Responding to Pro-lifers

I’ve gotten quite a few comments on my article Abortion and Right-to-life, which was a response to Bekah Ferguson’s Cutting Through Pro-choice Rhetoric. I’m actually very honored, because Ferguson is one of the commentors! Pretty cool. Anyway, here are my responses:

Why Prop 8 is stupid

Barbara Davidson, LA Times

…because love and freedom are beautiful things.

http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/hate-crimes-thought-experiment

http://www.pamshouseblend.com/diary/10994/watergate-jailbird-chuck-colsons-hysteria-over-saving-marriage-from-radical-gays

http://blogs.tnr.com/tnr/blogs/the_plank/archive/2009/05/15/if-you-go-to-a-gay-marriage-bring-your-own-food.aspx

BTB: Family Research Council lies

The Family Research Council, known primarily for their obsessive anti-gay jackassery, haven’t a leg to stand on. So they fashion a makeshift leg out of parts of professional literature. They’re kind of like really annoying pirates.

Check it out over at Box Turtle Bulletin:
Cameronesque Award: The Family “Research” Council

See how they transform this:

On the other side, there is an increasingly powerful movement to subject religions to the full scope of discrimination laws, with some scholars now suggesting that even core religious practices (such as the ordination of clergy) can be regulated in the name of equality.[6] At present, exemptions are given to religious organizations in many non-discrimination laws,[7] but the scope of those exemptions is being reduced in many liberal democracies.[8]

into this:

“[S]cholars [are] now suggesting that even core religious practices…can be regulated in the name of equality . . .”

The kicker? They were talking about female clergy.

The cited literature DID. NOT. EVEN. MENTION. gays or gay marriage.

Crazy, that.

Abortion and Right-to-Life

(Note: Bekah Ferguson has responded to my response to her article. So here are my responses to her responses: http://femlock.wordpress.com/2009/06/15/responding-to-pro-lifers/)

My original article:

—

Abortion is a hard topic. It’s easy to let your emotions run wild either way you stand, which is why, I think, it’s so rare to see “changes of heart” on either side of the aisle. And there’s just a fundamentally different way of thinking when it comes to pro-life versus pro-choice; different emphasis is put on different principles in different people.

Lila Rose and Planned Parenthood: An In-Depth Analysis

It’s not often I want to give mad props to someone who is fighting to take away my right to a safe, legal abortion. But Lila Rose, president of Live Action Films, is just so genius in her approach that I’ve spent the last few days obsessively researching her claims and state law.

I note with suspicion that she has appeared on The O’Reilly Factor, the Glenn Beck Program, the Laura Ingraham Show, and on other, radically pro-life media, but to my knowledge has yet to appear on a news source that isn’t overtly politically-motivated and/or sensationalistic (I realize that all news sources are biased; however, I think everyone can agree that the three I listed are unequivocally over-the-top).

Still, she seems to be genuine and back up her statements with fairly solid proof, so I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt. She’s definitely got an agenda, but she’s got some evidence on her side. It’s the spin she adds that becomes problematic.

Basically, Rose goes into Planned Parenthood clinics and poses as a minor, saying she’s 13-15 years old (she’s actually 20ish and a college student). She asks for an abortion, and in the process mentions that her sexual partner is a much older man, aged anywhere from 27 to 31.

Conservative victimology and the DHS

Wrote into my local paper, which is always fun. Poor right-wingers are getting their feelings hurt so much these days.

——————————————–

T. Sowell’s article in Sunday’s paper, “Are you an extremist?” is very misleading. It’s yet another example of conservatives playing the victim to gain support for their currently dwindling power.

An Open Letter to Glenn Beck

I emailed Glenn Beck about his segment on the new hate crime legislation going through congress right now. As with most conservative pundits, he presented the proponents of this bill as wanting “special” protections for gays and lesbians, and also raised false alarms about religious freedom being infringed. I’m really hoping he responds, but I’m not holding my breath.

Dear Mr. Beck,

I recently watched your show, and you commented on H.R. 1913 (which amends already-existing hate crimes laws to include gender identity), asserting your belief that all violent crimes should be treated equally.

The Gathering Storm: A Response to a Scare-tactic Political Ad

By now, you’ve probably heard about the National Organization for Marriage’s ad called “The Gathering Storm.” In it, actors tell stories that NOM claims are based on actual events.

Looking closer, it’s apparent that these stories are only half-truths supported by scanty logic and bias.

Let’s examine each instance cited in the NOM ad:

Conservative victimology links: brainstorming

Trying to get my thoughts together about Conservative/Republican victimology in the NOM ad (link unrelated) and the recent DHS reports.

Full NOM ad: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wp76ly2_NoI

Something to think about: http://patpayne79.wordpress.com/2009/04/14/dont-like-obama-youre-a-terrorist/

Fox News and Right-wing protests: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/04/15/protest-grows-report-right-wing-radicalization/

CNN : http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/14/extremism.report/index.html

Left Wing Extremism report: http://femlock.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/leftwing_extremist_threat.pdf

Right Wing Extremism report: http://femlock.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/hsa-rightwing-extremism-09-04-07.pdf

Something I need to read but haven’t yet: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/apr/17/homeland-security-got-internal-flags/

Glenn Beck makes me lol: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lDxervu4fY