03/08/2015 archive

This is your morning Open Thread. Pour your favorite beverage and review the past and comment on the future.

Find the past “On This Day in History” here.

March 8 is the 67th day of the year (68th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 298 days remaining until the end of the year.

On this day in 1911, International Women’s Day is launched in Copenhagen, Denmark, by Clara Zetkin, leader of the Women’s Office for the Social Democratic Party in Germany.

International Women’s Day (IWD), originally called International Working Women’s Day is marked on the 8th of March every year. It is a major day of global celebration of women. In different regions the focus of the celebrations ranges from general celebration of respect, appreciation and love towards women to a celebration for women’s economic, political and social achievements.

Started as a Socialist political event, the holiday blended in the culture of many countries, primarily Eastern Europe, Russia, and the former Soviet bloc. In many regions, the day lost its political flavour, and became simply an occasion for men to express their love for women in a way somewhat similar to a mixture of Mother’s Day and St Valentine’s Day. In other regions, however, the original political and human rights theme designated by the United Nations runs strong, and political and social awareness of the struggles of women worldwide are brought out and examined in a hopeful manner.

The first IWD was observed on 19 March 1911 in Germany following a declaration by the Socialist Party of America. The idea of having an international women’s day was first put forward at the turn of the 20th century amid rapid world industrialization and economic expansion that led to protests over working conditions.

In 1910, Second International held the first international women’s conference in Copenhagen (in the labour-movement building located at Jagtvej 69, which until recently housed Ungdomshuset). An ‘International Women’s Day’ was established. It was suggested by the important German Socialist Clara Zetkin, although no date was specified. The following year, 1911, IWD was marked by over a million people in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland, on March 19. In the West, International Women’s Day was first observed as a popular event after 1977 when the united Nations General Assembly invited member states to proclaim March 8 as the UN Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace.

Demonstrations marking International Women’s Day in Russia proved to be the first stage of the Russian Revolution of 1917.

Following the October Revolution, the Bolshevik Alexandra Kollontai persuaded Lenin to make it an official holiday in the Soviet Union, and it was established, but was a working day until 1965. On May 8, 1965 by the decree of the USSR Presidium of the Supreme Soviet International Women’s Day was declared a non working day in the USSR “in commemoration of the outstanding merits of Soviet women in communistic construction, in the defense of their Fatherland during the Great Patriotic War, in their heroism and selflessness at the front and in the rear, and also marking the great contribution of women to strengthening friendship between peoples, and the struggle for peace. But still, women’s day must be celebrated as are other holidays.”

2015 International Women’s Day

The UN theme for International Women’s Day 2015 is “Make It Happen”.

“Punting the Pundits” is an Open Thread. It is a selection of editorials and opinions from around the news medium and the internet blogs. The intent is to provide a forum for your reactions and opinions, not just to the opinions presented, but to what ever you find important.

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The Sunday Talking Heads:

This Week with George Stephanopolis: The guests on Sunday’s “This Week” are: former Secretary of State Colin Powell; Ferguson Mayor James Knowles; and Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi.

The roundtable guests are: Democratic strategist Donna Brazile; Mark Halperin and John Heilemann, managing editors of Bloomberg Politics; former Bush White House communications director Nicolle Wallace.

Face the Nation with Bob Schieffer: MR. Schieffer’s guests are: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY);  Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC); Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY); Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC); and Benjamin Crump, the attorney for Trayvon Martin’s and Michael Brown’s families.

His panel guests are: Ruth Marcus, Washington Post; Gerald Seib, The Wall Street Journal; April Ryan, American Urban Radio Networks; and CBS News State Department correspondent Margaret Brennan.

Meet the Press with Chuck Todd: This Sunday on “MTP” the guests are: Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA); Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC); Rep. John Lewis (D-GA); Curt Schilling, Former Major League Baseball Pitcher; and Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO).

The roundtable guests are: Jonathan Martin, The New York Times; Kathleen Parker, The Washington Post; Manu Raju, POLITICO; and Amy Walter, The Cook Political Report   .

State of the Union: Michael Smerconish hosts this Sunday’s “SOTU.” His guests are former U.S. Ambassador Scott Gration; Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA); Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA); Lanny Davis; S.E. Cupp; former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales; LZ Granderson; rormer Senator and Vietnam veteran Bob Kerrey; and author David Maraniss.

Reliable Sources: Brian Stelter is host. His guests are:  JFKFacts.org editor Jefferson Morley; NYU journalism professor Jay Rosen;  BuzzFeed editor-in-chief Ben Smith; Sen. Al Frankin;  Byron Allen, the CEO of Entertainment Studios(D-MI); and Beau Willimon, creator of Netflix’ “House of Cards.”

Obama praises Selma ‘heroes’ 50 years after march

      7 hours ago

BBC

US President Barack Obama has marked the 50th anniversary of the Selma civil rights march in Alabama by paying tribute to the “heroes” who took part.

He delivered a speech commemorating “Bloody Sunday” on 7 March 1965, when security forces attacked black demonstrators in the city.

Mr Obama said the marchers, who were campaigning for equal voting rights, had “given courage to millions”.

His wife Michelle and about 100 members of Congress also attended the event.

“Because of what they did, the doors of opportunity swung open not just for African-Americans, but for every American,” he said, standing in front of the Edmund Pettus Bridge where the violence took place.

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Breakfast Tune: Dubliners – banjo medley (reels)

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In a funny 20 minute segment on HBO’s “Last Week Tonight,” host John Oliver exposed the disastrous state of America’s infrastructure. From bridges on the verge of collapse, killer pot holes and un-inspected damns, John makes it hilariously apparent, “We aren’t just flirting with disaster, we’re rounding third base and asking if disaster has any condoms.”

America, got condoms?