Thursday, April 29, 2010
Joys of Facebook
One of my friends just gave birth. What a fantastic thing new life is, and what a wonder technology is that we can share photos of a new miracle so quickly!
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
There is a great deal of anti-choice discussion on many feminist blogs. It appears that the target du jour is the Crisis Pregnancy Center, advertised in many cities under "abortion alternatives" but allegedly also posing as abortion fake-clinics meant to scare women out of terminating their pregnancies.
Alleged Campaign of Misinformation.
What I'd like to know is: is there anyone out there who has had a positive experience at a CPC who would be interested in telling their story? I'd hate to see these incredibly useful (and often volunteer-run, how cool is that?) resources get taken down!
Alleged Campaign of Misinformation.
What I'd like to know is: is there anyone out there who has had a positive experience at a CPC who would be interested in telling their story? I'd hate to see these incredibly useful (and often volunteer-run, how cool is that?) resources get taken down!
Thursday, April 15, 2010
happy tax day!
If you need a break from number-crunching, spend some time at my favorite daily cute sites!
Babies Making Faces cute pictures of silly baby faces.
Cute Overload Baby animals galore!
Babies Making Faces cute pictures of silly baby faces.
Cute Overload Baby animals galore!
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Fixing poverty--as the LOLcat would say, ur doin it wrong
Let's fix it by punishing children born out of wedlock!
No, no, and NO. This is not the solution.
A peaceful society cannot exist where a child conceived/born in one set of circumstances (in this case, out of wedlock) is treated as inferior to another child born/conceived within wedlock.
The answer cannot be in withholding assistance to children born out of wedlock. Whether you believe marriage is a sacred bond or merely a piece of paper that affords legal perks, the ones who suffer the most from lack of support are the children. America can not simultaneously claim to value life and fail to support it.
We aren't losing a huge chunk of tax dollars on these "welfare queens" (and for the record, I hate that term. Racist/classist much?). It doesn't anger me. You know what does? Corporate bailouts for billionaires. They're not going to starve if suddenly they become millionaires instead of billionaires.
No distinction should ever be made with regard to the conditions surrounding the birth of any child. All children must be welcome and accepted!
No, no, and NO. This is not the solution.
A peaceful society cannot exist where a child conceived/born in one set of circumstances (in this case, out of wedlock) is treated as inferior to another child born/conceived within wedlock.
The answer cannot be in withholding assistance to children born out of wedlock. Whether you believe marriage is a sacred bond or merely a piece of paper that affords legal perks, the ones who suffer the most from lack of support are the children. America can not simultaneously claim to value life and fail to support it.
We aren't losing a huge chunk of tax dollars on these "welfare queens" (and for the record, I hate that term. Racist/classist much?). It doesn't anger me. You know what does? Corporate bailouts for billionaires. They're not going to starve if suddenly they become millionaires instead of billionaires.
No distinction should ever be made with regard to the conditions surrounding the birth of any child. All children must be welcome and accepted!
Saturday, April 3, 2010
crisis pregnancy centers and historical heroes
Dr. Charlotte Denman Lozier, (1844-1870) wife, mother, scholar, physician, and woman
In 1866, Dr. Lozier refused-and had arrested-a man who was looking to procure an abortion.
In other news, I've been reading a lot of fire over the controversy that is the "Crisis Pregnancy Center". Allegedly, these centers are firmly right-wing, will use scare tactics to talk women out of abortion, even providing false and misleading information about how far along they are, how "it's not necessary to abort, the pregnancy isn't viable", subjecting them to propaganda images, etc. All while advertising as "abortion services".
Well, maybe it's because I live in the liberal Pacific Northwest, but I've never seen these centers advertised as "abortion services". They sit prominently at the top of the phone book as "abortion ALTERNATIVES". Some have ultrasound machines, some are desperate for them (guess which agenda fights against requiring women to view their ultrasounds before obtaining abortion?). Pretty much all are run by volunteers and don't charge for their services as they operate by donations.
Recently, in Baltimore, CPC's came under fire for not properly advertising their services. They were asked to put on their door that they do not offer or refer for abortion or birth control services. The Baltimore Archdiocese has stated this interferes with their right to free speech and religion.
Call me a dirty secular humanist, but I would hope any crisis pregnancy center would PROUDLY display that they do not offer abortion services (and artificial birth control if that goes against their beliefs too). Be proud of your beliefs!
In 1866, Dr. Lozier refused-and had arrested-a man who was looking to procure an abortion.
In other news, I've been reading a lot of fire over the controversy that is the "Crisis Pregnancy Center". Allegedly, these centers are firmly right-wing, will use scare tactics to talk women out of abortion, even providing false and misleading information about how far along they are, how "it's not necessary to abort, the pregnancy isn't viable", subjecting them to propaganda images, etc. All while advertising as "abortion services".
Well, maybe it's because I live in the liberal Pacific Northwest, but I've never seen these centers advertised as "abortion services". They sit prominently at the top of the phone book as "abortion ALTERNATIVES". Some have ultrasound machines, some are desperate for them (guess which agenda fights against requiring women to view their ultrasounds before obtaining abortion?). Pretty much all are run by volunteers and don't charge for their services as they operate by donations.
Recently, in Baltimore, CPC's came under fire for not properly advertising their services. They were asked to put on their door that they do not offer or refer for abortion or birth control services. The Baltimore Archdiocese has stated this interferes with their right to free speech and religion.
Call me a dirty secular humanist, but I would hope any crisis pregnancy center would PROUDLY display that they do not offer abortion services (and artificial birth control if that goes against their beliefs too). Be proud of your beliefs!
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
quote for today
“The moral test of government is how that government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly; and those who are in the shadows of life, the sick, the needy and the handicapped.“
Hubert H. Humphrey
Speech, November 4, 1977
Hubert H. Humphrey
Speech, November 4, 1977
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
What are they so afraid of?
Apparently, the Lilith Fair announced the following on Monday:$1 from every Lilith ticket sold will be donated to a local charity in each of the 36 cities the festival visits. Fans were asked to help by voting for the charity in their city that they thought Lilith should support.
The following info was found on the Facebook page "Lilith Fair: No money for crisis pregnancy centers!" Site quotes are in italics.
On the Minneapolis voting page, the Metro Women's Center is described as follows: "To actively promote and maintain the sanctity of human life through educating women and the community at large about pregnancy alternatives so that informed decisions concerning the outcome of pregnancy may be made. We desire to do this by respecting the lives of both the mother and the child equally. We believe that the answer to a problem or unplanned pregnancy is not to abort the child, but to seek alternatives which allow both parties to live. Since: 1990 http://www.metrowomenscenter.org/ "
The Indianapolis voting page describes Life Centers, an anti-choice CPC which seems to be even less interested in covering up the fact that they do not support choice - "We empower women in unplanned pregnancies to make informed decisions about themselves and their future by offering pregnancy testing, confidential counseling services, information about abortion alternatives, and referrals. Established 1982 http://www.lifecenters.com/ "
Oh, heaven FORBID we actually offer women options beyond killing their children! I shouldn't be surprised, I guess. The pro-choice movement has also been known to oppose things like requiring women view their ultrasound before terminating a pregnancy. Because of course it's just too hard to acknowledge that what they're doing might just be...oh, I don't know, wrong?
In Atlanta, a Beacon of Hope Womens Center, Inc., offers a key component to many CPCs: a free ultrasound accompanied by misleading information about safe and legal abortion procedures. A Beacon of Hope freely admits on their website that,"we do not offer or refer for abortion services." The description on the Lilith Fair voting page reads (without any correction to spacing edits),"A Beacon of Hope is a counseling center for women who have unexpectedly become pregnant. Serviced offered include: Free Pregnancy Testing/Free Limited Ultrasound Testing/Options Counseling/Prenatal Educational Programs/Financial and Medical Assistance for Patients currently in Programming/Housing Placement Referrals/Parenting Classes for Patients in Programming/Mentoring for Patients in Programming/Transportation for Patients currently in Programming to and from needed doctor visits Since: 1999 http://www.abeaconofhope.com/ "
The Metro Women's Center and Life Centers self-describe as Crisis Pregnancy Centers - one of the worst offenders of women's rights.
Wait a minute here. I see free pregnancy testing, all manner of assistance...this is bad for women how?
Crisis Pregnancy Centers are MISLEADING and perpetuate MISINFORMATION to women who are in difficult circumstances. We are concerned that, even through a democratic process such as voting, Lilith is condoning such actions, which stand in direct opposition to a "Celebration of Women."
Women are powerful, wonderful creatures. And while not all women will have children of their own, we all possess that amazing ability to bring forth life. To support alternatives to abortion is to truly celebrate womanhood.
The following info was found on the Facebook page "Lilith Fair: No money for crisis pregnancy centers!" Site quotes are in italics.
On the Minneapolis voting page, the Metro Women's Center is described as follows: "To actively promote and maintain the sanctity of human life through educating women and the community at large about pregnancy alternatives so that informed decisions concerning the outcome of pregnancy may be made. We desire to do this by respecting the lives of both the mother and the child equally. We believe that the answer to a problem or unplanned pregnancy is not to abort the child, but to seek alternatives which allow both parties to live. Since: 1990 http://www.metrowomenscenter.org/ "
The Indianapolis voting page describes Life Centers, an anti-choice CPC which seems to be even less interested in covering up the fact that they do not support choice - "We empower women in unplanned pregnancies to make informed decisions about themselves and their future by offering pregnancy testing, confidential counseling services, information about abortion alternatives, and referrals. Established 1982 http://www.lifecenters.com/ "
Oh, heaven FORBID we actually offer women options beyond killing their children! I shouldn't be surprised, I guess. The pro-choice movement has also been known to oppose things like requiring women view their ultrasound before terminating a pregnancy. Because of course it's just too hard to acknowledge that what they're doing might just be...oh, I don't know, wrong?
In Atlanta, a Beacon of Hope Womens Center, Inc., offers a key component to many CPCs: a free ultrasound accompanied by misleading information about safe and legal abortion procedures. A Beacon of Hope freely admits on their website that,"we do not offer or refer for abortion services." The description on the Lilith Fair voting page reads (without any correction to spacing edits),"A Beacon of Hope is a counseling center for women who have unexpectedly become pregnant. Serviced offered include: Free Pregnancy Testing/Free Limited Ultrasound Testing/Options Counseling/Prenatal Educational Programs/Financial and Medical Assistance for Patients currently in Programming/Housing Placement Referrals/Parenting Classes for Patients in Programming/Mentoring for Patients in Programming/Transportation for Patients currently in Programming to and from needed doctor visits Since: 1999 http://www.abeaconofhope.com/ "
The Metro Women's Center and Life Centers self-describe as Crisis Pregnancy Centers - one of the worst offenders of women's rights.
Wait a minute here. I see free pregnancy testing, all manner of assistance...this is bad for women how?
Crisis Pregnancy Centers are MISLEADING and perpetuate MISINFORMATION to women who are in difficult circumstances. We are concerned that, even through a democratic process such as voting, Lilith is condoning such actions, which stand in direct opposition to a "Celebration of Women."
Women are powerful, wonderful creatures. And while not all women will have children of their own, we all possess that amazing ability to bring forth life. To support alternatives to abortion is to truly celebrate womanhood.
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