If schools were honest

Thought that these would be a nice departure from our more serious tone. I'll even loosen up a bit myself.

...

Ah, that's better.

Nobody is pro-choice.

As I have shown, "pro-choice" is a euphemism.

However, another interesting complication arises from the fact that the term ("choose" being a transitive verb) is ambiguous.

As I have said, the phrase "the right to choose" gives no direct object. Because of this, linguistics state that it must be taken at its broadest (the right to choose anything, cf. freedom of speech) or its weakest (the right to choose at least one thing, whatever that may be). In the latter case, the term becomes meaningless, as one could imagine a dictatorial state not violating said right, no matter how strict, as long as the people keep at least one freedom, not matter how trivial (they have the right to choose, and they're exercising it by picking their outfits)..

The former is where things get interesting. If one were to support choice for everyone on everything, that would seem swell. At first.

But what about the choice to rape? Rape takes away the choice of the victim. And who are you to to tell a man he cannot choose to form the very dictatorial state described above? Why should stop a woman from choosing to steal your car? The same argument was made for slavery: "Don't like slavery? Don't own a slave!"

Supporting the right to choose anything includes supporting the right to choose to take away the right of others to choose, as evidenced by abortion's removal of this right from the unborn.

The term "pro-choice" is a piece of political framing that, when examined, is meaningless at best and internally contradictory at worst.

FREE TIBET

Nations are a fiction. Before we reach the ultimate goal, international communism, the next best thing is letting countries split off. I feel the same about Western Sahara and any state that wants to secede.

National Debt

If we pay it up, we can impose long-overdue sanctions on China's repressive dictatorial regime.

BTW, China is NOT communist.

Prenatal Care

My main issues with Obama's health care reform have been more or less addressed, and I support health care reform, but I still have an issue with the bill, which I actually saw brought up in a town hall meeting in Pennsylvania: you don't have health care until you are born.

Prenatal care is very important, and fetal surgery has taken some leaps and bounds. With all the attention to preventative care, you'd think Obama'd support extending care to persons prior to birth as well.

It's a public opt- LALALA I CAN'T HEEEAAAR YOOOUUU!!!

How many times do we have to say this.

I wouldn't be surprised if this is because we say "public", they hear "government", and they run out to their tea parties or out to disrupt a town hall meeting before the next word comes around.

Turning women and their doctors into criminals?

So? By that logic, laws protecting children against abuse turn parents into criminals.

In both cases, they're only criminalized if they violate the rights of their offspring. Parents are not criminalized just for being parents.

I do not see how mothers and their doctors should be exempt from responsibility for their action just because.

Can anyone explain how this is anything more than an appeal to emotion?

TheoreticalBullshit

His videoes are amazing. Subscribe. He is epic win, dehydrated, concentrated, and compressed into a gravitational singularity.

Please excuse videos

I'm not exactly sure what happens when you link your Youtube account and Blogger blog, so bare with me.

Kosher?

For me, the choice between not eating bacon or cheeseburgers versus not going to heaven is basically "do you want your eternal bliss now or later?".

If I die and God tells me eating animals is a sin and I should've been a vegetarian or a vegan, I'm telling him that it's his fault for making animals out of meat.

Age-roles

Just as bad as gender roles. Ever notice how you never see playgrounds or velcro shoes for adults? xkcd has handled this extensively (see #150, #131, and #418, and #219, among others).

SPLASH merch

Anyone got ideas?

And, from DFLA:

CAPPS AMENDMENT PERMITS TAXPAYER FUNDED ABORTIONS IN HEALTH CARE BILL A closer look at the health care reform bill passed by the Energy and Commerce Committee has revealed some troubling news: the Capps Amendment clearly permits taxpayer funded abortions. While the headline of one of the sections in the bill reads "Abortion Coverage Prohibited as Part of Minimum Benefits Package" , the reality is that it does not have the force of law and thus meaningless. The enforceable text is in the explanation of the section. which states that "the plan is not required (or prohibited) under this Act from providing coverage of services". In other words, abortion coverage is not required, but neither is it prohibited. In fact, each "premium rating area" must offer at least one health care plan that covers abortions and one that doesn't. Essentially, the section will allow health insurance companies to determine the services, which could include abortion. We had a partial victory in the Amendment which ensures that the Act will not preempt state law with respect to restrictions on abortion funding and laws requiring parental consent or notification. Second, it recognized conscience protections for health care workers. We should all appreciate the hard work by pro-lifeCongressman Bart Stupak. He is a true hero.