Tenured Radical gives an excellent first-hand account of her encounter with protesters at last weekend’s march at the nation’s capital.

via Historiann (and many others).  I’ve been sitting in my office most of the day thinking about how to craft something that recognizes Ted Kennedy’s many flaws when it came to women (e.g. the Chappaquiddik accident), while also acknowledging his accomplishments, but as usual, Historiann beat me too it.

Here’s some other blog entries with which I agree:

From Our Bodies, Our Blog:  “Remembering Senator Kennedy’s Work on Behalf of All,” “Tribute to Senator Edward Kennedy, Healthcare Champion.”

Inside Higher Ed reminded me that Kennedy was a champion of Title IX and Affirmative Action.

From Pam’s House Blend.

From Postbourgie.

From Edge of the American West.

And a round-up of other posts from Reproductive Health Reality Check.

Added later:  From Feminist Majority:

Feminist Movement Loses a Dear Friend and Champion
Statement of Feminist Majority President Eleanor Smeal on the Death of Senator Edward M. Kennedy

For decades, Senator Edward M. Kennedy was a champion of women’s rights. For years, when few other Senators would take women’s rights seriously, the women’s movement could count on Senator Kennedy. In struggle after struggle, the women’s movement could turn to Senator Kennedy and his dedicated and talented staff to lead the fight in Congress. Behind the scenes, Senator Kennedy would sit down with the leaders and activists of the women’s and civil rights movements and strategize. He was indefatigable and, whether in the Senate in the majority or minority, he had the undying hope and the know-how to move ahead, pass legislation to help millions, and work for a better day.

In legislative battle after battle, Senator Kennedy never let down the women’s movement. We did not always win – but we were always stronger because of his passion, wise council, unparalleled legislative skill, and inspiration. As a women’s rights leader who had the privilege of working with Senator Kennedy in many of those struggles for decades, to say we will miss his brilliant leadership is a gross understatement. But, of course, the dream never dies, the fight goes on, and we will never forget Senator Kennedy and his indomitable spirit.

Senator Kennedy, who was the principal sponsor of more landmark legislation than any other Senator in U.S. history, led the fight in much historic legislation for women’s rights, civil rights, and human services, including:

• The Equal Rights Amendment Extension Act of 1978, which provided more time to pass the ERA.
• Minimum wage laws that impacted women.
• The Pregnancy Discrimination Act, which prohibited discrimination against pregnant women and revered the Supreme Court decision that permitted discrimination against women in the workforce.
• The Civil Rights Restoration Act, which restored the scope of Title IX and reversed the Grove City Supreme Court case that had gutted Title IX.
• The Voting Rights Act of 1965
• The Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE), which protected reproductive health care providers.
• The Family Medical Leave Act, which provided 12 weeks unpaid job-protected leave to workers for newborn care, adoption or faster care, or illness of the worker or her/his spouse, child, or parent.
• The Civil Rights Act of 1991, which provided to women workers the right to collect damages in sex discrimination cases.
• The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which reversed the Roberts Supreme Court decision that gutted the ability of women workers to sue for wage discrimination.
• Numerous health care measures including stem cell research, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (S-CHIP), the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the Mental Health Parity Act, and reproductive health funding.

By now, many of you have no doubt heard about the boycott of Whole Foods, launched by Single Payer Action in response to an editorial in the Wall Street Journal by Whole Food CEO John Mackey.   I do agree that there are parts of this article that are aggravating (I made a smart-assed remark on Facebook about him saying “let them eat arugula”).  His argument about preventing disease through good eating habits has some merit, but it overlooks a major reason why folks on low incomes don’t eat nutritious foods — they’re too expensive.

The recent film, Food, Inc., has an excellent segment about a low-income Hispanic family who find it cheaper to buy dollar meals at McDonalds than to buy fruits and vegetables at the local supermarket.  Not surprisingly, two family members have diabetes.  Since they lack health insurance, they have to choose between medication and food (and other necessities).  So, the cycle worsens.  The film also nicely explains how agricultural policies have ensured that fattening foods are cheaper than healthy ones.

Yet the film doesn’t offer many solutions as to how to make healthy, locally grown foods more affordable (okay it does talk about Walmart selling organic foods, but that doesn’t really tackle the issue at hand).  Neither does the Whole Foods boycott site.  They offer alternative places to shop, but they don’t address the issue of cost.

I don’t shop at Whole Foods because it’s too expensive (hence the epithet “Whole Paycheck”) and a lot of their stuff is trucked in from large organic megafarms, not local producers. I’m happy to support local farmers — many are literally my neighbors — but the price is significantly higher than the supermarket.  I’m fortunate to have a well-paying, tenured job, but what about those on fixed incomes?  Yes, low income people need affordable health insurance, but they also need the ability to buy wholesome food.

Courtesy of Color of Change via Facebook: