This thread really effected me tonight because of the cavalier way that people here have talked about fetuses before they become "people".
When does that happen? Will we ever agree? Personally, I think that unless someone has lost a baby, they can never know what it feels like.
In 2000, my sister was killed in a car accident. A few of you know this. She was 36 weeks pregnant at the time. When she was in the middle of her second trimester, the baby started to move. The fetus became the baby, and the baby became a HE. They decided to name him Thomas James. When they were killed, I felt like I had lost two individual people. My sister and my nephew. He and I were going to be best friends. He already responded to my voice. Would I have felt that way before he started moving? Probably not. After he started moving, he became real, and I don't know if the pain would have been nearly as intense as it was, as it IS.
I think referring to fetuses as parasites is a little revolting, and it sickens me that some people here have decided that that is OK. Embryo? Sure. Fetus? No. I think, personally, that when a baby starts moving inside it's mother, it's a person. My nephew had a personality from the first time he moved. When he responded to my voice, he was this little person I dreamed about laying in the grass looking at the stars with and teaching to swim. I can't have that.
I don't know if we'll ever agree on if a fetus is property or not. Abortion is not a black or white issue. It's got more shades of gray than there are colors out there. And we're never going to agree on when a fetus becomes a baby. And I don't know if that's ok or not. I do know that I am still sad all these years later that I lost my sister's male fetus. And I will never be the same.
Duckie

Racial slurs are terrible, yes, sick, even, but why let someone as insignificant as Don Imus effect you like this? It's silly. Racist people are idiots and not worthy of anyone's time or energy.
Why are we so offended by Imus saying something stupid when there are still more pressing matters, like getting a murdering son of a bitch out of the white house, or the children getting abused at this very second in homes all around the country? Personally, I'm more concerned with the soldiers getting shipped home at this very moment in body bags or with irreparable mental and physical wounds to really give a shit about some racial slur uttered by an old man who really means absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of things.
Duckie

I'm 27, my husband is 35. We like Harry Potter. I think it is an amazing story that appeals to everyone no matter their age. It's that classic struggle of good versus evil. Getting away from the everyday rat race of evil shitting on the nice guy, I think is what makes me really love the characters that JK Rowling has so brilliantly brought to life. Think of me what you will. I really don't give a rat's ass. It's a story that makes me believe that sometimes the good guys do win, life can be different, and no matter how bad things get, there are always people there, friends, family, etc, who will always be there to make it better. Don't like it if you want, but please don't shit on the things someone else likes because you don't get the brilliance of it.
Duckie

Mainly because there are people in this country who own shoes that cost hundreds of dollars, thousands of dollars, but we have homeless people!? What the fuck is that about? This country has more wealth than some European countries who really don't have homeless problems. But what do people who own those shoes and cars they never drive say when you tell them about these hungry, shoeless, homeless people? "Why can't they get a job or spend the money they are using on alcohol on food?!" Right, like they do any actual work. The people who are paid the most don't do jack. The people who make the least do back breaking work every day and are treated like they are mooching off of their employers. God I hate the way this fucking country is.
There is no reason that in this country 1% of the people make over 50% of the money! We as the middle class need to take this fucking country back. Oh, I forgot. We can't be prosperous because we get too uppity when we start making headway and the aristocracy (Or corporatocracy, which ever you prefer) feels threatened. We need a French-like Revolution in this country. Our priorities are fucked up. They tell us that we need to educate ourselves and get a good job, but then they raise the fucking interest rates on the student loans so that poor people can't afford them. I'm fucking pissed, and I've been pissed. And people fucking wonder why I've lost my faith.

Sorry for the tangent.
Duckie

QUIT SMOKING, then they can legitimately bitch at you for going to WalMart. The snobs that think that you have the ability to go somewhere else are just that, snobs. We do go elsewhere when we can, but sometimes we don't want to drive all the way across town. Anyone who judges you because you are trying to feed your family and still save some money, then they aren't worth your time, sweetie! AND Any of those people who bitch at you for going to walmart and are smoking, are hypocrites, because republicans own the cigarette companies, and cigarette companies probably don't treat their employees that great either, but they probably have to treat the people who make them well because they are probably union.
Duckie

Today, I was reading the Letters to the Editor today in the Daily OKlahoman. Don't know why. The paper is garbage, but I'm so glad I did.
Not all Equal
Apparently, Cheryl Jobe (Your Views, Nov. 16) is unaware that Christmas is one of the 10 holidays set aside for observance by the federal government. Hanukkah, Eid al-Adha, Kwanzaa are not federal holidays. America was founded on Christian principles; creating an equal standard for all holidays dishonors the values in place at the founding of our nation and the people who’ve fought to keep those values alive. It strips Americans of their rights by imposing every religion on every person. If we truly have freedom of religion, we should not be forced to recognize all holidays. I’m not saying that Christianity should be the only religion, but I am saying that making all holidays equal takes away our right to choose which religion we will follow.

Becca Mann



And I emailed this response to The Oklahoman.
Becca Mann wrote in the November 24th LTTE that "making all holidays equal takes away our right to choose which religion to follow." This makes little sense. It takes away everyone but Christian's rights to follow which ever religion they like. Why is that fair? And as far as our country being founded on Christian Principals, that's ridiculous. The founding fathers, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Et Al were Free Masons. And even George Washington said, "The United States is by no means founded on Christian Principals."
I find it difficult to stomach the outright, unapologetic ARROGANCE of Christians like Ms. Mann. Christmas has not been a Federal Holiday since the beginning of our country. It only happened within the last century, during our country's push of religion on others, just like the Under God that is in the Pledge of Allegiance was not inserted until the 1950s. Maybe Ms. Mann needs to read something other than the Bible and get a true history lesson.
Melissa

I'll let you know if it gets printed.
Duckie

Congrats in being featured in the latest issue of ROLLING STONE!!! You rock!!

Duckie

And there are no more deductions. And businesses pay 25%. NO DEDUCTIONS. ZERO. And then of course really get religion out of politics. I'm sure I'll get flamed for this one, but I really don't care. Everyone pays the same percentage, and if you cheat, you go to jail. No if ands or buts about it.
Duckie

Heard this today from my cubie mate. While I love her, she is misguided in a lot of her thinking. She thinks if you give everyone the same medical opportunities, it doesn't give people anything to strive for. She also thinks if no one has to work their ass off to keep a roof over their heads, food on their table and a shirt on their back, then no one would have to aspire to anything and everyone would be lazy asses. Where the fuck does this thinking come from? People shouldn't have to work their asses off for the BASICS of life. And Medical care should be a basic human right. What is wrong with these people!?
Duckie

<snip>
The Catholic Church is on the brink of a historic change of approach over condoms which could bring hope to millions in Africa and other parts of the developing world devastated by Aids.

"We are conducting a very profound scientific, technical and moral study," said the head of the Vatican Council for Health Pastoral Care. The church is expected to give a guarded, provisional blessing to the use of condoms by married couples when one of them suffers from Aids, as a way of protecting the health of the other partner. It is only a technical concession, based on two ancient principles, but, against the background of the stolid refusal by church authorities to countenance even the slightest deviation for more than a generation, it amounts to a revolution.

http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/artic...

Can I just say: Everyone thought that the current pope wasn't going to make progress at all, and most thought they were going to hate him. Those in the know are actually saying he's probably going to ok this. It's only provisional, but it's a HUGE STEP!!
Duckie