Friday, November 12, 2010

Katha's party

Well Katha Pollitt's NYAAF Benefit Party had a huge turn-out - it was SRO. Although she did promise deviled eggs and yet there was nary an egg to be found. I had to settle for crudites and wine - they had an excellent white wine served by political and social theorist Steven Lukes (Pollitt's husband) who seemed very charming. Although British men invariably seem charming - what is up with that? It can't possibly be the accent alone! Somebody needs to do a study.

She has a big apartment by New York standards, up there on the Upper West Side, the Mecca of liberal America. But even so I couldn't look at all the pictures on the wall - and she had lots of interesting stuff - because of all the people in the way.

Not surprisingly, she knows alot of authors - poets, novelists and journalists - writers from the Nation, the Village Voice and the New Yorker were on the invite list. I didn't end up speaking to any of them though - I got into a conversation with a couple of abortion doctors and a pro-choice issues media consultant, and learned all kinds of things about abortion issues.

I asked the doctors what I always ask abortion doctors - did they ever do abortions for women who were anti-choice? And they always have the same response - yes. These anti-abortion women are convinced that although abortion is wrong for all those irresponsible sluts that get knocked up and then use abortion as a form of birth control, their abortions are special cases, and medically necessary.

Then a month later they are back picketing the abortion clinic.

Such shameless hypocrisy never ceases to amaze me.

Anyway, it looks like they got a good response and lots of donations, so good job Katha & co.