i had a different post planned for my first post back after my long absence, but this has to be written. it's 4:30 AM and i'm awake. i want to start by saying that i know i live in a "red" state and that's fine. i'm a minority in my opinions, and i've accepted that. it's okay. but, i thought i lived in america and had the right to free speech and my own opinions. the double standard is fucked up. i hate double standards. i also thought there was a separation of church and state and it's totally fucked up to question someone's religious views/beliefs because of a political view.
here's what happened:
my friend, who is much older than me, posted that she is glad that perry is not running for reelection. the news made me SUPER excited. enough of him as our governor already. he's an idiot. he fucks with education all the time and although i'm no longer a teacher, i'm a parent of a child who has to "go through the system."
so, i liked the status and then posted: "thank goodness! free at last, free at last, thank g-d almighty, we're free at last." (i want you to not that at this point, NOTHING has been said about abortion).
a friend of hers (in her age group) posts something along the lines of liking perry because he cares about the unborn. (here we go...)
i should have kept my mouth shut, but if you know me IRL, i sometimes can't. my opinions and beliefs are just as strong and as an american, i have a right to have them AND express them.
i said: "it's great that he cares about the unborn, but what about the hundreds of people and children already here in texas. he needs to care about them too." (notice i said it's great he cares about the unborn and i meant that sincerely. notice i also DID NOT SAY "let's abort all unborn babies.")
to shorten this post my friend was "unfriended" by the lady for having a friend who did not respect her posting her religious views on facebook. i DO NOT FEEL i disrespected her religious views, but there IS a separation of church and state and i was merely saying that even though it's great to care about the unborn there are people living in texas who are not being taken care of (poor people, women, children, educators, etc).
my friend's christianity was put into question because she is pro-abortion (THAT WAS NEVER EVER SAID BY ANYONE). first of all, pro-choice DOES NOT EQUAL pro-abortion. second of all my friend nor myself ever said anything about abortion. we are both glad that perry won't run for reelection because of education (she's in education still, me as a former educator who left the overly politicalized system).
i believe her to be more christian than any of the women who questioned her or unfriended her because she is accepting of other views. i don't even think she is pro-choice. she just believes that women should have a say in their health care. she is mostly against perry because of education. she is a little more liberal than her friends, but that does not make her a bad christian. wtf is that? she is a lovely woman, who will be there for you when you need her, and who will pray for you in times of need. she will show up to your grandfather's funeral, even though she hasn't seen you in several years.
it's too early in the morning for me to be up writing this blog post, but i'm pissed! i'm pissed at the way she was treated and i'm pissed that it's not a level playing field. EVERYONE IN THIS COUNTRY has a right to his/her political view. we have freedom of religion. that's why we live in america. we can believe things and express it.
i'm staying away from facebook for a while. although it's intended purpose is not to express and rant about political issues, it's a free country and i should be able to express something without my friend being ostracized for it.
Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Thursday, May 2, 2013
plan b
disclaimer: this is a political post. i will be expressing my political feelings. just wanted you to know before you began to read. also, there is a lot with this issue, so i may skip around. try to keep up!
i was greeted on facebook thursday morning by ignorance! i hate when that happens. it's too early in the morning to deal with ignorant people, esp. when all i want to do is see what new pictures people posted over night and wish my wonderful friend happy birthday.
here's how it went. my friend posted a rant about the plan b contraception. she doesn't understand why it should be made available to people of all ages (it's currently available to women ages 15 and up) because people under 15 are kids. kids don't need access to contraception. she said the goal should be to stop kids from having sex.
not too ignorant. i can agree with that. kids shouldn't be having sex. kids shouldn't need contraception. why does it need to be available to them if they don't need it?
because the REALITY of the situation is, kids are having sex. telling them not to doesn't work. they do it anyway. they are going to do it. not all of them. some will listen and wait. some will want to wait. but, A LOT of girls will have sex.
i am against abstinence only sex-ed programs. kids need to be educated about what to do if they decide to become sexually active and what all the risks are. they need to know about condoms, pregnancy, diseases, and everything else that goes with having sex. if they aren't educated they will get diseases and/or pregnant.
so her post wasn't ignorant, but those that commented on her post were. here is the one that set me off:
My theory? When "we" decided that the unborn are not really human babies and it is OK to get rid of them if they are an inconvenience.
there are SO many things about that statement that set me off. first of all, plan B is NOT, i repeat NOT, the abortion pill that so many people say it is. it does NOT kill a baby. it must be used within so many days of intercourse and stops the egg and sperm from getting together. unless you believe that conception starts at the release of the sperm, then plan B does not kill unborn babies. (we will not debate when a human life begins)
second of all, women being able to purchase plan B is not a pro-life/pro-choice issue. it's a form of contraception. it's like getting the pill or the shot, but for emergency situations when you didn't plan on having sex or your contraception failed (the condom broke). i'm tired of people saying that birth control should not be available. more birth control may equal less abortions. also, if a woman does not want to have a baby, she has a right to use contraception to prevent it. it's the responsible thing to do. why does it have to be and us against them? it's about a woman's right to choose and to prevent pregnancy. no one is being harmed or killed (except the woman denied access--she is harmed, not literally killed).
finally, that comment says it's "OK to get rid of them if they are an inconvenience." kids having babies has nothing to do about convenience. it's about the fact that kids shouldn't be having kids. they are too young physically and emotionally. like i said above, sex is a reality, and kids need to be taught how to be responsible. if they are taught to be responsible and to prevent possible pregnancies, then nothing will be "gotten rid of".
second piece of ignorance:
i think making it available is the equivelant of providng them a bed, a beer, some barry white, and a smoke for afterwards. it just gives them another reason to think "oh its ok, i wont get pregnant ...i can take the plan b instead...". i promise there will be a huge increase of STD and AIDS because they will think "why use a rubber......i can just pop this pill!"
omg! i disagree. making it available is not the same as giving them permission. that's my mom's mentality. my sister was sexually active before the age of 14. my mom wouldn't put her on birth control because she thought that would send the message that she condoned that behavior. she told my sister to stop having sex. luckily my sister didn't get pregnant, but it could have happened. if you know it's happening, you should deal with the situation and provide kids with knowledge instead of ignore it.
my final point of this post, this is a woman's health issue. it's not an abortion issue (i know i have to keep repeating this because people are ignorant). plan B is not the same as having an abortion. it is not something that needs to be debated in congress. bills don't need to be written and debated for hours. the FDA approved it. the end. it's not anyone's business.
parents need to talk to their kids and educate them. they have to be realistic and not ignore what kids are doing today. if parents open the lines of communication and educate their kids, then there won't be an issue. the people that have problems with all this are the same ones who tell their kids that it's wrong to have sex before marriage and leave it at that. telling them how wrong sex is won't protect them once they're in the situation.
ok--putting away the soap box.
i'll post soon about how my pro-choice views and the plan b discussion (before i wrote this post) made it all the way to taiwan.
i was greeted on facebook thursday morning by ignorance! i hate when that happens. it's too early in the morning to deal with ignorant people, esp. when all i want to do is see what new pictures people posted over night and wish my wonderful friend happy birthday.
here's how it went. my friend posted a rant about the plan b contraception. she doesn't understand why it should be made available to people of all ages (it's currently available to women ages 15 and up) because people under 15 are kids. kids don't need access to contraception. she said the goal should be to stop kids from having sex.
not too ignorant. i can agree with that. kids shouldn't be having sex. kids shouldn't need contraception. why does it need to be available to them if they don't need it?
because the REALITY of the situation is, kids are having sex. telling them not to doesn't work. they do it anyway. they are going to do it. not all of them. some will listen and wait. some will want to wait. but, A LOT of girls will have sex.
i am against abstinence only sex-ed programs. kids need to be educated about what to do if they decide to become sexually active and what all the risks are. they need to know about condoms, pregnancy, diseases, and everything else that goes with having sex. if they aren't educated they will get diseases and/or pregnant.
so her post wasn't ignorant, but those that commented on her post were. here is the one that set me off:
My theory? When "we" decided that the unborn are not really human babies and it is OK to get rid of them if they are an inconvenience.
there are SO many things about that statement that set me off. first of all, plan B is NOT, i repeat NOT, the abortion pill that so many people say it is. it does NOT kill a baby. it must be used within so many days of intercourse and stops the egg and sperm from getting together. unless you believe that conception starts at the release of the sperm, then plan B does not kill unborn babies. (we will not debate when a human life begins)
second of all, women being able to purchase plan B is not a pro-life/pro-choice issue. it's a form of contraception. it's like getting the pill or the shot, but for emergency situations when you didn't plan on having sex or your contraception failed (the condom broke). i'm tired of people saying that birth control should not be available. more birth control may equal less abortions. also, if a woman does not want to have a baby, she has a right to use contraception to prevent it. it's the responsible thing to do. why does it have to be and us against them? it's about a woman's right to choose and to prevent pregnancy. no one is being harmed or killed (except the woman denied access--she is harmed, not literally killed).
finally, that comment says it's "OK to get rid of them if they are an inconvenience." kids having babies has nothing to do about convenience. it's about the fact that kids shouldn't be having kids. they are too young physically and emotionally. like i said above, sex is a reality, and kids need to be taught how to be responsible. if they are taught to be responsible and to prevent possible pregnancies, then nothing will be "gotten rid of".
second piece of ignorance:
i think making it available is the equivelant of providng them a bed, a beer, some barry white, and a smoke for afterwards. it just gives them another reason to think "oh its ok, i wont get pregnant ...i can take the plan b instead...". i promise there will be a huge increase of STD and AIDS because they will think "why use a rubber......i can just pop this pill!"
omg! i disagree. making it available is not the same as giving them permission. that's my mom's mentality. my sister was sexually active before the age of 14. my mom wouldn't put her on birth control because she thought that would send the message that she condoned that behavior. she told my sister to stop having sex. luckily my sister didn't get pregnant, but it could have happened. if you know it's happening, you should deal with the situation and provide kids with knowledge instead of ignore it.
my final point of this post, this is a woman's health issue. it's not an abortion issue (i know i have to keep repeating this because people are ignorant). plan B is not the same as having an abortion. it is not something that needs to be debated in congress. bills don't need to be written and debated for hours. the FDA approved it. the end. it's not anyone's business.
parents need to talk to their kids and educate them. they have to be realistic and not ignore what kids are doing today. if parents open the lines of communication and educate their kids, then there won't be an issue. the people that have problems with all this are the same ones who tell their kids that it's wrong to have sex before marriage and leave it at that. telling them how wrong sex is won't protect them once they're in the situation.
ok--putting away the soap box.
i'll post soon about how my pro-choice views and the plan b discussion (before i wrote this post) made it all the way to taiwan.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
the post where i get all political on your ass
i've thought a lot about this post before writing it. i know that most of my friends are on the opposite side of the political spectrum than me, so i usually make it a point not to discuss politics. that and i'm not as into it as i used to be. i don't know where my lack of desire for the political world came from, but i used to care a lot more about it. my mom on the other hand has gone off the deep end in the last couple of years. i also don't know where that came from, but at one point during the 2008 election her front yard looked like the front of the polling place because of all the political signs in it. i'm glad her and i are on the same side, or she would really make me crazy.
anyway... my point...
on saturday in arizona a congress woman the target of a shooting rampage. several innocent people died, including a federal judge and a 9 year old girl. the congress woman is a democrat and was simply holding an event to get out and meet the people she represents. the people attending were there to show their support for her and ask her questions. the little girl that went was just elected to the student council at school and wanted to learn more about the government.
right away the media was reporting that because she was a democrat and the suspect had all this radical conservative propaganda posted on his myspace page that this must be political. that he must be for the right and was acting out against the left. i didn't see his myspace page or the videos he posted on youtube, but i believe that this could be the case.
i don't watch a lot of news. i have started getting my news off our local nbc affiliate's website. not only do i get the local news, but i can read the headlines for the national news. when i'm at my mom's she usually has on msnbc. i have seen many of the programs on there and they are definitely leaning left. everyone knows that fox news leans totally to the right. i'm wondering if there is a channel out there that will just tell us the news without putting a spin on it...
anyway, i have also had the displeasure of watching fox news. i have heard rush limbaugh talk. i have heard some of the things that sarah palin has had to say. i believe that in recent years that there is a lot of hate coming from the right. what the fuck is all this, "we have to take america back!" shit? you didn't hear the democrats saying that and scaring people the 8 years that bush was in office. sure, we complained. we didn't like him. but we didn't say it was unamerican to support him, nor did we say that all this bad stuff was going to happen to our country just because he was in office. (by bad stuff i don't mean the usual political mistakes, but some of these people on fox news talk about doom and gloom). america is still america, no matter which party is in charge of the white house. that is the beauty of america.
(sorry if i keep getting off topic--there is a lot of stuff swirling around in my head)
so since obama was elected, a lot of hateful things have been said about him and the state of this country by the right. during the recent mid-term elections a lot of hateful stuff was said about the left. this may have been taken out of context, but sarah palin even put "targets" on the districts that needed to be won by republicans. inappropriate? maybe not, but after what happened saturday it is.
where did all this hate come from? what makes rush limbaugh and sarah palin experts? what happened to respecting the office? why can't republicans and democrats coexist without the threats and hatred?
i have read some news since the shooting that the suspect (who, from the look of his mugshot is a total psycho path) might be a democrat or not political at all. authorities do know that he had attended this congress woman's events before. did he hold a grudge against her or was this political, spurred by the hatred on the right? we may never know the answer. i think it is time to stop the finger pointing (on BOTH sides) and look at the big picture. some crazy guy got a gun and shot close to 20 people in a grocery store parking lot. these people, no matter what political party they support, were innocent. how can we prevent this from happening again? stirring up more hate against one political party or the other is not helping. we don't need hate here people. we need to find common ground and protect the people who are out there representing us. we need to protect the innocent men, women, and children who are out there supporting a political party. we shouldn't care which one--at least they got up off their asses to show they care about our country.
i'll get off my soapbox now...
anyway... my point...
on saturday in arizona a congress woman the target of a shooting rampage. several innocent people died, including a federal judge and a 9 year old girl. the congress woman is a democrat and was simply holding an event to get out and meet the people she represents. the people attending were there to show their support for her and ask her questions. the little girl that went was just elected to the student council at school and wanted to learn more about the government.
right away the media was reporting that because she was a democrat and the suspect had all this radical conservative propaganda posted on his myspace page that this must be political. that he must be for the right and was acting out against the left. i didn't see his myspace page or the videos he posted on youtube, but i believe that this could be the case.
i don't watch a lot of news. i have started getting my news off our local nbc affiliate's website. not only do i get the local news, but i can read the headlines for the national news. when i'm at my mom's she usually has on msnbc. i have seen many of the programs on there and they are definitely leaning left. everyone knows that fox news leans totally to the right. i'm wondering if there is a channel out there that will just tell us the news without putting a spin on it...
anyway, i have also had the displeasure of watching fox news. i have heard rush limbaugh talk. i have heard some of the things that sarah palin has had to say. i believe that in recent years that there is a lot of hate coming from the right. what the fuck is all this, "we have to take america back!" shit? you didn't hear the democrats saying that and scaring people the 8 years that bush was in office. sure, we complained. we didn't like him. but we didn't say it was unamerican to support him, nor did we say that all this bad stuff was going to happen to our country just because he was in office. (by bad stuff i don't mean the usual political mistakes, but some of these people on fox news talk about doom and gloom). america is still america, no matter which party is in charge of the white house. that is the beauty of america.
(sorry if i keep getting off topic--there is a lot of stuff swirling around in my head)
so since obama was elected, a lot of hateful things have been said about him and the state of this country by the right. during the recent mid-term elections a lot of hateful stuff was said about the left. this may have been taken out of context, but sarah palin even put "targets" on the districts that needed to be won by republicans. inappropriate? maybe not, but after what happened saturday it is.
where did all this hate come from? what makes rush limbaugh and sarah palin experts? what happened to respecting the office? why can't republicans and democrats coexist without the threats and hatred?
i have read some news since the shooting that the suspect (who, from the look of his mugshot is a total psycho path) might be a democrat or not political at all. authorities do know that he had attended this congress woman's events before. did he hold a grudge against her or was this political, spurred by the hatred on the right? we may never know the answer. i think it is time to stop the finger pointing (on BOTH sides) and look at the big picture. some crazy guy got a gun and shot close to 20 people in a grocery store parking lot. these people, no matter what political party they support, were innocent. how can we prevent this from happening again? stirring up more hate against one political party or the other is not helping. we don't need hate here people. we need to find common ground and protect the people who are out there representing us. we need to protect the innocent men, women, and children who are out there supporting a political party. we shouldn't care which one--at least they got up off their asses to show they care about our country.
i'll get off my soapbox now...
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