies, but I sorta thought we elected officials to represent our wishes. So it seems to me that if 85% OF NEW YORKERS SUPPORT THE BILL (and, of course, it's a common-sense bill backed by science), then the Senate should pass it.

If you agree, feel free to call Joe Bruno's office at (518) 455-3191
and tell him so. We've tried.

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And three cheers for Tory Bowen, who arranged a rally to protest a Judge's effort to prevent her from using the words "rape," "victim," "assailant" and "sexual-assault kit," in the trial against her alleged... umm, "the man who had sex with her when she didn't consent."

As it turns out, that ever charming Judge declared a mistrial because of said rally, accusing Ms. Bowen her friends of drumming up pretrial publicity that tainted the jury pool. To that, she responded -- quite reasonably I might add --that she "chose to speak out after Cheuvront's order because silencing rape victims is something that has been done for far too long."