The Right and Cervical Cancer

Its hard to believe that some Christian Conservatives reject the new anti-cervical cancer vaccine because it might send the "wrong message".
They believe that the ONLY option in stopping cervical cancer and other sexually transmitted deceases is abstinence until marriage, But, what if a girl is rapped? Or molested by a relative? Or what if a girl gets married to a man who has been exposed to the virus which causes cervical cancer?
The right’s simplistic, black and white world view doesn’t take such real world situations into account. There is simply no way of guaranteeing abstinence.
Some Moslem fundamentalists execute girls who are no longer sexually "pure". The fundamentalists in the US would let our women die of cervical cancer, in the name of preserving sexual "purity".
This isn’t really about preventing sex diseases or teen pregnancy. It’s about using fear and guilt to control people.

Overkill For Gun Makers

I don't think suing Gun manufacturers for crimes committed with their products. However, for the US government to give "special rights" to a specific industry is beyond belief and beyond all sense of proportion
This sets a troubling president. This sets a troubling president. Laws designed for the highest bidder have no place in a democracy.

The Folly of Pro-Lifers

Overturning Roe Vs Wade won’t stop abortion. The legal status would just go back to the states. So, if a women wanted an abortion, she could just go over to a state to where its legal, or take a trip to Canada. Or, if they couldn’t travel very far, they’ll just either go to some backstreat butcher or even reach for a coat hanger.
In short, overturning Roe Vs Wade would be a very hollow victory for pro-lifers.
The problem, of course, is that banning abortion doesn’t, in of itself, do anything to get to the roots of why women have them in the first place.
Fundamentally, its because of unplanned pregnancies. Jimmy Carter also suggests that the poor in this country have abortions because they can’t afford to take care of more babies.
Europe has much lower abortion rate than the United States. Because they are much more open about sex education and contraception. Also, they do a better job of providing services to those babies which are born. The best way to reduce abortion in this country is not to outlaw it, but to take tangible steps to reduce a women’s need to have one.
The best way to reduce unwanted pregnancies is to have more comprehensive sex education(which include both the promotion of abstinence, birth control) in the schools.
Also, the government should provide free contraception services to any adult who wants it. This is of course, the very policies many on the pro-choice side support.
Indeed, it could be argued that those on the pro-choice side have done more to reduce abortions in this country than anyone on the pro-life side has!

The Basis of Democracy

Modern Democracy was the product of the "age of enlightenment", when individuality, open rebellion to religious doctrine free inquiry and personal autonomy was championed. Democracy in this country, was, in short, the result of a humanistic rebirth in the West.
If the founders of this country had been Christian fundamentalists, we would not be living in a democracy right now..
Democracy, after all, doesn’t come from the Bible, it comes from the humanistic tradition of the West.

Freedom On the March?

The Iranian president recently called for Israel to be "wiped off the face of the Earth". Such a man is clearly a barbarian who has no interest in peace. But, he was democratically elected.
This throws water on Bush’s assumption that democracy is a panacea for stopping terrorism. In fact, its not inconcievable that his invasion of Iraq helped the hardline Iranian get elected!
In Lebanon, one of the most powerful factions is Humus. Imagine if a member of the radical Islamic party becomes elected president of Lebanon? Then there is the issue of support for Shiite extremism possible growing in Southern Iraq.
Is this what we went to war for, to make Israel and the world less safe, to empower and give sympathy too our enemies?
Freedom may be on the march. Unfortunately, chaos and extremism are marching faster..