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South Carolina’s “Sister Senators” on finding common ground
If the walls of Sandy Senn’s office could talk, they might not have much to say anymore. The South Carolina State Senator is stripping them of their memories. Meanwhile, Senator Katrina Shealy has her 12-year political career all crammed into cardboard boxes. And we found freshman Senator Penry Gustafson sorting through emails from her soon-to-be former constituents.
All three lost in their primaries this past June.
Asked if she thinks she will get back into politics, Gustafson replied, “I don’t know.”
Earlier this summer the three said their goodbyes in the South Carolina Senate Chamber. “My farewell is conflicted, because I don’t want to go,” Gustafson said.
Shealy told her soon-to-be-former colleagues, “We’ve helped women and we’ve helped veterans, and what I’m so worried about is, who is going to do that now?”
Senn was firm: “I don’t regret a single vote that I ever took,” she said, “and I would make the vote again.”
That vote, in opposition of the state’s near-total ban on abortion, would be of little surprise if it came from Democrats. But these three are all members of the GOP.
“I’m a Republican, I think!” Shealy said. “I’m not sure right now, do they claim me or not?”
Gustafson said, “If you look at my voting record, there’s no doubt I’m a red R, but that one vote makes be a RINO baby-killer.”
“Republican In Name Only” – they heard that a lot. They didn’t just buck their party; they reached across the aisle to Margie Bright Matthews, a Democrat, and Mia McLeod, an Independent. “I’m super-proud of my sisters,” McLeod said, “because they knew what was at stake, they knew what they stood to lose, and they did it anyway.”
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This unusual coalition, on three separate occasions, successfully filibustered an abortion ban, halting its passage. Not that they agreed on everything (they didn’t), but as women and mothers, they agreed that banning an abortion at six weeks was time too little. Gustafson explained to the Senate, “We do not know when we’re pregnant, when we get pregnant.”
“If we didn’t say it on the floor, it wasn’t going to be heard,” Gustafson told “Sunday Morning.”
On the Senate floor Bright Matthews declared, “This bill is about control, using the Bible to say that you can control my body.”
“I’d say things just to rattle the men,” Bright Matthews laughed. “Like, ‘Wouldn’t you want your side piece to be able to get an abortion?’ And then all the older men just looked at me like, You don’t say things like that!“
Shealy told the 46-member Senate (41 of whom were male), “Maybe the men who wrote it know more about pregnancy than the women in this chamber who can actually get pregnant and give birth.”
Asked when they knew they were jeopardizing their political careers by filibustering the abortion bill, Shealy replied, “I knew it at the time I said it, because my party was, like, calling me and screaming at me.”
“Two hours before the vote, I was pulled off the floor, and had a very strong, intense conversation: ‘This could be a career-ending vote,'” Gustafson said.
Senn said, “I didn’t care. I had to look myself in the mirror.”
They were the only five women in the Senate, in a state that, they say, has often left women behind. Shealy said, “In 1920 they gave women the right to vote. Well, South Carolina didn’t ratify that ’til 1969, and then we didn’t put it into law until 1973. We are just a little behind.”
The filibusters were their versions of “mansplaining.” Bright Matthews said, “When someone makes a statement, ‘Well, if you’re raped or you get pregnant as the result of incest, it’s not the child’s fault; you just need to learn to love on the baby’?”
McCleod added, “That same senator held up a woman’s picture and said she told him she was ‘grateful’ to have been raped, because it was the only opportunity God gave her to conceive a child. And I almost lost it. As a survivor of sexual assault … there are no words.”
They didn’t have words for the level of anti-abortion pushback, either; taunts, personal attacks, odd gifts left in their offices, like spines that came with a note warning them to “grow one.”
Shealy took her gifted spine to the Senate floor and said, “I’ve got one hell of a spine already, but now I’ve got another backup!”
It got more intense, and even more disturbing. According to Shealy, “We had one gentleman – I’m not sure we can call him that – stands at the top of the escalator every day, and he preaches to us, he has his Bible.”
“Swings a baby around with a rope, noose around its neck,” added Senn.
The same man went to Shealy’s church, calling her a “baby killer.” “And she’s singing in the choir while he’s doing this,” Senn said.
Shealy also said she had her tires slashed, and a window in her home shot with a pellet gun. “My kids and grandkids were seeing that,” she said. “I’m glad I’m not going to be in politics, because politics are mean.”
In May of last year, the “Sister Senators” could no longer hold off the vote on what is now the state’s law: a six-week ban on abortion.
And yet, not all was lost. All five senators were recognized last year with the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award. At the presentation ceremony Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg said, “We’re fortunate to be able to gather to celebrate courageous leadership, which we need more than ever today.”
Noting her award during her goodbye speech on the Senate floor, Shealy said, “I am proud of losing this Senate race, just to get this. Because I stood up for the right thing. I stood up for women, I stood up for children, I stood up for South Carolina.”
According to Bright Matthews, the abortion restriction passed is not popular among the public. “The polling shows that 70+ percent of women in South Carolina do not want a total ban. All of us have stood up and agreed and tried to put forth a referendum to put it on the ballot; they said we can’t.”
Unlike 10 other states that will have abortion rights on the ballot in November (Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New York and South Dakota), South Carolina doesn’t allow voters that option.
What is clear is that post-Roe v. Wade, abortion rarely breaks down on clean partisan lines.
What the Sister Senators have shown is, it’s in that grey area where compromise, while costly, may not be as endangered as we all think.
“Instead of just attack someone for feeling differently on an issue, it’s better to ask why,” said Bright Matthews.
Gustafson said, “In a world of politics where we’re constantly being told we can’t do that, or we shouldn’t do that, and you’re expected to be this way, we’ve just broke that political, social mores right in half.”
“But, you paid the price for it,” said Cowan.
“We paid the price for it, but look what we have right now,” Gustafson said. “We have this national ear for the most wonderful thing of finding common ground, respect, civility in politics. That is what we gain, that is what America gains, from the Sister Senators of South Carolina.”
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Story produced by Deirdre Cohen. Editor: Ed Givnish.
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Whether you’re barreling down a mountainside or taking a leisurely ride along your local trail, a great mountain bike is key. But what exactly does a great mountain bike look like, in terms of features? It depends on the kind of terrain and riding style you do.
The best mountain bike for long, cross-country rides will have very different specs than a downhill bike. Some offer full suspension for a smooth ride on bumpy trails. Some have wider tires that are better at gripping wet or sandy terrain. Some are designed for maximum pedaling efficiency and serious stopping power so you can climb steep mountainsides without wearing yourself out. No matter where you and your new bike are headed this fall, we’ve rounded up the best mountain bikes for every rider and every terrain in 2024. Don’t forget to strap on your bike helmet.
Best mountain bike for beginners: Giant Talon 29 1
Mike’s Bikes
The Giant Talon 29 1 is a solid entry-level mountain bike at a reasonable price point. With its balanced frame geometry and high-traction tires, it’s great for a comfortable, stable ride on most trails. While that means it’s not specialized for uphill climbs or cross-country speed, the balanced design is great for beginners or casual riders who aren’t planning to tackle those more challenging technical trails just yet.
With 80mm to 100mm of suspension travel, this hardtail mountain bike strikes that perfect balance of pedaling efficiency and shock absorption.
Riders can also adjust the suspension within that range by adjusting the air spring and the rebound damping. That gives you improved steering precision and a better ride feel since you can tailor it to your needs. If you’re a beginner, it may take some trial and error to fine-tune those settings, but playing around with them is a great way to learn how suspension impacts your ride.
Get this reliable entry-level mountain bike at Mike’s Bikes for $950.
Top features of the Giant Talon 29 1:
- Grippy tires offer great traction in any trail conditions.
- The balanced frame geometry makes this a comfortable bike for most riders.
- The adjustable suspension fork allows you to fine-tune this mountain bike for your needs.
Best trail bike: Santa Cruz Tallboy C R
Backcountry
A full-suspension mountain bike with 120mm and 130mm suspension travel on the rear and front, respectively, it doesn’t get cushier than the Santa Cruz Tallboy C R (at least, not at this price point). Built for cross-country or trail riding, this bike’s design allows you to glide through rocky terrain almost as if you were just cruising on a paved road. That suspension also helps cushion the impact on pops and short drops so you can build up speed while navigating the trail with confidence.
With that said, it can be a little sluggish on uphill climbs. But if you typically stick to more straightforward trails, you won’t have to deal with that issue. For those just-for-fun weekend trail rides, this is the mountain bike you want.
Get this comfortable, agile trail bike at Backcountry while it’s on sale for $3,849 (reduced from $4,799).
Top features of the Santa Cruz Tallboy C R:
- Boasting full suspension, this mountain bike is a comfy ride no matter how bumpy the terrain.
- The carbon C frame is both lightweight and stiff for better control and improved agility.
- The four-piston brakes offer excellent stopping power.
Best fat tire mountain bike: State 6061 Trail+
State Bicycle Co.
For wet or sandy trails, traction is everything, which means you need a fat tire bike like the State 6061 Trail+. With 4.5-inch wide tires that can handle running even at low PSI, this mountain bike can grip the trail no matter how loose or slippery.
Whether you want to cruise along sandy beaches or power through snowy mountain trails, the stability of this fat tire bike is the key to doing so safely and confidently. You won’t be building up much speed, but you’ll have a lot of fun plowing through trails that a standard trail bike couldn’t even touch.
Get this fat tire bike directly from State Bicycle Co. for $1,000.
Top features of the State 6061 Trail+:
- Thick 4.5-inch tires provide extra grip for wet or loose terrain like snow, sand and mud.
- With low PSI capabilities, you can lower the tire pressure to widen the surface area even further to maximize your grip on soft, slippery trails.
- The alloy frame is stiff and strong without adding any more bulk than necessary.
Best mountain bike under $500: Huffy Stone Mountain
Amazon
The Huffy Stone Mountain is a hardtail mountain bike that is lightweight and offers good traction for navigating trails. The budget-friendly bike is missing a lot of the features you’ll find on the more advanced mountain bikes listed above. However, if you’re just starting out and just want to get out on a trail to see if you like mountain biking, this is a good bike to start with.
While you can’t take it on any serious trails, it’s got the basics you need for easy local bike trails. Use it to get a feel for the sport and then upgrade to a mountain bike better suited to the kind of trails you want to tackle. Then, pass this Huffy Stone Mountain on to a friend or teen who’s curious about mountain biking.
A bestseller on Amazon, this budget mountain bike is available for as low as $200.
Top features of the Huffy Stone Mountain:
- This budget entry-level bike is great for casual rides on easy bike trails.
- A wide variety of frame and wheel sizes allows you to get the right fit for your height.
- The lightweight, high-traction design is just enough to let you get a feel for mountain biking before committing to a higher-priced mountain bike with more advanced features and customizability.
Shop more top-rated mountain bikes:
What type of mountain bike should a beginner get?
The best mountain bike for a beginner is a balanced, versatile one. Since you’re probably not tackling steep inclines and declines yet, opt for a trail bike that offers great traction, strong brakes and easy maneuverability along bumpy, muddy trails. That means grippy tires and responsive steering so you can confidently control your bike over tree roots, up hills and on descents.
If the trails you’re eager to go on are largely uphill, look for a bike that’s lightweight with a firmer pedaling platform. Those two features will improve climb efficiency so you’re not wearing yourself out on those uphill stretches.
Do I need a full-suspension mountain bike?
You don’t need a full-suspension mountain bike, but they are nice to have. Unlike hardtail mountain bikes, which only have suspension in the front, full-suspension mountain bikes have suspension in both the front and rear. That extra suspension helps absorb shock, cushioning the impact as you hop over bumps or navigate downhill jumps and drops.
That cushier feel can be nice even on milder trail rides, but they tend to be significantly more expensive and require more maintenance than a hardtail mountain bike. So it might not be worth the extra expense and care if you don’t usually do technical trails or downhill riding.
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