Planned Parenthood Funding.

The US House of Representatives has apparently voted to end all funding for Planned Parenthood - for any purpose. This is absolutely the most dangerous and horrible thing you can do to any woman you love. I'm ashamed and horrified right now that I live in a country where women are so disrespected that their basic rights and needs are being taken away because of a "moral" opinion of some.

What you people fail to recognize is that ending funding for planned parenthood cuts out more than just your unwarranted hatred for "pro-choice." It will end all help for lower class women and college students who can't afford to pay for birth control (and contrary to popular belief, some people take birth control for their health - heavy, irregular, and absolutely painful periods to hormone regulation - I, for one, started taking birth control for my health LONG before the thought of having sex even crossed my mind). Planned Parenthood helps women who don't have insurance, allows them to get tested for HIV, get breast and cervical cancer screenings, ultra sounds, STD treatment and education, helps victims of rape, and the list goes on and on. This vote is denying basic health care access and needs to women on the basis of an offensive opinion.

I'm just going to come out and say it - How could the republican party do this? They build their campaigns on "freedom" and living by the constitution and LESS government, yet they are CONSTANTLY digging into the issue of abortion by trying to take AWAY a woman's freedom to choose, and putting MORE government regulations on women's health care. How is this NOT considered hypocritical? It's none of their business what women do with their bodies, and frankly the fact that they think they can control this by taking away our freedom and access to help means that they still think women are second class citizens and shouldn't be treated with the same respect as men.

[How would men feel if we decided to take away their access to male doctors because we all found it immoral that some men get vasectomies in order to...OH, PREVENT BABIES! Sorry, you can no longer get this procedure done, because my opinion is that it's not right. And while your at it, no more getting your balls screened for prostate cancer because we're just gonna end funding for the entire thing. Sorry.]

Whether you believe one way or another, here's an easy solution: Don't take away ANYONE'S freedoms, and let your moral obligations dictate how YOU, PERSONALLY live your life. I don't care if you think abortion is the worst thing you could possibly do in the entire world, that is YOUR choice to NOT do it. However, just because YOU believe one way does not make it acceptable to force everyone to think that way or to take away people's right to choose what they do with their own body.

I'm absolutely sick of people taking their beliefs and attempting to put limits on the rest of the country based on that. You believe life should be lived one way, then go ahead and live it that way. But don't try to tell me and the rest of the country that your beliefs are the only way - because they're not and quite frankly, they're offensive.

Planned Parenthood has been helping women for a long time, giving them a place to turn to when their life is in shambles or when they can't afford to have a potentially life saving breast examination done. You can't take away all of that because you don't agree with one small fraction of the kind of help they provide women with. It's the most dangerous and disrespectful thing you can do.

Please sign this petition to help save Planned Parenthood if you haven't already.

I hate females who.....

Twitter is known to have some pretty outrageous trending topics, and only God knows where they start. Usually I just ignore them because of how ridiculous they sometimes tend to be. However, tonight I came across a trending topic called #ihatefemaleswho. Now it takes a LOT of people on twitter to get something to trend, so I'm appalled by the number of people who must be participating in this.

There's been 15 updates on this topic since I started writing.

The thing that upsets me the most about this statement is the complete lack of respect for women. I don't understand how this can seem OK to people. We wouldn't single out other groups of people by saying we hate them because it's disrespectful and wrong, right? You don't see people saying "I hate Mexican's who...." or "I hate Jewish people who..." because it's just not something you say. So, I don't see why people think that talking about women this way is no big deal.

There's been 93 updates on this topic since I started writing.

The other thing that depresses me, is that women are partaking in this blatant disrespect of their own kind. The fact that they don't recognize that it's disrespecting THEM floors me. Shouldn't we be supporting each other instead of putting each other down? Sticking up for each other instead of calling each other out on our flaws?

There's been 297 updates on this topic since I started writing.

The blatant lack of respect is mortifying to me. How is it possible that even women are partaking in this kind of rhetoric about their own kind? I'm glad some people out there are still buying into the idea that women are inferior and don't deserve the same amount of respect as anyone else. I mean, without that kind of logic towards people, we might all be....*GASP* equal?!?! Can't have that now can we.

Let's take a look at some of the things being said tonight:[Yes, because you've NEVER complained in your life, right? Oh wait....]

[Sucks that they CHOOSE to be built like that, right?]

[Because only pretty girls by YOUR standards should be allowed to sing -or even listen to that song.]

[Interesting that you're only willing to show the top of your head in your picture....]

[Hmm...I just can't think of a single good reason why someone wouldn't want to suck your obviously god-sent dick!]

[Yeah, that really is a bummer. It's just too bad that you can't get your own lazy ass up and cook something when you're hungry and instead rely on a stereotype to be fed.]

There's been 987 updates since I started writing this.

Gun Control.

For a long time I have been really indifferent on the issue of gun control. I (for the most part) really respect the US constitution and all the rights it provides citizens with. I take it very seriously when forming my views on certain issues. However, I have always been kind of indifferent about the right to bear arms. It's definitely an idea that I respect, but something about it has always made me a little wishy-washy on the subject.

Last night I watched Michael Moore's documentary, "Bowling for Columbine" and I haven't stopped thinking about it all day since. I feel like after seeing it my views on the subject have shifted. If you haven't seen it, it's really a film worth your time.

I do believe that citizens should have the right to protect themselves and if having a gun is the way they choose to do so, then I respect that. I respect the idea of having a gun for hunting purposes (even though I don't do that), and I respect the idea of having a gun for legitimate protection of yourself in harmful situations. What I don't understand is why people feel the need to own several different guns that aren't for either of those things. The problem lies with the NRA. I've concluded that the NRA has a really flawed vision of the second amendment. They take their views on the subject so far that there is no way to have any kind of gun control whatsoever. They are so protected by the constitution that they protect the selling of any kind of gun. I've been trying to figure out what someone's need for a gun like a TEC-DC9 is (which is what the boys at Columbine used). If you were looking for a gun for protection, a simple pistol would do the trick - there's no need for a military-like machine gun.

The thing that get's me is that guns are so incredibly obtainable these days. Literally anyone can go into a store that sells them and purchase one. I have a distant cousin who is very blatantly mentally ill and he was sold a gun at a gun store with no background check. One of my neighbors has told us that he has multiple guns in his home. The boys at Columbine high school got their guns at a gun show and purchased ammunition at a local K-Mart (which no longer sells ammo, thankfully) at 17 years old. How can we argue that everyone deserves the right to own a gun without some sort of formal process holding each person highly accountable for their purchase? They like to say they do, they like to say you have to have a permit to own a gun, but exactly how often is that enforced? And furthermore, just because YOU have a permit, does not mean your children who find a gun in your home do. It's surprising the number of shootings that happen by a kid with their parent's guns.

In Arizona, there is no gun control laws at all. Jared Laughner -the recent shooter of a congresswoman in Tucson, AZ, was allowed to have a gun with him. There was nothing at all stopping him from carrying that gun around town with him. It was perfectly legal for him to be there with a weapon, and frankly he was not the only person in the crowd with a gun. I don't know about you, but that doesn't make me feel safe - knowing that ANYONE can walk around with a gun at any time.

I guess what I'm getting at is an honest curiosity of WHY people feel an overwhelming need to own guns. Why does anyone need to own a machine gun? And what are we as a country going to do to lower the amount of deaths that occur each year by guns? If people refuse to even slightly change their attachment to possessing guns, then nothing will ever change. We shouldn't even be shocked when we hear about shootings, right? Because after all, we are the ones saying it's OK for anyone to have a gun, and by association shouldn't we expect people to use them? I mean, there is no written contract that you sign with your purchase that says, "I solemnly swear that I will only use this gun for protection if someone breaks into my house and tries to harm me or my family."And I am not justifying ANY shooting by any means, I'm just confused at how this logic works. To me, it doesn't make sense to be "pro-guns" yet also be upset and shocked when we hear about these tragic massacres.

Overall, I don't think my opinion is indifferent any longer. I think gun laws need to be more restricted, I think certain types of guns should not be sold to the public, and I think there needs to be stricter standards for who can own a gun in this country. It sickens me to think of the innocent people who have been killed by someone pulling a gun on them. And the age old saying, "guns don't kill people - people kill people" does not ring true to me. Yes people kill people, but they use guns to do it.

Change your profile picture to raise awareness about child abuse!

Yet another facebook chain message is going around asking everyone to change their profile pictures in support of raising awareness against child abuse. Before I go off on a rant, I'll just keep it simple by saying I think it's another silly thing that does nothing to fight a very real and serious problem. Much like the "I like it" for breast cancer chain, this is not proactive, and virtually does nothing.

If I was not up to my ears in papers, projects, and exams, I'd probably be doing a post of my own about this, however one of my dear friends posted this blog on the issue, and his words speak much better than mine possibly could. Check it out and decide for yourself whether this is a worthwhile way to support the cause.

Cartoons, child violence, and symbolic activism.

Airport TSA

In my Information Technology class I was introduced to the fairly new yet ongoing debate about the new airport security screening: X-rays. They are now asking you to walk through an X-ray machine where they scan you through your clothes, and are able to virtually see you naked. It's interesting though, they try to make this sound less heinous by giving you the option between a naked X-ray or a "pat down." So now you have the choice between someone looking at your naked body in the middle of the airport or being groped.

There are several things wrong with this. First of all, they don't tell you what they are doing. I recently went on a weekend trip and on my way home was asked to walk through the metal detector like usual (or so I thought), but instead of just walking through I was asked to stop and put my hands over my head for about 15 seconds. I had absolutely NO idea they were taking X-ray photos of me. I consider that an invasion of privacy and also health fraud. I was unaware that they were sending radiation into my body which could potentially cause cancer, or what if I had been pregnant? Not telling me or having any kind of signs hanging around security explaining what was about to happen is unacceptable.

I also think this is just completely unethical. You are asking me to give up my privacy on both levels. I either have to show someone my naked body or have someone touch me inappropriately in front of others (or, you know, I can ask to be groped in private). And it doesn't stop there, either. TSA has been repeatedly saying that the scans they take are not stored in the system and are deleted immediately after viewed. However, some 35,000 images from a scanner were saved and some were leaked to the public (see: HERE). This is absolutely mortifying. Not only does it become an invasion of privacy, but an invasion of trust. Other people are obtaining access to these scans which is completely humiliating.

When people come up with these new and improved ideas, they don't think about the big picture. They don't think about how these scans could get leaked to the media or how radiation can cause health defects. They don't consider a pregnant woman traveling and having no choice but to be groped because she can't go through radiation, or the children traveling who are in the midst of being taught that touching is inappropriate. They don't think about recovering cancer patients, or people in wheelchairs, victims of molestation or rape, or religious observances. Maybe they don't think about this, or maybe they just don't care? I don't know which is worse, but either way they are disrespecting and humiliating several groups of people.

I personally don't feel comfortable with either of the "options" they give us, and given the choice I don't know which I would choose. Airport security has gotten so tight that our privacy has been completely ripped from our grasp.

VOTE

It is extremely important as a member of a democratic society to make your voice heard through voting. Some people don't vote because they claim they aren't political or they don't think their one vote will make a difference, but it does. And not voting speaks just as loudly as voting.

People have fought endlessly for the right to vote in this country, so having that right is something we should all appreciate and take advantage of. This is our country and it is our job to exercise the right we have been given.

I voted, did you?

Clint McCance: Taking hatred to new and disgusting levels

If you haven't already heard about this on the news or the internet, I think it's something that really needs to be addressed. With all the incredibly painful things going on right now in the LGBT community, we need people who are supportive, accepting, and tolerant in our society. When people like Clint McCance, a school board member in Arkansas, start running their mouths and making ignorant and shameful comments about wishing all gay people would commit suicide, it sends a message of hatred. There is a line, and he crossed it by a mile.

Read about his hate here.

Never in my life have I been so ashamed or utterly pissed off at someone I don't even know. He thinks that people who support the LGBT community and have tolerance and love for others are "stupid," gay people should never come out and be who they are - they should keep it to themselves, "fags are ruining our lives," and he likes when gay people get aids and die. Every single stereotype he could come up with he used as an insult, he repeatedly used the words "faggot" and "queer" in his hateful messages, and even admitted to the world that if his own children were gay he would disown them (but also that there is no chance they would EVER be gay because he raised them with "Christian" values - need I mention the hypocrisy here?).

Is this the kind of person we want around our children or on a school board in our community? Is this the kind of person people listen to and agree with? It's absolutely astounding to me that someone could have that little of a brain to send those ignorant comments out into the public with the position he was in, and also that someone could be that closed minded and hateful towards other human beings.

CLINT MCCANCE IS A BULLY.

I'm glad he resigned, although I wish he had just been straight up fired. He does not deserve to have a job on the school board. My wish for him is that he never gets hired anywhere again because no one in their right mind would want a horrible, disgusting person like him working for their company or school. I also hope that people watch his interview with Anderson Cooper and can see through his fake, backhanded, shell of an apology. He is not sorry for what he said, he's only sorry he got caught and now has to suffer the backlash.

LOVE. ACCEPTANCE. TOLERANCE. SUPPORT. Those are qualities McCance is severely lacking. I hope with everything I have that he is not teaching his children to think or behave like him.

STOP TRYING TO DIVIDE US, FIGHT FOR EQUALITY INSTEAD.