Dear President-Elect

Congratulations. Guerrilla Girls On Tour takes partial credit for your being elected the 44th President of the United States.

You see we are a touring theatre company that humorously addresses issues that effect women. For the past 8 years we’ve been hitting President Bush hard on his anti-woman policies and more recently we’ve worked on skits and songs about John McCain’s 97% anti-choice voting record. We urged our audiences to Vote Obama! OK, so we did do a bit about you and Hillary acting out a scene from “Waiting For Godot” which was very funny. But we promise that we’ll only use you in our future shows if you need to be reminded that women need access to health care, reproductive rights, protection against violence and discrimination, and pay equity. I am certain that you won’t forget us.

In closing we are inspired by your promise to work for change, to lift up those who are still disenfranchised and to make our country once again great for all women and men.

Good luck and Goddess speed.

Guerrilla Girls On Tour!
www.ggontour.com
© 2008

My Fellow Feminists

Going to Pittsburgh, I felt the pressure of the election; being that it is so close to the voting date. Obama's and McCain's supporters are everywhere, everywhere, everywhere! You can tell the Pittsburgh/Washington community is torn between the two political parties. I saw the McCain and Obama campaign signs all over Washington Jefferson College campus and surrounding areas. However, our message to vote was only heard by a moderate-sized audience when we performed "Feminists are Funny". I hope our message was clear and that they will vote... for Obama. ; )
I really want Obama to win. I just can't deal with another Republican President; someone who doesn't care about poor and middle class issues, health insurance coverage, affordable education, and unemployment. Everyday I read in the news that people are losing their jobs and homes. It's enough to make me lose my mind. That's why if Obama doesn't win, I vow I am moving to Toronto sometime next year. Sorry people, but that's what I have to do, since citizens of this country are not listening to the truth of the matter; and the truth of the matter is McCain can afford to lose one of his seven houses, whereas I just need a place to sleep! I'll be moving to a country where I can get free education, free health coverage, and more job opportunities. I can honestly say I have tried to be a force for change; from protesting against the war in Iraq, to writing our Senators and congressmen and women about issues of concern to me. I feel sad as I write this, because I don't know what is going to happen come Nov 4th. All I know is, it's time for change!!!!

Frances Harper
www.ggontour.com

This Shilly-Shallying is Absurd!

I interrupted my evening of revisiting my lines from "The Important of Being Ernest" to watch the third Presidential debate. Even though I won't be voting (because I’m dead) I do like to keep up with these things. The Senator from Illinois' name is Barack Obama and his wife's name is Michelle Obama. If you don't know, even at this stage, it's better to ask than remain ignorant.

Senator Obama, Senator McCain, Lily Ledbetter - THE EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT WAS NEVER PASSED IN THE UNITED STATES.

I wonder where they got those lovely water glasses?

Troops to Teachers - Just because it employs triple alliteration doesn't make it a good idea. (PTSD + children? See where I'm going with this?) I do want to add that even though Senator McCain said "with no evaluations or certification" - the Ed.gov site does work to get the soldier’s certificate, qualifications and licenses - which makes me feel a little better.)

I learned a new phrase "The Great Society." (I am not originally from this country.)

At least no one talked about cutting funds to the Arts when talking about trimming corners.

The only Joe I want any follow up on is Senator Joe Biden.

47 MILLION AMERICANS ARE WITHOUT HEALTH INSURANCE.

THE UNITED STATES SPENDS MORE MONEY PER CAPITA ON EDUCATION THAN ANY OTHER NATION.

My favorite quote:

Senator Obama - "I don't think America's youth is a special interest group."

Well the kettle is boiling, so I must be off. I think a nice oolong ought to pick me up.

As always,

Edith Evans


P.S. Please excuse my previous blog where I misspelled traveled as traveled. Thank you.

I’ve got a headache…give me a third term abortion

In the third and final (thank goddess) debate, John McCain addressed the issue of abortion. He used his fingers to put quotes around the words -- health of the mother -- stating emphatically that the “ ‘health of the mother’ is stretched by pro-abortionists to mean just about anything.” Just about anything? Just about ANYTHING? Are you saying that a pregnant woman with a whopper of a head ache in her third trimester would seriously consider Advil, acupuncture and abortion on the same list of remedies? What a sexist insult. My health and the health of every women in America, including during pregnancy, should be a concern for anyone running for president. It does not belong between McCain’s or anyone elses fingers. Senator McCain, I “think” you just “threw away” all those “Hillary” votes you were “counting” on.

-Aphra Behn
www.ggontour.com

GGOT SEASON OPENS

We opened our 2008-09 touring season at Oakland Community College in Farmington Hills, just outside of Detroit, on October 3rd, 2008. Julia Child and Josephine Baker joined me in the new version of our show "Feminists Are Funny" which we performed at the Smith Theatre on campus to a raucous crowd. We had added many new bits to the show that we performed for the first time – notably our Sarah Palin song “My Name Is Sarah Palin” sung to the tune of “The Times They Are A Changin”. Luckily McCain pulled out of Michigan the day before – I think he caught wind of our performance – and thus, we were able to quickly come up with the “John McCain Blues” on the flight from LGA to end the show. We all agreed that Michigan was too “blue” for McCain and believed that a blues number would be an appropriate send off. Here’s a bit of that song:

I AM A PRO CHOICE WOMAN
BUT MY RIGHTS ARE MOVING SLOW
INSTEAD OF CONTRACEPTION
JOHN WANTS ME TO JUST SAY NO
I GOT THE MCCAIN BLUES
IT’S LIKE THE PRO CHOICE BLUES
IT’S MY BODY AND MY CHOICE
BUT NOT WITH JOHN MCCAIN

In sisterhood,
- Aphra Behn
- www.ggontour.com