Beatings By Britney, Brittini, and Brittnay

Did you guys see this in the news? Girls kidnapping and beating another girl. What. The. Hell? I read about the deed this morning and was stunned into silence all day. You know what I thought of? Their parents. Their stupid, miserable parents. I'm sorry, but how do six girls get to the place where this sounds like a good idea? I want them all in jail. Now.

Guess what the leftist's solution is? Rehabilitation? Rage therapy? A group hug? Over at the Democratic Underground, the consensus seems to be to throw away Florida. Because, you know, any states that could go Republican are automatically disqualified. Also, Southern people are stoooopid.

Sigh. So unpredictable. That's why I love Lefties. I'm just surprised all the time.

Newspapers Suck, Blogs Are Better

So my friend, the lawyer and bon vivant who keeps chickens and considers himself to be a renaissance man, insulted me. I told him that he's a good writer, lucid even, but if he wanted his rants to be posted on my blog, he had to cut the diatribe to three paragraphs--max five, if it was good stuff. He snorted derisively. (This is an approximating of our conversation.)

"Blogggggging. Hmph. It's like the new version of the U.S.A. Today. That thing. Bright colors. Short snippets. No one has the attention span to follow a well-thought article anymore. Oh no! [He's really getting warmed up now. His righteous indignation swelling like an infected testicle. That lovely analogy courtesy my husband.] We must have simple words and simple ideas....."

I said, "Oh, here we go."

He blathered on and eventually got to the downfall of modern man. If you must know, we're retarded cretins and civilization won't last long. In fact, it's already dead, it doesn't know it yet. And so on and so forth.

"Well, you're too wordy. And you're funny when talking. Be funnier in your writing. Maybe people will actually read it."

"I can't commit to that," he said.

"Suit yourself."

Receiving the Wall Street Journal every day on my doorstep during college was a beloved ritual infused with significance. I sunk into a chair and learned about the world and that money ran it. The writing was good and I liked the dot illustrations. They were cool. They redesigned the Journal recently and as any good conservative would, I whined about it. I like the old way. Stomp! But really, who gives a crap? I don't read paper newspapers (redundant, I know) any more. I read them online. I scan the headlines and don't even read paragraphs if they don't interest me. However, if they interest me, I read the whole thing and articles associated with the interesting article. So, I'm both less and more informed. No. Scratch that. I'm more informed. The commie propaganda shit I can just skip now. It's delightful.

James Lileks read newspapers recently. He's so retro. And he said:

The papers suck. Pardon the language, but for heaven’s sake, the papers sucked. The papers sucked hard enough to pull Jupiter out of orbit. I had gotten used to the underwhelmingly ordinary Arizona paper, but the LA Times and the San Diego paper were a new level of sucktitudinousness. The SD paper was like a slab of Sominex pounded into thin folded sheets, and I don’t know if it was the lead story – “Sweeping Regulatory Powers Sought,” or something equally deadly – or the cookie-cutter design, but man, that thing was dull; when I finished I felt like I’d put 50 cents into a soda machine, got nothing, and realized I didn’t really want any soda anyway. On to the LA Times, which surprised me – I have almost no experience with the paper, except its reputation, which surely was exaggerated. Well. I blew through it quickly, and when I was finished the only impression it left was astonishment that a market that large had such a weightless, arid, aimless paper. It has the typeface of a better paper, but that’s about it. I finished both before I was halfway through my Ironed Chicken Sandwich – really, it was so thin, that’s probably how they cooked it – and I spent the rest of my time reading the internet on my iPhone.

Dude, I feel your pain. When knobby headed elites, such as my Jeffersonian friend, complain about the stupidness of bloggers and blog readers, I want to smack 'em. When Sean Hannity talks about the nastiness and meanness of the blog world, I want to chuckle. Sure, there are mean and stupid people, but hell, read the newspaper. It's chock full of snark and filled with stupid. And boring stupid at that.

The bloggers I know are funnier, smarter, more incisive and far more interesting than the average Newspaper. Many bloggers report. And blog readers are educated and specialists. So, if you screw up writing about medicine, you're likely to get a doctor correcting you. If you screw up talking about physics, watch out! An astrophysicist just might stop by and make you look stupid. It's happened to me. But I don't care. Newspaper writers talk about fact-checkers, but really, the internet harnesses hundreds of thousands of people who will debate and correct, for free. The feedback loop is excellent and there's no editorial board sifting through the opinions to deliver a certain slant. It's egalitarian.

What frightens the old guard about the internet? I think it's just that the old guard loses power as the common person gains it. The filter has been removed. People can choose what they want to read. They can search. They can find. They can delve deep. They can skim superficially. They can do what they want to do. Back in the day, when old Walt Cronkite read the news and the newspapers dictated your information experience, the power stayed in the hands of the few. No more.

Tough bananas, erudite luddites. It's a brave new world out there. The common man riseth. And it is a good thing.

American Idol--UPDATED

Checking in on the show.....last year, I was consistent and irritated that the show consistently sucked and yet I was addicted. This year, I determined to not get hooked and I haven't. Ha! I am in control of my TV consumption. It's one of the few habits I've broken. So, imagine my additional irritation this year when the contestants are actually good. Unique singers, beautiful, great vibe, all potential rock stars and I've been skipping the dang show!



Well, I caught the end of the show and saw the review. Holy crap! Who will they cut? I have no idea. Who are your favorites? Are you ready to predict a winner? I will say this, Jason Castro did a version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow that's very familiar to me and he didn't do it justice. He was trying to imitate this:


On to the vote:

Who should go?
	David Archuleta
	Jason Castro
	David Cook
	Christie Lee Cook
	Michael Johns
	Syesha Mercado
	Carly Smithson
	Brooke White
pollcode.com free polls

UPDATED:

Rachel Lucas had the exact opposite experience with Jason Castro. She says:

It was convenient that I was in touch with my boobs right then, because when Jason Castro started singing that funky little version of “Over the Rainbow,” I began spontaneously lactating. True story. I’m not too sure about the physiological mechanisms involved here but I’m pretty sure it’s something to do with wanting to have his babies.

Hypothetically, of course. Although I totally support the rumor that I’m pregnant because that gives me one more opportunity to disappoint people.

After Jason and his extremely confusing sex appeal (he looks like a girl, but also like a man, pretty but virile…shit I don’t know…he was playing the ukelele for Chrissake but it was almost erotic), the show went downhill hard and fast.

Men Are Simple--UPDATED

An odd thing happened after my April Fools post about How To Keep A Relationship Hot; guys agreed with it. My intention was to do essentially "opposite day" and put the exact opposite thing that a woman would like and post it. And I received responses like this:

My god!! do you live in my brain or something. I firmly agree with all ten points but have never run across another woman that felt that way. I can assure that my wife of 35 years feels the exact opposite on each of those points. I sometimes wonder what it would be like to be married to a woman that believed in those 10 points. I bet if you took a poll you would find that very few woman do. You are exceptional.

Not only did I hear things like this from readers, but guy friends of mine enthusiastically supported most of the ten points. What the hell?

I have been flummoxed for the last week about what to say in response to emails like this. First, an admission. I'm not a "typical" girl, whatever that is. I like sports. I like Sci Fi. I read fantasy novels. I enjoy politics. Arguing doesn't bother me. Ground acquisition sports and military strategy interests me. I hated taking ballet when I was forced to do it. I hated being a cheerleader for one year (also forced to do it.) I hate shopping. I dislike fussing over clothes. I try to be presentable, basically, because it's socially expected. Otherwise, a pony tail, shorts and a t-shirt would be fine. Displays of emotion should be reserved for important things like death and loss and sorrow (although, I must admit that when I'm pregnant and since I've had kids, touching commercials can get to me and that's so annoying). I like to eat. I like to laugh out loud. I don't like to discuss diaper rash and "isn't he cute" and "he was crawling at eight months". Blech.

In addition, I enjoy the company of men. They are simple. If I say, which I have said on one occasion, "You're being an asshole. Knock it off.", to a guy friend. They either say, "No, I'm not" or "Yeah, I am" and that's that. They don't write me off their friend's list for months. I don't get the silent treatment. It's just "whatever" and move along. Likewise, they'll say what they think, usually. I don't have to guess. They like the food, they say through a full mouth,"This is good!" They like the game, they cheer. They want to go hunting. They say, "I want to go hunting." When you ask them what they're thinking, as Jeff Foxworthy says, and they say, "Nothing." They're telling the truth. There's nothing going on up there.

Now, these are generalizations, of course. There are some metrosexual men, effeminate men, passive men, sensitive men, immature men, insecure men, etc. And some of the toughest guys I know, bar-fighting he men, are tender souls underneath the muscle. So, just because men are simple, doesn't mean that they're one-dimensional, or non-thinking, or non-sensient. When women reduce men to clichés and eye rolls, I find it deeply offensive. I find it as offensive as when women are reduced in a similar ways. The gender wars suck and it needs to stop.

Women might rightly be wondering why advice like I put forth the other day might ring true to men. I think it comes down to this: For men, women feel like a moving target. It can be a challenge and downright exasperating when the goal posts change. A man wants a few simple things to be happy. Guessing what makes someone else happy is not one of the things that makes him happy.

So, here's what I'm going to do. I'm going to translate the 10 Pieces of Advice for women. They were mystified and a little insulted at the advice. Maybe understanding the underlying message will help:

1. Keep the mystery alive--Translation: I don't like feeling like I'm on a leash.

2. Call rarely--Translation: I'm busy. Unless the house is on fire, it's not important enough to call. Do you realize that I have to listen to Billy Bob blab on all day? Too many words.

3. Retreat from conflict--Translation: Yelling doesn't make it better. Maybe we should step back and think.

4. Don't expect your spouse to meet your sexual needs--Translation: Between kids, work, high blood pressure and your gut, it's just not happening as much. I'm trying to deal with it.

5. Spend time cultivating interests that don't include your spouse--Translation: I don't want to go shopping with you. I don't want to talk about your shoes. Call your friend or go do something fun and don't expect me to entertain you all the time.

6. Don't change--Translation: Why did you marry me, if you didn't like me for who I am?

7 Don't apologize--Translation: It's not all my fault. You can be wrong, too. Why does it always seem like I'm the only one saying "sorry"?

8. Don't give tokens of affection--Translation: I don't know what you want. I don't have the money to buy the really cool stuff. Isn't money for the house, cars, clothes, kids, enough?

9. Ignore special dates--Translation: There is too much pressure on these days. I ran out of ideas ten years ago. What do you want me to do?

10. Stop saying "I love you"--I am here. I am with you. I clean the garage. I change the tires. I play ball with the kids. I don't kill your mother. What other proof do you need that I love you?


Now, I'm guessing here with the translations. The guys can feel absolutely free to correct me if I'm totally wrong. But I do think that men are not thinking what women are thinking along these lines. So, let's get practical. What can a woman do to keep a guy happy?

1. Food--Keep food around. Cooking every once in a while is a bonus.
2. Work--Let the man work in peace. Support his work. Encourage him about work.
3. Sex--Act like you want and enjoy it. Weekly or more, if possible.
4. R&R--Facilitate hobbies and hanging with friends.
   
5. Peace--Foster a peaceful home environment--not necessarily quiet, just not filled with strife.

That's it. Happy man. Again, if the guys think I've forgotten something, let me know.

And don't think you're getting off easy fellas. Tomorrow, I'm going to translate those 10 from a woman's point of view. The points were offensive to women for a reason. And, if you want to have that happy, peaceful, food and sex-filled home, you might want to do a little work to get it. Ever heard the saying, "Ain't mama happy, ain't nobody happy"? Yeah, well, you can do some things to help mama get happy.

UPDATE: Want to know what women want? The other side of the story, here.

Gratitude For Our Troops Sign Language Style--UPDATED

Gateway Pundit shares a way to show gratitude to our troops and it involves something near and now, dear, to my heart: sign language. I'm delighted that this amazing language is being used in such a great way:



Saying Thank you to the troops is easy. Gateway Pundit feels that this week will be especially challenging for our troops this week because of General Petreaus' testimony before Congress. It will be an opportunity for Congress Critters to express themselves. That's always dangerous. So the thank you sign will mean a lot to them:

The "Thank You" sign...

The sign we are using is intended to communicate "thank you from the bottom of my heart. "

To make the sign simply place your hand on your heart as though you're saying the Pledge of Allegiance. Then pull your hand down and out, bending at the elbow (not the wrist), stopping for a moment at about the belly button with your hand flat, palm up, angled toward the person you're thanking.

According to Norman Heimgartner, Ed.D., author of “Behavioral Traits of Deaf children” and former Professor of Education at the University of Puget Sound, this sign originated in France in the late 1700’s, and was published in “Theorie des Signes”, a dictionary of signs by the Abbe Sicard. The sign was brought to the United States in 1816 by the Reverend Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, founder of Gallaudet University, who later modified it to start at the chin rather than at the heart. That sign is now the standard sign for “thank you” in American Sign Language.

And, if you have a minute HERE is an easy way to express your gratitude to the troops in Iraq.

Freedom's Watch has more on the expected testimony this week by General Petraeus.

UPDATE: Great, just great! It turns out that this video has caused a stink in the Deaf Community. Well, the way to say thank you in ASL is to do the same hand and arm motion but come to come from the chin. This is an easy enough change and thing to do. Please watch the video, still, the intent is good, but substitute the proper sign when you see it done the wrong way. ASL is not English as hand signals. It is its own language, with it's own usage demands and own history. I knew that the sign was wrong in the video, but wrongly assumed the modification was specifically for the troops.

No, we don't want to tell the troops that "we give in". We want to tell them thank you. When I see a soldier, I just say thanks, but I'm not known for keeping my yapper shut, either.

Imagine A World With Few Abortions

Rachel Lucas wrote a treatise on abortion today. I don't know if she came over and read my reaction to Amanda Marcotte on the topic or not, but she did mention stupid comments, so I'm guessing she might have, because you people are still going strong. I admire your stamina even if the arguments seem tired at this point. I'll try to sum up Rachel's opinion in one (OK three) paragraph and this is tough to do, you need to go read her whole opinion:

But the second reason I see abortion as anathema to how I want to live my life shouldn’t surprise anyone who’s read this site for long: personal responsibility. To me, the vast majority of abortions (in the U.S., that’s all I’m talking about here) are a direct result of an utter failure to behave in a rational, responsible, thoughtful fashion.

If you don’t want to be pregnant, then don’t get pregnant.

Easy to say, right? Yep. It’s also pretty easy to DO, at least for me, because I fancy myself a sentient human being with a functioning brain, and as such, I enjoy making decisions that result in pleasant outcomes for me and everyone I care about. Failing to prevent pregnancy while knowing full well that I don’t want pregnancy would be an irrational behavior, not to mention fantastically immature and shortsighted.

Now, I indirectly alluded to personal responsibility myself when I discussed the issue of shame:

Society benefits that shame is associated with "the right to choose." Is there no shame anymore? Even with the shame, far too many people engage in sex without thought and consideration of the consequences that can result in another being paying the ultimate price for momentary pleasure. Removing the shame would simply increase the number of abortions and multiply the regret of many more people, who, stopped by their conscience, opt to have a child and make it work instead of choosing abortion.

What I didn't directly note is why someone should be ashamed, but Rachel covered the topic handily. It is embarrassing to be so stupid that you'll have unprotected sex resulting in a baby. I mean, how dumb can you be?

Let me use my own life as an example. Around November of last year, a new notion hit me like a ton of bricks. I suddenly, clearly realized that I did not want to have more children. Period. The maternal switch flipped, even though I had always imagined having four kids, and I was done. Finito. I simply did not want any more children. Period. Guess what I did? I took serious precautionary measures because I'm fertile Myrtle. I think "baby", my body throws an egg and starts looking for sperm hiding out in the folds of my fallopian tubes. Now, I know it doesn't work that way for most people, but I'm one of those ladies. My daughter was conceived two days after my period ended. The computer model said that the chances I was pregnant was O%. Um, right. My son was conceived days after I was supposed to have ovulated. And yet, here he sits, watching Little Bear. So, I take precautions. And I take them seriously.

When I was first married, I did NOT want kids right away. I had plans. So, I went to Planned Parenthood, got the pill and made my husband glove up. Yes, I'm obsessive. But you know what? I knew, like Rachel knows, that I would never have an abortion. And yes, I've had two scares, serious ones. Make that three scares. I have literally ran screaming into the bathroom and hosed myself off, knowing damn well if the deed was done, the only thing I succeeded in doing is make myself look ridiculous. I would have had a baby and I would have made it work and it would have complicated my life. But it would be my responsibility.

Abortion (except in cases of rape and the health of the mother, as Rachel notes consists of only 7% of abortions combined, oh hell, I'll just quote the stats too):

Before I go any further with this, please note:

Women with family incomes less than $15,000 obtain 28.7% of all abortions; Women with family incomes between $15,000 and $29,999 obtain 19.5%; Women with family incomes between $30,000 and $59,999 obtain 38.0%; Women with family incomes over $60,000 obtain 13.8%.

1% of all abortions occur because of rape or incest; 6% of abortions occur because of potential health problems regarding either the mother or child, and 93% of all abortions occur for social reasons (i.e. the child is unwanted or inconvenient).

47% of all abortions are performed on women who have had at least one previous abortion.

Abortion is an admission to being short-sighted, frivolous and way too immature to be having sex. But the immaturity comes from all sorts of places. An acquaintance has a daughter who um, enjoys male companionship. A lot. Let's just leave it at that. She is of the religious persuasion that makes her find birth control problematic. The disconnect astonishes me. My advice was simple: Put the girl on something. You won't prevent STDs, but you might be lucky enough to avoid having to raise another baby or be faced with a more morally difficult situation like her deciding to abort a baby. I've talked before about parental denial--this came up when talking about Obama's blabbing about his daughters and not wanting them to be "punished with a baby". Parents need to remember their own drives and behavior.

And yet, with all this, I hold on to an ideal. To me, the ideal is to wait until you're married to have sex and to stay faithful to your mate. I object to abortion on a moral basis, not just the ethical one mentioned above. Life to me is a sacred gift. And the acceptance of abortion has moral implications for other stages of life. I have a child who survived at 24 weeks gestation. People abort at this point, still. He survived. I'm looking at him picking his nose right now, in fact. I have friends who could have been taken off life support, but someone held on for them and they lived.

Life is worth saving, because some day, should it come down to it, I want someone to want me to live. I've said it before, DO NOT PULL THE PLUG until all options are exhausted. Life is good and worth saving. And this goes to the cases of a woman being put in the position of deciding to abort to save her own life. I've known two women who had cancer and both were told to abort the baby. One chose to and the other induced around 26 weeks. Both ladies survived. It was the right choice for both of them. Obviously. So we can just throw that straw man out.

And then there is rape. I support life. And so, I support adoption. I also support the morning after pill in these cases. Absolutely. 100%. Why does abortion need to come into this equation either? Of course a woman should have the opportunity to create a hostile uterine environment so she doesn't have to carry a baby to term when she's been raped.

For the 93% of women having abortions, there's no excuse. Stupid is not an excuse. It's an explanation. And I don't understand why the feminists want to wear abortion like it's some badge of honor. What it is is a blaring trumpet of stupid. Who wants to be proud of unthinking?

Every day, there are 4,000 abortions. Every year, over one million babies are aborted. Since abortion became legal, 40 million abortions have occurred. Please don't tell me this is a good thing. These are elective, unnecessary procedures that could be wholly prevented. It's like the dude who smoked five packs a day and gets lung cancer. You feel bad for the guy, but his pain was entirely preventable. Abortion doesn't need to happen. It is a moment acknowledging regrettable limited intelligence, vision and wisdom.

Ultimately, abortion is a crying shame.

Crotch Shots and Feminists With Brazen Breasts

Few images disturb a feminist's sensibilities more than a man sitting, spread-eagled bodaciously facing the camera. Ravishment unsettles as well, especially ravishment that foreshadows beheading. Of course, that disqualifies the cover of nearly every romance novel. I have to say, on that count, I agree with the feminists. Yuck. Romance novels suck--not that I've ever read one. Well, unless you consider Somewhere In Time by Richard Matheson (remember Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymore? sigh) a romance novel. But I digress.....

Cassy Fiano actually goes and reads feminist blogs and found this post especially entertaining. I don't go read their blogs because I already have enough digestive disturbances. It's better that I pretend those blogs don't exist. Saves on toilet paper. Hey! And that saves the environment! Cassy thinks the ladies do protest too much. Well, yeah. That's what girls do. Get all excited and cluck a lot about nothing.

What struck me, though, was the second image. Do you recall a similar image? I do. Oh, I do. It's the spread eagle pose. Mmmm hmmmm. Kinda hot, right? A man so manly that he cannot do anything but spread his legs when he's sitting. He's just that endowed.

Clinton has that weirdly amused look on his face. He's having fun. And that reminded me of another photo--one that included prominent breasts around Bill.

You see, I find the disconnect between what is acceptable for a guy like Clinton but not acceptable for a stupid advertisement the thing that undermines feminists. Well, one of things that undermines their message. You want to be taken seriously? You want us to care that you care about the King of England being portrayed as a misogynist (and it would be difficult to argue that old Henry VIII loved women outside of being objects of entertainment, but let's not look at history in context), then care about real men with real power who claim to be feminists while fucking over women. And Bill Clinton does just that. Ann Althouse said, "I think Clinton betrayed feminism (and I hate the way many feminists have given him a pass)."

Bill continues to screw women. I think he's been a huge detriment to his wife, but of course she's in a bind. If she ditches him, she ditches the whole reason she's being considered as a presidential contender to begin with. If she keeps him, well, he sucks the oxygen out of the room because he's a typical guy--it's ALL about him. Wait a minute! Isn't that what feminists say? Men are just that way? But not Bill Clinton. Oh, hell no! He is a god. He is hot.

As far as I'm concerned, his wife has done the same thing. Since we're on the topic of betraying feminist ideals--as changeable as they seem (isn't that just like a woman)--Hillary has done the same. No, she hasn't dressed provocatively--unless you consider a slight show of cleavage provocative. But she has wept like a girl. She cries for her own sad plight. That doesn't make her equal, it makes her look like a woman using tears to manipulate. Wait, she is a woman using tears to manipulate. Can you imagine Susan B. Anthony tearing up over her own sad plight? I think not.

Blech. The feminists undermine their own message. If it isn't absolutism about abortion, it's superficial outrage about things that matter little while ignoring things that matter. Feminists need to catch a clue. Or maybe, they just need to get married and have a bunch of kids and do some housework. Idle hands and whatnot.

Depraved Is The New Normal: Part II--UPDATE

Does anything look strange about this picture? Oh, there's something strange alright. But who are you to judge?

See Part 1 here.

UPDATE: Who are you to trample on the rights of the incestuous?

You Need To Laugh

You just do.

My favorite humorous essay of all time comes from David Sedaris. His bit on the Stadium Pal is one of the funniest things I have ever read. And it makes me laugh every single time. You need to laugh. Go read it here.

Stuff You Should Know & Chickens

See Chastity. Yes, some people are chaste and live to talk about it.

The internet will be obsolete soon. I thought I'd give you a heads up. The new way of doing things will be a "grid". It sounds so incredibly cool.

Do you think my planned community would have a problem with this? I also want to keep bees. Whaddya think?

Some are questioning climate change theory. You don't say.

The love fest is over. Bill Clinton is in the Democrat's shitter. It's about time. When were these people going to see him for what he is?

Fred Thompson for Veep? I'd like that.

I didn't blog about the Pizza Hut thing last week, but you should know about it.

Zimbabwe is a mess. Robert Mugabe demonstrated what socialist policies do and how quickly they destroy a country. It's going to get worse for these poor people, before it gets better. Venezuela take note. You're next.

Finally, Muslims are leaving Islam and converting to Christianity in droves. Interesting, if true.

Abortion Is Great!

Amanda Marcotte is at it again, and by "it" I mean illustrating why feminists hurt themselves when it comes to abortion. Statements like this are so repulsive to the average person:

I appreciate the idea that visibility is critical to getting people to understand that women who get abortions or rape victims—two groups dehumanized and demonized in an effort to strip them of their rights—are human beings. I was in full support of the “I had an abortion” T-shirt, because to me, it’s not complicated. The anti-choice movement tries like hell to erase women’s existence, or at least our individuality, and the T-shirt undermines that. It also clarifies that abortion is nothing to be ashamed of. For me, “I had an abortion” should be as morally loaded as “I had a Pap smear”. The underpinnings of the moral angst about abortion—the idea that a woman has no right to pry loose a flag a man has planted in her (even if he agrees with her decision, as most men in this case do), or that she should be punished for having sex—offend me to the core, and that many women go through anguish over getting abortions depresses me. They shouldn’t feel bad for having sex or having autonomy. In fact, they should be proud of themselves for taking care of themselves despite all the misogynist messages out there that women don’t have a right to take care of ourselves. People balked at the idea that the “I had an abortion” T-shirts smacked of that mortal female sin of pride, but I applaud it. Women should be proud of doing right by themselves in a world where that’s socially disavowed.

Ann Althouse, who believes in abortion, says this:

The "abortion" shirt, on the other hand, admits that you've done something for yourself that involved sacrificing what many people believe is another human being. Why do you want to say that by T-shirt? In Marcotte's view, it's to show that you're proud of "taking care" of yourself "despite all the misogynist messages out there." I thought it was more to normalize abortion — to make it seem ordinary, widespread, and something that would be done without shame by nice, upstanding women.

I happen to believe that abortion is wrong. Period. However, I can understand a woman's claim to her own body. I can understand the fear of an unwanted pregnancy. Most women have had that fear at one time in their life. So, as much as I find abortion repugnant, I don't find those who feel trapped and make that decision repugnant. It can seem perfectly rational at the time. Still, I know only two women who haven't regretted their decision, and often the forced decision to abort a child.

Abortion is a tortured experience for a woman because it is a morally fraught decision. The same woman who aborts a "fetus" will call a wanted child her "baby" the instant she reports the joy of her pregnancy. Many women regret being moved by fear or helplessness. Many women resent the manipulation by boyfriends, husbands and family when she wants the baby. Many women would choose differently if given the choice again.

This reality seems to be lost by those like Amanda Marcotte. In her absolutist world, there is no ambiguity around the topic. There is no such thing as regret or conflict. Women should wear their abortions with pride. It is a sign of self-affirmation.

And she actually touches on the heart of the problem. At it's heart, abortion is a selfish decision. A woman is choosing her own comfort over the discomfort and inconvenience of an unplanned for child (I am not touching on the anguish a raped woman feels in facing the future). And she feels women should wear this selfishness with pride. She does a disservice to the reproductive rights crowd and harms her own movement by being so cavalier about the implications of the decision to abort.

Society benefits that shame is associated with "the right to choose." Is there no shame anymore? Even with the shame, far too many people engage in sex without thought and consideration of the consequences that can result in another being paying the ultimate price for momentary pleasure. Removing the shame would simply increase the number of abortions and multiply the regret of many more people, who, stopped by their conscience, opt to have a child and make it work instead of choosing abortion.

The real shame is that feminists elevate selfishness and refuse to see the conflict inherent in the decision to abort. By doing so, they harm women they ostensibly desire to help.

Cross-posted at Right Wing News.

Update:

Well, my post ruffled the feathers of Ms. Marcotte. She says this as a conclusion:

There is only one thing to conclude from this.

Melissa Clouthier enjoys getting a Pap smear.

Honestly, if they were less anxious about sex, they could do it like normal people and quit having to find bizarre and frankly perverse ways to enjoy the touch of another human being.

Equating a Pap Smear with an Abortion is fascinating. So the embryonic cells forming a baby fall into the same category as atypical cells on the cervix related to genital warts (human papilloma virus--HPV causes cellular change and it the cause of cervical cancer). [UPDATE AGAIN: Please note that atypical cells can be caused by many things, not just HPV. For more information, go here. ] A pap smear has the same significance as an abortion in that they are both uncomfortable procedures? Or is it that both procedures are necessary because they come about due to enjoying sex?

And then, of course, people who are against abortions must hate sex and women. I happen to love both. No, I'm not a lesbian--don't get too excited. But is there a more lame stereotype? A Christian, married woman must be frigid, hate herself, hate women and hate sex. She's under the foot of the male patriarchy, dominated, and deluded.

The only way to prove my liberation is to believe in abortion.

Hitchens & Sullivan with Russert

So, I'm bored tonight and watched these guys debate the Wright affair, Hillary and her Bosnia snafu and then McCain's view on Iraq. Overall impression: Andrew Sullivan swoons like a girl at a Hannah Montana over Obama. Good grief! Obama does have some faults, Sullivan might like to try for balance. Hitchen's bias against religion does cloud his vision over why Wright's message worked for so many. Anyway, the debate is interesting and worth watching from beginning to end if you have the time.

Some thoughts:

The Wright Affair--This is going to follow Obama in the general. It won't hurt him, hasn't hurt him with Dems, but the average voter will not appreciate the perceived (and real, I believe) anti-Americanism, forget the anti-White racism and Jew-hate.

Hillary Clinton is a liar and shamelessly exploits her ovaries to gain points. Hitchens correctly cites her self-pity and self-righteousness. Hillary is insufferable on so many levels. She and her husband are pathological liars on a quest for power. Absolute yuck. Contrast her to any other female leader--Benazar Bhutto, Margaret Thatcher, Indira Ghandi. Would you see those women weep in self-pity? No. Hillary sets women back.

H/T LGF

A Ray of Sunshine

Today is absolutely magnificent. The sun shines on grass made neon green by a week of spring rain. I'm watching the Memphis UCLA game and listening to Cecilia Bartoli and talking to friends after taking a walk in the breezy day. Perfection.

I was also musing this morning about President Bush. Follow me, people, I'm in a good mood and my mind is all over the place. So, the Prez is in Croatia. And yet again, he's receiving a hero's welcome. They love him there. His speech was incredible. Gateway Pundit is on it, as usual:

President Bush shared these words on liberty and freedom with the people of Croatia today from St. Marko's Square:

The people of this region know what the gift of liberty means. You know the death and destruction that can be caused by the followers of radical ideologies. You know that, in a long run, the only way to defeat a hateful ideology is to promote the hopeful alternative of human freedom. And that is what our nations are doing today in the Middle East. The lack of freedom and opportunity in that region has given aid and comfort to the lies and ambitions of violent extremists. Resentments that began on the streets of the Middle East have resulted in the killing innocent people across the world. A great danger clouds the future of all free men and women, and this danger sits at the doorstep of Europe.

Together the people of this region are helping to confront this danger. Today soldiers from Croatia, Albania, and Macedonia are serving bravely in Afghanistan -- helping the Afghan people defeat the terrorists and secure their future of liberty. Forces from Albania and Macedonia are serving in Iraq -- where they're helping the Iraqi people build a society that rejects terror and lives in freedom. It's only a matter of time before freedom takes root across that troubled region. And when it does, millions will remember the people of your nation stood with them in their hour of need. (Applause.)

Democracy President George W. Bush was among friends in Croatia today.

See, I believe these high-minded sentiments. I believe that every person born deserves a chance to live and to live free. One of the reasons my support for President Bush has not waned is because I believe he is right in principle and that being a force for freedom trumps some of his other ill-advised stances and his inability to adequately communicate his ideals. I've said it before and I'll say it again: We'll miss him when he's gone. History will be kind to this president.

To end, here is a fascinating YouTube clip. This autistic child didn't talk until he was five years old and now, he uses his photographic memory to draw cities. These children are amazing.

Stupid Professor Suing Note Service

When I was in chiropractic college, I ran a note service. I paid students to take and type notes, published them weekly and students bought them. It was fantastic for everyone, although it was a lot of work and profit margins were tight. Well, now some nutty professor is suing the note service company for copyright infringement. Glenn Reynolds calls it the "DUMBEST COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT CLAIM YET". No kidding.

I never understood why profs hated note service. Most of them were disorganized wrecks and the notes helped students. Some barely spoke English and the note service gave the students a fighting chance to understand the concept. I'm still shocked I passed Biochemistry. I didn't understand one word my professor said. Thank God for Daryl Luplow who was a genius and managed to translate his genius into language the rest of us could understand in his clearly written notes. We all passed because of him. The professor did nothing to forward learning.

Probably, the professors don't want to be known as being so predictable that someone can take notes one year and ten years later still use the same notes. It makes everyone question what it is, exactly, they're doing. My histology prof used 20 year old notes. Granted, histology won't be changing any time soon, so why would the notes change?

UK Terrorists: Dead Eyes

Look at these UK terrorists. Don't they all have the same look? Maybe they haven't blown themselves up yet, but they seem to be men already dead.