Thank you Jana Mackey

I was lazily checking on Facebook from my Treo when I noticed one of my BFFs updates "...appalled that a friend's life could end in such a manner." And I immediately called her to find out who she had lost. This is the woman she lost...that WE lost:Jana Lynne Mackey. Above is a screen shot from a piece that ran in Lawrence, Kansas in 2004 just as the contingent that she helped organize to the March for Women's Lives. How did we lose such a beautiful & strong woman?

Apparently her ex-boyfriend killed her and then the fucker killed himself.

There is a Facebook group for Jana and as soon as I hit publish, I'm joining.

One on hand, my friend, Kat, was not close to Jana. She knew her the way we know so many of us...from events, emails, etc. But Jana had gone back to school to earn a law degree so she could be a better advocate for women in violent relationships. Ironic, eh? We, the world, the feminist movement, the anti-violence movement, has lost a shining star. Click on her photo and watch the clip. She just glows at her accomplishment and of helping to organize so many people in a state that has it's own book on how fucked up it is.

I want to cry about this. But I'm too mad to even cry over this tragedy.

Technorati tags: Jana Mackey, violence against women, feminism