If you don’t know who Kate Looby is at this point, I’d be worried you might have incurred a head injury. Kate, immortalized in the annals of national abortion political history forever as the anti-Leslee, pretty much singlehandedly held the South Dakota women’s issue reigns for years leading up to the  ’06 ban and beyond. She ran for Secretary of State, served as the State Director of South Dakota Planned Parenthood, was involved in her community and church, and all while being a mother of four. She was the public face of reproductive health and rights, target of the crazies, and the impetus for a lot of us getting involved. Kate kicked ass, took names, and made us all feel incredibly short and out of shape in the process. And for the past few years, another state’s been capitalizing on those Kate Looby talents. I’m frequently asked “So, what’s Kate up to these days?” Now — a la “Where Are They Now?” — she answers.

I used to think I was a liberal Democrat.

That was when I lived in South Dakota. When I moved to the Bay Area two and a half years ago, I realized that being a progressive in SD is akin to being a pretty conservative Democrat in San Francisco. Who would have ever thought I could be considered conservative? The funny thing about San Francisco politics is that there are no Republicans in elected office. The political battles aren’t between Democrats and Republicans but rather between Progressive Dems and Moderate Dems. It’s true. That’s the distinction. I’m obviously a long way fromSouth Dakota.

I can’t believe it’s been over two years since I left the extreme weather and extreme conservative politics of South Dakota to relocate in the bastion of progressive thought, the Bay Area of California. I miss my family and friends terribly but I’m very happy to report back that there truly is life after SD abortion politics.

I learned so many valuable lessons from working in a conservative state on a fundamentally basic human rights issue while I had the privilege of working for Planned Parenthood for over five years.

I learned to roll with the punches and not to take things too personally. I learned that fighting the bad guys for things you believe in is well worth the costs because it means you are protecting the good things in life for future generations.

Many of the readers of this blog are doing exactly that every day and you understand how fulfilling that work can be.  When I was battling to protect the ability for women and families to make basic decisions about their reproductive lives without government interference, I got up every single day and knew I was making a difference.  Today, I have the privilege of working for a different cause but one which is equally as important and relevant to future generations.

I currently have the honor of serving as the Chapter Director for the San Francisco Bay Chapter of the Sierra Club. My office is in Berkeley and I recently moved from San Francisco to Oakland. I’m so fortunate to help lead the clean energy revolution, protect open space, preserve habitat, develop our public transit systems and keep our air and water clean and safe. We are doing all of that and so much more.

Abortion is not a major issue on anyone’s mind here. It’s not even a blip on the screen as far as I can tell. Rather than worrying about controlling the private reproductive decisions of women and families, people are working to protect the environment and build a clean energy economy to put people back to work. It’s exciting and challenging and fun and rewarding. And I’m proud to be a part of this movement.

Preparing for parenthood can be a busy, often daunting job, right? You have to get a whole crapload of new stuff, probably redo rooms, baby proof everything, there’s the medical/birthing  piece, the finances of it all, and the list goes on and on…and probably on — and that’s just the until-the-baby-comes side of it. Then, there’s at least 18 years of actual parenting (…or 25 to 35 in the case of us Boomerangers) where the real fun starts, which – daytime TV talk shows would lead us to believe — translates to bullying, kidnapping, rainbow parties, sexting, internet porn, salvia, interventions, and angst.

Imagine if you had to take that on with three times the force.

Our good family friend Marty, who once ran into our burning house to make sure my mom and our cat were safe – true story! – and his lovely wife Ariane are buckling in for exactly that challenge: Baby A, Baby B, and – wait for it – Baby C. The two are expecting triplets. And the soon-to-be-Minnesota momma-of-three is telling us all about it. Ariane’s blog, “Growing a Family” is narrating the experience. The sort of “Life in the Day of an Expectant Triplet Mother” talks what it’s like trying to maintain a 4000 calorie per day diet to the realization of what carrying three children does to your energy and activity level…and lots of doctor visits, home renovations, and stomach acrobatics in between. DakotaReaders interested in following the local adventure are welcomed to read and follow along. Whether you’re expecting, new parents, or don’t have kids or plan to have any at all, this is an awesome opportunity to follow a pretty gripping autobiography that’s refreshingly real and based right here in the Upper Midwest. Even if Kate Plus 8 became completely un-ridiculous, it still couldn’t compare.

Ariane’s About Me:

I’m a Midwestern woman in my mid 30′s. I’ve happily gotten my college degree and my masters, traveled the world, play in a band, create art when I have the chance. I’ve married just the right man for me, and now we’re getting ready to grow our family– this is what this blog is about.

And if you’re into electronic music a la The Faint, scope out Ariane’s Minneapolis band, the Thought Thieves, who once opened for Lords of Acid – they’re fabulous.

I had the recent pleasure of meeting one hell of a lady. Driven by the social justice of her husband’s wrongful conviction, California native Caron Gugssa-Howard recently moved to SD to participate in the USD law school summer screening program in hopes of being accepted into this year’s incoming class. And her story, attitude, and open mindedness-gone-love for South Dakota inspire and refresh. Look out Conviction! There’s a way cooler version of you that partially takes place in Vermillion!

Read, share, and make sure to show some South Dakota love and follow Caron’s husband’s freedom project. Or — better yet — while you’re waiting out the heat wave in the AC, you could also write a letter on her husband’s behalf.

Caron Gugssa, Freedom Fighter

Caron Gugssa-Howard was born and raised in Oakland, CA where she graduated from Oakland Technical High School and went to complete undergraduate education at Emmanuel College in Boston, MA. Caron has held many occupations but currently works in education, helping to assist minority students obtain college scholarships. Caron is a fun-loving person who loves to bake, help others and spoil her cat.

Why University of South Dakota

Choosing the University of South Dakota was easy.  The university was nowhere near home and even better, one of its clinics is the Innocence Project of South Dakota.  I wanted to participate in the study of law somewhere where I would be able to focus with little to no distractions, allowing me to focus on my goal: to successfully complete law school.  Secondly, my desire to be a public servant by helping wrongfully convicted inmates was equally important. My interest in this arena of justice is driven by own life experience — both good and bad. Starting with the latter, I am the wife of a wrongfully convicted inmate, who is currently serving his sentence in a California State Prison.  I spent a number of years trying to hire an attorney to take his case or trying to enlist private investigators to help discover some form of new evidence. This process was physically and emotionally taxing; between the unspoken—spoken judgment, countless consultations, the lack of returned phone calls, the taking of money with a promise to render services, the astronomical amounts of money requested and the blatant disregard for my feelings—it all became too much.

Where Life and Law Meet

I forced myself to step back and once I did, I realized I was looking outside myself for answers and actions from others, when performing these tasks on my own was not impossible to accomplish.  Granted, it would include an additional degree, skill, time and most important, dedication, but I was up for the challenge. While in the process of studying for the LSAT and applying to schools, I still worked on my husband’s case, helping him to file petitions, contact witnesses and investigate new evidence to support his release. There were many people who thought it was impossible, and at times I thought it was too. But the events, circumstances and people that began to show up in my life were a true testament that giving up or going back to relying on others to give me the results I wanted was not an option.  The dream of giving my husband his freedom back had become bigger than me — bigger than he — and this is when I realized I had the skill and drive to help many others in my husband’s same situation.

USD Law Screener…and Proud

Of the many things that began to show up in my life, one was envelope from the USD School of Law that appeared in the mail. At first glance it appeared to be your run of the mill denial letter…and to some degree it was. I then noticed additional pages (which were not customary of law school denial letters).  In folding the letter back into the envelope I noticed the materially distinguishable word in any law school denial letter: however! While some may have read that however with disdain, I became emotionally overwhelmed with feelings of immediate appreciation when I realized that I was invited to participate in the USD School of Law summer law screening program.  That lone word however spelled out the following: we see potential. We want to help cultivate your potential. Your story is amazing, we could use your experience and we want you here at USD. USD afforded me a second chance to tell a different story, that which my GPA and LSAT could never tell, and for that I am eternally indebted to USD.

As one whose potential cannot be quantified by numbers but is best qualified by exposure, the USD Law Screening program was perfectly suited for me.  Having completed the program last week, my appreciation for USD School of Law has grown immensely. I could not have asked for a better pre-law experience.  The professors were awesome and displayed a sincere interest in wanting to see all screeners succeed by providing a learning environment that was both supportive and academically challenging.  While there were a few days I refereed internal talks between myself and my passions (as I sat tucked in a study carrel in the law library), I realized the work was accomplishable and chose to plow through it with the same drive and ambition that has landed me a seat at USD as a law screener.  I completed the program not feeling defeated but with a feeling of accomplishment and pride. My assurance lies in the countless hours I studied, prepared briefs, took notes and listened to my professors with excitement and enthusiasm.  For this reason, it is my sincere hope that I am able to continue my legal education in South Dakota.

South Dakota by way of California

While walking through campus or even in the city Vermillion, I met some of the most genuine people I have ever encountered and made connections that will more likely than not last my lifetime. Life is good in South Dakota and in my short stay I began to appreciate all that it is…and all that it isn’t. Coming to South Dakota, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect –I just knew not to expect it to be anything like Oakland or even California for that matter.  Initially, I was apprehensive about coming to South Dakota, because there aren’t many places I have traveled and I didn’t know anyone.  Nevertheless, this was South Dakota for me.  I would tell people I was headed to South Dakota and they would gasp saying “South Dakota—what?!” This did not help the apprehension, but I was eager to see what South Dakota was all about and what it had to offer.  Not after long, I realized America’s heartland was filled with peace of mind, convivial citizens, lush greenery and most enthralling, a desire to be nothing more or nothing less than a pure South Dakotan. I have come to LOVE South Dakota and since my stay, have convinced many others that South Dakota has a lot more to offer than just Mount Rushmore. I stand by my own feelings and observations when I say the real tourist attraction lie in South Dakota’s people and its pride.

Sadly, my favorite soap All My Children has been cancelled. It’s tragic — I know Anna feels me. People look down on soaps, but besides the exciting storytelling (evil twins! demon possession! multiple marriages!), soap operas can be educational, too. Take for example, this great explanation of HPV from last week. Talk about ripped from the headlines!

In news that should shock no one who has even a vague understanding of Constitutional law, Eighth Circuit Judge Karen Schreier has granted a preliminary injunction that will keep HB 1217, the total horseshit bill that would force women to hang out with Leslee Unruh before getting an abortion, from going into effect, as it likely violates both the 1st and 14th Amendments. Duh.

I know that it’s a popular thing in the pro-choice movement to run around like chickens with our heads cut off every time a ridiculous bill like this is passed, but did anyone seriously think this thing would actually become the law of the land? At least at the Eighth Circuit level, I think Judge Schreier has demonstrated multiple times that she is a) not blind and b) literate. If such a blatantly crazy piece of legislation were to be upheld higher up, we have a lot more to worry about than who’s registered on the official state List O’ CPCs (you know, like if Justice Kennedy has one of those horrible behavior changing brain tumors).

Still, it’s always nice to see Leslee and Roger Hunt thwarted, and Schreier’s decision has some great sections:

“Forcing a woman to divulge to a stranger at a pregnancy help center the fact that she has chosen to undergo an abortion humiliates and degrades her as a human being. The woman will feel degraded by the compulsive nature of the Pregnancy Help Center requirements, which suggest that she has made the ‘wrong’ decision, has not really ‘thought’ about her decision to undergo an abortion, or is ‘not intelligent enough’ to make the decision with the advice of a physician.  Furthermore, these women are forced into a hostile environment. Aside from its compulsive nature, the hostility of the consultations is evidenced by that fact that section 5 of the Act establishes that the only entities that can be listed on the state registry of pregnancy help centers are those that routinely ‘consult[] with women for the purpose of helping them keep their relationship with their unborn children’…”

“Physicians have been and continue to be, fully capable of ensuring that the patient has not chosen to undergo an abortion against her will.”

“Because the Pregnancy Help Center Requirements only apply to women who have chosen to undergo an abortion, they do nothing to inform pregnant women who may not be seeking an abortion but are seeking information about alternatives to abortion and information about assistance for raising children.”

“The court rejects defendants’ underlying assumption that legislatures are allowed to use more intrusive means that regulate speech because the alternatives are not 100 percent successful in achieving a compelling state interest.”

“[A] woman may likely believe, rightly or wrongly, that her decision to have an abortion could become public information. And it will not matter to her that in the future she may be able to obtain legal relief from the pregnancy help center work who disclosed the information. By then it will be too late.”

“In nearly every instance where the Pregnancy Help Center Requirements are relevant, a woman who chooses to undergo an abortion will experience a high degree of degradation because she will be forced to disclose her decision to someone who is fundamentally opposed to it. Women will also be afraid of being berated, belittled, or confronted about their decision, being subsequently contacted by the pregancy help center, and having their decision to have an abortion become public information. “

“When considering the numerous substantial obstacles created by the 72 Hour Requirement, there can only be one conclusion: it creates a substantial obstacle for a large fraction of the women who choose to undergo an abortion in South Dakota.”

“There is a public interest in protecting a woman’s constitutional right to choose an abortion and in protecting the constitutional right to free speech.”

So light your sparklers, women of South Dakota! You still have a right to abortion!*

*Maybe once a week, if you’re in your first trimester, and you can take a day or two off of work, and you have transportation to get to Sioux Falls and a place to stay when you get there, and you can find someone to watch your kids, and you can get the money together, and you bring a golden egg and some magic beans.

Do yourself a favor and see this film. Or for those of you with the luxury of HBO, check your schedule. 1/2 of DW took to the TV (and a glass of wine) for tonight’s premiere and let me just say: it was an hour and a half well spent (minus the 5-ish minutes where I had to look at shitbag Karl Rove). Equal parts inspiring and depressing, it’s an activist must see. Almost all of the stories it features are women’s, too — perhaps the most disconcerting of which is that of Jamie Leigh Jones, survivor of the vicious Halliburton co-worker rape-turned-activist and founder of the JLJ Foundation.

From the website:

Seinfeld mocked it. Letterman ranked it in his top ten list. And more than fifteen years later, its infamy continues. Everyone knows the McDonald’s coffee case. It has been routinely cited as an example of how citizens have taken advantage of America’s legal system, but is that a fair rendition of the facts? Hot Coffee reveals what really happened to Stella Liebeck, the Albuquerque woman who spilled coffee on herself and sued McDonald’s, while exploring how and why the case garnered so much media attention, who funded the effort and to what end. After seeing this film, you will decide who really profited from spilling hot coffee.

"They constantly break the law without listening on the people!"

Over spring break, the DakotaWomen had the exciting experience of meeting French reporter Iris Deroeux, who, after a harrowing west river car accident and a long bus trip across the state, interviewed the four of us in Sioux Falls. The product of that interview has been published in the French fashion magazine Be (tagline: For the Now Generation — that’s us, right?).

I do not speak French, but thanks to the wonders of Google Translate, I believe this is an accurate representation of our portion of “The Coup Against Abortion.”

“The anti-abortion war is cyclical,” explain in chorus Angie, Mandy, Andy [Anna] and Kelsey, the four thirtysomething facilitators of the Blog Feminist DakotaWomen. “These are the same elected officials, conservative Catholics and evangelicals who cling since twenty years. It’s like a life preserver, failing to have taken on other things like the crisis and the level of wages extremely low in the state,” said Kelsey. “Health Women are not interested really. They are all opposed to the contraception and offer nothing in education sexual.” And the elders are joined by a new generation of deputies elected in November 2010, the famous activists Tea Party, the conservative movement, populist and hate, opposing the Obama administration. “The state should be Tea Party even before the name is in vogue,” smiled Angie, the only woman among the five Democratic senators from South Dakota. “But we are hardcore South Dakotan,” insists Kelsey. “The Phil Jensen and others will not make us flee, you have to fight to stop them to make the legislation without listening to the people.”

Besides marking another step toward DW world domination, hanging out on the Be website led to some exciting discoveries. Did you know that in France, “No Strings Attached” is called “Sex Friends” and “The Hangover II” is “The Very Bad Trip, Part Deux”?

*The Onion continues to hit it out of the park when it comes to sarcastic abortion stories.

*Apparently New Hampshire and South Dakota are the “freest” states in America…except when it comes to whether half the population has the right to decide if they want to continue a pregnancy.

*A firsthand account of what really goes on at crisis pregnancy centers. Not only did they encourage her to stay in a violent marriage, anti-choice commenters have been threatening to ‘out’ her and put her in danger from her abusive ex-husband. Way to look out for women!

*Man dies mid-rape. If only he had died pre-rape.

*I actually like Alec Baldwin (despite his general bad behavior — I did meet him once and he was very nice to me), but the phrase “modern, high functioning man” seriously makes my skin crawl.

*I missed the debate, but Anna informs us that the Republicans candidates are a bunch of clowns. From the article: “Here are things that Republicans suggested eliminating or privatizing in last night’s debate: FEMA, NASA, the EPA, the Federal Labor Relations Board, Medicaid and food stamps. Herman Cain promised not to appoint any Muslims who want to kill Americans to his cabinet. Michele Bachmann supports states rights on gay marriage, but also supports a constitutional amendment outlawing it. Newt Gingrich faults big government for the lamentable absence of manned stations on the moon. Rick Santorum wants to ‘a system of discipline’ to ‘punish’ gay soldiers, which suggests that his problem with pornographic Google results is not likely to abate. Tim Pawlenty views Iraq as ‘one of the shiniest examples of success in the Middle East.’”

*Tribal runners are on an 800 mile journey to Pipestone National Monument to request that pipestone quarried there be used only for pipes that are part of sacred tribal ceremonies and not be sold to make earrings, bracelets and other trinkets. Much like supporters of the Fighting Sioux nickname, the Monument superintendent claims there’re individual (anonymous, of course) Indians that totally support the practice.

*I don’t know if Toddlers & Tiaras is child abuse (full disclosure: I totally watch it), but it is interesting that apparently piercing a cat’s ears is “maiming, mutilating, torturing or disfiguring an animal,” but piercing a small child’s ears is not.

Earlier this year, I shared the trailer for the documentary-in-progress Ride with Larry, which will chronicle Vermillion baker Larry Smith’s battle with Parkinson’s disease and how biking has improved his life and his symptoms.

Next week, the film crew with follow Larry and other cyclists as they ride nearly 300 miles from Aberdeen to Vermillion. Larry will be meeting with Parkinson’s disease support groups along the way, starting in Aberdeen on June 21st, with the first leg ending in Webster that evening, Watertown on June 22nd, Brookings on June 23rd, and Sioux Falls on June 24th.

Anyone interested in hopping on a bike is invited to join Team Larry for the last 65 miles on June 25th at Yankton Trail Park in Sioux Falls at the parking lot closest to South Caraway Street near 57th Street. Registration opens at 7 a.m., departing at 8 a.m. for Beresford. Registration in Beresford opens at 10:15 a.m. with departure no later than 11 a.m. Being the warm, welcoming city we are, Vermillion will host a celebration for the riders featuring food and music from noon to 2:30 p.m. on the downtown plaza at Market and Main streets.

A 65 mile bike ride isn’t really my scene, but I’ll definitely be at the welcome celebration. If Larry and crew are coming through your area, even if you’re lazy like me, come out and cheer them on! For further updates, follow Ride with Larry on Twitter or Facebook.

As Weinergate continues to rage, we thought it might be good to share this PSA with our readers, especially the dudes. In case you’re thinking, “Hey, I’m not a married congressman, so it’s still totally cool for me to send pictures of my private parts to random ladies” — think again.