Sarah Palin: A Little Too Honest?
Nov/091
A hilarious re-edit of the audio from Citizen Palin’s Oprah interview, done by NBC’s “Tonight Show” and as featured in the #1 story on tonight’s “Countdown” on MSNBC.
I’m quite fond of the phrase “Todd and I love unprotected sex…we’ve always had, I guess, unconventional relationships, physically…Todd will plow through me for hours…and I’m pumped up, just over the top pumped up with energy…and porn, yes…after all that…wow”.
In the Aftermath of a Murder, Thoughts on a Woman’s Right to Choose
May/090
Randal Terry, of the Pro-Life group Operation Rescue, released a statement today regarding the murder of Dr. George Tiller. Mr. Terry’s comments are disgusting at best. Calling a man who was legally practicing medicine a “mass-murderer”, and who only grives because Tiller “did not have time to properly prepare his soul to face God”. That’s his only reaction to Tiller’s murder. He’s more worried that Obama will use this to “intimidate” pro-life groups? Disgusting. The man did nothing wrong, and had been the target of hate from groups like Operation Rescue for years. A man was murdered in cold blood by what amounts to a form of domestic terrorism, inside his place of worship with his wife singing in the choir as it happened, and all you have to say is that you are upset that he didn’t have time to redeem himself in the eyes of whatever God you believe in who condones such vile hatred towards a fellow human?
A disturbing political cartoon from a Catholic political cartoon blog.
There is a disturbing disconnect in America. Abortion is currently legal, and is a right given by the Supreme Court more than 35 years ago and upheld since then. If you do not agree with it, that is your right just as it is the right of the woman making a choice to have one. But it is not your place to make medical decisions for another person because of your moral beliefs. The gay marriage debate suffers many of the same issues, though is a relatively recent development. The pro-life side likes to think of abortion as black and white: you’re either against it in every form, or you must like killing babies. Andrew Sullivan (of The Atlantic) links to a discussion board website where a thread overwhelming praises Dr. Tiller’s murder. (There is a heartfelt dissent my a poster with a personal story, though it does little to assuage the mob’s irrationality.) People there, seemingly believing every word they type, think that Dr. Tiller would have killed a child if the “mother had a headache”, even going so far as to post the cartoon (from a Catholic cartoon blog) at left. The pro-choice crowd doesn’t advocate that everyone should go out and get pregnant so they can have an abortion. Far from it. They advocate that women have a right to make medical decisions regarding their body and their reproductive health, and the health of their unborn child who is incapable of making decisions.
America is keen on individual liberties such as speech or privacy, and the political right wants to make government smaller and get it out of our lives. Yet at the same time they freely associate with radical groups that wish to impose their beliefs, through law, limiting one’s personal rights. If the pro-life crowd wants to eliminate abortion, making it illegal isn’t going to help. Abortion being legal means that it’s not being done in dark back offices without proper medical oversight for the safety of the mother. Making it illegal won’t reduce the number of abortions. What will, however, is making more alternative available to mothers who may be thinking of having an abortion. Adoption being a huge one, though we need to also overhaul the adoption system in the country. And as much as it will jab a thorn into the social conservative’s side, birth control and proper sexual education will help, too. Telling children to “no have sex until marriage” is inherently flawed. Put some cookies on the table and tell a kid not to eat one, and it makes the cookies that much more tempting. How about instead we teach our kids that yes, waiting to have sex until you are mature and ready is the best course of action. But if you do have sex, here is how to do it safely and responsibly. If you want to avoid abortion, avoid the unwanted pregnancy.
The pro-life side looks up to Gov. Palin and her daughter as beacons for women who chose life and carried their pregnancies to term (their situations being having a child with a disability and an unplanned pregnancy). And they both may believe “in life” with the full force of their convictions. But let us not ignore that, in doing so, they made a choice to keep their pregnancies.
Unconstitutional Criticism?
Oct/080
Alaska Governor Sarah Palin
It’s official, Gov. Sarah Palin (R, AK) has no clue about the American government and the basic freedoms and rights given unto the people by the foundation of every law in the land: The Constitution.
In an interview with conservative Washington, D.C. radio station WMAL-AM, Palin claims that her criticism of Senator Barack Obama (D, IL) by the media threatens her “First Amendment rights and our ability to ask questions without fear of attacks by the mainstream media”.
Way to pander to the far-right, Governor. It seems that it is unconstitutional now to question the very people who are running to lead our country. The First Amendment was written to protect such liberties. In fact, by the “liberal elite” media even commenting or criticizing you and Sen. McCain’s policy, campaign tactics and views, they are engaging their freedom of the press. Because free speech doesn’t just apply to you and you alone, nor can you ignore it when it is more convenient for you. Let’s take a look, shall we?
“Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”United States Constitution, First Amendment
They have every right to their criticism, and it in no way abridges your right to keep repeating the same campaign rhetoric you’ve been throwing at the public hoping it will stick. To question our government and those who wish to lead it is what made the United States such a radical idea in the late 1700s—aside from overthrowing a vastly more powerful empire, but that is another topic. Maybe they’re critical of your “not negative campaigning” message because you keep making the same false assertions about Obama’s ties to the same people over-and-over again? Or because you’re not telling the American people how you are going to keep America free and safe from all those evildoers who “hate us for our freedom”. People want change, and American’s (hopefully) aren’t dumb enough to just trust you and Sen. McCain to make everything better when all you do is dig on your opponent. I hate to break it to you, but calling out your opponent on their alleged mis-deeds and how they’re not as able as your team to lead this country on day one is negative campaigning. Talking about your views and your campaign is positive campaigning.
I understand that the GOP is fracturing because they couldn’t manage to put together a strong top-to-bottom ticket while trying to distance themselves from the man they helped elect—twice—but you really should turn off the panic lights and realize that American’s aren’t as dumb as you think they are. Making false accusations that your rights are somehow being infringed is ludicrous. Spend your time and energy and money on fixing our problems, not fabricating your own.
Flickr
