twitter quotes

ashleyrebeccah

I wish antis would stop complaining ab not wanting 2pay 4 abortion. I don't agree w war so I guess I shouldn't have 2pay 4 that.

PPact

RT @KiaJD: My dating motto/Don't sleep with anti-choice boys/they don't understand

antitheistangie

So tired of random Christians demanding I explain morality for them. If you can't understand how to treat people, that's not MY fault/issue.

beyondmythology

RT @AtheistQOTD - "Religion attacks us in our deepest integrity by saying we wouldn't be able to make a moral decision without it" ~Hitchens

antitheistangie

Rick Warren's #Christianity seems to be anti-humanism. "You're worthless & disgusting & only here to kiss god's ass for eternity." Yucky.

"The Only Moral Abortion is My Abortion"

When the Anti-Choice Choose

By Joyce Arthur

Copyright © September, 2000

http://mypage.direct.ca/w/writer/anti-tales.html

Abortion is a highly personal decision that many women are sure they'll never have to think about until they're suddenly faced with an unexpected pregnancy. But this can happen to anyone, including women who are strongly anti-choice. So what does an anti-choice woman do when she experiences an unwanted pregnancy herself? Often, she will grin and bear it, so to speak, but frequently, she opts for the solution she would deny to other women -- abortion.

In the spring of 2000, I collected the following anecdotes directly from abortion doctors and other clinic staff in North America, Australia, and Europe. The stories are presented in the providers' own words, with minor editing for grammar, clarity, and brevity. Names have been omitted to protect privacy.

"I have done several abortions on women who have regularly picketed my clinics, including a 16 year old schoolgirl who came back to picket the day after her abortion, about three years ago. During her whole stay at the clinic, we felt that she was not quite right, but there were no real warning bells. She insisted that the abortion was her idea and assured us that all was OK. She went through the procedure very smoothly and was discharged with no problems. A quite routine operation. Next morning she was with her mother and several school mates in front of the clinic with the usual anti posters and chants. It appears that she got the abortion she needed and still displayed the appropriate anti views expected of her by her parents, teachers, and peers." (Physician, Australia)

"I've had several cases over the years in which the anti-abortion patient had rationalized in one way or another that her case was the only exception, but the one that really made an impression was the college senior who was the president of her campus Right-to-Life organization, meaning that she had worked very hard in that organization for several years. As I was completing her procedure, I asked what she planned to do about her high office in the RTL organization. Her response was a wide-eyed, 'You're not going to tell them, are you!?' When assured that I was not, she breathed a sigh of relief, explaining how important that position was to her and how she wouldn't want this to interfere with it." (Physician, Texas)

"In 1990, in the Boston area, Operation Rescue and other groups were regularly blockading the clinics, and many of us went every Saturday morning for months to help women and staff get in. As a result, we knew many of the 'antis' by face. One morning, a woman who had been a regular 'sidewalk counselor' went into the clinic with a young woman who looked like she was 16-17, and obviously her daughter. When the mother came out about an hour later, I had to go up and ask her if her daughter's situation had caused her to change her mind. 'I don't expect you to understand my daughter's situation!' she angrily replied. The following Saturday, she was back, pleading with women entering the clinic not to 'murder their babies.'" (Clinic escort, Massachusetts)

"We too have seen our share of anti-choice women, ones the counselors usually grit their teeth over. Just last week a woman announced loudly enough for all to hear in the recovery room, that she thought abortion should be illegal. Amazingly, this was her second abortion within the last few months, having gotten pregnant again within a month of the first abortion. The nurse handled it by talking about all the carnage that went on before abortion was legalized and how fortunate she was to be receiving safe, professional care. However, this young woman continued to insist it was wrong and should be made illegal. Finally the nurse said, 'Well, I guess we won't be seeing you here again, not that you're not welcome.' Later on, another patient who had overheard this exchange thanked the nurse for her remarks." (Clinic Administrator, Alberta)

"We saw a woman recently who after four attempts and many hours of counseling both at the hospital and our clinic, finally, calmly and uneventfully, had her abortion. Four months later, she called me on Christmas Eve to tell me that she was not and never was pro-choice and that we failed to recognize that she was clinically depressed at the time of her abortion. The purpose of her call was to chastise me for not sending her off to the psych unit instead of the procedure room." (Clinic Administrator, Alberta)

"Recently, we had a patient who had given a history of being a 'pro-life' activist, but who had decided to have an abortion. She was pleasant to me and our initial discussion was mutually respectful. Later, she told someone on my staff that she thought abortion is murder, that she is a murderer, and that she is murdering her baby. So before doing her procedure, I asked her if she thought abortion is murder -- the answer was yes. I asked her if she thought I am a murderer, and if she thought I would be murdering her baby, and she said yes. But murder is a crime, and murderers are executed. Is this a crime? Well, it should be, she said. At that point, she became angry and hostile, and the summary of the conversation was that she regarded me as an abortion-dispensing machine, and how dare I ask her what she thinks. After explaining to her that I do not perform abortions for people who think I am a murderer or people who are angry at me, I declined to provide her with medical care. I do not know whether she found someone else to do her abortion." (Physician, Colorado)

"In 1973, after Roe v. Wade, abortion became legal but had to be performed in a hospital. That of course was changed later. For the first 'legal abortion day' I had scheduled five procedures. While scrubbing between cases, I was accosted by the Chief of the OB/Gyn service. He asked me, 'How many children are you going to kill today?' My response, out of anger, was a familiar vulgar retort. About three months later, this born-again Christian called me to explain that he was against abortion but his daughter was only a junior in high school and was too young to have a baby and he was also afraid that if she did have a baby she would not want to put it up for adoption. I told him he did not need to explain the situation to me. 'All I need to know', I said, 'is that SHE wants an abortion.' Two years later I performed a second abortion on her during her college break. She thanked me and pleaded, 'Please don't tell my dad, he is still anti-abortion.'" (Physician, Washington State)

"The sister of a Dutch bishop in Limburg once visited the abortion clinic in Beek where I used to work in the seventies. After entering the full waiting room she said to me, 'My dear Lord, what are all those young girls doing here?' 'Same as you', I replied. 'Dirty little dames,' she said." (Physician, The Netherlands)

"I had a patient about ten years ago who traveled up to New York City from South Carolina for an abortion. I asked her why she went such a long way to get the procedure. Her answer was that she was a member of a church group that didn't believe in abortion and she didn't want anyone to know she was having one. She planned to return to the group when she went back to South Carolina." (Physician, New York)

"I once had a German client who greatly thanked me at the door, leaving after a difficult 22-week abortion. With a gleaming smile, she added: 'Und doch sind Sie ein Mörderer.' ('And you're still a murderer.')" (Physician, The Netherlands)

"My first encounter with this phenomenon came when I was doing a 2-week follow-up at a family planning clinic. The woman's anti-choice values spoke indirectly through her expression and body language. She told me that she had been offended by the other women in the abortion clinic waiting room because they were using abortion as a form of birth control, but her condom had broken so she had no choice! I had real difficulty not pointing out that she did have a choice, and she had made it! Just like the other women in the waiting room." (Physician, Ontario)

"A 21 year old woman and her mother drove three hours to come to their appointment for an abortion. They were surprised to find the clinic a 'nice' place with friendly, personable staff. While going over contraceptive options, they shared that they were Pro-Life and disagreed with abortion, but that the patient could not afford to raise a child right now. Also, she wouldn't need contraception since she wasn't going to have sex until she got married, because of her religious beliefs. Rather than argue with them, I saw this as an opportunity for dialogue, and in the end, my hope was that I had planted a 'healing seed' to help resolve the conflict between their beliefs and their realities." (Physician, Washington State)

"I had a 37 year old woman just yesterday who was 13 weeks. She said she and her husband had been discussing this pregnancy for 2-3 months. She was strongly opposed to abortion, 'but my husband is forcing me to do it.' Naturally, I told her that no one could force her into an abortion, and that she had to choose whether the pregnancy or her husband were more important. I told her I only wanted what was best for her, and I would not do the abortion unless she agreed that it was in her best interest. Once she was faced with actually having to voice her own choice, she said 'Well, I made the appointment and I came here, so go ahead and do it. It's what's best.' At last I think she came to grips with the fact that it really was her decision after all." (Physician, Nevada)

"We have anti-choice women in for abortions all the time. Many of them are just naive and ignorant until they find themselves with an unwanted pregnancy. Many of them are not malicious. They just haven't given it the proper amount of thought until it completely affects them. They can be judgmental about their friends, family, and other women. Then suddenly they become pregnant. Suddenly they see the truth. That it should only be their own choice. Unfortunately, many also think that somehow they are different than everyone else and they deserve to have an abortion, while no one else does." (Physician, Washington State)

Although few studies have been made of this phenomenon, a study done in 1981 (1) found that 24% of women who had abortions considered the procedure morally wrong, and 7% of women who'd had abortions disagreed with the statement, "Any woman who wants an abortion should be permitted to obtain it legally." A 1994/95 survey (2,3) of nearly 10,000 abortion patients showed 18% of women having abortions are born-again or Evangelical Christians. Many of these women are likely anti-choice. The survey also showed that Catholic women have an abortion rate 29% higher than Protestant women. A Planned Parenthood handbook on abortion notes that nearly half of all abortions are for women who describe themselves as born-again Christian, Evangelical Christian, or Catholic. (4)

According to a 1987 article, Abortion Clinics' Toughest Cases,(5) "Physicians and clinics frequently terminate pregnancies for women who believe abortion is 'murder' and 'a sin' but who are not anti-abortion activists. Demonstrators, organizers, and leaders in the [anti-abortion] movement are seen less frequently, ranging from perhaps once or twice a month to a few times in the course of a professional career." The article contained the following anecdotes:

An administrator at a Missouri clinic recalled a woman blurting out in the recovery room, "It should be illegal." The other women's mouths fell open, said the administrator. "They couldn't believe it."

The medical director of an Indianapolis clinic recalled one prospective patient who phoned to ask whether the clinic had a back door. He said no. How, she asked, could she get inside without being seen by fellow picketers outside? Pointing out that two orthopedists practiced with him, the doctor told the woman "she could limp and say she was coming to see the orthopods."

The medical director at a Dallas abortion clinic told this story: A white woman from an affluent north Dallas neighborhood brought her black maid in for an abortion and paid for it. While the maid was in a counseling session, a commotion was heard in the waiting room outside. The maid's employer was handing out anti-abortion leaflets to other women waiting for abortions.

From a clinic director in a mid-western state: "One of the most remarkable cases was a woman who came [from another part of the state] and said she was the Right-to-Life president in her county. 'But,' she said, she 'had become pregnant and had to have an abortion.'"

From a counselor in Virginia: "[The patient] was disturbed and upset and insisted she couldn't carry the pregnancy to term. She opposed abortion -- and in fact had picketed this very clinic -- [but] felt the abortion was something she had to do."

Many anti-choice women are convinced that their need for abortion is unique -- not like those "other" women -- even though they have abortions for the same sorts of reasons. Anti-choice women often expect special treatment from clinic staff. Some demand an abortion immediately, wanting to skip important preliminaries such as taking a history or waiting for blood test results. Frequently, anti-abortion women will refuse counseling (such women are generally turned away or referred to an outside counselor because counseling at clinics is mandatory). Some women insist on sneaking in the back door and hiding in a room away from other patients. Others refuse to sit in the waiting room with women they call "sluts" and "trash." Or if they do, they get angry when other patients in the waiting room talk or laugh, because it proves to them that women get abortions casually, for "convenience".

A few behave in a very hostile manner, such as calling clinic staff "murderers." Years ago, a clinic counselor in British Columbia told me that one of her patients went into the procedure room apparently fine with her decision to have an abortion. During the abortion, at a stage when it was too late to stop the procedure, the woman started screaming "You murderers!" and other invectives at everyone in the room.

A few doctors actually refuse to provide abortions to anti-choice women for liability reasons. In the words of a Kansas physician:

"Early in my career, I thought I was obligated to provide an abortion for every woman who arrived at my doorstep requesting an abortion. My experience in general medicine, surgery, and abortion has led me to believe differently. Not inadvertently, women give either me or my staff an uneasy feeling about their ambivalence or their anxiety about the abortion process. Since I have never been sued for an abortion I did not perform, my policy is to acknowledge my gut feeling, which is more often right than wrong."

A clinic counselor from Georgia stated:

"I have long felt that anti-abortionism is a psychological contraindication to the abortion procedure. And that we don't have to give everyone who asks an abortion. An anti-abortion woman is likely to be uncooperative and will probably not follow post-op instructions or instructions on how to deal with complications. There is actually a case where an anti-abortion patient failed to go as directed to Emergency for an unrelated complication. She ended up dying, and her family sued the physician and badgered him publicly. Additionally, if you have a complication that day, it will be the anti-abortionist. I'm not talking about the patient who says, 'I was against abortion until it happened to me', or 'I'm really against abortion, but I have to do this'. I'm talking about the picketer, the activist, the totally anti-creature who will come back to haunt us."

In fact, an anti-abortion organization called Life Dynamics Inc., of Denton Texas, specializes in malpractice suits against abortion providers. They advertise for and exploit women who regret their abortion decision or who had complications, and try and persuade them to file suit against the doctor or clinic. Many of these women are vulnerable and suffer from emotional problems, but others are anti-abortion, or at least very ambivalent about their decision to have an abortion. The message that abortion is murder has had a profound influence on them, and it may leave them with a legacy of guilt and shame after their abortion, too often borne alone and in silence. When these women find themselves unable to cope with their abortions, they may look for somebody else to blame, and doctors become a convenient scapegoat.

At times, clinic staff understandably become frustrated and angry when they have to deal with abusive, hostile, or hypocritical patients. And it is rare for anti-choice women to express appreciation for the service they've received. But most clinics perform abortions on anti-abortion women because they feel it's their obligation to help all women. They provide more thorough and specialized counseling to these women to ensure they take ownership of their decision, as far as possible. Here's a couple of examples of counseling techniques:

"When a patient comes in with my 'favorite' sentiment: 'The only moral abortion is my abortion,' I try to expand her understanding that a few more of us have had and deserve a 'moral' abortion. When a woman expands her need for care beyond herself, you no longer have an 'anti'." (Clinic Administrator, Louisiana)

"Sometimes I say to patients who have that 'I have no choice, I know I'll regret it, just do me' attitude: 'You may not care, but we do. We only do abortions on women who want our services. We will not knowingly contribute to any possible trauma of any woman.' They seem surprised that we care how we do our work, but they also accept it." (Counselor, New York)

Some anti-choice women who have abortions do make peace with their decision and even become pro-choice, or at least more forgiving of other women seeking abortions. A Louisiana patient who was anti-choice before her abortion, wrote a warm and grateful thank-you letter to the clinic, admitting that she had been a hypocrite:

"I never dreamed, in my wildest nightmares, that there would ever be a situation where I personally would choose such an act. Of course, we would each like to think that our reasons for a termination are the exception to the rule. But the bottom line is that you people spend your lives, reputations, careers and energy fighting for, maintaining, and providing an option that I needed, while I spent my energy lambasting you. Yet you still allowed me to make use of your services even though I had been one of your enemies. You treated us as kindly and warmly as you did all of your patients and never once pointed an 'I told you so' finger in our direction. I got the impression that you cared equally about each woman in the facility and what each woman was going through, regardless of her reasons for choosing the procedure. I have never met a group of purely non-judgmental people like yourselves."

On occasion, an abortion turns out to be a momentous, life-affirming experience for an anti-choice woman. A doctor from a north-western state shared the following personal story with me:

"I was born into a very Catholic family, and was politically pro-life during college. After dating my first real boyfriend for three years, we broke up, and the day my boyfriend moved out, I discovered I was pregnant. It was an agonizing decision, and something I never thought I would do, but I decided an abortion was the only realistic option. Thanks to Planned Parenthood counseling, I worked through some very tough conflicts within myself. I had to learn that my decision was a loving one. That 'my god' was actually a loving and supportive god. And that men don't have to make this decision, only women do. That it is a very personal, individual decision. I had to own it. I became much more compassionate towards myself and others as a result of my experience. Two years later I began medical school. When it came time to choose a practice, an abortion clinic opportunity came up. In working there, I began to feel that this was my calling. Having been in my patients' shoes, and coming from an unforgiving background, I could honestly say to patients, 'I know how you feel.' Deciding to have an abortion was THE hardest decision I've ever made in my life. Yet it has brought me the greatest transformation, fulfillment, and now joy. I am a more loving person because of it, and a better doctor for having experienced it. I love the work that I do, and the opportunity to support women seeking to end an unwanted pregnancy. My patients and my work are life's gifts to me, and I think my compassion and support are my gifts in return."

---

1. Henshaw, S.K. and G. Martire. 1982. Abortion and the Public Opinion Polls: 1. Morality and Legality. Family Planning Perspectives. 14:2, pp 53-60, March/April.

2. The Alan Guttmacher Institute. 1996. Abortion Common Among All Women, Even Those Thought to Oppose Abortion. http://www.agi-usa.org/pubs/archives/prabort2.html

3. Henshaw, S.K. and K. Kost. 1996. Abortion Patients in 1994-1995: Characteristics and Contraceptive Use. Family Planning Perspectives. 28:4, July/August. http://www.agi-usa.org/pubs/journals/2814096.html

4. Planned Parenthood of America. Pro-Choice Debate Handbook. http://www.plannedparenthood.org/politicalarena/Pro-Choice_Debate_Handbook.html#4

5. Medical World News. 1987. Abortion Clinic's Toughest Cases. pp 55-61. March 9.

Biblical ways to get a wife

http://debunkingchristianity.blogspot.com/2010/07/top-16-ways-to-get-woman-wife-according.html

TOP 16 WAYS TO GET A WOMAN/ WIFE ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE

By John W. Loftus at 7/30/2010

This list was sent to me by Ed Babinski:
1) Find an attractive prisoner of war, bring her home, shave her head, trim her nails, and give her new clothes. Then she’s yours. (Deut. 21:11-13) [About the command that her nails be trimmed, you wouldn’t want her to scratch your eyes out, would you? "When thou goest forth to war against thine enemies, and they Lord thy God hath delivered them into thine hands, and thou has taken them captive, And seest among the captives a beautiful woman, and hast a desire unto her, that thou wouldst have her to wife, Then thou shalt bring her home to thine house; and she shall shave her head, and pare [trim] her nails." (Deut. 21:10,11,12)]
2) “Lay hold on” a virgin who is not betrothed to another man, and have sex with her, but afterwards pay her father a sum of money. Then she’s yours. (Deut. 22:28-29)
3) Find a prostitute and marry her. (Hosea 1:1-3)
4) Find a man with seven daughters, and impress him by watering his flock.--Moses (Ex. 2:16-21)
5) Purchase a piece of property, and get a woman as part of the deal.--Boaz (Ruth 4:5-10)
6) Go to a party and hide. When the women come out to dance, grab one and carry her off to be your wife.--Benjaminites (Judges 21:19-25)
7) Have God create a wife for you while you sleep.Note: this will cost you a rib.--Adam (Gen. 2:19-24)
8) Agree to work seven years in exchange for a woman’s hand in marriage. Get tricked into marrying the wrong woman. Then work another seven years for the woman you wanted to marry in the first place. That’s right. Fourteen years of toil for a wife.--Jacob (Gen. 29:15-30)
9) Cut 200 foreskins off of your future father-in-law’s enemies and get his daughter for a wife.--David (1 Sam. 18:27)
10) Even if no one is out there, just wander around a bit and you’ll definitely find someone.--Cain (Gen. 4:16-17)
11) Become the emperor of a huge nation and hold a beauty contest.--Xerxes or Ahasuerus (Esther 2:3-4)
12) When you see someone you like, go home and tell your parents, “I have seen a woman; now get her for me.” If your parents question your decision, simply say, “Get her for me. She’s the one for me.”--Samson (Judges 14:1-3)
13) Kill any husband and take HIS wife. (Prepare to lose four sons though.)--David (2 Sam. 11)
14) Wait for your brother to die. Take his widow. (It’s not just a good idea, it’s the law!)--Onan and Boaz (Deut. or Lev., example in Ruth)
15) Don’t be so picky. Make up for quality with quantity.--Solomon (1 Kings 11:1-3)
16) A wife?--Paul (1st Corinthians, chapter 7, see below)
It is good for a man not to touch a woman … For I would that all men were even as I myself… I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, it is good for them if they abide even as I… But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn… I suppose therefore that this is good for the present distress, I say, that it is good for a man so to be… Are you loosed from a wife? seek not a wife… The time is short: it remains that they that have wives be as though they had none… He that is unmarried cares for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord: But he that is married cares for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife. There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married cares for the things of the world, how she may please her husband. And this I speak for your own profit… that you may attend upon the Lord without distraction. - 1 Corinthians 7:1,7,8-9,26-27,29,32-35

The bible is not a historical textbook

http://atheistclimber.wordpress.com/2010/08/01/the-bible-is-not-a-historical-textbook/

I’m scared for the future of Australia, and I’ll tell you why.

Recently I have been reading reports of education in Queensland that sugest that people who believe the logical fallacies of the Bible have been teaching biblical writings as historical fact. I don’t need to break the bible down piece by piece to show you why it is illogical or why the stories in it are ludicrous, but I do want to point you at this article which states that “Primary school students are being taught that man and dinosaurs walked the Earth together and that there is fossil evidence to prove it.” At first I thought it was a joke, and checked my calendar to ensure it wasn’t April 1st and not August 1st.

I admit, I have no problem with teaching Religious Studies in schools. In fact I think we should present all sides of the religious picture, tell the children that every religions claims to be the “one true religion”, point out all the similarities and differences between the theistic writings, and let the kids work it out for themselves that religion is nonsensical. This knowledge would also be excellent in that it would teach the children about the history of humanity, and about this seemingly natural propensity that all humans have to want to believe in something outside the physical world. And I think all religions should be taught, not just the popular ones. How different would our opinions of religious texts be if we were to teach them as simply works of litereature, and not divine words from above?

I agree with Sam Harris when he says “I view religions as essentially failed sciences.” We naturally want to try and explain everything that happens to us and around us, and when we didn’t know the answer we would try and fill this viod with something. If you fill this void with God, then you don’t need to wonder about the causes of things, and you can move on to more  important things in your life, and leave godly matters God to worry about. If we had stayed as ignorant about our world as we were when religions were formed we would neve have progressed to the point we have now. We would have never questioned why the sun rose, or why water turns to ice, or what causes volcanoes. We would have simply just been happy with the unfounded knowledge that God did it. Whereas once we would ascribe natural disasters to an angry deity, we now know the causes of these disasters, and yet we still hold on to God.

Fundamentalism seems to be on the rise in Australia, which is very alarming. Earlier this year there was a report saying that Creationism was going to be included in the National Curriculum in Queensland schools. Now we hear that some teachers have been making things up to support the information of the Bible. It is a worrying trend, and I really think that if this kind of teaching is allowed, not only are we going to raise our children as ignorant and unquestioning, but that we as a nation will eventually be dumbed-down because of it.

This is not the time to be teaching our children badly. From a bad education comes bad decisions. We have already proven as a species that our uninformed decisions can be the cause of some of the most disastrous situtions and consequences. Let’s move forward with what we have learned, and not fall back on the mysticism and magic from our historical ignorance.

Thanks dad

http://www.daddyfiles.com/2010/07/29/thanks-dad-2/

It’s been more than two weeks since I detailed our ordeal with little Alex, and I’m still getting crap from anti-choice zealots. Like these gems:

I am confused. Why is the couple supposed to feel better about having an abortion and cutting the obviously living baby’s life short? Why is that supposed to be better than letting nature take its course and delivering the stillborn baby? Is it because it’s less trouble for the parents? So they can get the baby’s death over and start the grieving process sooner? Wouldn’t it be harder to be the cause of my baby’s death after seeing an ultrasound, as they did? It seems to me there IS only one choice, to let this baby live as long as possible.

Here is the problem with the logic of this video. This guy is upset because he put great value in the 16 week old fetus that he calls “our baby”, but his lack of understanding for what these protesters are trying to do seems to give no value in the other “babies” that are killed at this location. He says it was one of the most difficult days of their lives, but has NO EMPATHY for the other babies murdered there and those trying to prevent their deaths.

The pro life lady was not yelling at anybody, you were yelling at her. Abortion is on demand worldwide, the killing of innocent human life is not rare but has become way too common. You should take a look in the mirror because you need to Repent.

Nice huh? Some real Mensa candidates in that bunch.

Thankfully, they’ve been the minority and all of you have been fantastic. As in spectacularly fucking supportive. I thought the best way to fight back was to send vitriolic responses to each and every one of them. But now I see the error of my ways. Instead, I’m going to be noticed. By as many people as possible. As difficult as it is to talk about this at times, I want to be heard. I want every protester possible to know our story so they realize exactly who they’re hurting when they stand outside shouting at people like gutless cowards. And you all have helped make that happen.

And now it’s my dad’s turn. Although he works for a stainless steel company, he used to be a journalist too. And even now he’s a columnist for the local newspaper in our hometown. So he wrote something and now I’m posting it here because I thought it was great and I wanted to share it with as many people as possible.

Thanks dad. I love you.

Abortion – it’s an ugly term.  It has a deservedly harsh connotation to it, conveying an untimely ending and something gone horribly wrong.

My son and daughter-in-law had to make a decision to terminate their pregnancy recently, a pregnancy nearly four months along.  They chose to do it, although in reality there was no choice.  But it was still incredibly difficult.

Their baby – my grandchild – had a rare and fatal congenital birth defect called Sirenomelia, otherwise known as Mermaid Syndrome.  Due to a vascular malfunction, the baby’s legs were fused together.  The baby had no bladder, no kidneys, and no chance of surviving.  The defect occurs once in about every 100,000 births.

The pain this caused my son and his wife, who very much wanted this second child, is indescribable.  You cannot possibly fathom the depths of their despair unless you have been in a similar position.  And while nowhere near as bad, the pain of having to watch our children go through this is something my wife and I pray we never have to experience again.

Our kids handled their situation with all the class, dignity and responsibility human beings can be expected to muster.  We are so proud, even as our hearts break for them.  Their strength and devotion to one another and their two-year-old son is the stuff of legends.

But their ordeal was made even more unnecessarily awful by the politics and social controversy surrounding the abortion issue.  On one of the worst days of their lives, they became victims again – this time at the hands of those trying to do God’s work while in fact doing just the opposite.

Although my daughter-in-law was treated at a major Boston hospital, the time-sensitive nature of the procedure necessitated it be done at an affiliated establishment.  After she and my son mustered the necessary courage and emotional strength to get where they had to go, they were met by something they had not considered in their grief – abortion protestors.

Two women were picketing outside the establishment, carrying signs and “communicating” with women walking in the door.  One carried a sign of religious symbolism.  As my son and his wife tried to enter the building where they would lose the baby they already loved so much, they were approached by the women.

“You’re killing your unborn baby!’ was the remark they would remember most as they walked past.  They were both furious and devastated, but held their tempers and concentrated on what needed to be done.  But once my daughter-in-law was in surgery, my son decided to take on the protestors.

In a calm but firm tone, he told them of his wife’s condition.  How they had accosted her at the most vulnerable point in her life.  How they had hurled accusations when they had no idea of the circumstances.  How they claimed to be protecting, yet seemed more intent on hurting.  And better yet, he recorded the entire conversation on his cell phone and posted it on his internet blog.

These particular protestors care about the unborn, but apparently are not concerned with those who have already come into the world.  They made no attempt to discover the circumstances and just assumed this was a couple ending an unwanted pregnancy.  To them, my kids were simply collateral damage in an ongoing war – the price to be paid for later success.

This column is not about a woman’s right to choose, although I have my own opinions on that matter.  It is about the culture of hatred and disrespect that people today foster when they single-mindedly focus on one goal to the exclusion of nearly all else.  It is about allowing the end to justify the means.

I am so proud of my son, and perhaps even more proud of his wife.  At a time of great personal turmoil, they did not just retreat inside their own grief – though no one would have blamed them.

Rather, they cared enough to take the time to explain to these people how their actions can destroy others.  How their words can scar forever.  How nothing is ever as clear or as simple as it seems.

I love them dearly, and I will never forget the lessons they have taught us all.

Defending Reproductive Justice

Introduction

In 2000, Political Research Associates published Defending Reproductive Rights, an activist resource kit on the anti-abortion movement, by collecting the Right’s own words to demystify the motives and worldviews of those who campaign against progressive causes. We knew that an analysis of anti-abortion arguments would help progressive activists plan more effective campaigns. But we did not know how popular such a collection would be.

Nine years and thousands of kits later we have moved to an all-electronic format making our publication more accessible. Here you will find both the old edition and four completely new sections which explore how conservative organizers have further polarized the abortion debate since 2000 using a few successful arguments repeatedly. In all cases, they deny a woman’s fundamental right to determine the course of her reproductive life based on their outdated, patronizing beliefs about her role in modern society. You will find sample documents from the Right that illustrate how they are currently making their claims. Like the 2000 kit, this edition also includes many pieces from progressive analysts, with an emphasis on defending the wide range of issues we have come to call Reproductive Justice.

The words of PRA Founder Jean V. Hardisty from our original kit continue to resonate today:

It is clear to us that the Right is singularly focused on women who seek to control their own bodies. Women who seek abortions, poor women who have children outside of marriage, Native American women living on reservations, Puerto Rican women living in rural areas, lesbians, women caught in the judicial system, all these women must be assured of a voice and the means to defend their rights and advance their interests.

We hope this Activist Resource Kit on Reproductive Rights is helpful to all those involved in the struggle to preserve and advance reproductive rights and freedom. The time for activism is now; the role of activism is nothing less than preserving women’s basic human rights.

http://www.publiceye.org/ark/reproductive-justice/index.php

rabble repost

Anonymous asked: The other day my friends and I were talking about pro-choice vs. pro-life. I was talking about my reasons for being pro-choice (woman's body and choice, overpopulation, safe, fetus not a human, etc.) One of my friends said that she was going to be aborted and that's why she's pro-life. Another friend said she's pro-life because the mother can just put the baby up for adoption anyway if she doesn't want to have it. Are these valid counerpoints?

Well, we’ve posted stories of people who are pro-choice and their mothers wanted the option of abortion but for whatever reason, they were unable to obtain one. So being pro-life for that reason doesn’t mean someone who could’ve been aborted can’t be pro-choice either.

Adoption is not an option for every woman faced with an unwanted pregnancy. For one, giving up a baby for adoption is much more psychologically traumatizing than an abortion. Adoption is not an alternative to being pregnant, abortion is. Some women cannot carry a baby to term so adoption is not an option for them. Should they still be forced to birth a baby even though it will mean their lives are put at severe risk? Adoption doesn’t cover the cost of prenatal exams, the cost of giving birth (some adoptive parents are willing to pay for it, but not all birth mothers are given that option, what are they supposed to do?), or the cost of post-partum check-ups that a woman will need to have regardless of whether she keeps the baby or gives it up.

Should rape victims be forced to be assaulted at prenatal visits because they conceived during their rape? By that I mean they have to have invasive exams and tests that can be extremely traumatizing for someone who has been raped and perceived as assault.

These are all counterpoints to your friends’ arguments and they have facts behind them.

Love,

Rabble

http://rabbleprochoice.tumblr.com/post/876776264/the-other-day-my-friends-and-i-were-talking-about

How the dumbing down of America plays out online

Perhaps I'm a glutton for punishment, or maybe I just like swimming upstream, but for whatever reason, I enjoy walking into the lion's den to debate hot-button issues with those who I know from the outset are not natural political allies.  Nearly every day, I engage others on their Facebook profiles, Twitter accounts and other forums to debate serious issues that tend to divide Americans along religious, ethnic, cultural or sexual divides. I do this because of a hope that I can appeal to the intellectual honesty of anyone participating in such a conversation so as to find some sort of common ground.  All too often in our partisan, "us vs. them" political discourse, we listen only to those who validate and reinforce what we already believe to be true and ignore all those whose points of view differ. I truly enjoy the challenge of doing just the opposite because, frankly, I find conversations only with people who agree with me to be exceedingly boring.

In my various conversations with those who I would consider to be part of the religious and regressive right, I’ve noticed a number of disturbing patterns in their argument styles that I believe to be at the core of our political gridlock and utter lack of bipartisanship in America today. I wish I could say that such patterns are just a byproduct of simple, easily-cured ignorance, however, the more I engage in political debates with those on the far-right fringe, the more I’m convinced that these argument styles are the intended effect of years of indoctrination by the religious and regressive right. It’s a lot easier to continue to peddle your failed ideology and ridiculous religious beliefs if your target audience is completely ill-equipped intellectually to challenge any assertions made by those who purport to lead them.

First and foremost among these disturbing argumentative patterns is the tendency to regurgitate statements from ideologues and demagogues without bothering to process the information first. Those who simply parrot Glenn Beck or Rush Limbaugh don’t stop for even a moment to consider the veracity of the statements or the context in which they’re made. Rather, what Beck and Limbaugh, among many others in the right wing echo chamber, have to say on any issue is accepted as absolute, indisputable fact and then simply repeated in the course of a debate on that topic. Just as Beck and Limbaugh do with such expertise, the rank and file of the religious and regressive right seem to believe that repeating something over and over, regardless of truth, somehow lends credence to the assertion being made. In any other context, it would be absurd – I could claim the sky is green ad naseum, it would never make it true. Nevertheless, repeating the verifiably false assertions over and over that President Obama wasn’t born in America or that he is a secret Muslim, to name but two examples, to the regressives, somehow makes those assertions true.

Beyond non-stop repetition of falsehoods in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, the regressives also tend to reject any form of evidence that doesn’t comport neatly with the text of the bible. While I try my best to be respectful of others’ religious beliefs, I find it more than frustrating that modern, verified, duplicated scientific evidence is so casually rejected by those who cling to the belief that the earth was created 6000 years ago. Rather than consider the possibility that the bible might not be a literal account of history, science or even creation, the scientific evidence is discarded and no attempt is made to reconcile the bible’s inherent inconsistencies with the indisputable and overwhelming scientific evidence to the contrary. Carbon dating, astronomical observations, fossil records, ice core samples, seabed samples and archeological evidence notwithstanding, they’d prefer to believe that counting the number of “begets” in the bible is a more accurate way to determine the age of the earth. Therefore, rather than consider that the bible’s account may be incomplete, we get abominations like the Creation Museum where cavemen are depicted as having lived with dinosaurs.

Another tried and true method of regressive debating includes what I like to call the “I’m-rubber-you’re-glue” strategy of argument. Instead of addressing issues head on with an open mind and a modicum of intellectual honesty, the regressives will accuse the opposition of doing precisely what they’re doing in a pathetic attempt to hide the obvious lack of knowledge behind their beliefs. Take Fox “News’s” obsession with the New Black Panther Party, for instance. Instead of addressing the very real issue of racism within the ranks of the tea parties and the GOP, they try to obfuscate the deserved accusations of racism by referring to other, usually inconsequential, always incongruent, instances of bigotry and stupidity by some on the left in a curious attempt at shirking responsibility for their own words and actions. Anyone who dares call them out on this tactic is called a racist, as if calling someone out for making bigoted remarks is the same as actually making bigoted remarks. It’s not.

When all else fails, rather than considering the possibility that they might not have all the answers, they then stick their fingers in their ears, close their eyes tightly and wait for the conversation to go away. With a click of a button, a political opponent is simply erased from the regressives’ universe by blocking anyone with whom they have a disagreement. Any and all conversations posted on their profiles that include even slightly divergent points of view are whitewashed to remove all evidence that a critical thinker with contrary opinions ever paid a visit and tried to come to some sort of common ground.

How pathetic.

FOLLOW LINK TO VIEW COMMENTS ON THIS POST

http://www.robertapplebaum.com/content/how-dumbing-down-america-plays-out-online

Leo withdraws from Gibson movie

Leonardo DiCaprio is withdrawing from a Mel Gibson-directed flick about vikings in the wake of the domestic abuse scandal, RadarOnline.com has exclusively confirmed.

“Not a chance,” said a source, close to the Inception star, when asked if he was still planning to star in Gibson’s next project.

The decision is a major setback for the Oscar-winning actor/director, who is facing allegations of domestic abuse and child endangerment.

PHOTOS: Celebrity Death Threats

It also lends support to critics who are suggesting Mel won’t be able to recover from the Oksana Grigorieva scandal.

Oksana, 40, has accused Gibson, 54, of punching her in the face twice as she held their infant daughter Lucia during a domestic dispute at his Malibu mansion on January 6.

WORLD EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS: Bruised & Battered Oksana Grigorieva After Brawl With Mel Gibson

After allegedly hitting Oksana on the head and mouth, she has claimed, Mel then choked her.

Detectives from the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department detectives are investigating the allegation along with Mel’s claim that Oksana tried to extort him with threats of a scandal.

EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS: See The First Photos of Mel and Oksana In a Passionate Embrace On The Beach

Mel was interviewed on Sunday but refused to answer questions about the incident, citing his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.

Mel’s profane-laced rants, recorded by Oksana and obtained by RadarOnline.com, are laced with racial slurs -- including the N-word -- and demands for repeated sexual favors.

PHOTOS: Oksana Through The Years

The viking film was to be DiCaprio’s first picture with Mel.

A source close to DiCaprio said the star, who is currently basking in the release of his wildly acclaimed box-office topping movie Inception, did not want to risk his reputation, with being associated with Mel.

“Leo has earned the right to pick and choose who he works with and Mel Gibson is not one of them,” the source added.

The as-yet untitled project is being produced by Graham King and Mel’s Icon Productions.

Variety had previously reported DiCaprio had long been fascinated by Viking culture and was poised to play one in a storyline that will be as unsparing as Mel’s other period directing efforts, Braveheart, The Passion of the Christ and Apocalypto.

Before DiCaprio’s withdrawal, shooting was slated to begin in fall 2010.

Comment is being sought from DiCaprio.

http://www.radaronline.com/exclusives/2010/07/source-dicaprio-pulling-out-mel-gibson-movie

abortion IS a constitutional right

OF COURSE NOT. Why should I, being a woman, be allowed by my government to make decisions that only affect me? That would be infringing on my government’s right to infringe my rights, as a woman.

Are you really asking me if I think I should be able to control what happens to my body and have that right protected by the United States Constitution? Of course I do. And the Supreme Court says I have that right.

So…to sum up: I don’t think abortion is a constitutional right, I know it is because the Supreme Court ruled that it was one in 1973.

Love,

Rabble

http://rabbleprochoice.tumblr.com/post/863564607/do-you-think-that-abortion-is-a-constitutional-right

sex ed=fundy freakout

http://www.alternet.org/reproductivejustice/147593/right-wingers_freak_out_over_montana_sex_ed_curriculum?page=entire

This article is talking about the Helena school district and the recent push for comprehensive sex ed for fifth graders. I learned about sex when I was in fifth grade but my parents taught my brother and I before either of us had to take it, so this can’t be an uncommon age to start learning and discussing sexual relationships.

The conservatives and Christians are, shockingly, pissed off because the sexual curriculum goes beyond abstinence-only programs. So much so that they are encouraging parents to remove their children from school.

The comprehensive sex ed isn’t the only thing that the conservatives and Christians are vehemently pissed off about. They are pissed off because in the second grade, children will be discouraged to use gay slurs, like fag, homo, etc. and taught why they are hurtful. In addition, kindergartners will be taught that there is more than one type of family structure: two moms, two dads, one mom-one dad, step parents, single parents, etc.

They feel that by teaching children that other types of families exist it will make kindergarteners gay…because that is a completely reasonable assumption compared to the idea that kindergartners will simply become more tolerant of different lifestyles. Read the article if you want to read Muslim-hating (how Muslims play into this is really a stretch, but the good reverend quoted in the article is clearly trying to fear-monger and paint them all as terrorists), sex-shaming (it’s vile!) freak outs by a conservative Christian.

Love,

Rabble

http://rabbleprochoice.tumblr.com/post/863377636/montana-schools-propose-comprehensive-sex-ed

Quoting @evolvedreason

"The truth is that many who claim to be transformed by Christ's love are deeply, even murderously intolerant of criticism." ~Sam Harris

So, if heaven is a place of perfect goodness wt/o evil, doesn't that mean God took away our freewill, thus making us mindless robots?

We should invade their countries, kill their leaders & convert them to Christianity ~Ann Coulter | We tried that, it was the Crusades

http://twitter.com/EvolvedReason

Periodic Table of Irrational Nonsense