Wednesday, June 30, 2004

Supremes: COPA’s still shitty law!

For the third time, the Supreme Court ruled that the Child Online Protective Act is pure crap. We can only hope that Attorney General Asshat will quit wasting taxpayer dollars pursuing what is clearly a law that is fatally flawed and whose supporters think that “protecting children” is more important than protecting the First Amendment rights of adults.

Here’s a suggestion:  Rather than looking to the government to bear the responsibility of sanitizing the Internet, how about you people who are worried about your little Britney and/or Josh’s exposure to “material harmful to minors” (whatever the hell THAT may be) supervise your OWN fucking kids’ online adventures?  Now, I know some of you might be too busy waxing the Navigator, doing Pilates or stumping for Jesus or George W. Bush to install filtering software - or, God forbid, actually sit with your kid while s/he surfs - but c’mon… aren’t Britney and/or Josh worthy of more of your time and learning capacity than showing what a good right-wing Christian you are?

Saturday, December 06, 2003

Just in case it gets deleted from the board it’s posted on…

The trouble with sex education

The primary problem with what’s been called “sex ed” throughout American history is that we have trouble speaking plainly. I hear people saying that “we tell them too much,” but IMO not only don’t we tell them enough, but what little we can bring ourselves to talk about is more allusion and circumlocution than straight-up facts and clinical terms.

Until we (and I’m speaking of us as a culture) grow up and get over our adolescent attitude and puritan shame about sex and start treating our reproductive systems with the same respect as we have for the rest of our body, people will get in trouble, get sick and die because they’re either ignorant, in denial or ashamed.

The only guarantees come with abstinence. Period. However, here in real life teenagers (and adults) do not always abstain. So they need to be educated in what ELSE will minimize the risks. Those options include condoms and safer sex, which offers a RANGE of activities that keep everyone safe *and* happy.  Not only are few people willing to come forth and present those options in a straightforward manner, but those who do are shouted down and vilified for “encouraging licentious behavior.”

Joycelyn Elder had the right idea, and for daring to suggest teaching our kids about ONE *very* common safe sex practice, she was branded a heretic and kicked out of her job. How ridiculous!

We’ve made some progress since my grandmother’s day, but we’ve got a LONG way to go. We’re doomed until we are allowed to educate people - all of their lives - in the proper care for the health of their “naughty bits” (euphemisms are the American Way!) with the same level of maturity, honesty and plain speech we offer about caring for their lungs, hearts, kidneys and teeth. People have sex, that’s a fact. They need to know when, why and HOW to do it to keep themselves healthy, without making everything about it seem shameful.

Our Attorney General felt Lady Justice was immodest… that’s a *really* bad sign for the future of sex ed in America. 

Saturday, March 15, 2003

The Most Dangerous Man

“The most dangerous man, to any government, is the man who is able to think things out for himself… Almost inevitably, he comes to the conclusion that the government he lives under is dishonest, insane and intolerable.” - H.L. Mencken

I’m proud to be a woman who is dangerous to the government, thank-you-very-much.

Thursday, July 18, 2002

Debating Morons

I’ve been really busy trying to have a civil debate with fucking morons over the 9th Circuit’s ruling that the words, “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance make it unconstitutional.  It’s both frightening and sickening how few Americans have even the slightest grasp of what it’s like to engage in independent thought, and how many believe in mob rule and completely disregarding the fundamental law of this land.  I was stunned and amazed to see more than one (hundred, but who’s counting?) person argue that since the majority of Americans profess to be Christians, then this was a Christian nation… the Constitution be damned.  The rest of us “atheist, devil-worshipping, heathen liberal democrats” can simply “love it or leave it!” Sad, but true.  Americans telling other Americans how to worship.  The Founding Fathers are doing 360s in their graves…

Tuesday, May 21, 2002

Scare Tactics in California

Scare Tactics - By Barbara Hamrick

State legislators Kuehl, Romero spew false information about radiation threat.

Barbara’s a member of my “other” family, and a former roommate of mine; I’m so proud to see her published!!!  Barb’s always been very good at debate and making her point succinctly, and without being so technical as to be boring.

I’m lucky to know so many folks with such big brains (and big mouths LOL)!