Quote for the Day (Real Pro-Life Division)

"I do not believe that just because you're opposed to abortion, that that makes you pro-life. In fact, I think in many cases, your morality is deeply lacking if all you want is a child born but not a child fed, not a child educated, not a child housed. And why would I think that you  don't? Because you don't want any tax money to go there. That's not pro-life. That's pro-birth. We need a much broader conversation on what the morality of pro-life is."
Sister Joan Chittister, O.S.B.

Greed VS Giving

In watching a lot of the political posturing and posing lately, it seems that there is a real aversion to the idea that collective action by countries or even smaller communities is somehow wrong---even immoral. Yet aggressive selfishness and greed is in some way laudable. I am sort of in awe of this disgusting turn of events. How do people think most of the advances in civilization happened? Through individuals acting alone and only in there own interests? This Randian fantasy, advanced by Paul Ryan and his Tea Party cohorts, is ludicrous. Our country came forth from the COLLECTIVE efforts of our Founding Fathers, acting to serve a greater good than their own self interest. We are at our finest not when we grab and hoard resources for our own benefit, but when we give to those in need and hold out our hand to those who suffer.

Even Ayn Rand availed herself of Medicare and Social Security when lung cancer took hold of her (after years of heavy smoking). She certainly wasn't denied it, even though she apparently thought it was immoral. Why can't we all admit the value of collective help for everyone, and see that altruism, far from being the evil Rand called it, is a virtue that buoys the spirit of our society and gives us all hope?

By sharing the resources of our world and our economy, we all have more than we began with. It is in that generosity of spirit that we are given a life worth living.

Virginia Is For State Rape

(Via Eschaton): Virginia Is For State Rape: Not optimistic that they'll really back down.

The Virginia abortion bill, which would mandate that the women seeking an abortion get a trans-vaginal ultrasound – a forcible assault at the very least – before having the procedure, has received entirely too much notoriety for the tastes of conservative lawmakers in the state. I’m sure they were hoping to fly under the radar with this bill, one of the most offensive of the anti-abortion bills we’ve seen since the conservative takeover of many state legislatures in 2010.

The clumsy way in which conservatives have attempted to defend the legislation hasn’t helped. Economics professor Tyler Cowen’s tweet (“All of a sudden requiring consumers to be informed is extremely unpopular on ‘the pro-regulation side.’”) generated richly deserved outrage. And tea party favorite Dana Loesch took the position that once a women loses her virginity, she gives up the right to determine what should penetrate her vagina for the rest of her life.

There is no pretense of compassion or decency on the part of these assholes any more. It is about punishing those who do things they define as "immoral."

Andy Borowitz hits the nail on the head;

I don't have anything to add to this:

NEW YORK (The Borowitz Report) -- If you'll pardon me for being serious for a moment, here's my idea of a heartwarming story:

A homeless man with no special talent gets our compassion anyway.

The Ted Williams story is, of course, riveting and hopeful. But the nation's fascination with it has nothing to do with our capacity for empathy and everything to do with our addiction to instant celebrity.

The coverage has also been shockingly patronizing. People have been amazed to learn that a homeless man might have an unusual ability, just as they were dumbfounded that an unattractive woman, Susan Boyle, did. There's also been widespread surprise that Mr. Williams had a successful career and a family (!).

I would love it if Mr. Williams' story led to an increase in compassion towards the homeless -- even the ones without viral YouTube videos. That would really be heartwarming