Letters to the Editor
-
ezhik2
Please help me find 'Reproductive Issues,' or 'Women's Rights' among under the 'Issues' on Obama's web site. I would love to see any proof of his commitment to either.
"REPRODUCTIVE CHOICE
Supports a Woman’s Right to Choose:
Barack Obama understands that abortion is a divisive issue, and respects those who disagree with him. However, he has been a consistent champion of reproductive choice and will make preserving women’s rights under Roe v. Wade a priority as President. He opposes any constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court's decision in that case." http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/womenissues
Voting Record:
Sen. Obama received the following scores on NARAL Pro-Choice America's Congressional Record on Choice.
2007: 100 percent
2006: 100 percent
2005: 100 percent
http://www.prochoiceamerica.org/elections/statements/obama.html
Good enough for this feminist Obama supporter.
-
"99.9 % of parents are not abusers."
Got any data to substantiate that?
Actually, I will save you some trouble. I am a former CASA and victim advocate who used to give speeches on sexual abuse. If you want me to start throwing statistics at you, I can.
I don't much hold with the argument that because bad things happen to a few people the rest of us should not have to be burdened with protecting their rights.
Look at it this way. There are only a few people at Gitmo and most of them are not Americans, so why should we be concerned about them? If I made that argument to you, you would probably retch. However, the argument that you are making is not substantially different in principle. Because we are talking about minors, people suddenly just don't get it. Minor children are not their parents' property. That is why, in custody battles, we take into account not what most benefits parents but rather what is in the best interests of children. Most of the time, children having children is not in the best interest of children.
I don't know enough details about how Obama made the decisions he made or what was the reasoning of Planned Parenthood or what were the political realities of that time. I don't have the time to investigate it. I believe parental notification laws hurt children. I don't think being squeamish about protecting the rights of minors is ever a good thing and I don't think that being vigilant about protecting the rights or minors is ever a bad thing. But then, I am not a politician.
Also, please don't start with that Hillary-bot stuff with me. Until recently I was an Edwards supporter. You have been using the Hillary-bots "argument" for sometime now. Any one looking at your archived posts can see that. May I respectfully suggest that it is a lable and not a real argument?
Has it occured to you that such language is not likely to appeal to Clinton supporters should Obama be nominated?
-
@ doloresflower
You said: "By all means, feminists should "get" Obama--but it should be for something real. Railroading him because he's a man and therefore must not be "really" pro-choice is childish, untrue, unfair, and the kind of icky politicking that is hurting the Democratic Party's clear important chance at the white house."
Where do you see that feminists are "railroading" Obama because he is a man? I just don't see it. Perhaps you can offer some proof of that. Have you considered that some feminists have actually endorsed Obama and others have not. Not every difference that a particular feminist may have with Obama or his supporters has to do with the fact that he is a man. Last I checked, feminists have been voting for men for years.
My own particular difference with Obama is his health care plan. I think Clinton's is superior. However, I don't see that either of their plans are pitched to a particular gender.
-
Horse's mouth, please
Dear JL,
Please help me find 'Reproductive Issues,' or 'Women's Rights' among under the 'Issues' on Obama's web site. I would love to see any proof of his commitment to either.
Or just admit it is not among the 'Issues' he cares enough to place on his web site.
Either would be acceptable.
-
Daddy knows best
and you had better not get in the way of a normal family relationship with our children
Nothing prohibits a child of any age to go to his parent first even if the state does not make parental notification mandatory. Quite the opposite, parental notification (or notification and consent) laws are getting in the way of established family relationship. It forces a child to go to a parent to whom she, apparently, is not otherwise comfortable to talk. And he (or she) does not have to be openly, or actively, or sexually, abusive. They may be just opressive.
-
How would I know
@ doloresflower
How would I know and why would I care why and if 'feminists' want to 'get' Obama? Or why Pam Sutherland, the president and CEO of the Illinois Planned Parenthood Council, is giving explanation on NPR years after the event?
I just see that Hillary cares enough to address the question of women's right on her web-site, and Barry doesn't. I also understand that Barry Obama was one of those who 'didn't want to vote pro-choice anymore, because they knew these were being used against them in their campaigns.' Fine with me. Why should he risk his future campaigns? I don't blame him for placing this issues on his D list, way below McCainesque proposal to chase illegal immigrants. I am fine with it. But why does his campaign has to lie and wiggle? Just admit it. It will not even hurt him considering his most active supporters. We already have one Obamite who supports parental notification laws.
-
@ AKA Smith
"Where do you see that feminists are "railroading" Obama because he is a man? "
I see it in this article:
that certain feminists (clearly not all) gave him an okay to use a strategy, that they (the same women or just the same organization--I'm not sure) have suddenly decided (in a strategic election year) this same strategy makes him not pro-choice enough for them? I just think that it is railroading. Maybe you can't see my point, but that only makes it worse. Yes feminists are divided and we all vote our own way--see things our own way. But I feel that we should also try to be fair even to those we aren't voting for.
As for health care, I think you have a valid point. I'm not saying that all feminists should support Obama either--I'm just saying that arguing that he's not pro-choice "enough" over this issue reads like a sliming.
I calls 'em as I see 'em. If we disagree, so be it. You are a pleasure to argue with. I have the feeling that Clinton will win the general election, but the assassination of Obama (or Clinton for that matter) on the way to the nomination, is becoming painful to watch.