THE POLITICAL WOLRD : Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)

LESA MARTIN

“What are we arguing about? This shouldn’t be hard.”—Vice President Joe Biden

Joe Biden is referring to the objection by Republicans (and only Republicans) to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) which was recently passed in the senate by 68 votes for and 31 (only Republican) votes against. The original VAWA, from 1994 advocated by then Senator Joe Biden, provides protection and legal assistance to victims of domestic violence, including aid to local law enforcement, transitional housing for battered women and youth prevention programs.

All those against reauthorizing the VAWA 2012 were Republicans who sited the updates to the Act as reason to vote no. The provisions added to the VAWA 2012 are protection of same-sex victims of domestic violence, protection of Indian women victimized by non-Indian men on reservations, and the issuing of temporary visas to undocumented victims who otherwise would be too frightened to go to the police.

In favor of VAWA 2012:

“Most police officers understand that family violence is a precursor to all other forms of violence, that children who grow up in a violent home are far more likely, as they move into adolescence and adulthood, to resort to fists, guns, knives, baseball bats or hammers to resolve differences. Cops know that early intervention can save a life.  Support for the Violence Against Women act should be non-partisan, and overwhelming.  It had been before the House of Representatives became infiltrated with an agenda to vote No on any proposal the newcomers thought would restrict freedom.  As an American man I shudder to think they could be so irresponsible.  As a human being I cannot fathom any other man, or woman, not wanting the tools in the VAWA to be available to law enforcement.”---Steve Preminger, Chair Santa Clara Democratic Party, Director Union Community Resources

Opposition to VAWA 2012 (Republicans and right-wing Christian conservative public policy groups who think the VAWA promotes anti-family, anti-religious, pro-homosexual, pro-feminist agendas):

“We know from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that there are roughly 30 factors that lead to violent, abusive behavior, most notably, anger, drug addiction, and alcohol abuse. Sadly, instead of rehabilitation programs that address those behaviors, the Violence Against Women Act promotes a feminist agenda.”—Janice Shaw Crouse, of Concerned Women for America

In favor of VAWA 2012:

"Today, like each time we have reauthorized this bill before, we passed a better Violence Against Women Act. Expanding coverage for domestic violence should never have been controversial. Where a person lives, who they love, or what their citizenship status may be should not determine whether or not their perpetrators are brought to justice."--- Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.)

In opposition to VAWA 2012:

“This nicely titled legislation destroys the family by obscuring real violence in order to promote the feminist agenda.  It also creates new protections for homosexuals.”--- legislation and advocacy arm of Concerned Women for America.

Opposing VAWA is "a vote against big government and inefficient spending, and a vote in favor of state autonomy and local control."--- Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) who voted No

Really.  Can you, Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), tell that to an abused, beaten, stalked, raped woman? “You’re on your own missy:  find your own shelter, get and pay for your own legal assistance, keep the abuser away by yourself, that’s your problem. Now---we don’t want big government and inefficient spending, do we little lady.”

P.S. On the Ongoing Agenda to Destroy Planned Parenthood:

Gov. Jan Brewer of Arizona recently cut off funding to Arizona’s Planned Parenthood, saying that she wanted to make sure that no tax money pays for abortion. But it’s already law in Arizona that no public money can fund abortions. 

(Gov. Jan Brewer is also a member of the National Rifle Association, and against same-sex marriage.)

HuffPost, Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Overwhelmingly Passes Senate, by Jennifer Bendery

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/26/violence-against-women-act-passes-senate_n_1456839.html

New York Times, For Senate Democrats, Vote Revolves Around Women, by Jennifer Steinhauer. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/19/us/politics/for-senate-democrats-election-revolves-around-women.html?_r=1

Concerned Women for America

http://www.cwalac.org/article_1128.shtml

Concerned Women for America: The Violence Against Women Act Should Outrage Decent People http://www.usnews.com/debate-club/should-the-violence-against-women-act-be-reauthorized/the-violence-against-women-act-should-outrage-decent-people

HuffPost, Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer Signs Planned Parenthood Funding Ban

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/05/arizona-gov-jan-brewer-si_n_1481404.html

The Woman Behind the Politic World Section:

Lesa Martin, after retiring from a career of professional ballet and graduating from UCLA, has sparked a wonderful career as a multi-media artist. She has shown her work in the SF Momma Rental Gallery, and has many ambitious plans concerning enticing new paintings people are itching to see! Multi-faceted Mrs. Martin is also deeply engaged with politics, nose buried in the New York Times daily. Here, she brings us a real, accessible woman's perspective on politics. Enjoy!