Tag: abortion

happenings, hmm interesting, hotness, is it just me?, listen up!, politics, public health, venting, well?, wtf?!

olympics, netvibes, and redefining contraceptives (REALLY?!)?

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First up, how proud does it make you feel when you see people like Michael Phelps smashing world records and getting all of those gold medals!? I have to say, that it definitely makes me proud of him for what he has achieved. Also, I can’t seem to get past the bad mouthing that teams get when they “beat us”; meaning that they get the gold and we get anything but gold. Seriously, mistakes happen, and performances aren’t always the best, but let’s not be sore “losers” America… a sliver is still pretty fucking good.

I have been using Netvibes for a very long time, and after the redesign, it has been like a dream feed-reader. However it is doing this new thing where it won’t save a feed for a new item, and that is really pissing me off. Is it doing that to anyone else? Seriously, if you have to enter the feed every time you use the damn thing, what is the point of even adding them?? It is doing this to two websites that are unrelated, and that both have active and working feeds. If you have experienced this, let me know, and hopefully, you can tell me how to fix my Netvibes.

Finally, my friend Deb brought this to my attention today (which makes me wonder why it isn’t getting MORE MSM press than it is): apparently, Bush and some of his fellow conservatives are trying to redefine contraception as abortion. Holy fuck, where in the hell are these people’s minds? As one person says so very well, these are the same people that don’t think it is the government’s responsibility to take care of the people that need actual abortions or assistance as a result of having limited access to, or knowledge of the importance in using contraception. There have been a lot of STUPID things to come out of this administration, but this is a complete violation of responsibility or care for women’s health. This is just dumb, and I can’t believe that they are trying to do this shit. January cannot come fast enough; this nut job has got to go! Seriously, what do you think about this? I mean, redefining contraception (which PREVENTS pregnancy) as abortion (which ENDS pregnancy, a pregnancy that has ALREADY OCCURRED) is completely insane!!! I just can’t believe the rampant stupidity that exists in some people these days. UGH! It’s almost like the “Bush way” is to take common sense, and actual fact-based knowledge, and then throw that out the window and go with the direct opposite (which is also supported by facts stating that it should be your LAST option). *massive face palm*

the catch-all-egory

35 years of choice

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Today is the 35th anniversary of the monumental Roe vs. Wade decision, which, for those that live under a rock, is the court case that gives women the right to choose. I find it quite fitting that this day comes the day after MLK day this year, which serves in making for two days of remembering the importance of having, upholding, and continuing to fight for civil rights.

Regardless if you are against abortion or not, you must take note, that this court decision, and its implications are paramount to protecting the rights of the women in this country. No woman should be told that she cannot do what she desires with her own body. As I have stated many, many times in the past, this is not an issue of being pro-abortion, it is an issue of choice; and that choice is the choice that every woman deserves, in order to decide what will happen within, and to, her own body.

I, for one, am elated, and honestly a little relieved, that such rights are still present in this ever politically intensifying nation. I know that there are many in power that are opposed to abortion, and I strongly urge anyone that supports them to see that this issue is, again, about choice, and not about abortion (I also suggest that you investigate what other issues they are in favor of/against). What cannot be ignored, is the further implication that this issue represents. Losing any civil right leaves an opening, into which other civil liberties can be attacked, and that cannot be allowed to happen.

Freedom to have abortion does not mean that you will; it simply means that you have the choice, should you need to have one yourself. Perhaps the most compelling argument for choice, is the fact that outlawing abortion does not mean that it would go away; it would only mean that it would be more dangerous, and more life threatening to those that were forced to seek out alternative means of aborting their pregnancies. Additionally, it would potentially take away the legally binding regulations that currently exist on abortion, meaning that there would be less control on late term abortions; which I am personally against.

What is interesting to me, is that I have read many times, that as many as 77% of anti-abortion leaders are men, yet, it still remains that 100% of men can never get pregnant. It begs for me to wonder, why are men so overly vocal on this issue? Why are we so afraid to give a woman control over her own body? Well, it should be known by now, that I am not one of those men; I am glad that this court case decision still stands, and continues to provide women a choice, and a safe option should she choose to have an abortion.

Remember, that just because you CAN have one, it doesn’t mean that you necessarily will. An old roommate of mine was against abortion because he was adopted, and I continually reminded him, that his mother made her choice; she chose not to have an abortion, which is just as much an option, so long as you have the RIGHT to choose. If you don’t agree with abortion, then it’s simple: don’t have one. However, don’t take away the rights of those that may choose to have one themselves, because that form of oppression has no place in our society.

As I reflect on this decision, I can’t help but wonder would I would do if I were a woman facing a pregnancy that was unplanned, or one that was a threat to my life. I honestly can’t tell you what I would do, and I don’t think that anyone can make that decision until they are personally faced with the situation. However, there is one thing that I can tell you; and that is that I would want the choice to make for myself, and really, that is all that matters. The freedom to choose is a powerful, powerful thing, and today, we can celebrate 35 years of women being able to make that choice.

I am pro-choice. I am pro-rights. I am pro-freedom. Because without choice, can we truly call ourselves free?

"pointless", civil rights, is it just me?

what to blog… what to blog…

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Hmm… I have been sitting here wondering off and on to myself all day, “self, what should you blog about?”, and honestly, I haven’t come up with much of anything. I would love to say something about Bush and his speech last night, but I couldn’t stand listening to him long enough to make it all of the way through. What I did hear was a bunch of promises that I don’t see how he can meet; but we will see. At least it is a start. On the other hand, I did agree with pretty much everything Senator Jim Webb said after the SOTU speech. He is one smart and brave guy, in my opinion.

I discovered Netvibes last week, and just started using it today. We will see how long that keeps my interest.

Also today, I am in a sort of debate with Recovering Baptist about the whole abortion = murder thing, and I honestly still can’t wrap my head around why people tend to be all or nothing on this issue (i.e., there are no circumstances in which abortion isn’t murder, etc.). I can understand that one would be against abortion; fine, but abortion isn’t murder, and it is also important to point out that there are regulations on abortion to prevent it from becoming murder (i.e., not allowing them in the 3rd trimester in almost every state; because the third trimester is widely held as the first time a fetus can live outside of the body, with very being able to survive few before that). So I just wonder, why am I seen as advocating the murder of a child, when I am not? What I am advocating, is the right of a woman to choose what happens to her body, her uterus, and her life; not whether a potential child should or should not be allowed to grow and become a separate living, breathing person, which again, isn’t murder. I am not advocating or promoting abortion; if it were me, I don’t know if I could honestly say that I would have one… but I would at least like the choice to be made by me, for me.

I think, and will always think, that abortion rids the body of cells, cells that are part of the mother, cells that could become a child if allowed to continue growing and developing; but a collection of cells nonetheless. I also feel like I try to see other people’s opinions on things, even if I don’t agree and don’t change my own, but on this issue, I find that most pro-life supporters tend to (with the exception of some) be, unfortunately, very narrow minded, which I find frustrating, because it doesn’t solve nor shed any light on the argument. I know we can all be narrow minded, but I TRY not to be, and wish everyone would. I just wish that everyone could have the right to make choices about their lives; but obviously, I wish this within reason. But, I do know that this is something that is a matter of opinion, and anything that involves religious belief is impossible to truly argue for or against, so, I assume that the discussion will always go on. I know I will not be able to change most opinions on choice or abortion (even though that would be great!), but I talk about it, in order to add a voice to those that advocate freedom and choice, in order to have someone speaking against those that will advocate religious-based controls and the stripping of personal rights for women. These aren’t meant as jabs, they just are what they are; different sides of an issue… in this case, the right to choose.

Other than these random things, I have really been enjoying some great music today. I finally made a new mix cd, and I am very happy with it. I am also going to be getting stuff ready for the music podcast that I want to start doing for the Georgia Podcast Network, which is something that is motivating me to check out new stuff. Sometimes it feels like pushing a rock up a hill to get anything at all done in my life; so I tend to cling to the things that come easy and motivate me (of which, there are very few). Perhaps these things will jump start the rest of it. I also thought about posting the mix (like for DL), but wonder if anyone would actually want it. If you do, let me know… and I might just tell you what’s on it!

civil rights, listen up!, politics

happy birthday, Roe v. Wade!

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Today is the anniversary of the monumental Roe v. Wade case, which, as all of you may know, effectively legalized abortion in the US. As I have said before, and will continue to say until there is no breath in my body, abortion should always be a fundamental right of every woman, everywhere. It is a pledge to women’s health, and should always be taken seriously. For those people that disagree with abortion, all I can say to you is, if you don’t like abortion, don’t have one. Avoiding the issue by not having one yourself is the best way you can protect yourself from the fact that all women deserve the right to control their own uterus, as well as the protection of having safe and sterile abortions from licensed doctors; as opposed to unsafe methods that many have to resort to when a safe abortion is not an option for them.

I for one hope this ruling is never challenged or overturned, because I believe that this is something that women deserve; the right to decide what happens to their own bodies and their own lives. I am in no way, nor have I ever been, advocating more abortions, or even suggesting that people go and have one; BUT, I AM advocating a woman’s right to choose, and I always will. Legalized abortion is not about “killing babies”, it is about having the RIGHT to choose what happens to your own body. And that, to me, is fundamental.

Finally, I feel the need to say it one more time for those of you that are blinded by the word “abortion”, make sure that you understand that legalized abortion is NOT ABOUT ABORTION; it is about the right to choose.