You don't choose your family :-)

I don't want to censure anybody from expressing what they feel like sharing with the family. I think it's possible that certain members of the family are "turned off" by the abortion issue, as it is a rather divisive one, but I'd rather see those posts than none at all !

My two cents on the abortion issue are not grounded in 12th century philosophy or on the church's teachings. I am politically pro-choice, personally pro-life. There is too much suffering in the world for fully developed and previously born "human persons" - I think it's more important for society to focus energy and resources towards these suffering populations rather than the tremendous energy spent trying to save the un-born. (In saying this - don’t think for one second that I don’t acknowledge the “good will” towards the “born” by pro-life proponents in our family – they walk the walk).

I do find that it is an ENORMOUS contradiction that many of same people who oppose the right to an abortion are also against the use of public funds towards preventing unwanted pregnancies. How do they explain that contradiction in law schools? Do they simply deny human sexuality? Must one consider that the spread of disease and the risk of unwanted pregnancy must be the potential punishment for sexual intercourse in order that there is less of it in the world? Wouldn’t somebody who was motivated to eradicate abortions appreciate anything that helped diminish unwanted pregnancies? That’s where I get lost…

I like the “respect of life” argument, but much less the “every sperm is sacred” argument (Monty Python reference)… On one hand there is a claim that the respect of life is secular, and on the other, there is use of non-secular arguments that contribute to more unwanted pregnancies, therefore more abortions (as well as the spread of disease, etc)…

PS - Abstinence only education has never worked, there has never been any evidence that it does (not that many of the current administration’s policies are based on evidence). http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/13/AR2007041301003.html.


Other than that, we had a nice weekend here, how about you?

On a different subject matter, what do you all think of the financial crisis that is brewing ? I am a loyal Paul Krugman reader, I admit that his writing has helped shape many of my opinions (although not everything he writes is gold). When I think of the potential cost taxpayers may have to bear in order to save the financial institutions that pay their managing directors millions upon millions of dollars, and whose shareholders have been living the highlife over the past couple of years, it makes me sick. I can't believe that people are still afraid of the "economic boogeyman" that is comprehensive health coverage, but do not revolt against the real abuses of power and tax dollars such as Iraq and deregulation.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/17/opinion/17krugman.html

Peace to all



Jeffrey