The Original Mother’s Day Proclamation

I post this poem every year [on one of my blogs] but my commentary differs.

We are so far away from the original thoughts of Julia Ward Howe that we no longer think of the day as more than one on which to take mom to dinner, make dinner for mom and of course send a card and flowers.

[my mom, circa 1932]

And we have made Mother's Day into yet another day to promote shopping and buying.

I doubt any of the Mother's Day shoppers even know how this day came to be or that it started as an anti war poem!

Take time today to reflect about what Julia Ward Howe wrote.

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Mother's Day Proclamation [1870]

by Julia Ward Howe

Arise then…women of this day!

Arise, all women who have hearts!

Whether your baptism be of water or of tears!

Say firmly:

"We will not have questions answered by irrelevant agencies,

Our husbands will not come to us, reeking with carnage,

For caresses and applause.

Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn

All that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience.

We, the women of one country,

Will be too tender of those of another country

To allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs."

From the voice of a devastated Earth a voice goes up with

Our own. It says: "Disarm! Disarm!

The sword of murder is not the balance of justice."

Blood does not wipe our dishonor,

Nor violence indicate possession.

As men have often forsaken the plough and the anvil

At the summons of war,

Let women now leave all that may be left of home

For a great and earnest day of counsel.

Let them meet first, as women, to bewail and commemorate the dead.

Let them solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means

Whereby the great human family can live in peace…

Each bearing after his own time the sacred impress, not of Caesar,

But of God -

In the name of womanhood and humanity, I earnestly ask

That a general congress of women without limit of nationality,

May be appointed and held at someplace deemed most convenient

And the earliest period consistent with its objects,

To promote the alliance of the different nationalities,

The amicable settlement of international questions,

The great and general interests of peace.

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Let's elect more women and let's end war!

And – let's bring the troops HOME!!

Peace

From way back when I was in graduate school until today I have advocated for good prenatal maternal health as it does help reduce premature births!

Being born prematurely is, in itself, the cause of many developmental problems through life.

But too many politicians and other policy makers have always said:  Nope – no care for pregnant women – not on our dime!! 

Which is an odd stance since prenatal care is less expensive than a newborn's intensive care.  But too many don't want to spend money on women – especially pregnant women. 

So I will keep advocating for better health and better nutrition for everyone for the rest of my life – because I care about human development! 

And I keep doing this because these many many years later – we still have statistics like this:

The world's developed countries have seen their average rate of premature births double to 6 percent since 1995, despite efforts to reduce the phenomenon…

And the United States? Were we think we have superior health care? We rank 130th out of the 184 countries in the study!

What starts labor is still an unknown. What we do know is that keeping a fetus inside for the duration or a normal pregnancy – about 40 weeks is the best for the baby. 

As this study says:

The ultimate solution — keeping every baby in the womb for 40 weeks – is a challenge. Improving maternal health by treating high blood pressure and infections would help, as would changing obstetrical practices so labor is not induced early for non-medical reasons.

"We still don't know a lot about how to prevent preterm birth," Howson said. "We need vigorous, targeted research into its causes."

And so I will keep advocating for healthy women, babies, children and for good nutrition and good health care.

Thoughts? Comments? Thank you!

Exonoree turned Esquire:
The compelling story of Texas Exoneree Anthony Robinson’s wrongful conviction and his journey to becoming a successful attorney.

UDC-David A. Clarke School of Law,
Innocence Project Student Association (IPSA)
2nd Annual Reception

SPECIAL GUESTS:
ANTHONY ROBINSON, KEYNOTE SPEAKER & TEXAS EXONEREE
PROFESSOR JOHN C. BRITTAIN, UDC-DCSL
PROFESSOR ANDREW FERGUSON, UDC-DCSL, IPSA FACULTY ADVISOR

When: April 5, 2012
Time: 5-7 PM
Where: UDC, David A. Clarke School of Law,
Room 214
Food & Refreshments will be served.
Cost is FREE!!
RSVP at: preventing.injustice@gmail.com.

The David A. Clarke School of Law at the University of the District of Columbia is offering a Master of Laws (LL.M.) Degree Program With Concentration In Clinical Education, Social Justice, and Systems Change

U.D.C. David A. Clarke School of Law-well known for its leadership in clinical legal education and for its public interest mission-is pleased to announce fellowship opportunities in the following clinics:

Juvenile & Special Education Law Clinic/Took Crowell Institute for At-Risk Youth

Community Development Legal Clinic

Immigration and Human Rights Clinic

The two-year LL.M. program includes coursework in clinical pedagogy, public interest law, and systems change. LL.M. candidates will work under the supervision of the Law School 's experienced faculty to supervise and teach J.D. students enrolled in our clinics.

By the end of the second academic year each LL.M. candidate will produce a culminating project in the form of a scholarly work of publishable quality or project designed to impact systems change.

LL.M. candidates will receive a stipend of $49,667, plus health benefits.

The program will begin on August 1, 2012

Applications are due by May 4 at 5:00 p.m.

See further details below.

Juvenile and Special Education Law Clinic Took Crowell Institute for At-Risk Youth

Clinic faculty and law students represent children and parents of children in special education, school discipline, delinquency, and Medicaid matters. Its nationally-acclaimed approach supplements traditional delinquency defense with, where appropriate, advocacy to address the special education needs of children who are facing delinquency charges. The newly established Took Crowell Institute for At-Risk Youth has enhanced the Clinic's ability to do systemic reform work.

Candidates should be a member of the DC Bar, preferably with at least two years of experience representing children charged in delinquency matters. Experience handling school discipline, special education, and Medicaid matters is desirable.

Community Development Legal Clinic

The Community Development Law Clinic endeavors to improve the economic, living, and social conditions in the low – wealth community by providing legal assistance to non-profit organizations, housing cooperatives, social entrepreneurs, and small businesses. Students enrolled in the clinic learn transactional and business lawyering skills while helping clients establish and operate their businesses and programs. There are no set limits to the nature of our practice, since assisting clients with organizational, and resource development encompasses a broad range of substantive law knowledge and practice skills. In order to provide clients with comprehensive professional consulting and advocacy services, the clinic often collaborates with other community based organizations and professionals and co-counsels with law firms and other legal service providers.

Candidates should be a member of the DC Bar or be a member in good standing of the bar of the highest court of any state, possession, territory, or Commonwealth of the United States , and qualify to waive into the D.C. Bar. Candidates should have two years relevant practice experience.

Immigration and Human Rights Clinic

The Immigration and Human Rights Clinic represents immigrants held in detention It also work on policy issues and systems change initiatives to improve the treatment of immigrants in the courts, in the community, and in the workplace. Depending on the scope of representation, students may represent clients at interviews with immigration officials and/or litigate in Immigration Court , the Board of Immigration Appeals, state court, United States District Court or the United States Court of Appeals.

Candidates must have a minimum of two years relevant practice experience and be a member in good standing of the bar of the highest court of any state, possession, territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or the District of Columbia.

Admissions Process

Please submit the following:

1. A response to the following questions in no more than 1,000 words (two pages):

In your area of concentration, what systemic problems have you identified? How do you envision using the law to transform the system?

1. Resume
2. Writing Sample
3. Law School Transcript (official)
4. Two letters of recommendation from persons with personal knowledge of your capabilities and commitment to social justice.

Please send materials, except transcript, electronically to kforman@udc.

Please enter LL.M. Application in the subject line.
Applications are due by May 4 at 5:00 p.m.

Questions? Please contact:

Karen Forman
Director, Public Interest and Clinical Programs
kforman@udc.edu

March is women’s history month. Instead of moving forward with celebrations for half of humanity, some now are pushing women back to previous centuries.

I won’t rant about specifics – that is all over the “news” but I want to lament a bit about how backwards we are going.

In the 60’s, birth control was not only illegal in Massachusetts [where I lived] it was illegal to even mention contraception! I do recall that most females, at least in the Boston area, knew where and how to get contraceptives and legal abortions.

In the 21st Century, both contraception and abortions are legal – but there seems to be a desire on the part of some states to return to the eras when both were illegal.

Women who speak publicly about contraception or abortion are being criticized in a negative way.

States are passing laws making it difficult and expensive to get a legal abortion.

And much of this is being done and said by men who say they are only interested in making sure women understand x, y and z.

I guess women should be seen and not heard, barefoot and endlessly pregnant and at home with a zillion kids – home schooling all of them.

I lamented on Facebook that next many states will try to remove our ability to vote.

But I guess if one can never leave the house, one could not vote anyway.

Being female in the 21st Century means having to re-fight long settled fights

I’ll be posting more about women over the month as the current political climate has me back to writing my ebook about politics and women…..

Comments? Thanks!

Most of this is for Oregonians – but if you are being scammed like this in another state – contact your own State Attorney General…..and there is Federal information in the last paragraph…

It's so much fun to wake up to the news during an election cycle – but today hit the trifecta!

1- Iowa miscounted the caucus numbers – Santorum actually won.

This raises the questions as to why  a state that can't count so few ballots get to go first ?

Maybe it's to show us that home schooling does not work???

2 – Rick Perry is dropping out [oops suspending his campaign]

AND – throws his support to Gingrich

3 -  and Gingrich? Wife #2 just said in an interview that Newt wanted an open marriage – and that his then mistress, Callista, was ok with that.

[aside to wife #2 - he cheated on #1 with you - did you think he would change?]

Hmm – so Callista the Catholic was ok with that then…is she ok with it now as wife #3?

[Surely the Catholic church is not ok with this...]

And it's not even noon back in South Carolina – will we hit another trifecta today?

Why is this site, and many others, totally or partially blacked out today?

It's a solidarity move to stop SOPA [Stop Online Piracy Act.]

What is SOPA? From the point of view of many of us in the USA – it's a misguided attempt to stop the piracy of films and music. And guess what? the music and film industry stand solidly behind this bill – DUH!

Why is it misguided? Well it contains provisions that could shut down most of the Internet by a big player [ISP, etc.] saying "my content was stolen."

SHUT DOWN THAT SITE.

Or saying "that site linked to a site that had my stolen content." 

SHUT DOWN THAT SITE.

Goodbye Wikipedia, goodbye Google, goodbye YouTube, goodbye any site that they "say" they have an issue with.

It will stop creativity, stop inventions and stop the free exchange of ideas! It is censorship!

And if you are a small business who relies on a website and the Internet – it can hurt your business!!

For a more scholarly discussion see Wikipedia.

To take action: http://www.google.com/landing/takeaction/

If you are a public interest legal entity – here is a possibility for you to have a summer intern at no cost to you.

See the letter I received [below] about the job fair you can attend [free of charge.] If you have any questions about the school, please ask them in the comments. This is the law school I attended.

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The University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law (UDC-DCSL) continues its successful program to fund law students who work full-time at summer public interest law jobs.

If you work for a non-profit public interest organization, government agency, or in the judicial system, and would like a UDC-DCSL student to work for you full-time this summer, at no cost to you,

Please join us for the:

Summer Public Interest Job Fair

Wednesday, February 8, 2012: 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm

UDC David A. Clarke School of Law

Room 214 (Second Floor)

4340 Connecticut Ave NW  (Note: Our new building!) Washington DC 20008 Red Line: Van Ness/UDC

Facts About the Summer Fellowship Program

1) Qualifying organizations include non-profits that serve public interest purposes, local and federal government agencies, and the judiciary. Students must be doing legal work under direct supervision of a licensed attorney.

Individuals or others seeking legal assistance, private law firms and for-profit organizations do not qualify. If your organization has not previously hosted a fellow, you will need prior approval from Ms. Bauman.

2) First-year law students are categorically eligible for the stipend. If funds are available, upper class students may be eligible.

3) Students must work at least 400 hours work by the end of the summer. They can earn up to $4000 from the law school.  Supervising attorneys provide a mid-term and final evaluation, and certify student time records. Students must complete the application process with Ms. Bauman and have their placement approved before they are eligible for funding.

The Fellowship Fair

Group representatives should bring information about the agency and any application materials.  There is no cost to attend.

TO RESERVE A TABLE

Please send your RSVP to Dena Bauman, Director of Career Services,  mailto:dbauman@udc.edudbauman@udc.edu. Please be SURE to include the name of the person attending, your organization, street/mailing address, phone, fax and email, and your organization's web site. Please also attach your written internship description.

Guest parking may be available.

Please email your request by January 31, 2012.