Hillary Speaks

Hillary Clinton discusses her position on abortion when a Republican moron tries to trap her by publicly asking her a loaded question. Her answer is brilliant. Thanks for the share, Everlasting Moonlight!

 

The Meaning Of Conception

I really thought I was only jesting when I wrote this post, just over a month ago, concerning Kansas Governor, Sam Browncrack, and his proposed legislation stating that life begins at conception. Apparently, the United States actually has a few morons in the judicial branch of government who actually might consider pressing charges against women for spontaneous abortions. In Mississippi and Alabama, women who have miscarried or given birth to stillborn babies have been charged and prosecuted under laws that were written to protect children from exposure to the manufacture and trade of methamphetamine, and in Virginia, legislation requiring women to report miscarriages to law enforcement has been proposed! At this point in our history, we do not have the medical technology to even begin to diagnose the cause of each and every spontaneously aborted pregnancy. How can we charge the mothers with criminal acts? What about the fathers, and possible flawed sperm?
 

It really seems as if, back in the day, when I saw this movie the first time, I heard the chorus as:
"Every sperm is sacred,
 every sperm is blessed,
 if any sperm was wasted,
 God would sure be pissed!"

 

Governor Brownback Does Not Waste Any Sperm

 

Governor Sam Browncrack, republican, of Kansas, has announced that "life" begins at conception, and is about to sign a sign a bill into law that will make it so, at least in Kansas. This could mean all sorts of unintended and orwellian things, but Browncrack has a well established habit of failing to think these things through before jumping in front of microphones everywhere and earning those Koch Industries and Christian church donations to his political career.

Life does start at conception. That, I cannot argue; from the first meiosis, a unique genetic combination has been generated, and will never be duplicated or reproduced again. That said, why are these genetic combinations so important prior to birth, yet unimportant after birth? From limiting health benefits for financially underpriveleged children to cutting the budgets for public schools, Governor Brownback has shown himself to be very unconcerned about children, rather than to care about them. On a related note, this bill, if signed into law, will enable obstetricians to withhold any grave diagnostic information from pregnant mothers concerning their babies, in order to discourage abortion of babies with severe medical problems. That kind of
diagnostic nondisclosure means that such a mother would also lose the opportunity to seek expert care or medical innovation for herself and her baby. Nice going, Browncrack. Whoever bought your support here certainly did not think this one through very well.

What about health hazards in Kansas, such as pesticides and fertilizers used in farming? As we all know, drinking water and runoff where chemicals have been used do not mix safely. Would the Governor care to address that? What about the Keystone XL Pipeline, and the rest of the Koch Brothers' endeavors? Does Brownback have any ideas for protecting unborn children from accidental leaks of petroleum products that are as limiting as his attacks on the healthcare of women and mothers?

Of course, there is always the question of what happens if I do not know I am pregnant for awhile. That happens to women sometimes........since life begins at conception, does my unborn child count as a household member? Does he or she get a social security number before a birth certificate? If I refuse to let my child go to Brownback's church or if I refuse to teach my child to vote republican before birth, will social services do a D&C in order to take the child away? Okay; I was just joking about that......but this budding new law is also a joke. Here's one more question for Governor Sam Brownback: if I have a miscarriage, will I be arrested for involuntary manslaughter?

 

Someone Shut Paul Ryan Up, Please.

Geesh. My teenagers have more realistic notions about the world and the population at large than Paul Ryan has. Yes, rape IS another form of conception, but does Paul Ryan want to encourage it? It certainly looks that way. I really can't think of a better way to become one of the forty-seven percent of Romney's instant "throw-aways" who "do not matter".

Letter To School Superintendent In Kansas

Here's a letter I wrote to the superintendent of schools in the school district that includes my childrens' school. I have substituted the letter X for proper nouns, as identities of individuals and places are not necessary to the point of my letter.

Dear Mr. XXXX,

I was in the office at XXXX School yesterday, returning two of my children to school after an appointment at the eye doctor. One of the first people I noticed, because he was out of place, was a Mr. HXXXX, (I have forgotton his first name) who lives in town, but no longer has any children who attend this school. Not only did his name NOT appear on the sign-in sheet that you told me would remain in the office for any adult who visits the building but is not on the payroll; I am curious about the need for his volunteer services and his qualifications. My children cannot participate in certain sports, because you have spurned my offers to volunteer based on my popularity scores here in XXXX that have little to do with my character or other qualifications, which probably, by far, exceed the qualifications of other parents who volunteer at your school. Have you checked the criminal record of Mr. HXXXX? His two sons, who are both young adults, still live in his house, and I have personally heard them both discuss the use of illegal drugs. Mr. HXXXX was physically present when his sons were speaking. Apparently, Mr.HXXXX does not take prohibition laws seriously. After hearing those comments, I do not allow my daughter to even visit that home to buy Avon from his wife. I don't want my children in that type of environment. Also, I have seen him allow minors, his sons, when they were still in high school, to drink beer in his home. This is not the person I find appropriate to volunteer in the school, and share his "influence" with my children, thankyou very much. Also, since this is such a small town, and since at least one of Mr. HXXXX's children has experienced "run-ins" with the law in the past, in connection to violations of prohibition laws and alcohol, I will contend that your principal, Mr. DXXXX, was aware of this, yet welcomed him into the building anyway.

Since the rules apply stringently to yours truly, to the extent of her own children not being able to participate in sports because the adult/child ratio is unsafe in your school during these activities, and that does not bother you; I am curious to know why Mr. HXXXX, who violates the law in connection to children and alcohol in ways I would never even consider, is welcomed with open arms into your building. Would you please explain the bias to me? Also, why is he not required to sign in, as I do, whenever I enter your building? Why does his wife use your school as a venue for her Avon business? I sold Avon on the East Coast, and would never have considered a school building an appropriate place to dispense product and collect revenue for same. This takes the attention of teachers and other staff away from children and creates an atmosphere of business other than education. It is not safe for the students. Please make it stop.

I have one more question for you. Is this IP number, XXXX, in any way associated with computers in your school buildings? If so, you have at least one teacher who harrasses others for political reasons. My children and I should NOT KNOW where anyone on your staff stands on issues such as abortion, yet we do, and we should certainly not know for whom any of your teachers intends to vote! Please ask them to all be less obvious about their political stances.

Sincerely,
XXXX

............In all fairness, I should convey that the superintendent did respond to my letter, the same day he got it. He told me that the sign-in sheet in the office would be in use from now on, whether the local Kansas folk wished for that or not. He also told me that the Avon Lady would no longer be making stops at the school, as this is against policy for several reasons. I should add that the Avon Lady also never bothers to sign in at my childrens' school, and moves freely through the building as if she worked there or had children there. Neither apply to her.

The superintendent was not able to explain the inherent nastiness and unjust prejudism expressed by these people toward myself and other members of my family. He was not able to explain the constant pressure to vote for a presidential candidate who is not of my choosing. He was also not able to tell me why my children and I even know for whom most of these teachers intend to vote. He and I both agreed that if a child ever disappears from this particular school or is otherwise harmed there, the FBI will be VERY interested in the number of unofficially present adults in the school from day to day, and in their identities, activities, and criminal records. That said, it seems to me that persons who have unlawful recreational drugs in their homes from time to time, and persons who allow minors to drink alcoholic beverages in their homes, should take heed.

 

Missouri Republican Thinks Trauma Is A Form Of Birth Control

Republicans keep getting more and more inane all the time. This just in: Todd Akin, R-Missouri, thinks that it is not ever necessary for a pregnant woman to undergo a dilation and cutterage, except possibly in the case of rape, but since he feels that the trauma of what he has termed a "legitimate rape" (what the hell would that be, Akin?) is some sort of a barrier against either ovulation or fertilization, (he wasn't clear about this) such a procedure should not be available at all. So....according to Akin, an unfertilized egg "knows" which haploid cells belong to someone whose company the mother sought, as opposed to someone who forced himself on the mother, and will therefore not allow themselves to become fertilized by the sperm of someone the mother does not like. That's very interesting; also NOT what they were teaching back in the dark ages, when I took bio 101. Geesh. I am waiting for someone to fact check Akin with stats from the Amercian Journal Of Obstetrics And Gynecology, which estimates that the percentage of rape induced pregnancies of women between the ages of twelve and forty-five is about five percent. So much for fear and terror being a reliable form of contraception. I suppose he would explain incest resulting in pregnancy, or the rapes of female prisoners of war, as "not really rape", as long as the victims became pregnant! While it is insulting enough to have a man tell all American women that sexual assualt is not really sexual assualt if it results in pregnancy, ( I can just hear defense attorneys using this as a defense...."it couldn't possibly have been rape, your honor....she got pregnant!") is this creep thinking about rewriting the laws concerning sex crimes? Don't get your representatives at Walmart.

Newt Gingrich Puts The Hippo In Hypocrite

A commenter on a news forum here in Kansas explained to me, the other day, that Newt Gingrich puts the hippo in hypocrite. That seems about right, and it reminded me of this:

Kinda like a hippo. Hippos are nicer, though.

Then Kansas caucused for Rick Santorum, even though most of religious fundamentalist Kansans are against abortion, and Santorum and his wife opted for a second trimester abortion back in 1996. Santorum is more of a white washed seplachure, though. "White washed" because "white" is his big qualification for presidency that makes certain people want to vote for him.

Mr. Christian

And I wouldn't want to omit Mitt Romney! (hey....Omit Mitt....I like that!) He puts the money in the corperations; because, of course, corperations are people too! Hopefully, he won't attempt to register corperations to vote!

Mitt Romeny's REAL reason to want the presidency.

Satan Claus Is Coming To Town

Oh goody. Rick Satorum (or does he spell that "Santorum"?) will be in Wichita on Saturday, February 25, to pander for votes. I can hardly wait. Will he smear President Obama, drone on about abortion,  or talk to us about Satan? I mean.....Satan is, after all, the father of lies; at least, according to Rick Santorum, that's who he is. And also, according to Santorum, no upstanding Christian or American would ever have an abortion. Yet...in 1996.....Mrs. Santorum, herself, had an abortion nineteen weeks into term. That's right; the baby had a physical problem that the Santorums found too challenging, and Mrs. Santorum had gotton sick. A therapeutic abortion was recommended, and since they were in Virginia at the time, where therapeutic abortions are performed legally and without the use of coat hangers, the damning abortion was carried out. After which Satorum told everyone that "that abortion was different". Yet he does not want to allow anyone else the same amount of latitude. Just his own family. Not that I support kicking a healthy fetus out of the womb, but dagnab! If "God" does not want a lifesaving procedure to save one woman's life, the next woman should suffer the same fate, right Satorum? Or does Mrs. Satorum get special favor here? Don't misunderstand me, I would not deny anyone medical care in an emergency. But it looks to me like, in order to make some imaginary dude in the sky happy, Rick Santorum will. Unless it's a member of his own family.

Who's really fathering lies? An imaginary dude with horns and a pitchfork? Or Rick Santorum?

Recent Republican Contributions

Just some food for thought.

Judge Harms Says It's Okay To Order Late Term Abortions

About a month ago, there was a case that went to the Supreme Court in Massachusetts about a family law court judge near Boston who was petitioned by the family of a mentally ill woman in her thirties concerning her pregnancy. The family wanted the woman to be ordered by Judge Harms to have an abortion. The woman was about twenty weeks pregnant at the time. Judge Harms thought an abortion sounded like a good idea, and ordered it, as if it were an order for noncustodial visitation and rotating holidays. Naturally, the woman felt the healthy fetus moving inside of her and did not want labor induced so that a doctor or a nurse practitioner could set the baby down and allow it to die, as per the judge's orders. I wouldn't want that, either. Not that I think mental illness is a great quality for a parent to possess, but who, out in the Land of Reality, is perfect? Where should we draw the line? Alcoholics? Moms who don't make enough money for white picket fences? Should a mom serving time in prison, yet carrying a healthy fetus be aborted just because she'll be in prison while the child needs a mother? Or are there other solutions that don't involve death?

After being ordered by this Nazi throwback of a judge to abort a fetus during her second trimster, the woman decided upon civil disobedience, ( carrying a baby to term should NEVER be civil disobedience) and took family law court to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court sided with her, telling her that her child could live. Thank the Gods.

Back in court on municipal levels, Judge Harms retired early, because fallout from oversteppeing her bounds in such a serious way was too hard for her to face every day. A pregnant woman could face feeling her baby move, then submitting to her baby's death, but the Judge Harms was too cowardly to answer questions or face her constituents about her edict. She was planning to quietly continue to live among us, working as an instuctor at Boston University. Apparantly, no one wanted to sign up for her class, and no one wanted to share the teachers' lounge with her. Boston Universtiy rescinded their employment offer. Now the former Judge Harms feels slighted, and that she should still have had the opportunity to teach! I would certainly not take her class, I would not pay tuition for any of my children to take classes from her, and I can certainly see similar conflicts concerning any scholarship fund. Not many of us would want a young person educated by someone who openly violated not only the constitution, but everything for which we hope to stand, here in America.

"Harms, who retired last month, defended her ruling in a letter she sent Monday to other Massachusetts family court judges, saying she believed the schizophrenic woman would have chosen to have an abortion if she had been mentally competent."....Deborah Becker, WBUR..............Seriously, Judge Harms? You could feel a healthy fetus at four or five months moving inside of you, and deny him or her the opportunity to live? I'm so glad you are not on the bench anymore.

A Judge Thought She Could Terminate A Pregnancy

Judge Christine Harms (how much more appropriate could her name be?) really thought she could order a member of the public to have an abortion, twenty weeks into term! Apparently, the thirty-two year old woman's parents petitioned a family court in Massachusetts to order her to schedule and abortion and be sterilized because of mental illness! When the case went to court, Judge Harms (still chuckling about the judge's name) heard the case, and went ahead and ordered the poor woman to abort! This is craziness! And how many other such orders has this judge issued while on the bench? This is NOT an intended function of family law court!

The question Judge Harms should have asked, immediately, is "Who and where is the father?" No mention of that appears in any article available, so far, about this case. Could the father be someone close to the mother, who, say......would be embarrassed about such a pregnancy, and not want to take responsibility? Could the father be someone in the mother's own family? We may find out, since Judge Harms's order was overturned by the Supreme Court. It seems that everything about this ruling seemed wrong, very wrong, from the assumption that this woman could even find a doctor willing to abort a healthy twenty to twenty four week old fetus to the assumption that she, herself, could make the determination concerning the baby's right to a healthy birth! Thank the Gods that someone here had common sense!

It looks like Judge Harms has flown the coop, in the wake of all this bad publicity. According to Yahoo News, "Harms, who recently retired, could not be reached for comment Tuesday." No doubt.

This is not a meaningless clump of cells and DNA. This is a baby. Even from a pro choice standpoint, one should not wait five months to abort a healthy baby. It is also no one's personal privilege to decide which healthy babies get to live, after healthy birth, and which healthy babies must die, after abortions performed under extreemly questionable circumstances.

Kansas Insurance And Abortion

One more event to take place in Kansas on September 16, besides Kansans United in Voice and Spirit meeting at the state capital in Topeka.....the court will hear arguements about abortion, and about whether Governer Browncrack can tell insurance companies that they cannot cover abortion in Kansas, while they do in other states. This is really nonsense. Really.......it is. First Trimester abortions have been legal in the United States since 1972. The procedure, known as a dialation and cutterage, or D & C, is not only used for first trimester abortions, but other health problems. Browncrack wants to tell women that in order to have this procedure, they must have separate insurance. Insurance companies are saying that they cover this procedure everywhere else, refusing to cover it in one state would be complicated. So....if I am pregnant, and the baby dies in the first trimester, but I fail to miscarry (this actually happens; it's called a "missed abortion") I have to pay out of my pocket in order to avoid the ensuing life-threatening infection that could result from not having a D & C, or go to another state? Also, what's to stop women from having abortions in other states? Oh........that's right! Browncrack wants to make sure we don't have policies that cover it. Maybe we can all buy insurance in other states to begin with. Maybe I will just keep the insurance I have always had in Maryland. There are, and will always be, ways around this. And.....what if a woman is raped? Or is pregnant with a child who, for medical reasons, will not survive after birth? Is Browncrack forcing that woman to remain pregnant? Why? Is there something more sinister to this than meets the eye? Human trafficking, maybe?

It was just a thought. Here's the article.