Lifesite makes me angry
I’d like to thank Jen for introducing me to the veritable goldmine of fundie thought known as lifesite.net. Today, Lifesite highlights a survey by Canadian researchers showing a high correlative link between domestic violence and abortion. Let’s take a look, shall we?
1127 women completed a 65-item questionnaire at a hospital abortion facility in London, Ontario. The results showed that overall 20% had experienced physical abuse by a male partner, and 27% had a history of sexual abuse.
Similar research in the US has shown that 31% of women seeking an abortion have experienced physical or sexual abuse at some time in their lives and, of these, more than half have witnessed domestic violence as children. The British study showed that the risk of domestic violence more than doubled during pregnancy. The authors of the Canadian research suggest that a motive for some women who abort in a situation of violence do so to out of a misguided desire to protect future children from living in the disrupted or violent environments that they themselves face.
Well, they started out telling the truth, but apparently the fundie predilection for lying was just insurmountable toward the end there. What the
study actually said was this:
“The authors of this research suggest that a history of victimization should be considered a risk factor for being abused when pregnant and imply that previous abuse has a demoralizing effect that increases susceptibility to further violence. There may also be some truth to the idea that women "trapped" in more traditional, passive feminine roles are less able to assert control over themselves and their lives. […] Perhaps, given this, we should understand both a mother's desire not to saddle her child with the risks she faces and the decisive behaviour that the act of seeking a termination implies.”
Yes, a misguided desire indeed. The leading cause of death of pregnant women in the United States is homicide, usually at the hands of the men who claim to love them. And research shows that a woman is more susceptible to domestic violence when pregnant—meaning that an abused women can look forward to more abuse if she carries her pregnancy to term. For these women, abortion is a way to save themselves from an escalation of violence, and also a means to protect future children who might be abused themselves. As a society, we tend to blame women who stay in abusive relationship, even more so when they have children who are being abused. Now the fundies are blaming abused women to failing to give birth to their abusers’ children—I’m sensing that we just can’t win here.
The study also revealed that a significant percentage of the women who were seeking second or repeated abortions were using artificial contraception at the time they became pregnant. 90% of women seeking repeat abortions had used contraception sometime in their lives and at the time of the current conception 60% were using condoms and 40% were using an oral contraceptive.
Wait…women who didn’t want to have children (thus, terminating their pregnancies) are more likely to use contraception?? You mean they actually tried to prevent the pregnancies that they didn’t want? Obviously, this means that all you whores on the pill are going to get abortions. After all, there
must be a causal relationship between contraception and abortions.
Pro-life activists have for many years pointed out the danger of widespread chemical contraceptive use and its relation to high incidences of abortion. Their argument is that a woman engaging in sexual relations and using the pill is more disposed to using abortion as a 'back-up' form of birth control should it fail.
Yes, “pro-life” activists
would say that. Unfortunately, researchers say otherwise. According to the Canadian study,
“Fisher and colleagues show that, in comparison with women seeking a first abortion, those requesting second or third procedures are more likely to be using contraception. They are not psychologically maladjusted and are not using therapeutic abortion as ‘birth control.’” Do these people even read the articles they are reviewing?
The British survey cited above also found that despite the high incidence of abuse only 2% of the women seeking abortion were pregnant as a result of rape. This is despite the fact that the so-called 'rape exception' is often cited as a justification for legal abortion-on-demand.
Well, according to the Alan Guttmacher Institute, so-called “partial birth abortions” only account for about 0.03–0.05% of all abortions, and y’all didn’t seem to have a problem focusing on those, did you? In fact, according to Nevada Life, “(the) rate of incidence of partial birth abortion is not what makes it wrong.” Funny, I would argue that the rate of incidence of forcing women to give birth to their rapist’s child is irrelevant—simply doing so is wrong.
The effect of the widespread use of contraception in creating what is called the 'contraceptive mentality' and the evidence that such a mentality leads to abortion has been documented more than once by the medical community.
Where? What medical community are you talking about? The “pro-life” ob-gyns who lie to their patients? The Canadian study shows only a correlation between contraception use and abortion—but that makes sense given that women who do not want to have children are likely to use birth control to prevent pregnancy. I worked in an abortion clinic all through college, and I cannot recall a single women who walked in there with a blasé attitude.
Articles like should serve as a reminder that it isn’t just abortion they’re after—they want your birth control, too. Because they simply cannot abide by women maintaining control over their lives. After all, the Canadian study shows that anywhere from 20 – 55% of women have been in an abusive relationship at some point in their lives, which the leading researcher, Dr. Fisher, defined as an epidemic of victimization. Funny how in all the attempts to rain scorn and shame on women who seek abortions, their abusers were conveniently ignored.
Friday Random Ten
You know the rules—and if you don’t you can find them
here—so, my Friday Random Ten:
- Laid - James
- Golden Touch - Razorlight
- Our Lips Are Sealed - The GoGo's
- Into the Dark - Ben Lee
- Career Opportunities - The Clash
- Everybody Knows - Concrete Blonde
- I Love a Man in a Uniform - Gang of Four
- Short Skirts - Felix Da Housecat
- Killing Moon - Echo & The Bunnymen
- Joan Jett of Arc - Clem Snide
Your turn!
This has been the month of absent co-workers, and apparently, I am the only person in my office who is capable of being cross-trained, so guess who got stuck with all the work? Hence, the complete and total lack of blogging. I apologize, unreservedly.
I did manage to get my City of Pontiac income tax refund yesterday...from 2003. Seems they finally got around to sending me my $2.00. And it's a good thing I got it, because for a while there, I felt the like the paperboy from "Better Off Dead."
Friday Random Ten
You know the rules—and if you don’t you can find them
here—so, my Friday Random Ten, Look How Fucked Up My Music Collection Is Edition:
- DUI - Har Mar Superstar
- Grand Canyon - Magnetic Fields
- Modern Day Emma Goldman - Pretty Girls Make Graves
- Across 110th Street - Bobby Womack
- Good Girls Don't - The Knack
- Busting Up a Starbux - Doughty
- Joey - Concrete Blonde
- Pressure Drop - Toots & The Maytals
- Finding Out True Love is Blind - Louis XIV
- It's Tricky - Run DMC
Your turn!
One more reason not to keep a loaded gun in your house
Michigan man shot when cat knocks gun onto floor
BATES TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) -- An Upper Peninsula man cooking in his kitchen was shot after one of his cats knocked his 9mm handgun onto the floor, discharging the weapon, Michigan State Police said.
Joseph Stanton, 29, of Bates Township in Iron County, was shot in his lower torso around 6 p.m. Tuesday, the state police post in Iron River reported. He was transported to Iron County Community Hospital.
This post could also be titled "Further proof that Yoopers are a breed unto themselves."
Paging Dr. Freud
So, I had a dream last night that my job was teaching cheesy self-esteem songs to a room full of tambourine playing toddlers. We sang while performing some sweet Bob Fossey inspired dance moves. After a couple of satisfying renditions of songs from "Free to Be...You and Me," I regaled them with the story of "Mack and the Christmas Pumpkin," which was the tale of a rabid coyote who turned the family pets into mutant vampire dogs on a quest for holiday gourds.
If anyone can find a way to analyze this dream in such a way so that I am not completely fucking crazy, I would appreciate it.
Sleep is the cousin of death
Well, after the whole "Mack and The Christmas Pumpkin" episode, I, understandably, had some trouble getting back to sleep. So, I started making random lists in an attempt to induce slumber. Here's what I got:
Ten Bands From the 70s/80s Who Are Still More Relevant Than Nickelback
- The Clash
- The Jam
- Elvis Costello & The Attractions
- The Smiths
- The Cure
- Madness
- The Pogues
- The Ramones
- Blondie
- The GoGos
Ten People I Want to Meet Should Everything I Believe Turn Out to be Bullshit and Heaven Actually Exists
- Bill Hicks
- Joe Strummer
- Johnny Cash
- Emma Goldman
- Elizabeth I
- Oscar Wilde
- Anais Nin
- Jerry Orbach
- Nils Bohr
- Mr. Rogers
Five People I Want to Visit on a Future Day Trip to Hell, Just to Make Sure They Got There
- George W. Bush
- Margaret Thatcher
- David Beckham
- Fred Phelps
- Celine Dion
Ten People With Better Hair Than Jim Jarmusch
...I bet you can't come up with any, either.
Five Random Thoughts
- Beyonce's sister, Solange, has the worst name ever. It sounds like a topical ointment for a sexually transmitted disease.
- Rich describes J.Lo's new single as "The sound of a dying cat reacting to a car alarm." I disagree...I would rather listen to that than J.Lo.
- I have no middle name, and as a result, my initials don't spell anything fun. My brother's initials spell "gag;" my sister's spell "fag."
- I was born at 6:41 a.m., and often find myself looking at the clock at that very time. I have a debilitating fear that the first time I look at the clock and it reads 6:40 will be the exact moment that I die.
- I wonder if anyone can point me in the direction of an mp3 of Lou Barlow's "Holding Back the Year." That would make my day.
A Word of Advice
List-making is not an effective means of inducing sleep. NyQuil, on the other hand, is.
What rejected crayon are you?
You are |
|
I'm not sure if this is telling me that I am bland, or perhaps merely something that resembles meat, but whose origins are suspect. Maybe I am available on nearly every street corner? Either way, I'm not a happy camper.
Welcome to your “Next Blog” Feature
Fun stuff I found by clicking that little button in the top right corner of your screen…
It’s been one of those days, folks. Work is kicking my ass, and I just want to go home, crawl into bed, and finish season two of Six Feet Under. Enjoy the above blogs, or click on the happy little "Next Blog" button and discover some of your own.
Friday Random Ten
You know the rules—and if you don’t you can find them
here—so, my Friday Random Ten, Girly Edition:
- Martha Wainwright – BMFA
- Tegan and Sara – You Wouldn’t Like Me
- Gwen McCrea – 90% of Me
- Neko Case & Her Boyfriends – Twist the Knife
- Tonya Donnelly – The Night You Saved My Life
- Le Tigre – Hot Topic
- Scissor Sisters – Tits on the Radio
- PJ Harvey – C’Mon Billy
- Kate Bush – Jig of Life
- The Rondelles – Like a Prayer
What is your Friday Random Ten?
Pope Idol
Brought to you by
PopBitch:
Cast your vote for the new Pontiff
It's time for us all to nominate the next head of the Catholic Church. Here are some suggestions.
- Bono. He clearly believes he has a hot-line to God. Let's just hope those Andrea Corr stories aren't true.
- Madonna. It would be good to see her rocking a crucifix again. She's also shown her charitable side by marrying Guy Ritchie.
- Joe Dolce. It's the 25th anniversary of "Shaddup You Face", and devout Catholic Joe is still going strong.
- David Beckham. His body art suggests a religious bent, but the continuing rumours surrounding his private life might put off those who believe in chastity.
- Geri Halliwell. Geri was brought up as a Catholic. Her Kensington house has a picture of the Virgin Mary in the lounge and reproduction of the Last Supper in the dining room.
Made your decision? Now email the Vatican's Cardinal-Secretary of State with your nomination.
I personally think Mel Gibson should be the new pontiff. After all, he’s got the whole self-righteous attitude down pat, and his father supplies the perfect amount of Holocaust denial. Now if we can just figure out a way to justify the whole married with a bizillion kids thing...
File Under: You can’t make this shit up
Man Sues Over Surprise Pregnancy
An appeals court said a man can press a claim for emotional distress after learning a former lover had used his sperm to have a baby. But he can't claim theft, the ruling said, because the sperm were hers to keep.
The ruling Wednesday by the Illinois Appellate Court sends Dr. Richard O. Phillips' distress case back to trial court.
Phillips accuses Dr. Sharon Irons of a "calculated, profound personal betrayal" after their affair six years ago, saying she secretly kept semen after they had oral sex, then used it to get pregnant.
[…]
"She asserts that when plaintiff 'delivered' his sperm, it was a gift - an absolute and irrevocable transfer of title to property from a donor to a donee," the decision said. "There was no agreement that the original deposit would be returned upon request."
How much to do you want to bet that from now on this guy is going to demand that all of his sexual partners swallow?
It’s the Charter, stupid.
That’s the slogan Young Liberals are using to
promote marriage equality in Canada, and needless to say, the fundies are up in arms:
“It's the Charter, stupid,” is the slogan coined by the Young Liberals that has riled some same-sex “marriage” opponents, such as Defend Marriage Canada founder Charles McVety. “They have resorted to name-calling,” McVety said, as reported by the Globe and Mail news. “They are calling people who don't agree with them stupid.”
I think Mr. McVety as a point here. As satisfying as it is for those of us on the left to paint our political opponents as knuckle-dragging mouth-breathers, it really does us a disservice. I’m sure there are quite a few on the Defend Marriage side who are good people, and truly believe that marriage is a religious institution, and therefore, should be governed by religious rules. I don’t begrudge these people their right to their beliefs, however, I think the Young Liberals have an equally important point: the Canadian Charter prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, and so long as secular marriage exists, there is no legal justification for denying marriage equality.
But what I find appalling is Mr. McVety’s state of shock about “calling people who don’t agree with them stupid.” After all, I seriously doubt Mr. McVety had anything to say about these gems:
- Alan Keyes: “Hitler and his supporters were Satanists and homosexuals. That's just a true statement…The notion that is involved in homosexuality, the unbridled sort of satisfaction of human passions [leads to] totalitarianism, Nazism, and communism.”
- Rick Santorum: "If the Supreme Court says that you have the right to consensual (gay) sex within your home, then you have the right to bigamy, you have the right to polygamy, you have the right to incest, you have the right to adultery. You have the right to anything…That's not to pick on homosexuality. It's not, you know, man on child, man on dog, or whatever the case may be."
- Michael Savage: “Oh, you're one of the sodomites. You should only get AIDS and die, you pig. How's that? Why don't you see if you can sue me, you pig. You got nothing better than to put me down, you piece of garbage. You have got nothing to do today, go eat a sausage and choke on it."
- John Cornyn: “It does not affect your daily life very much if your neighbor marries a box turtle. But that does not mean it is right. . . . Now you must raise your children up in a world where that union of man and box turtle is on the same legal footing as man and wife."
So, you’re right, Mr. McVety, we should not stand for such horrible slanders as “stupid” being thrown at such wonderful people as those who would call my friends and family Nazis and sexual deviants while praying that they get AIDS and die. After all, I would hate to stoop to their level.
Candace Miller can kiss my ass
I responded to an HRC Action Alert (because I am a good person like that), and this is the response I got from Rep. Candace Miller:
Thank you for contacting me regarding your support for the Scott Amendment to H.R. 27. As your Representative in Congress, I appreciate your thoughts and concerns over this important issue.
Issues that affect the citizens of the 10th District are my number one priority, and please be assured; I will keep your comments in mind when these important matters come before the 109th Congress.
Again, thank you for your correspondence. Should you have further concerns, please do not hesitate to contact my office.
Yeah, somehow, given her
track record, I really don't think she'll be keeping my comments in mind when she votes:
- Rated 0% by NARAL, indicating a pro-life voting record.
- Voted YES on Constitutional Amendment banning same-sex marriage.
- Rated 97% by the US COC, indicating a pro-business voting record.
- Rated 17% by the NEA, indicating anti-public education votes.
- Rated 5% by the LCV, indicating anti-environment votes.
- Rated 90% by the Christian Coalition: a pro-family voting record.
- Rated A by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun rights voting record.
- Rated 22% by APHA, indicating a anti-public health voting record.
- Rated 13% by the AFL-CIO, indicating an anti-labor voting record.
- Rated 10% by the ARA, indicating an anti-senior voting record.
- Voted YES on promoting work and marriage among TANF recipients.
Yeah, she's pretty much the anti-Annamaria, isn't she?
Further proof that punk rockers are meant to die young
Ex-Sex Pistol wants no future for swearing
Punk really is dead: the former Sex Pistol Glen Matlock now minds the bollocks.
He may have been a member of the band that bequeathed to the nation the words "you dirty fucker" and "you fucking rotter" in 10 seconds of live television 29 years ago, but the man who helped assail the eardrums of the hapless Bill Grundy has declared that "something ought to be done" about swearing.
[...]
The bass player and father of two, who co-wrote The Sex Pistols' biggest hits, Anarchy In The UK, God Save The Queen and Pretty Vacant, hates it when his children, now 11 and seven, hear obscenities on the radio or TV. "It's pathetic when people just swear for the sake of it," he said in a carefully pre-recorded interview to be broadcast this Sunday.
Yeah...I could say a lot about this, but in deference to Mr. Matlock, I think I am just going to keep my mouth shut.
