Parental notification laws are genuinely promoted through the argument of “keeping parents involved,” yes, but I have in fact seen many pro-lifers argue publicly that the point of them is to “prevent abortion.”

I guess its the public admission thing thats getting me. I know that thats the underlying logic, but its been my (perhaps idiosyncratic) experience that the forced birth crowd tends to treat notification with a nudge and a wink. What struck me as unusual was how honest Bush’s statement seemed to be when the rest of his side of the discussion sometimes seems to have a competition for who can be the most disingenuous.

can i nominate Ellen for coolest person? or maybe most empathetic? i’m just a random stranger on the internet, and she took the time to try and understand what i was saying and to RELATE to it. and made me feel a bit better.

Did Bush here just admit that the goal of parental notification laws was to prevent individuals from exercising a constitutional right?

Yes, I think he did. But I also don’t think that it’s quite as unusual as you suggest. Parental notification laws are genuinely promoted through the argument of “keeping parents involved,” yes, but I have in fact seen many pro-lifers argue publicly that the point of them is to “prevent abortion.” Or, to make it more clear, to give parents the opportunity to force their children to give birth.

“The most basic duty of government is to protect the life of the innocent.

Bush needs to go back and read his Mill and Locke. The most basic duty of our government, the one created by the constitution that this man swore and oath to serve, is to monopolize violence in order to protect individuals from tyranny. Guilt or innocence doesn’t play a part and there are, oh, I don’t know, about 26 or 27 individual rights (depending on how you count) which are on equal footing with “life.” As far as I’m concerned this opening sentence is yet more evidence that the man is in willful dereliction of his oath, has allegiances to something other than the constitution, and ought to be tried and hung for treason the very moment he steps out of office.

My administration has been committed to building a culture of life by vigorously promoting adoption and parental notification laws,

Don’t pro-lifers always tell us that the point of parental notification laws is to keep parents involved in the lives of their children and make them better able to care for them? I mean, I’ve always called bullshit on that, but it seems here that Bush is admitting that the entire point of the exercise is not to notify parents but to “[build} a culture of life” which in turn implies that notification will somehow prevent abortion. Did Bush here just admit that the goal of parental notification laws was to prevent individuals from exercising a constitutional right?

And denelian, I don’t think any of us know what to do. From disease prevention, to genocide, all we know how to do is spread awareness and argue.

Just try to remember that while we see some places in Africa as desperately poor, they don’t see themselves that way. Toilets, clean water, air conditioners, paved roads, internet connections, money, vaccines, and birth control make our lives easier and safer, but it is our relationships that sustain us. And that is the same for people everywhere. We don’t die in childbirth or from diarrhea quite as much, but we often lead more alienated lives much more centered around money and work. I am not sure what my point it, and I could go on forever, but you are doing exactly what you should be doing: thinking, writing, talking, being politically active, and caring.

And I’m really tired of the word “innocent.” Who’s innocent anyway? Were the 3,000 people who died on 9/11 innocent? I bet you some of the women in those buildings and planes had abortions. “Innocent” is just a word people throw around to imply that, sometimes, people deserve to be maimed or killed. Some say that our society can be judged based on how we treat our most vulnerable (people who say this are talking about zygotes). I think our society can be judged by how we treat guilty (or “guilty”) people.

i don’t know how, anymore. its so big, and getting bigger, i DON’T KNOW HOW TO DO ANYTHING BUT CRY AT THESE FACTS.

i am not saying that i don’t want to read them – f that were the case, i could just not read them. i am saying that i no longer know what to do to try and help. when i donate i learn the money has been wasted or misused, not that i can donate much i can barely pay my bills. and know that being able to pay bills at all is a privilege, being able to be an adult taking care of myself when i am female is a privilege, i KNOW.

but right now, i’m lost, i’m angry, and i feel totally incapable of helping even ONE of these millions of women who don’t even have my opportunities to fail.

i feel that i can say that here. that maybe by saying it here, someone can tell me of something i can do that ACTUALLY will help, and not be siphoned off by a corrupt asshole or spent by husbands on prostitutes. something i can DO. which, yes, is ALSO a position of privilege, being able to help, and making it about me helping…

argh!