Straight without a Chaser
Warning: This post is about abortion. Contrary to popular believe this is not a “woman’s issue” is a humanity issue. You might not find this post cute, funny or pleasant reading, but it’s not meant to be.
Before I start I just want to present a few facts.
- The “morning after pill” is NOT an abortion pill. If you are already pregnant you cannot take the pill. The “morning after pill” is just a double dose of birth control pills that are followed by another double dose of birth control pills 12 hours later. It doesn’t abort anything and needs to be taken within 24 – 72 hours after having unprotected or failed-birth-control sexual intercourse.
- Prior to Roe v Wade in 1973, approximately 5000 women in the
- Approximately 219 women globally die from illegal abortions every single day, and illegal abortions are a leading cause of maternal death in poverty stricken South American women. (figures are from the World Health Organization)
This is not the first time we have had this little "discussion" at work, but this time maybe it was the combination of people on that day, but it erupted big-time at the nurse’s station (which thank God is enclosed and relatively sound muffling). This time it was over a young girl who came in post St. Patrick's Day, which should pretty much explain it all. She was a beautiful girl; in fact she reminded me a lot of Nukie's middle child, just so pretty and gentle. My heart just ached for her. She was embarrassed and frightened and crying. It didn’t help that half the staff was treating her like a pariah. One of the nurses stood up and said she wasn't going to take care of her. And the PA refused to prescribe or dispense the pills. One of the doctors stood up and said, "Well I'll do it." and I stood up and said, "Give me that chart. I'll take care of her." The next thing I knew there were nurses speechifying, and some "looking up the policy" and others yelling and it just became a huge contentious battle.
I went at it pretty good with one of the nurses. The events were so "interesting" that the Pharmacy guy who was refilling our meds was moving mighty slow during the whole thing, and suddenly everyone in the ER seemed to have some business in the Nurses Station.
I hate seeing women pay the price for something both parties are doing. Hormones happen and that's just a fact. Sometimes things just get out of control. Christ Almighty. Yes, abortion sucks, and it would be a terrific and wonderful thing if it didn't exist, but nobody should be forced to bear a child - nobody. Asking for emergency contraception is somebody’s way of trying to prevent just that very thing.
And when people tell me things like, "Well, I want to be able to look my Maker in the eye..." I find myself saying things like, "Listen Sister! If God has "a few questions for me" let me tell ya, I sure as shit have a few for Him, too. And I'll be happy to look that bad boy in the eye, because I'm down here sloggin' away in the trenches, trying to do the best that I can under the circumstances, and if He doesn't like it then why doesn't He come down and give me a little fuckin' help once in a while!" (Slam!!)
Yee-ha.
And let me tell ya, I have "two dogs in the fight" as the saying goes. I have two daughters (not to mention five beautiful nieces) that I don't ever want to hear died from a desperate back alley abortion. Hormones happen, and they don't just happen to 1/2 the population. It's stupid, unreasonable and duplicitous to act like sex doesn't feel good. Jesus. How the hell did we all get here?? If this country didn't have such dichotomy when it came to sex our young people wouldn't be so fucked up. "Just say, No." and “Abstinence!” are the motto's they are given, and in the meantime they are bombarded day and night with sexy Abercrombie images, "wardrobe malfunctions", half naked rap videos and Calvin Klein underwear billboards. Not to mention the contributions of Teen Magazine, Cosmopolitan, Maxim, Playboy and others. Poor fucking kids. No wonder they're so confused when they do get an "urge" and feel dirty and ashamed because of it. Then they are totally unprepared when the "urge to merge" gets too strong and they can't call it off. I will fight to my dying day to preserve this right. Not for me. For all the daughters, nieces and granddaughters who died by the desperate means of a coat hanger, while their wealthy cohorts were whisked off for "extended vacations out of the country". Shame on you
Another Black Day in the
What really burns my ever lovin' ass is that the "lives" these anti-choice people consider worth saving are only the ones that aren't born yet. After they are born, no one gives two shits if they are born into a household that loves, wants and can afford them or not. Especially if they are African-American. Then they can wallow in poverty and abuse until they are thrown in prison or the grave - which ever comes first. Hypocrites. And let’s not even talk about the mothers, and medical staff at the clinics who can be used for bomb practice or target practice. Those "lives" don't seem to matter either.
In remembrance of "abortion doctor" Dr. Bernard Slepian, who was shot in the head by long range rifle, while he stood at his kitchen sink getting a glass of water. Leaving behind his wife and children of his own (who I guess don't matter either).
Hammy
posted by Hamrose @ 7:24 AM
8 Comments:
I agree with you, Hammy. It is a humanity issue.
I received an e-mail the other day from NARAL-Pro Choice/Planned Parenthood concerning a governor in South Dakota who had the gall to sign into law a bill that would limit a woman's right to an abortion. I could not believe it!
I mean, how dare this guy have the tenacity to call a fetus a "baby". And to say that a "fetus" is innocent. We all know that a fetus is nothing more than a parasite, and even when full grown, continues to be a parasite. As you said earlier, no one should be forced to have a child.
This legislation promotes a lot of unnerving ideas. First of all, again, it promotes the idea that a fetus is alive, when in fact, a fetus is nothing more than a parasitic cluster of cells. Hammy, I know you know what I am talking about, since you are an ER nurse. Secondly, this legislation promotes the dangerous idea people can somehow control their impulses, especially those that are sexual. Hormones are raging, and we can't stop them. And finally, and this is personal to me, this indirectly promotes the idea that human beings are superior to other animals. C'mon, we are all just squirrels trying to get our nut in this world.
A fetus is a fetus. It is a cancerous growth in the womb of unsuspecting women. Who wants the burden, the pain, of bearing these clusters of growth to full-term, just for them to hamper the lifestyle of EVERYBODY who comes into contact with them. Nevermind that the Greek word "fetus" translates to "baby". We know what we mean, even if the majority of other people do not.
And how dare anyone even imply that people are responsible for their sexual impulses. Hormones are hormones, and we just have to live with them. Puberty hits and we better watch out. I mean the highschool kids are like rabbits in mating season. And it is not their fault. It's their hormones. How dare anyone even suggest that a person is responsible for their own actions. I know that this somewhat flies in the face of our sexual harrassment agenda, but c'mon.
And, my personal beef fetus with this, this legislation suggests that men and women, boys and girls, humankind, are somewhat superior to other animals. My belief is that morals do not really exist, that we are all just animals, so if it exists in the animal world, it's fair game. The women of South Dakota, if they cannot secure an abortion in their state, should just eat their young.
You've got me really fired up. It doesn't matter to me that a fetus has a heartbeat, brain activity, and nerve activity early on. It doesn't matter that the only difference between a fetus and a legal "person" is size, dependancy, and location. (I also personally believe we should abort, or euthanize, all short people over the age of 50 living in San Francisco who depend upon insulin to regulate their blood sugar.) And personal responsibility, didn't we get rid of that with the sexual revolution? How archaic to think that people actually have to suffer the consequences of their actions. I mean, really, that would imply that humans are somewhat at a higher level than the animals world, with reason and logic and morals and everything that genuinely does separate humans from animals. Margaret Sanger didn't think that a difference existed, especially if you were black. And nobody cares about the the missed abortion opportunities, except perhaps their mothers and people interested in adopting those missed opportunities. And besides, so many famous people support abortion. How fun is it not be among the cool people.
It is certainly fair to generalize all of those anti-abortion nuts as misguided idiots who only care that the burden of child-rearing be placed on women so as to oppress them, and that the only people they want to see aborted is the abortionists. Generalization is alright, right Margaret Sanger?
Thanks, Hammy, for bringing this issue up. The 5,000 desperate women who performed the close-hanger abortions prior to Roe V. Wade "legalizing" abortion certainly justifies the over 46 million babies aborted since 1973. Does the WHO have any statistics on how many babies were aborted prior to 1973, when abortion was legal, but was much a state matter rather than a federal matter?
Oops, I said "babies". Anyway, thanks again. I know I probably sound like an ass, but, hey, aren't we all just animals anyway?
Missed your meds today, huh?
I'm not debating whether or not a fetus is a baby, or whether or not the life of a fetus is worth more or less or equal to the life of the mother whose carrying it.
Your so obviously anti-choice and being sarcastic. In your misguided attempt to be witty while shooting your mouth off you have completely missed the point - as most people like you do.
Does anyone care about those "fetuses" after they are born and become babies?? Hell no. Mission accomplished move on to the next fetus. Never mind that the fetus-turned-baby may be unwanted, unloved and now living in bone crushing poverty.
Obviously you are so perfect and under control all the time (except when commenting on blogs) that unplanned sex wouldn't be an issue for you, and of course your birth control would never fail either. But then again, every baby is a blessing isn't it? So, I'm sure God would just provide and you all would manage just fine.
If we applied the same principal to other medical issues it might look like this:
"Oh, sure you're short of breath and NOW you want help. Well, you shouldn't have been smoking those cigarettes. You should have had more control. Well, you have to go home and suffer the consequences for your actions. Take some responsibility for yourself"
or maybe this:
"Oh, yeah right, come into the hospital when your having chest pain. Never mind your crappy diet and lack of exercise. You should have known better, and taken care of yourself. Well, now your just going to have to suffer, and maybe you'll learn a lesson now. You should have had more control of yourself."
Or maybe this:
"Oh, so your a fat slob, and now you have diabetes. Well, you should have more control over yourself. What's the matter with you anyway? Can't stay away from the Ding Dongs? Sure, now your asking for help. Well, go home and deal with it. It's your own fault."
As far as your "argument" about a fetus. It would be nice if you actually had a correct fact mixed in with all your propoganda and bullshit. The size of a six week old fetus is approximately 4.5 millimeters long. That's the size of a BB pellet. The brain of a 10 week old fetus is the size of the head of a pin. Close to your's I'd imagine.
But people like you aren't interested in facts, or other peoples lives who are actually born and living on the planet now. Fuck them. It's the unborn ones we want to save. Once they're born we can go back to ignoring them.
This is an issue of control. Control over other people who don't have resources. Rich women and rich girls will always get birth control and safe, clean abortions. No matter what the law says. And thankfully there are women with a name and fame, like those celebrities, who spent their day in Washington to draw attention to an issue they cared about. Using their fame for media attention that might actually help someone else.
Maybe someday it will be an issue that will affect your family. Maybe even a granddaughter. Maybe they aren't as perfect and in control as you are.
I don't even need to check you out, I can tell you without a doubt you are
1. White
2. Male
3. Conservative (Probably Republican but maybe not)
4. A Bible Thumper (Most likely Born Again, but you sound even worse than them, so you might be even be a Southern Baptist.)
5. Married - to the same woman for decades.
6. Have 2.5 children.
7. Work in a white collar job. Probably Middle to Upper "Management" of some kind. Most likely was in the military at some point.
8. Are anti-Union, Anti-gay, anti-feminist, anti-black, etc.
9. Think the South should have won the Civil War and women should know their place.
10. Think you are the arbiter of truth, the font of wisdom and the scales of justice - all rolled into one.
Lovely. Thanks for stopping by.
Holy snappin' arseholes....there's a missing post somewhere in here..
This topic ignites such a shitstorm whenever it comes to the surface.
As a pinko/commie/tree-hugging/socialist Canadian, I say that a woman has the final say on what she wants done with her body.
As you said in a previous post, talk about turning back the clock 30 years.
Fuck, we've come this far, let's take away their right to vote as well.
The American Taliban resides at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
I always liked Canadians...
Yer right, it does ignite a shit storm. Unfortunately, we can't afford to just ignore the problem, cause it sure won't go away any time soon. And everytime we try to - legislation surreptitiously gets passed that erodes away any gains that were ever made in the first place.
And with people like Bean Fart, a real true dialog on the issue is almost impossible. The majority of bible belting big mouths all talk far more than they listen...or think for that matter.
The day I see one of them step out of the protest line to offer to feed, clothe and raise and unwanted minority child is the day I'll change my opinion.
And I did check out Bean Fart...I hit the nail on the head - Southern Baptist, Accounting, 3 kids, Pro-Walmart/anti-union...
Gee-Suz...I'm glad I live in the
North.
Dearest Hamrose,
You get an ‘A’ for recognizing sarcasm. And you hit the nail on the head about me except for a couple of things. First of all, I am not anti-black. You have me confused with Margaret Sanger or a member of the Kennedy family. I guess when you were reviewing your astrology report on this, Uranus must have been in line with Orion’s shoulders. Secondly, I am not pro-WalMart, but pro-free enterprise. If you want to know the utility of unions, ask someone who works for GM or Ford. My grandfather was a union employee for GM. And finally, I am southern, a Baptist, but not a Southern Baptist. They are too liberal.
I believe I understand your point. In a nutshell, you are lamenting the fact that many of the children who are aborted would have been born into a situation in which they would have been unwanted anyway, especially black children. Many would be poverty-stricken, many abused, most unwanted by anyone, and more especially if they come from a black would-be mother. As part of your point, you state that the anti-abortion people are only concerned about the children up until they are born, and afterwards, they could care less if they fell off of the face of the earth. The anti-abortion crowd had rather murder the abortion doctors than see these unwanted, most likely black, babies spared the misery of existence. And anyone who cannot see this should be ashamed of themselves, especially those people who would like to turn back the clock 30 years and pass laws banning abortion, like the people of South Dakota. You were prompted to write this because some of the health care workers at your hospital refused to dispense the morning after pill to a young girl who was afraid that she was pregnant after a sexual encounter the night before.
Hamrose, you should know that you cannot cure a disease by putting on band-aids. And this is my point. You dismissed the fact that the reason that a woman ever gets pregnant to begin with is because of her actions. You dismiss this by stating that “the hormones are raging”. If blinding passion excuses one from facing the consequences of his behavior, then we should release all of the wife-beaters and child molesters from jail. I am sure that they were unable to understand the consequences of their actions due to their hormones. I guess that it also excuses your boss who might take occasion to pinch your butt because you are just so darn hot, and testosterone takes over. I could cite many examples of behavior that you would find unacceptable under any circumstances, as do I. But the bottom line is, people ARE responsible for their actions, and they must face the consequences of those actions.
By dismissing that people must face the consequences of their actions, we arrive at a society full of victims, with nobody to be responsible. The boy whose hormones were out of control and seduced the girl down the street into having sex isn’t encouraged to be responsible for the child when born. The girl with whom he had sex is not responsible, since she is the victim of a patriarchal society bent on enslaving women as sexual objects, or maybe it was hormones or booze. Anyway, she then should not have to suffer the consequences of her actions either, because it just was not her fault.
But the sad part of it all is that, regardless, the boy and girl suffer a life of disappointment because, having been taught that they have no control over their own destinies but that they are victims of society or their own bodies, they wind up floundering in jail or on the welfare roll.
The sad part about it is that children are often the real victims. I believe that you are trying to justify your view of abortion by using this logic, but your logic betrays you. From abortion to divorce, children always suffer because of the poor choices made by their parents. I speak with authority, having been raised in a divorced family, if you can call it a family. And the root cause of those poor choices are due to our propensity to pass the blame from the one made the choice to some external force. Some have even tried to blame God for the world’s ills.
Now, I guess that due to my quasi-sage status that you have bestowed upon me, my wisdom betrays my age. I have no grandchildren, but I have 4 children, who range in age from 11 all the way to just recently conceived. My wife, the only one I have, and I have been married for 12 years. I have two sons and one daughter as far as I know at this time, and I also have several nieces and nephews. I come from a family who either farmed or worked on blue collar jobs all of their lives. If they graduated high school, it was by the skin of their teeth. I paid my own way through college. The one thing that my family instilled in me was that I was responsible for what I made of myself, whether I be a millionaire or in jail. And regardless of what my children become, I have tried to teach them that they are responsible for their own actions and that they must suffer the consequences of those actions, good or bad. I do not presuppose that my children will not make bad choices, but I do presuppose that they will be responsible enough to face the consequences of those actions.
Unfortunately, from the New Deal to the Great Society, and even up to the so-called “compassionate conservatism” of George Bush, we have built a society of victims whose refuge is the state. Poor people are not there because of their poor decisions, but because rich white people want them there. Women should not have to raise a child because they decided to have promiscuous sex. And certainly a man should not have to support a woman and child. That would turn back the clock more than 30 years.
I would like to make a couple of other points. One is that you err in your logic when comparing fat people with diabetes not receiving treatment with the young girl who feared pregnancy because of her one night stand. I would like to offer an fairer comparison.
"Oh, so your a slut, and now you think that you are pregnant. Well, you should have more control over yourself. What's the matter with you anyway? Can't stay away from the Ding Dongs (good choice of words, Hamrose)? Sure, now your asking for help. Well, go home and deal with it. It's your own fault."
I believe that they did not refuse to treat her, but refused to dispense the morning after pill, if I understood you correctly.
One other item I would like to address is that not all anti-abortion folks, as myself, believe that the murder of Dr. Sleppian or any other abortion provider in any way is justified. I would prefer to leave them to the Judge of the quick and the dead, and I am not Him.
And finally, the regulation of abortion under our Constitution is not a federal concern, but is the concern of the several states. Roe v. Wade did not legalize abortion. It merely set a legal precedent that future Supreme Courts would most likely follow due to their almost religious respect of precedent. The decision only applied to that particular case, as all judicial decisions only apply to the case being tried at which that decision is being rendered. The state of Connecticut went so far as to pass a law in its state legislature that would guarantee the women of their state the right to have an abortion. Abortion was legal prior to Roe, just not in all states. And technically, it is not today. If South Dakota wants to outlaw abortion, don’t move to South Dakota if you don’t like it.
Firestarter, I am glad you are in Canada, too. By the way, thanks for visiting my blog, Hammy. I truly and sincerely hope that you will teach your children well, and teach them that their actions have consequences which they must face. That is the root of the disease, and teaching our children to take responsibility for themselves is the first step in eradicating the disease.
Finally!! A real discourse!! THAT'S what I want!! Badbeans (although, I kind like Bean Fart better) I agree with you in many, many ways. This is a despicable issue. I do see your point, in regard to the hormones. Still, I was once a teenager and young twenty something myself, and I know that in spite of all good intentions, and all good morals, things sometimes happen. I hate to see a young girl (or guy for that matter) have their life opportunities derailed because they were forced to become a parent too early. I'm not saying people are out of control, or are not capable of having control. But I know "accidents do happen". The emergency contraception pills are not the same as an abortion. It really is comparing apples with puppy dogs. The emergency pill is designed to alter the release of the egg from the ovary, or make the lining of the uterus less likely to facilitate implantation should an egg release and become fertilized by a sperm. This is something that happens all the time normally in a woman's body. With or without birth control. Not every egg implants (thank goodness) or we'd be pregnant constantly. However, my collegues at work, did indeed refuse to treat her, which made for a difficult and very divisive situation.
There are no easy answers for this situation. Just today I was listening to NPR radio's Talk of the Nation. One segment was about a man who fought for his rights as a father when his girlfriend became pregnant and wanted to at first have an abortion, and then later to give the child up for adoption. He fought for custody, but the child had already been adopted by another couple. Still, he did retain visitation rights and saw the boy every other week-end. Difficult. But it does show another side of the issue. The next story was about a man who sued his former girlfriend because she had gotten pregnant and kept the child. She had requested child support from him, and he sued her claiming he "had not given his permission to become a father" (but of course he had - by having sex with or without out using birth control). Very sticky.
These are not modern days problems, but they are more prevalent today.
I don't have the answer. I don't like abortion, and I don't like the position many women find themselves in when faced with an unwanted pregnancy. Some lose their life over it. A major cause of death for pregnant women in the US, is violence by the father (either husband or boyfriend) who does not want the baby. There are real and horrible situations behind the statistics. There are not easy answers.
I don't like the disparity between women of means and women who do not have the means. Abortion isn't pretty in any of its faces, but I really think that is one issue that needs to be left safe and legal until we have addressed the REAL causes of this problem.
Young people are bombarded with sexy and trashy images and role models day and night. The pressures they face are real and very heavy. I fear for my daughters on many levels. I do hope to teach them well, but I know after a certain point their friends voices will be louder than mine. I would be very disheartened to find they were a stasistic - in any way.
I don't like the dual standard between what Boys are taught and what Girls are taught. I don't like the media, and the popular culture. I don't like the political hypocrisy, and the gaps in socio-economic status, education or race in this country. I don't like that religion is used as a tool for oppression, division and violence rather than a vehicle for truth, understanding, spirituality and growth. And I don't like the propaganda and deliberate misinformation surrounding this issue.
I appreciate your last comment. It is only through dialog that we all will come to some consensus regarding what to do. I personally am opposed to abortion beyond 21 weeks. (which is only a small percentage of abortions, but does occur nonetheless) I am also opposed to partial birth abortion (which is only done in less than 1.5% of the cases) because it is barbaric and inhumane. Still, I am unwilling to see a ban abortion because it is not an answer.
It is also not in accordance with freewill. This is not to say that consequences won't ensue. There are consequences to every action or lack thereof. Some decisions cannot be made by society and imposed upon others. I believe abortion is one of those issues. Society cannot legislate morality. All attempts in history to do so have resulted in failure. People cannot be changed from the outside in. Change has to come from the inside out.
Abortion exists because society is reaping the seeds sown. It can be traced from the dawn of time, but just some examples: the days of women and children being considered and treated as chattel, to the days of wealthy landowners raping female slaves without penalty, to the days of welfare states and rules prohibiting the presence of a husband or father for those on welfare. The attitudes, hypocrisies and disparities in treatment have all led up to the current ills of today. These have only been compounded by the changes stemming from the revolutions of the 1960's.
The "pillars and foundations" of society were multiply challenged by Feminism, Liberalism and by the dismantling of the existing structures for government, the military, religion and other institutions by such events as Watergate, the Birth Control Pill, Vatican II and the Vietnam War.
The only problem is the under pinnings of the existing institutions were dismantled, but nothing was put in its place. The result was a void or vacuum, which was - and continues to be - filled by the popular culture of the day.
It is a lesson the United States is finding out in Iraq right now. Once the foundations of the existing institution have been dismantled and swept away, if something else is not put in its place, the void will be filled by the current culture, even if that culture is chaotic and fractured.
In working in a community ER, I am seeing the waves of "children raised by children" It is pathetic and disheartning. I fear for this country. The moral underpinnings have been dismantled for a long time and the lowest common denominator is VERY LOW. I cannot even begin to tell you how absolved from personal responsibility some people are.
I guess in part, some of my thoughts are that those babies would be better off un-born rather than born and abused. Maybe that line of thinking isn't right, but sometimes I wonder about living a life of hell with some of those "parents" or being abandoned in a dumpster or a public bathroom.
I don't know. No easy answers to the many ills of society. Since working in the ER I can't believe what's out there. I am shocked every day that I go into work and see the condition and mentality of the people who come in there. Sometimes I think they must come from another planet - or Middle Earth, or something. Bizarre ways of thinking and acting - on many levels.
Ignorant and just downright scary people. And so many drug adddicts, alcoholics and mentally ill people.
And so many of them have kids. It just kills me sometimes to think about the lives those children must lead.
One time, after working in the ER for a few months - I blurted out "I'm so glad my mother wasn't an idiot." and everyone laughed and could totally understand what I meant. It breaks my heart to see the families some of these kids have. So, so fucked up.
I don't know there Can of Beans.
I just don't know. No need to borrow from the future, the evil is surely sufficient for the day.
Maybe it's true - there won't be any justice until the Just Judge comes...
P.S. Very Funny comment about Southern Baptists...LOL enjoyed that one...
Hammy
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