As much as I enjoy people telling me I'm brilliant, and clever and funny, I does enjoy me a good discussion. Shelly was the lone ranger who disagreed with my point of view... in the comments... that post was mentioned to me by people I actually know off the interwebs, and they disagreed, too. I started to respond in the comments, but it was more of a post than a comment, so I brought it up front and center.
You all should know that I really enjoy Shelly's blog, her writing, her tone and perspective. And her children? Are adorable. Especially Shelly, because I don't want you to think I'm trying to embarrass you. You raised some great rebuttal/comments/questions, and it's a rare opportunity for people to hear two differing opinions, presented kindly and at the same time.
I think my (staunchly conservative) brother will be cheering for you, Shelly. He would probably have been the first to disagree if he weren't vacationing in a beach house in North Carolina this week.
"statistically dead guy OR man with tons of experience, he defended our country and was a POW for crying out loud" Yes, Senator McCain has years and years of experience. I do not begrudge him that. However, I find it completely odd that given the opportunity to speak of his actual public service, what he has contributed to the US as a member of the legislative body, and most importantly, where he stands on specific issues, Senator McCain brings up his military service instead of answering questions. We all know he was a POW. I haven't heard anybody disrespecting that, and I certainly was not. I didn't even bring it up.
Senator McCain is marginalizing himself by telling us again and again about being a POW. He is not enhancing his image as a statesman by making his time as a POW his major/only talking point.
abortion? you know that mc cain is ok with abortion, right? McCain's stance on abortion is fairly unclear. He is standing up as a Republican, which lends to the idea that he is anti-abortion/pro-life, and sometimes he makes anti-abortion/pro-life-ish statements. Other times he hints at an opinion that is completely the opposite. I have read him speaking on both sides of the argument, and even if he has made a definitive comment, I don't think I would believe it. Governor Palin has firmly stated that it is a priority to make abortion illegal even in cases of incest and rape.
I was adopted as an infant, and trust me, the issue of abortion hits hard. The effect of abortion is not just limited to the unborn child. (See me use the word child? Not fetus, embryo or zygote?) I believe that life begins at conception. Shelly wrote a compelling argument regarding birth control, and the information she outlined are the reasons we do not use prescriptive birth control methods. I wish and pray that people would stop using abortion as a method of birth control. It makes me sad to hear people speaking casually of such a serious situation.
But I have never been there. That place where killing the child is the best option. I can't even imagine it, and I have an imagination. I know that God would not have us kill unborn babies, just as He would have us not kill people who hurt babies. Killing is killing, right? I know without a doubt it is not what God would have ME do.
Abortions will continue regardless of legality. Legal just means safer medically. Legality does not determine ethics or morality.
Palin is the only one...that has held ANY executive office in our country--if you're going to hold youth against someone, you have to hold it against obama as well. The age point is this: For months, all Senator McCain has said about Senator Obama is that Obama is too inexperienced, too young. And then McCain chooses a person to be his VP candidate who was mayor of a town smaller than the county seat of my county? Sure, Governor Palin has accrued two years experience, but how is that remotely adequate preparation to be the President of the United States? Because really, the VP could become the President without a moment's notice. Having no experience with government on a Federal level, and the opportunity to be the Leader of the Free World more quickly than a finger snap doesn't really sit well with me. Yes, I'm being a little picky, but the Senators Obama and Biden have experience on the Federal level.
guns? seriously? i highly doubt that just b/c Palin is a card carrying member of the NRA that she wants to throw guns off the back of a bus in an effort to put them into the hands of those who shouldn't have them--ridiculous--NO ONE wants more crime and "big guns in the hands of career criminals" I don't anticipate that happening. See? We sort of agree! Kinda? Maybe?
And now? It's Open Season at the discussion table. Join in, if you like. But be forewarned, do not be mean, like the anonymous person who asked if I ignore my grandparents because they are statistically dead. And for the record, they are dead, actually and statistically.
You all should know that I really enjoy Shelly's blog, her writing, her tone and perspective. And her children? Are adorable. Especially Shelly, because I don't want you to think I'm trying to embarrass you. You raised some great rebuttal/comments/questions, and it's a rare opportunity for people to hear two differing opinions, presented kindly and at the same time.
I think my (staunchly conservative) brother will be cheering for you, Shelly. He would probably have been the first to disagree if he weren't vacationing in a beach house in North Carolina this week.
"statistically dead guy OR man with tons of experience, he defended our country and was a POW for crying out loud" Yes, Senator McCain has years and years of experience. I do not begrudge him that. However, I find it completely odd that given the opportunity to speak of his actual public service, what he has contributed to the US as a member of the legislative body, and most importantly, where he stands on specific issues, Senator McCain brings up his military service instead of answering questions. We all know he was a POW. I haven't heard anybody disrespecting that, and I certainly was not. I didn't even bring it up.
Senator McCain is marginalizing himself by telling us again and again about being a POW. He is not enhancing his image as a statesman by making his time as a POW his major/only talking point.
abortion? you know that mc cain is ok with abortion, right? McCain's stance on abortion is fairly unclear. He is standing up as a Republican, which lends to the idea that he is anti-abortion/pro-life, and sometimes he makes anti-abortion/pro-life-ish statements. Other times he hints at an opinion that is completely the opposite. I have read him speaking on both sides of the argument, and even if he has made a definitive comment, I don't think I would believe it. Governor Palin has firmly stated that it is a priority to make abortion illegal even in cases of incest and rape.
I was adopted as an infant, and trust me, the issue of abortion hits hard. The effect of abortion is not just limited to the unborn child. (See me use the word child? Not fetus, embryo or zygote?) I believe that life begins at conception. Shelly wrote a compelling argument regarding birth control, and the information she outlined are the reasons we do not use prescriptive birth control methods. I wish and pray that people would stop using abortion as a method of birth control. It makes me sad to hear people speaking casually of such a serious situation.
But I have never been there. That place where killing the child is the best option. I can't even imagine it, and I have an imagination. I know that God would not have us kill unborn babies, just as He would have us not kill people who hurt babies. Killing is killing, right? I know without a doubt it is not what God would have ME do.
Abortions will continue regardless of legality. Legal just means safer medically. Legality does not determine ethics or morality.
Palin is the only one...that has held ANY executive office in our country--if you're going to hold youth against someone, you have to hold it against obama as well. The age point is this: For months, all Senator McCain has said about Senator Obama is that Obama is too inexperienced, too young. And then McCain chooses a person to be his VP candidate who was mayor of a town smaller than the county seat of my county? Sure, Governor Palin has accrued two years experience, but how is that remotely adequate preparation to be the President of the United States? Because really, the VP could become the President without a moment's notice. Having no experience with government on a Federal level, and the opportunity to be the Leader of the Free World more quickly than a finger snap doesn't really sit well with me. Yes, I'm being a little picky, but the Senators Obama and Biden have experience on the Federal level.
guns? seriously? i highly doubt that just b/c Palin is a card carrying member of the NRA that she wants to throw guns off the back of a bus in an effort to put them into the hands of those who shouldn't have them--ridiculous--NO ONE wants more crime and "big guns in the hands of career criminals" I don't anticipate that happening. See? We sort of agree! Kinda? Maybe?
And now? It's Open Season at the discussion table. Join in, if you like. But be forewarned, do not be mean, like the anonymous person who asked if I ignore my grandparents because they are statistically dead. And for the record, they are dead, actually and statistically.
aw, i like it--it's good to have someone not afraid of differing opinions--it's what makes America and blog land kind of cool.
ReplyDeletei appreciate your rebuttal and just want to add that i'd rather have someone like Palin step in as opposed to dick cheney--that man just scares me--AND i'd rather have an inexperience VP than an inexperienced president =)
the end.
I agree with you on the POW thing. Yes, sir, we all know that, but what about now? That's part of your past and this country really needs to get on the stick with planning its future.
ReplyDeleteNice post!
Howdy,
ReplyDeleteGreat discussion going on here. I just had a bit to add.
First, as a former mental health professional, mother, sister, and friend, I have never heard someone talk seriously about abortion as a viable birth control method. While I also believe that abortion is taking a life, I don't believe that it should be made illegal. There are too many factors: mental, physical and spritual and I also believe that women should not in any way be made second class citizens in their own bodies. Medical abortion is safer than back alleys any day. We need to educate kids about birth control so that we can avoid abortions in the first place. Using two methods of birth control pretty much makes it impossible to get pregnant and if you are using two methods of birth control and if you do get pregnant while trying to prevent a pregnancy, well, I would call that divine intervention.
My concern with Palin comes as a direct quote from the lady herself. On July 31st she said that she "had no idea what the heck" the vice president did. Hmmmm...
Below is a link to the video clip, from the Daily Show, you can hear her talk about the possibility of being tapped for the VP spot about 2:30 into the clip.
http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=183521&title=john-mccain-chooses-a-running
BTW this show, last Friday's, is hilarious. If you missed it you can catch most of it online. Jon and the gang have laser focused honesty on the issues and much truth is spoken in jest.
By 'abortion as birth control method' I meant the attitude of "oops, I wasn't as careful as I should have been, guess I'll take care of it".
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks for bringing up Governor Palin's "no idea what the heck" the VP does comment. It was on the list of things to mention, and I just didn't get to it.
I'm going to check out the Daily Show clip now.
Being a POW does not give McCain the credentials to be president. In fact, it makes me concerned about his overall mental health.
ReplyDeleteAbortion as birth control is wrong. And I am a staunch liberal on this matter. Keep your laws of my body. Don't make my daughter jeopardize her life because she made a poor choice. Or because her birth control failed her. I don't necessarily believe that an unplanned pregnancy ruins a life, but there are so many mitigating factors there that not every scenario can be covered.
When statistically dead guy croaks in office who will Palin turn to? Rumsfeld? Cheney? Bush Sr? All are scary.
Eight years ago I thought McCain was a decent republican choice. And if my buddy Al wasn't going to be in the white house then McCain seemed like a good choice. But then he saw what it takes to be elected by his party. He saw a governor with no actual leadership experience get the party nom. And he changed. Now he's a Bush puppet. His party failed him. He wasn't going to let it happen again. McCain isn't who he was eight years ago. Like most of us, he's much worse off.