Socialist Party USA

I just got a reply. Unsurprisingly, abortion was linked to feminism and defended thusly. I was also copied to the Women's Conference convener and should get another response shortly.

Email!

I just emailed all US socialist parties that take a pro-abortion stance. Waiting for responses.

Tolerance Update

Okay, apparently I'm just not a true socialist due to my "misogyny".

Tolerance

Apparently, I'm a capitalist because I oppose abortion.

Words

I've spent a great deal of time here explaining the euphemistic nature of the term "pro-choice". The whole question is irrelevant, however. I could say I'm pro-rape, and, when called out on it, clarify that I do not personally agree with rape, but I support the right of a man to rape a woman if he so chooses. I would not impose my personal morality on men; after all, it's his penis. If person A supports the right to rape, and person B supports rape itself, they are going to have largely the same impact on the law: more votes towards the legalization of rape. And both are equally abhorrent positions to hold, or at least the difference is insignificant.

Slogan

I am also going to have a slogan contest. All applicable rules are carried over from the logo contest.

Merch

Restraint of the Heartless merchandise will be available for a limited time once we have a winner for the logo contest.

Logo

I am going to hold a logo contest for Restraint of the Heartless. This will be a logo for the blog, not me. The logo must:

1. ...include only three colors. From top to bottom they must be: white, green, black. Bonus points for incorporating them into the design.
2. ...be relatively simple, preferably easy to make into a favicon.
3. ...represent what this blog is and stands for.
4. ...represent this blog in a positive light.

What's in it for you? The winner will recieve recognition in a blog entry, get their logo on the site, recieve a free copy of any book I will write, and I will answer any six questions (s)he asks me, provided they are not too personally revealing.

Abstinence-only?

Abstinence-until-marriage "education" makes no sense. Teens are going to have sex, and they should know how to do it safely. It's not as if getting married makes you unable to get a disease or an unplanned pregnancy.

The benefits often cited of sex after marriage can be achieved through any faithful monogamous relationship, whether or not it is recognized by the Church or State. Abstinence-only (especially abstinence-until-marriage) miseducation is another attempt to put religion into public schools.

Of course, education should mention abstinence as an option, and explain how it is the only 100% effective method, but it must also recognize teens are going to have sex, as is demonstrated by the fact that those who take abstinence pledges tend to have just as much or more sex, just anally or orally.

Oh, and happy Earth Day.

Urgent reminder from DFLA!

HELP US STOP "FETAL FARMING" DECISION

The National Institutes for Health have released guidelines for a procedure known as fetal farming. These guidelines provide funding for research using human embryonic stem cells that were derived from embryos created by in vitro fertilization (IVF) for reproductive purposes and were no longer needed for that purpose.

The Obama administration legally is prevented from allowing the creation of human embryos for the specific purpose of destroying them for research, which is prohibited under a current federal law known as the Dickey amendment.

However, U.S. Congresswoman Diana DeGette (D-CO) is sponsoring a bill to overturn that law and allow fetal farming, and the Obama Administration might sign that bill into law.

NIH Director Raynard Kingston in a media conference call made the outrageous claim that embryonic stem cell research would be a boost to overall scientific progress even though, unlike adult stem cells, it has never helped a single patient.

The guidelines also contain a long list of informed consent procedures and make it so parents know and agree to how the human embryos will be killed and used in scientific experiments. They only apply to research involving federal funds and do not affect research involving state funds or private dollars. The public will have one month to comment on the new guidelines and the Obama administration is expected to release the final set of rules in July.

"Pro-abortion-choice"

Even in context "pro-choice" is ambiguous. Who's choice? It's like saying "I'm pro-choice on circumcision", but then saying the child hasn't developed intelligence yet and so has no say in it because he can't really think or speak.

ACTA update

Apparently, ACTA also impacts open source.

Oh, and it's been passed.

ACTA

This is just scary...

Interesting Essay

Socialism and the Pro-Life Perspective

Health Care

Pregnancy has just been classified as a "pre-existing condition", leading to a de-facto abortion incentive.

Terminology

http://theblackcordelias.wordpress.com/2008/06/18/on-political-euphemisms-pro-choice/

In American political dialog, "pro-X" means "pro-right to X". For instance, I am pro-gambling, but I still see gambling as a stupid thing to do. I am pro-gun, and I *also* think everyone should own a gun.

Following this pattern, "pro-choice" means "pro-right to choose". Sounds good on the surface, but think harder. "Choose" is a transitive verb. Right to choose what?

Choose to own a gun or choose to rob a bank? Choose to gamble or choose to rape your daughter?

Choose to be a prostitute or choose to murder?

There exists a right to do this and a right to do that, but no right to choose. What are we talking about?

Robbery? I'm anti-choice. Gambling? I'm pro-choice.

Murder? I'm anti-choice. Smoking? I'm pro-choice.

Pro-choice on gambling is pro-gambling.

Pro-choice on owning slaves is pro-slavery.

Pro-choice on owning guns is pro-gun.

Pro-choice on having an abortion is pro-abortion.

"Pro-X" can also be translated as "pro-choice on X" or "pro-right to choose X".

Now let's examine "pro-life". Pro-life = pro-right to live. "Live" is an intransitive verb. You live, and that's it. You don't live anything but a life. "Pro-life", like "pro-choice", encompasses more than abortion, however. "Pro-life" refers to a Consistent Life Ethic.

Youtube5

I'll be uploading a proper pwnage video as soon and I can get Windows Movie Maker to export the stupid file.

Stupidity should be a capital offense...

Here's a conversation I had on Youtube:

Topic: is a fetus a "being"?

Me: A being is just that which exist, hence the root word "be".

Regardless of his or her rights, the fetus is not a part of the mother, but is its own, separate organism. This doesn't say much. So is her cat.

Blackrose3226: sorry hun, but that word has more than one meaning.
Blackrose3226: it's completely dependent on another human being for its continued existence. without the mother's life-giving nutrients and oxygen it would die. the fetus and the mother's body are symbiotically linked, existing in the same physical space and sharing the same risks. what the mother does affects the fetus. and when things go wrong with the fetus, it affects the mother. their relationship is very parasitic.
Blackrose3226: It has no mind of its own,it reacts with animal instincts, it is a fungus according to all scientific standards, no better then moss on a tree, untill it becomes sentient and breaths on its own.

[Yes I notice the oddity of a fungus with animal instincts and the fact that moss is a plant.]

Me: A fungus? That is probably the stupidest thing I've ever heard.

Blackrose3226: it is a fungus according to all scientific standards. whether you think it's stupid or not is quite irrelevant.

Anti-abortion folk should all adopt?

Am I not allowed to speak out against my neighbor's abuse of his family if I am not willing to to house them myself?

Labels

I am an atheist.

I am an antitheist.

I am pro-life.

I am an agnostic.

I am an apatheist.

I am a feminist.

I am an egalatarian.

I am a masculist.

I am a libertarian.

I am a dozenalist.

I am a communist.

I am a naturist.

I am a liberal.

I am an environmentalist.

I am a pacifist.

I am an Esperantist.

I am a pro-youth rights person.

I am a skeptic.

I am an ethical cognitivist.

I am a deontologist.

I am an ethical essentialist.

I am an anationalist.

Political Framing

RESPONSE:

I am completely against war and the death penalty. I am not against the killing of animals, though. That's like saying you aren't pro-gun unless you want to give assault rifles to baboons. By your logic, even vegetarians aren't pro-life because they support the killing of plants.

I use "pro-life" to refer to the Consistent Ethic of Life (look it up). "Pro-life" means supporting the right to live.

"Pro-choice" is plain political framing. The right to choose what?
If it's to choose to steal, I'm anti-choice.

If it's to choose your outfit, I'm pro-choice.

The Politicization of Science

Global warming is real, the universe began 13.7 billion years ago, and an individual human being is present from the moment of fertilization. These are scientific facts, not political opinions.

Fetal Defense

http://www.4029tv.com/news/19083047/detail.html

ND Senate

It seems like the senators who voted against HB1572 agree with it in spirit.

Of Embryos and Oak Trees

Here, I plan to disect the popular argument "An acorn is not an oak tree, therefore a fetus is not a human being.

You know what, [screw] it. Let's just open up an acorn.

See that little orange spot at the top? That's called the embryo. Well, will you look at that!

An acorn is just a tiny oak tree in a shell.

Email 2

Here are the ND senators who did not vote for HB1572...

Arden C. Anderson <aranderson@nd.gov>, John M. Andrist <jandrist@nd.gov>, JoNell A. Bakke <jbakke@nd.gov>, Arthur H. Behm <abehm@nd.gov>,  Jim Dotzenrod <jdotzenrod@nd.gov>, Tom Fiebiger <tdfiebiger@nd.gov>, Tom Fischer <tfischer@nd.gov>, Tim Flakoll <tflakoll@nd.gov>, Tony S. Grindberg <tgrindberg@nd.gov>, Joan Heckaman <jheckaman@nd.gov>, Ray Holmberg <rholmberg@nd.gov>, Robert M. Horne <rhorne@nd.gov>, Aaron Krauter <akrauter@nd.gov>, Karen K. Krebsbach <kkrebsbach@nd.gov>, Judy Lee <jlee@nd.gov>, Elroy N. Lindaas <elindaas@nd.gov>, Stanley W. Lyson <slyson@nd.gov>, Tim Mathern <tmathern@nd.gov>, Dave Nething <dnething@nd.gov>, David O'Connell <doconnell@nd.gov>, Dave Oehlke <doehlke@nd.gov>, Curtis Olafson <colafson@nd.gov>, Jim Pomeroy <jpomeroy@nd.gov>, Tracy Potter <tpotter@nd.gov>, Mac Schneider <macschneider@nd.gov>, Tom Seymour <tseymour@nd.gov>, Ryan M. Taylor <rtaylor@nd.gov>, Constance Triplett <ctriplett@nd.gov>, John Warner <jwarner@nd.gov>

including those who were absent/didn't vote:

Richard Marcellais <rmarcellais@nd.gov>, Carolyn Nelson <cnelson@nd.gov>,

:(

ND HB1572 failed to pass the senate and was returned to the house. At least now we know who its opponents are!

Senate Vote 3

HB1572 has been placed on the senate calendar. Expect a vote any day now!!!

REPORT OF STANDING COMMITTEE

HB 1572, as engrossed: Judiciary Committee (Sen. Nething, Chairman) recommends DO

NOT PASS (5 YEAS, 0 NAYS, 1 ABSENT AND NOT VOTING). Engrossed HB 1572

was placed on the Fourteenth order on the calendar.

Senate Vote 2

I learned the senate vote oon HB1572 should be some time next week.

Gasp!

Amanda Marcotte said something... intelligent?

IT'S A SIGN OF THE APOCALYPSE!

http://pandagon.net/index.php/site/comments/forget_sexting_whats_up_with_that_prosecutor1/