THIS ACTION ALERT HAS EXPIRED

How many stories have you read about Swine Flu that include the perspective of mothers?  The mothers who will tend to the sick children, who are asked by authorities and others to stay home and keep sick children home, but who have no paid sick days and no paid family leave to care for sick family members? 

And why isn’t the government responding to the epidemic of men’s violence against women with the same vigor as they are responding to Swine Flu? (read 52 days of Domestic Violence Flu )

Have you seen this headline that reports two toddlers were murdered by their father and doesn’t even mention that their mother was murdered, too?

Have you noticed how the media jumps to the conclusion that the bad economy is pushing perfectly fine men to murder their wives and children, instead of looking at the history of family violence?  (to say nothing of the millions of mothers who live in poverty, or lost their jobs and yet aren’t committing mass murder)

Or how about this article by the Associated Press, just days before Mothers Day – reporting on the President’s plans for Fathers Day?

The invisibility of mothers and the issues that most effect mothers’ lives both reflects and perpetuates our society’s undervaluing of mothers – an undervaluing that allows men’s violence against them to continue unrecognized, unaddressed, and unabated.

Mothers may be invisible to the mainstream media, but Stop Family Violence sees you.  And we know that for many of you, this day is not easy.

We know some of you are mothers whose children or grandchildren have been killed by the men who purported to love them.  Some of you are mothers who have lost custody or contact with your children because of the biased family court’s rulings against you.  Some of you sit in jail cells right now because of your desperate efforts to rescue your children and keep them from harm.

Others are this moment enduring men’s violence, and wondering how you’ll be able to escape, when the economy makes it hard to find a job, affordable housing is hard to come by, and domestic violence shelters are full.  And many, many, many of you struggle not just today, but everyday, to put food on the table – skipping meals when necessary -- so that your babies don’t go hungry.

We also know that you are courageous, resourceful and strong.  We know you are smart and we know you have something to say, and that what you have to say needs to be heard.  Mothers need to be visible, listened to, and active in movements for change.

This year, instead of the card buying, candy giving, flower filled frenzy that Mother’s Day has become—so far from the call for peace Julia Ward Howe and Anna Jarvis conceived of the holiday to be -  let’s honor Mothers by making visible the reality of both mother’s heroism and mother’s struggles.

Make Mother’s Day a day of action to increase the visibility of Mothers by making your voice heard.

Tell your story, what you want to change, what you need and what you think other mothers need, and put it in an email to the President, Vice President, your legislators, and leaders at the Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Justice, Department of Labor, and the President's new Office on Women and Girls. 

Instead of sending cards and candy, let’s truly honor Mothers by making visible your plight, your efforts, your stories and your dreams for Mothers everywhere.   ACT NOW!! (This action alert has expired)