I've Changed My Mind; I'm Pro-Choice Now

Dear Friends,

It hasn't been easy. I don't change opinions willy-nilly, especially if I've held them for a long time and if they're about key issues. But I've been doing a lot of soul-searching lately and feel that the only responsible thing to do is to go public and admit that I'm now pro-choice.

Here is my new thinking:

1. The government shouldn't be able to tell me whether to paint my house yellow or green. It's my house, and the choice should be mine. I'm pro-choice.

2. No one should pressure me to buy a foreign rather than a domestic car--or the other way around. It's no one else's business whether I drive a Toyota or a Chevy. The choice should be mine. I'm pro-choice.

3. On election day, I should be able to vote against any scoundrel I wish. I don't want to be nagged into voting against this guy or that. I can choose my own scoundrels. It's my ballot and my decision. I'm pro-choice.

4. In my blog, I should be able to express any opinion I want. If a reader doesn't like what I say (or doesn't understand irony or parody), tough. It's my blog and my writing. I'm pro-choice.

Precisely because I am so consistently pro-choice when it comes to my own choices, I acknowledge the right of others to make choices of their own.

Just one example:

I think every child should have a choice about whether he will come into this world. If he chooses not to, we should respect that choice. Of course, his choice will have to be manifested in a sufficiently clear way.

When the rest of us make choices--to hire a house painter, to buy a car, even to vote--we sign a contract or somehow make our choices known on paper. The same should apply here, for consistency's sake.

Thus, if an unborn child signs a waiver or agreement or contract (or whatever the document would be) indicating that he doesn't want to come into this world, his choice should be respected. Absent such a signed document, we have to presume that his choice is to come into this world. After all, everyone I know who ended up being born preferred it to the alternative.

Whatever the unborn child decides, we should respect his choice--and we should not allow it to be overruled by someone else's choice. That's my opinion, and that's why I'm pro-choice.

Sincerely,

Soutenus
Walk with God, and hold your kids tightly by the hand.

I actually borrowed this straight from a Karl Keating's E-Letter! We see eye to eye on this one.

Cute Analogy

I found this  at Shoved to Them and have added my own comments (of course). 

A young woman was about to finish her first year of college. Like so many others her age, she considered herself to be a very liberal Democrat, and among other liberal ideals, was very much in favor of higher taxes to support more government programs, in other words, redistribution of wealth.

She was deeply ashamed that her father was a rather staunch Republican, a feeling she openly expressed. Based on the lectures that she had participated in, and the occasional chat with a
professor, she felt that her father had for years harbored an evil, selfish desire to keep what he thought should be his.

One day she was challenging her father on his opposition to higher taxes on the rich and the need for more government programs. The self-professed objectivity proclaimed by her professors had to be the truth and she indicated so to her father. He responded by asking how she was doing in school.

Taken aback, she answered rather haughtily that she had a 4.0 GPA, and let him know that it was tough to maintain, insisting that she was taking a very difficult course load and was constantly studying, which left her no time to go out like other people she knew. She didn't even have time for a boyfriend, and didn't really have many college friends because she spent all her time studying.

Her father listened and then asked, "How is your friend Audrey doing?"

She replied, "Audrey is barely getting by. All she takes are easy classes, she never studies, and she barely has a 2.0 GPA. She is so popular on campus; college for her is a blast. She's always invited to all the parties, and lots of times she doesn't even show up for classes because she's too hung over."

Her father asked his daughter, "Why don't you go to the Dean's office and ask him to deduct a 1.0 off your GPA and give it to your friend who only has a 2. 0. That way you will both have a 3.0 GPA and certainly that would be a fair and equal distribution of GPA."

The daughter angrily fired back,

"That's a crazy idea. How would that be fair? I've worked really hard for my grades!
I've invested a lot of time, and a lot of hard work! Audrey has done next to nothing toward her degree. She played while I worked my tail off!"

The father slowly smiled, winked and said gently, "Welcome to the Republican Party."

Here are my comments:
The analogy presents the premise that the 2 students represent two populations of the US - both having equal opportunity and advantages. 

And it explains patently that the ONLY reason Audrey is failing is her blatant disregard for responsibility.

Cute analogy but with even more misrepresentations than those just mentioned.

When applying the philosophy of this little story to our lives it really is interesting! 

We are instructed, quite clearly, by Jesus to love our brother as our self. He also said that we must be willing to give up everything to gain Heaven.  And, lest we forget, "Whatever you do for the least of your brothers, you do for me."

That whole, " I've worked hard for my ________  .     So, it is mine, mine, mine!"  just doesn't fly in Christian life.

Hey, a quick heads up here -- I do not have a solution so if you are looking for that do not even bother to read on.

I am not an advocate of trusting the government to redistribute the wealth. I already detest much of the what is done with the 33 to 40% of the income I contribute in taxes. 

But the philosophy of "what is mine is mine and you can't have it" . . . . is fundamentally flawed (if you are a Christian).
In the analogy I think a third person should play a role (a Libertarian, perhaps?) Wouldn't it would be appropriate to suggest that the 4.o student:
1st - Talk to her friend, who is failing, and point out the long term effect - maybe help elicit a change (at least plant a seed).
2nd - Offer to help in a way that could even be advantageous to both:

• study groups,
  
• study partnering (they need not study the same things)

3rd - Give her friend some resources:

• resource suggestions for tutoring
• maybe even, alcoholics anonymous!

So, the point is - sharing the GPA is not a fair solution especially for the long term. But personal action is a good response. Isn't that what we are called to do as Christians? We are called to take personal action to help others to the best of our ability. 

I would guess that in "Audrey's " case she may well laugh in the face of her friend with the 4.o trying to lend a hand.

But I think we should still offer aid before situations get beyond our capacity to practically go about fixing them  (especially by giving power to the government/Dean to redistribute other people's wealth/GPA).

And - situations do get bigger than our capacity to "make it all better". 

You Missed a Spot (grumble, grumble)

As you read this remember that anything in purple --reminds us that the reverse is also true!

Some people like to grumble and some people like to grumble a lot! Have you noticed that grumblers sometimes get grumblier during the holidays (Holy-days)?

It’s the old, “You missed a spot” syndrome. It is glossed over that 99.9% of something is great but that one spot sticks out and ruins everything. That’s what news broadcasts are based on. We don’t hear about the hundreds of thousands of kids who went to school today with their homework done, who behaved, and got an A on the spelling test. We hear about the one kid who shot his teacher.

Remember this advise* -

"10% of the people will love what you do - no matter what you do.
10% of the people will hate what you do- no matter what you do.
And the other 80% often aren't paying attention. At least half of them wouldn't know the difference if there were a trained baboon doing your job.”

Though some people will be supportive no matter what, some people will look for the spot you missed on the newly painted wall no matter what.
The thing is that grumbling can bring a community down (remember "community" includes your school .... family.... a group of friends). Think for a moment about those who are often easy target for grumblers:

• a co-worker
• a student
• a teacher
• administration
• neighbors
• your pastor
• a bishop
• or even a pope!
  

The constant tearing down can only damage us.
Look what happened to Saint John of the Cross (notice the saint part) whose community grumbled against him and treated him most sorely.

A room full of people each stating just one thing that they don’t like about someone can leave the whole group with the impression that everyone is in agreement that they do not like that person. It is like a warped form of guilt by association! All of a sudden a bad humor spreads and bad humors are generally hard to put out.

Many people have done things I do not like. I am trying to remember to say to myself, "So what?" Usually it is a matter of people simply not choosing my way. Does that make someone a bad leader, teacher, student, friend (etc.) or unfit for a job ? No. It makes them different from me.

Maybe it would be a good idea to run these questions through our minds:
Is what they did evil?
Is what they did eternally damaging to the soul?

I would think that, in most cases, we should give the person a break. Some day when we make a decision, make a statement or take on a project, that displeases -- because a decision had to be made and we did not make it in another's favor . . . . . hopefully they will cut us a break, too.

H/T to Adam's Ale for his post on grumbling! Many of his words are here verbatim. MANY have been expanded upon or changed completely. His post was an amazing writing prompt for me. Thank you, Father! Check out his blog -- you will definitely be bookmarking it!


Here is quick, funny look at grumblers with an attitude! (PLUS - it uses one of my classes' vocabulary words)

Explain the Science to Me