06 September 2008

The Truth and Consequences

You Are Japan
You enjoy being part of a group. Having a good reputation is important to you.
You get along well with others. You don't openly criticize or insult anyone.

You like to co-operate, and conformity is fairly important to you. You love your culture and country.
But when you're by yourself, you may have some very eccentric hobbies or interests!



Um...what? And what is with the underwear?

On to different things that won't keep me awake at night now. Or not.

The other night I was watching "The Daily Show." Jon Stewart was, naturally (and not without reason) mocking America's Eye Candy, Sarah Palin. But one thing that he has beaten into the ground for several days in a row is Palin's daughter and that daughter getting herself knocked up and such. Stewart's main horse that he's been beating to death is Palin's phrasing of the situation. Supposedly, Palin said her daughter, Buttons, was given a choice of outcomes for this pregnancy and she "chose" to marry her rednecked boyfriend and keep the baby. It is the issue of choice that has Stewart, et al, up in arms. Palin, the Republican that she is, voted to make abortion illegal (even in cases of rape, if that gives you any indication of her seriousness on the issue) in the state of Alaska. And yet, Stewart rants, her own daughter, Brazil, was given a choice as to what to do with her own pregnancy. What pisses me off here, ladies and gentlemen, is Stewart's assumption of the definition of "choice." Since when is keeping the baby or aborting it the only choice a pregnant woman can possibly have, and by making abortion illegal completely and totally strips that woman's choices from her? Let me tell you Jon Stewart (he's a big fan of the blog), that the choice Buxom was given was that of keeping the baby and marrying its idiot father, or putting the baby up for adoption. Yes, adoption, that old 1950s concept that seems to have died out in the last week or something. What is so wrong with adoption? How many parents out there who can't have children would kill for a baby, or at least fork over $100,000 for one? A lot, I can tell you that. Bratwurst had every right to choose to make the situation right by making her little family complete or giving another couple the same opportunity.

The whole issue of abortion and it being called pro-choice by its proponents gets me in a tizzy every time. Now, I'm not the police. I'm not personally going to stop you from having an abortion. However, quit acting like you should have every right on this earth to destroy your fetus if you so wish and if anyone says you shouldn't that they are attempting to deprive you of your ability to choose. People's ability to confuse "choices" with "consequences" never ceases to amaze me. The choice in this situation came when you chose to have (likely unprotected) sex. You chose to do so, even after knowing full well that pregnancy could be an outcome of that choice. The consequence (not choice) of that decision is the pregnancy. Having an abortion is an attempt to avoid the consequence of your choice. However, there is good news! You get another choice, like what to do with the baby once your pregnancy is over! You can marry your idiot boyfriend and keep the baby, you can not marry your idiot boyfriend and keep the baby, you can marry your idiot boyfriend and put the baby up for adoption, you can not marry your idiot boyfriend and put the baby up for adoption, or you can leave the baby with a bunch of nice looking firefighters at the local fire station and walk away. All of the above are legal choices (the last depending upon which state you live in). Huzzah for you! Look at all the choices you get to have, even after suffering through the obligatory consequence of your inital stupid decisions!

I know there are extenuating circumstances in this world that provide exceptions to every rule, and certainly abortion has its extenuating circumstances. My problem with people starts when every single one of them assumes that they are the exception to that rule every time. I don't care if you think you need an abortion so you won't look too fat in your wedding dress you empty-headed baffoon, that's not a good enough excuse. Abortion is and always will be a horrible option. A likely option nonetheless, yes, but a terrible one. Try to start treating it like that and perhaps people will quit getting angry with you for exceeding your quota of idiotic life-altering choices.

12 comments:

Jacob and Mindy T. said...

Amen sister! I totally agree. I'm SO sick of people going out and willingly and knowingly having sex (almost always unprotected) and then freak when they are pregnant and their FIRST choice it to abort the baby. Being someone that currently cannot get pregnant to save her life I hate these people that can just get pregnant by being stupid and then killing the baby. Makes me so angry! Thank you for making this point since I know a lot of people read your blog. Way to lay it out!

Jacob and Mindy T. said...

BTW, when I first saw that underwear picture I thought you were gonna talk about period accidents! LOL

Ryann said...

So Palin and her daughter are all over the news huh? I do miss knowing what is the breaking news over the pond. Thanks for keeping me informed.

And I loved your rant

Gwennifer said...

I got Russia...

Abby said...

I wanted Russia and got lousy, pompous Japan instead.

Abby said...

Oh, and I totally had no idea what you were talking about with the period thing, Mindy, until I saw the picture. Ew. I think we can all breathe a sigh of relief that I'm not that kind of blogger. Wow.

Heidi said...

Come on, Abby! Don't you think this world would be idyllic if we never, ever, ever had to deal with the consequences??? At least, just about everyone Terence pulls over thinks that when it comes to traffic laws, it should be that way. He arrested this guy for DUI a week ago, and his wife actually argued that Terence shouldn't arrest him because he's an alcoholic and he's always drinking. Um, sure, I'll just let you head on home then.

Justin and Diana said...

Well said. People sure do have a problem with the choice/consequence thing don't they. Last time I checked, you had a choice whether you jumped off a cliff, but you don't have a choice after make the decision to jump, gravity takes it from there!

Kleanteeth said...

My flag was way off. It was Germany, and although I'm German, the description didn't exactly fit.
I don't think people who have abortions are without consequence. Just because it might be viewed as a way to solve a bad decision problem and avoid the consequence, it is just not one that we can see or enforce or judge. Every choice has a consequence and will be faced sooner or later. Have patience.
I bet Jon does read your blog.

Janie said...

A.MEN!

Wendy said...

And Amen from me, too! (I just stumbled upon your blog; pardon me while I snoop around a bit...)

Yeah, the Japanese flag picture kind of threw me off, too.

Stephanie B said...

I loved that soapbox and agree with everything!! I have a few close family members that couldn't have had children without adoption. I'm ALL FOR IT - and get really fired up when people don't present that as an option. Or its a selfish option. Dumb, dumb people.