A Seattle woman who created a social media campaign around women sharing that they've had abortions says she had to go into hiding after receiving death threats. Then, this weekend marks the 20th anniversary of the verdict in the OJ Simpson double murder trial. Also, high school football participation has declined.
De-stigmatizing abortion after September's heated debates
Following last week's heated discussion over the potential defunding of Planned Parenthood back in October, and news that a Seattle woman behind the #ShoutYourAbortion campaign had gone into hiding after receiving death threats, AirTalk asked its audience how we might de-escalate the conversation.
The idea behind #ShoutYourAbortion had been to de-stigmatize the issue by convincing more women to disclose their abortions. But social media may not be the best place to express nuanced and sometimes complex feelings about ending a pregnancy.
For abortion rights supporters, the question was whether you can de-stigmatize the concept without oversimplifying what's a complex and emotional process for some women.
We asked listeners who've had an abortion how they decided whether to share that information - did they feel obligated to speak out? Or was it something they felt pressured to keep silent about? The responses we received overwhelmed us with their compassion, clarity, and openness.
Have a story to share? Let us know in the comments or on our Facebook page.
Layla in Temecula
Layla had an abortion when she was younger and is now married with three children. She says she doesn’t feel ashamed about her decision, but is afraid to talk about her experience because of how she may be judged by people in her conservative community.
“[My Husband] told me, ‘You know, I accept you. I love you. At the time, you needed to do it. But that guilt, it needs to go away...” That’s what we feel sometimes. Women, we’re judged so harshly. At the time, [it wasn't] just my fault. What about the person who didn’t want to take care of that child with me?”
Carmen in Sherman Oaks
Carmen tried to get pregnant for years. When she finally did, she was expecting twins, but got some devastating news. The twins would be born with a rare chromosomal abnormality and it was likely that they would spend their lives in and out of hospital care. Carmen says her decision to have an abortion was made out of love.
"It was all very traumatic … I wish that, people get abortions for all kinds of reasons, not just because they don’t wanna to have a child and I don’t talk about this normally because of that, because I’m afraid to be judged and all of the things that go with that. But for me, I feel like I had the abortion because I love my children so much that I didn’t want to give them that life.”
Bella in Glendale
Bella had an abortion when she was 22 years old. She says she felt rushed into the procedure and didn’t have enough information before making her decision. She says she would have given birth if she had asked for help and talked about her options.
“I was shocked. If I had opened up and talked to somebody I’m sure—I just needed some time and space and I did not have that. It’s the only thing I’ve done in my life that I regret.”
Sally in Sherman Oaks
Sally became pregnant in the 1970’s, before abortion was legalized, so she put her baby up for adoption. She describes her experience as “the worst thing that can happen to a woman.”
“It’s so important for every woman to know what she can about access to an abortion because I believe that it’s more painful to give birth and lose your child, than to have a simple medical procedure.”
Guest:
Maria La Ganga, Seattle bureau chief for the Los Angeles Times; she’s been reporting on the #shoutyourabortion campaign
Where were you when - remembering the OJ verdict as cultural flashpoint
This weekend marks the 20th anniversary of the verdict in the OJ Simpson double murder trial.
LA history is full of internationally famous trials, but the Simpson trial may top the list. The acquittal shocked many Angelenos, who thought it obvious that Simpson stabbed to death his ex-wife and her male friend in a jealous rage. But for those closely watching the trial, there was far less surprise.
But what was fascinating was how strongly people felt about the verdict. A case that had no bearing on most people’s lives, symbolized so much -- fame, money, domestic violence, race, the criminal justice system -- OJ had it all.
Today on the program we’re remembering that cultural flashpoint. Offices, schools, barber shops -- many stopped and stood still to watch the verdict. Where were you that day? Call us at 866-893-5722, leave your comment or tweet us at #OJverdict
Guest:
Patt Morrison, KPCC contributor and columnist for the Los Angeles Times
‘Road diet’ rage prompts petition for rollback
Residents of Silver Lake say the real-world experience of a 'road diet' on its busy streets shows the theoretical plan to reduce traffic collisions and increase bike and pedestrian access is not feasible.
Viral videos of packed side streets, loud neighborhood hearings, and a Change.org petition have caught the attention of city officials. However, the L.A. Department of Transportation says this particular 'road diet' - which saw two lanes reduced to one in each direction and added a bike lane - has enjoyed a 50 percent reduction in traffic incidents since its implementation.
Officials say people are upset because during rush hour, commuters avoid the slimmed-down lane by taking side streets. Still, solutions are being discussed.
In order to reverse 'road diets,' there would need be City Council action.
What would change the political will in this policy arena? With LA City moving forward with its Mobility Plan and aspirations for "Vision Zero" fatality reductions, does the focus need to be on keeping side streets inaccessible to commuters? What role are navigation apps playing in the neighborhood congestion?
Guests:
Tim Fremaux, Transportation Engineering Associate, Los Angeles Department of Transportation
Daily fantasy sports: A fun new way to play or gambling masquerading as skill?
Playing in a season-long fantasy football league with a bunch of your coworkers is so yesterday.
These days, it’s all about daily fantasy sports, where players have the chance to win huge sums of real money and don’t have to worry about remembering to set lineups every week or strategize long-term over the course of a season.
But with the skyrocketing popularity of sites like DraftKings & FanDuel, there’s been a lot of discussion about whether or not daily fantasy sports leagues should be considered gambling, which is frowned upon by most pro sports leagues. However, the N.F.L has apparently signed a marketing deal with DraftKings, which means you’ll probably start to see N.F.L players appearing in their ads.
If you’re unfamiliar, here’s how daily fantasy leagues work: you sign up for a free account on the site and then decide what sport you want to play. ‘Tis the season, so let’s say football.
You then choose between a variety of contests that feature different prize values, participant numbers, and entry fees.
Once you pick your league, you’re given a ‘salary cap’ and may choose from a list of the week’s active players, each of whom cost a certain amount of money. You have to build your roster while staying within your salary cap and then you earn points based on how well the actual players perform.
The prizes are real money. DraftKings says it’s guaranteeing $1 billion in payouts this year. Your chances of winning big? Not great.You’re more likely to spend more on entry fees than you ever win, because those who do win the large sums have algorithms working for them.
So, why doesn’t this qualify as gambling? The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 categorized fantasy sports as a game of skill, not chance, and therefore it’s legal.
Should daily fantasy sports be considered gambling? Why or why not? Do you play in daily fantasy leagues? How have you fared? Do you think daily fantasy sports leagues are detrimental to professional sports?
Guests:
Darren Heitner, founder of Heitner Legal, P.L.L.C., a sports and entertainment law firm based in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. He’s also a Forbes contributor, his latest piece is titled “The Hyper Growth of Daily Fantasy Sports Is Going To Change Our Culture And Our Laws”
Dustin Gouker, reporter covering daily fantasy sports for LegalSportsReport.com, a website covering the U.S.’s legal online sports wagering industry
Toni Gemayel, co-founder and CEO of FanJam, a mobile daily fantasy basketball game where users compete against friends in head-to-head matchups for cash
Severe injury concerns may be causing sharp decline in youth football participation
In states like Texas where it’s religion and elsewhere around the country at schools that can afford and field a program, football is basically king when it comes to high school sports.
It’s the game that highlights homecoming weekend, the best teams from around the country each year are featured on national television, and blue chip recruits get to make a big deal out of choosing which school they’ll attend.
Recently, participation numbers paint a very different picture about the status and future of high school football, even in states where it is a huge part of local community and culture.
While there isn’t specific data on how many high schools have ended football, a number of schools have nixed their programs because not enough kids tried out. Concerns have intensified in the last several weeks, particularly after tragedy struck in New Jersey, where the quarterback of the Warren Hills Regional High School team, Evan Murray, crumpled to the ground on the field and later died after taking a hit.
His death was ruled accidental and was attributed not to head trauma, but to a lacerated spleen that was larger than it should have been, making it more vulnerable to injury. Evan is one of three high school players to die so far this year. Last year, there were five fatalities at the high school level directly related to football.
Still, not everyone is ready to attribute the decline in participation to injury risk. Other sports like soccer and lacrosse are becoming more popular, and kids are opting for those sports instead.
What do you think is contributing to the decline in youth football participation? Are the injury risks associated with football grave enough to argue that more school should consider ending the programs? Are schools locally cutting back their programs?
Guests
Roger Blake, executive director of the California Interscholastic Federation, the state’s governing body for high school sports
Sean Gregory, senior writer at TIME Magazine covering sports