Whew! What a week! I know I'm a big softie, but I teared up so many times this week, and it was out of hope instead of the constant hopelessness I've felt for the last 8 years.
Here are my favorite moments, impressions, and quotes. Please, share yours...
1. Michelle Obama describing Barack driving her and their first daughter home from the hospital. Favorite quote - "(Barack) talked about the world as it is and the world as it should be. And he said that all too often we accept the distance between the two and settle for the world as it is, even when it doesn’t reflect our values and aspirations."
2. Dennis Kucinich - "Wake Up, America!" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVp9cWOcZ7g)
3. The parade of 'regular folks', talking about how this administration has let them down. Favorite quote - "I want a president who's more concerned with Barney Smith than with Smith-Barney!" And this, from a lifelong Republican, no less! ;-)
4. Hillary Rodham Clinton - this was the HRC that could have won the nomination. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, this Hillary didn't run - more's the pity. She had two jobs to do: Turn her supporters around and velcro John McCain to George Bush. Hillary's speech was a grand slam, when all we needed was a homer. This judge gives her a perfect 10! Favorite quote (how do I pick only one?) - "(Barack) built his campaign on a fundamental belief that change in this country must start from the ground up, not the top down. He knows government must be about “We the people” not “We the favored few.”
5. Bill Clinton must have been heartbroken, but he did the right thing, and gave a GREAT speech, as though we would expect any less from the Big Dog. Favorite Quote - "Most important, Barack Obama knows that America cannot be strong abroad unless we are strong at home. People the world over have always been more impressed by the power of our example than by the example of our power."
6. Joe Biden brought all of his charm, and none of his gaffability. Seeing him with his family...but of course, the Republicans will tell you that Dems have no family values. And, who didn't fall in love with Mama Biden? Favorite Quote - "My mother’s creed is the American creed: No one is better than you. You are everyone’s equal, and everyone is equal to you."
7. Teddy Kennedy, brain cancer and kidney stones couldn't keep him away. Passing the torch, receiving the tribute that his lifetime of service has earned. I don't have a favorite quote here, he wins by showing up!
8. God willing, The Next President of the United States of America - BARACK OBAMA!!!!!! For a long, long time I thought he was a great orator, who really didn't say all that much. However, when he gave his speech on race in America, and spoke to us as adults, in plain language, and told the truth - he won me over. After last night, how do you honestly claim he is 'an empty suit'? He laid out his plan, how he would accomplish it, and why he is a better option for America than John McCain. Plus - I got my Energy Program!!! Without re-printing his whole speech, here are some Favorite Quotes - "These challenges are not all of government's making. But the failure to respond is a direct result of a broken politics in Washington and the failed policies of George W. Bush." AND "Individual responsibility and mutual responsibility - that's the essence of America's promise." AND "We are the party of Roosevelt. We are the party of Kennedy. So don't tell me that Democrats won't defend this country. Don't tell me that Democrats won't keep us safe."
And, finally: "...at defining moments like this one, the change we need doesn't come from Washington. Change comes to Washington. Change happens because the American people demand it - because they rise up and insist on new ideas and new leadership, a new politics for a new time."
(Note: text of all the speeches - though I couldn't find Bill Richardson, WTF?!?! - can be found at http://www.demconvention.com/speeches/)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
76 comments:
J.M. Ferretti, you are so very sweet that it breaks my heart that...see...as I posted before. The whole political convention thing, the "preaching to the choir" thing (or as the Reverand Jackson would pronounce it...KWAIH)...I'm sorry. I only get really annoyed as I see these political conventions as taking the future of our great country to the level of a High School football game with really bad music.
But, again, I don't want to rain on your parade. I'm happy that you feel elated and have hope in your heart.
But in all seriousness, and this is coming from a registered Republican, I just hope to hell that McCain and his VP choice, Carmen Electra, get blown out of the park come election day.
PEACE
Oh, you know? Another thing. I'm a really bad typist and sometimes when I attempt to log on this blog, I mistakenly type "BUSHfiresfreedom".
Bush.
Google always asks...are you sure?
Uhm...yep
Ah, ferret...you should be crying. I think Christmas will come early this year. About a week ago a swing-voter like me didn't even want to vote, and now here I am, ready to cast my vote for Obama. I'll admit, I thought he was an empty suit even though he gave great speeches, I didn't see enough on his resume to make me want to give him the job. Biden cured that. I could care less about supposed charges of plagiarism against him,his experience made me feel comfortable. Read his bio--it's interesting and shows a man of character.
This is the beauty of democracy and our system--we've given ourselves the built-in opportunity to change course when we need too.
Ms. Ferretti, I am speechless in the face of your passion and hope. Maybe smart liberals can make a difference. I always think not, but I'm wrong about a lot of other stuff, so . . .
Over on the sfgate politics blog there's an odd debate going on between bloggers named hartal and pcreece. It's not interesting, just odd.
By contrast, what a delightful spot you have here, ma'am.
I can't wait to see the GOP VP candidate in action next week.
Women of all stripes took center stage this week. At the DemCon Caroline Kennedy, Michelle Obama, and Hillary Clinton were the most compelling. Then of course you have McCain's confounding choice for VP. I wouldn't be surprised that this is a bait and switch sales pitch to lure disgruntled Clinton supporters, and that Palin will withdraw from the race due to family obligations, sometime in the near future.
Palin, who?
Ya, that choice will fix things.
But can you imagine how entertaining a Biden/Palin debate might be?
Maybe, WT, but don't get too comfy. Think of how it looks: A dark man with a Muslim name with a scappy Irishman attack dog versus the old war hero and a conservative, knows- her-place woman.
Think of how this will reach the average American on an emotional level. The Old Guard vs. The New Guard...who do you trust more?
Attack the Old War Vet and The Lady too much and people will feel sorry for them. Loyalty for the old ways is not something to scoff at, even if Bush scewed things up.
Here's something for you WinkingTiger:
http://www.cs.rice.edu/~ssiyer/minstrels/poems/66.html
Thanks Gina G...always loved Blake's poems, his paintings, not so much...
As far as McCain/Palin go, I don't take them lightly, believe me. They will be pushing all the buttons you mentioned...let's hope it doesn't work for them. At some point the Old Guard becomes so decrepit and uninspiring that people are forced to let it go...(I hope)
You're welcome...human nature can be so unpredictable, especially when so much is at stake. One dumb choice and history is set in motion.
Anyway, When I read your comment about a vp debate, I had this vision of Biden really going at Palin in a debate and her buckling. I mean, I've never heard of her...who is she, and what does she bring to the table other than a historical first?
And after this vicious attack, watched breathlessly by all of America, McCain, the Old Weakened War Hero Gentleman defends The Lady's Honor...guess who she represents on a deep psychological level? Can you see it?
Things could go two ways with this scenario: McCain could defend The Lady's Honor against The Meanies, or McCain could go all nutty and explode--thus proving his emotional instability and mental incapacity for such an important job.
I'm using caps for emphasis.
HannahFromSweden posted this on Tim Goodmsn's blog. Although it's a well written and acted show, I never was a huge BATTLESTAR GALACTICA fan.
http://i33.tinypic.com/f9lhy0.jpg
Not to be too anthropomorphic, but I find the way I misspelled Goodman's name to be kind of sexy. A menage a trois between the long time married couple, "m" and "n", and the hot, supple, seductress, "s".
FH, in case you're too depressed to find this on The Splash.
Thanks, Twin ... I never attack others, but if you're going to be an asshole, at least quote people accurately.
The Koufax analogy is moronic. No one in the Giants walk parade has the stuff, and therefore the potential, that the Giants had. Furthermore, the Dodgers did not have a multiyear tradition of being among the league leaders in walks.
Walks are an organizational problem on offense (the lack of them) and defense. To deny it is to be willfully ignorant, or worse, intellectually dishonest.
It would truly be hard to find someone who has been wrong so often and so consistently, yet remains so arrogant. Hey, the kids might be playing on your grass, you'd better go look.
Posted By: livefree | August 31 2008 at 12:39 PM
I'm still waiting for your promised proof of MLB teams that turn wild pitchers into control artists. Your theory is utter BS. Yeah, beat control into them. I HAVe summarized position accurately, you think not throwing strikes is a xcharacter flaw with management as the Great Enablers.
You and your cohorts are attacked because you have no concept of how anything works, yet you posty this total rot which goes unchalleged because you and your neganazis have free rein. Well, you'll have another week of it after today.
Posted By: twinfan | August 31 2008 at 12:50 PM
I don't have grass, I have fields.
Posted By: twinfan | August 31 2008 at 01:16 PM
STFU livefree! Shane has returned, so take your whupping like a man, Boy.
Posted By: pollyanastasia | August 31 2008 at 01:16 PM
Okay, remember to be respectful of all POVs. I am a Giants fanatic, and may wander into sports talk, since I need an escape once in a while. I promise I won't make a habit of it - and I ask you all to remind me of that promise if I get boring...yikes! What did I just ask for - accountability?!?!!?
I must thank 'anonymous', however, because twinfan is a particular favorite blogger, and has been 'no en casa' for a while, and they were letting me know he was back. Let's be welcoming to all who visit Brushfires. (Oh, and gina, no nazi talk, okay. It's a yukky expression...)
Yes, Mother Superior Ferretti...I promise to behave...to the best of my ability.
You have my permission to say whatever you please on my, er, your blog and invite whatever guests you want to your party.
Pssst--WT, flirting is quite necessary in a civilized society--it greases the wheels of progress.
That reminds me, Ferret, aren't you married to someone on this blog? Is nepotism allowed?
Sorry, FH, my bad (and other yucky phrases). And, quite so, Gina G.
Anybody else think the Republicans are using the hurricane as an excuse to dim the spotlight on the Alaskan? Of course, they are terrified that a Katrina repeat will remind everyone how well their administrations care for people. But, still . . . .
.
I wouldn't be surprised if I'm the only one here who knows Wasilla, Ak. (Ms. Palin's hometown, where she entered politics and rose to prominence) very well. As a youngster, while I was still developing my angry left-wing politics, I spent an interesting three months working at a construction camp just outside Wasilla. We used to go into town at night, visit the few bars there. (No movie theater; and remember, this was before VCRs.) As a result, I actually saw the isolated community Ms. Palin was growing up in.
.
Later in life, I had more shall we say sophisticated dealings with the state of Alaska. Palin's path to power -- attacking the old corrupt Republican power mongers in the state -- was as easy as shooting salmon in a creek. She's a rube.
One more thing, ferret, I should have apologized, too. So, I'm sorry. I should have also said that you may invite whomever you please to your party...there's a learning curve involved to becoming civilized...I hope that you can forgive me.
With regards to the GOP convention--I think they're secretly groaning. Maybe it's God and he's telling them he ain't too happy with their crimes and misdemeanors.
About Katrina. One thing Dems don't understand when it comes to conservative thinking on this. We don't think Bush did that much wrong. He may have not moved quickly enough at first, but many of us think it was Nagel and useless overpaid bureaucrats in Louisiana that didn't do their jobs. It appears to us as just another example of why big government doesn't work and that the Left exploited a natural disaster for their own political benefit.
gina - I think that this quote from Obama's speech says a lot to express my feelings about the Reps & Hurricane Katrina:
"These challenges are not all of government's making. But the failure to respond is a direct result of a broken politics in Washington and the failed policies of George W. Bush."
Just looking at the aftermath of Katrina, it's difficult to understand how anyone could describe the Administration's response as anything but 'indifferent'. Bush's flyover; his press conference where he vowed that they would stay until the work was done - then left; the no-bid contracts that were awarded to out-of-state contractors to re-build. Good lord, FEMA was sitting on MILLIONS of dollars of donated household supplies, never distributed them, and just game them away to various government agencies. (http://tinyurl.com/3wmqs5)
While you may not agree that the Reps effed things up royally three years ago, they are certainly acting as if they did. It's one of the few times in the past 8 years that I can see this Administration showing that they are able to learn from their mistakes...
Here's the problem, ferrett. Many of us tuned Bush's misdeeds out when none of the Louisiana government accepted any responsibility.
And even then, it still appears as if the Bush administration is more willing to accept responsibility than the Louisiana folks.
That's what made the phrase 'compassionate conservatism' so novel.
Ya, TooSense...good point. And that's why apathy--no matter who it comes from--doesn't help to solve a darn thing.
I couldn't agree more, gina, which is why your dismissal of Bush's 'misdeeds', regardless of Louisiana government's own is puzzling. Who's being apathetic here? Or are you saying apathy begets apathy, and in that case all is kosher? The bottom line is that we expect more from the federal government than the typical Republican search for the lowest bar setting available.
TooSense-- apathy is never right. And yes, it's hard to care when other people don't seem to care about helping themselves and expect everyone else to do the job for them . I don't think the term 'compassionate conservatism' means big government tit (sorry, ferret--sometimes no other words will do but colorful, vulgar ones). I'm not so sure our founding father's intended for there to be one gigantic federal government to be held accountable for what seem to be individual state's responsibilities. Sure FEMA flunked, but it also seemed that the state of Louisiana didn't carry their weight, either. The two should work in conjunction. My point was, right or wrong, many of us turned our heads because it seemed like there was too much political finger-pointing and money-grubbing going on and too little actual care and genuine interest.
Talk about disaster.
I can't remember-- is 'several' more than 'a few'? And how many is 'many'? ;)
I agree with you that federal as well as state need to work together. Of course, I never heard the Bush administration saying they'd do nothing in Iraq because the Iraqi government wasn't doing their part. Quite the opposite. If only they had as much interest in their own country's welfare. Something tells me if it was Alaska, the Bush administration would have been there in a heartbeat, damming the floodwaters, cleaning the streets, laying the pipeline...
I have no idea about the meaning of several or few, or grammar or punctuation, for that matter. I much prefer the logic behind the language of Latin and can not for the life of me figure why this country doesn't speak it instead of that confounding one, English.
Anyway, I'm glad that we can agree on something. See, Ferret is right.
P.S. Did you see anywhere in my posts that I'm voting GOP? That should tell you what I think of many or few, or Iraq.
"I'm not so sure our founding father's intended for there to be one gigantic federal government to be held accountable for what seem to be individual state's responsibilities."
I'm not so sure our founding farters envisioned a nation with Calif. and N.Y. on one end of the spectrum and "bannana republic" state La. on the other. Maybe the difference in weather helps account for the difference in wealth.
Well, maybe weather isn't the key for N.Y.
I'm sure 'founding farters' is not the colorful and vulgar language I intended either, lefty.
Funny, though, that you mention weather and people. In this godforsaken state (which shall remain nameless in order to protect the innocent)in which I live at the moment, I swear people are light years behind California because it's so dismal here.
"Founding Farter's" - I've heard that Benjamin Franklin quite enjoyed the fart humor...so, maybe Lefty meant to type that.
;-P
Maybe? Hmmm. Folks here don't take me seriously enough. Ah, well.
Gina, if you're in Wassilla, Ak., I know you're grey and rainy. The glory of Alaska in May is long gone. Nothing to do now but huddle in the cabins, etc. But teach abstinence to them teens! Teach em right!
ferret...would it be impolite to tell lefty to shut-up? Because I'd really like to tell him to shut-up. I mean it would really, really give me a great deal of satisfaction to tell him to shut-up. But of course, if telling lefty to shut-up is not allowed, then by all means, I will not tell lefty to shut-up.
gina - Let's see if we can't some up with a viable option. Instead of telling Lefty to - well, you know - why not address the issue, refute his position, and see if that doesn't affect the desired result?
I have a feeling that I will be so inspired by Gov. Palin's speech tonight, I will be compelled to put up a new post...(we call that a 'tease' in the biz)
OK,I'll bite.
You can tell children to not do things all you want, but they won't always listen.
If it were my child, I'd rather have a live grandchild than a dead one. Period.
gina - but isn't a WANTED grandchild best of all? Let's do all that we can to prevent teen age pregnancy by providing children all of the information they need to help make decisions about their behavior. Abstinence-only programs have been proven to not only not work, but actually have INCREASED the number of teen pregnancy. The most natural instinct in the world is to procreate, and hormones will override brains every chance they get. Instead of pretending teens don't have sex, let's admit that they do and give them condoms and have a few less unplanned grandchildren. For me, this highlights the fact that politicians make decisions that affect ALL of our children...
And while ferret's point about admitting teens have sex and preventing them from having unwanted pregnancies is an excellent one, consider the public health risk of not properly educating even children about the risk of bloodborne viruses. We have a mutual responsibility as biological beings to not withhold information that is crucial to all of our health. It's not just teens that need this information, obviously, but anyone with experience of the teenage mindset (and that's all adults) knows that lack of experience and impulsiveness, combined with ignorance is, these days, a lethal combination. It is unacceptable in this day to instill public officials who insist that critical health maintenance information should be withheld from citizens at risk.
ok, FH - do your post on Sarah. She's very interesting. I don't mean that in a good or bad way.
I loved Bill Clinton's speech. I love that he wouldn't let anyone write it for him.
HA!
I've been out of it because I had a friend visiting. It was pleasant, but busy. Why do people from the east coast always want to eat sushi in SF? I hate sushi, but even so I would venture to say that sushi isn't even the best kind of food you can get here...
ferret, dear...you know I love ya and respect what you're doing with this blog. But let me restate something: in my book, a living grandchild is far better than a dead or non-existent one. Draw your own conclusions.
And about condoms and preventative medicine: condoms fail, they provide no guarantees of anything but sex that isn't nearly as satisfying as going without one. Pills and other contraception's all carry health risks, as does abortion. Is the health industry really being honest about the risks of contraceptive's and abortion? I don't think so. Abstinence is the safest, most effective method out there. But unfortunately, there's no market for it. And, isn't it far better to teach a child that if they are going to do things meant for adults, then they should be willing to accept the responsibility of their actions like an adult, and if they can't, they have no business doing them? I don't think snuffing out an innocent person for your mistaken actions is being a responsible adult.
Furthermore,telling people there are consequences to their behavior works in all sorts of different areas.Why give sexual behavior a pass and nothing else? The logic behind abortion just doesn't follow.
Call me suspicious, but I think this issue has a lot more to do with people making money than it has to do with personal rights. No one has the right to deprive another of the right to life...that right is what makes us equal.
gina - a baby shouldn't be punishment for sex. A baby should be a cherished gift, not a burden for doing what comes naturally. Asking a teen ager, who is being attacked by hormones from within, and hyper-sexualized imagery from without, to exert the kind of self-control that some adults find difficult, is asking too much. While there are risks with birth control, they reduce the likelihood of more unwanted children in the world.
I am the product of an unplanned pregnancy, and while I'm glad I'm alive, I wouldn't wish my childhood on my worst enemy. If you want to reduce the number of abortions - which I think we BOTH do - we need to figure out how to reduce unplanned pregnancy. An unwanted baby shouldn't have to suffer the consequences of an unconsidered action.
I'm glad you were born. You're doing good in the world...making it a better place. I'm sorry about your childhood, maybe it was the suffering you endured that made you so compassionate for others and led you to where you are now---doing good.
I don't think it's the right for anyone to judge whether a life conceived is worth living.
And as for impulses, everyone has different ones, some right, some wrong, all with consequences. I think that's what separates us from animals--that we have the ability to control ourselves. What kind of parent wouldn't want their child to learn that?
'An unwanted baby shouldn't have to suffer the consequences of an unconsidered action.'
You're right, ferret--a baby shouldn't have to--especially with their life. Do you see why I think why the principles of abortion are so illogical?
Gina, Let's focus on preventing the pregnancy in the first place, not aborting it. One of my favorite bumperstickers of all times is "Every Child a Wanted Child". But, again, if you wish to eliminate abortion (except for rape, incest, or the life of the woman being in danger), shouldn't you want to reduce unplanned pregnancy?
If you remove abortion as an option, unplanned pregnancies will result in (mostly) unwanted babies. What happens to those babies after they are born? There aren't enough healthy, loving adoptive homes available...
I respect thoughtful anti-abortion opinions. That's 50% of the reason I support a woman's right to choose. The government, i my view, should not make the decision for a woman.
My objection to Palin is her apparent hypocrisy (not just on the "abstenince is best" policy, but on her cynical and mendacious boasting that she helped stop the "bridge to nowhere" nowhere spending). When the diggers finish excavating the past in Alaska, I won't be surprised to find that her anti-corruption credentials are phony. Maybe I'm wrong. We'll see.
In any event, I'm sorry that my comments could be interpreted as mocking anyone against abortion. I meant to mock Palin only.
Say what you will, gina, but between a latex barrier and wishful thinking, I'll protect myself and any children I plan with my partner with the recommendation of health professionals worldwide. And I hear you about abortion-- I understand that you find it unacceptable. While I don't share your viewpoint, I find abortion to be a difficult choice, and not one made lightly. The choice to have sex, however, is often made lightly for a number of reasons. Right or wrong, you are right, there are consequences for poor planning. But no planning at all is not a sensible solution. Why is it that those who oppose the right to abortion often also oppose the right to safe and affordable and accessible contraceptives? The answer is that they oppose sex. At least outside of their narrow definition of it. I'd be more willing to engage in debate with pro-lifers if they would just be upfront and state that what they really want to legislate is their narrow definition of acceptable sexual activity. I'm very sympathetic to the viewpoint that says abortion is wrong, and we should do all in our power to prevent it, first with contraception, then with financial and tactical assistance to the lives we "save". Eliminating a woman's right to choose is where I draw the line, but I have no doubts that the number of abortions could be reduced if we worked together to make contraception widely available and continually improved, and a quality life available to those who are not born into priviledge. The refusal of pro-lifers to engage in these goals reveals their moralistic agenda.
Ferret--I believe that people should be responsible for their actions. Being responsible does not include harming another and depriving another of their most basic right.
Let me ask you this, since you were unwanted by your parents: what if you saved a life, and didn't even know it? A life that then went on and did something to benefit mankind on a larger scale? Would you be thankful only if you knew you saved this life? Would anyone else?
Maybe we all have an individual purpose , but is to not always up to us to understand why we were born.
I'd like to think we're all one big mathematical equation, inter-connected, each with a function. Remove any part randomly and, presto--you have chaos.
errrr. bad edit. shoulda read:
Would you be thankful you were born only if you knew you saved this life? Would anyone else?
'I'd like to think we're all one big mathematical equation, inter-connected, each with a function. Remove any part randomly and, presto--you have chaos.'
~
gina, not meaning to belittle you, but on what do you base this worldview?
Why, my very own personal theory of random chaos.
Truthfully, though, I'm sure I probably heard it in a movie...you know how influential movies can be.
Actually, there are too many numerical coincidences in life for there not to be some truth to it.
Oh, I almost forgot! Welcome back, suza!!! I'll try to make my post as interesting as Gov. Palin herself...
toosense - I see that you 'bolded' something in your post. How do you do that? I have tried everyway I can think of to use these darned html tags, and they always tell me I 'didn't close' the tag - wtf??? Help!
Ferret: to close your HTML tags, put the same symbol in brackets like you did to start 'bolding', but put a forward slash before the "b" (or "I" or whatever) that 'closes' the tag.
ferret, I'll try to illustrate winkingtiger's advice, but it might not work out. Here goes...
~
Put your bold word <b>here</b>.
~
Hopefully that renders properly :)
winkingtiger, is that a Feininger kitty?
And is this ginagonzalloni? ;)
I know, I know, enough html silliness...
Sorry, gina, my mistake. I guess we found at least one baby face that brings out the killer in you. ;)
TooSense...so warm, but no. It's A Franz Marc kitty! Both he and Feininger were members of "Der Blaue Reiter," though, and there's a lot of stylistic overlap.
My dear TooSense,
Zhou are very clever vis dis use of dis html ting. Perhaps...too clever, yah?
I hardly think that character is worth killing. Not that I'm a killer or anything. Just have an Italian temper that rears its ugly head now and then...especially when some sly boots pokes at me wrong.
Why would you think we were the same person? I think he's an idiot, even if he is kinda cute in a really dorky way...did I just answer my own question?
Cute and Dorky
Cute and Dorky
Goes together like a knife and forky
This, I ask you brother, can't have one without the other
:)
oh, ginagonzalloni, this is not the proper forum for such a question but you've mentioned more than once your...for lack of a better word...dislike(?) of LaSalle on this very blog. So if it's possible, in 12 words or less...what's the deal? If it's not possible in 12 words or less, please don't bother. Like I said, it's the wrong forum.
He's a nut.With an over-active imagination.He's still cute, though.
He's a nut.With an over-active imagination.He's still cute, though.
winkingtiger, ah yes, the color should have tipped me off... anyway, nice avatar. :)
~
Ted, have you checked the children?
~
Mi... er, gina, you were just so complimentary of LaSalle in earlier posts that I thought, maybe... your reaction leads me to believe that you might instead be romanbabe, Mick's wonderfully kooky sibling. ;)
Yup, TooSense, Marc believed in using the WHOLE palette, not just a few selected colors, lol...
I don't think MLS would deign to comment here; that would raise J.M.F. up to HIS exalted level, and that can never ever happen... (except in reality, she's already there) :)
And I think Gina's true identity is...Gina! Isn't that enough?
Over the years quite a few women have shared with me stories somewhat similar to yours, Mindful. The sense of respect and the amount of sympathy I feel in response always somewhat startles me. Of course, men have to make deeply serious choices, too, but not that one.
Anybody remember the Brautigan novel, The Abortion? Very ambitious, in Brautigan's whimsical way. I vaguely recall separate chapters entitled something like "My First Abortion," "My Second Abortion," etc., which contained short passages describing events the male narrator observed in the waiting room as women came and went.
As much as we try, men just will never know . . . .
I wanted to thank suza for sharing her story, but that sounded too cheap. lefty said it well.
Suza...your story is very heart-wrenching to me. You could have easily have been me. I used to be pro-choice, and considered aborting my first, but someone told me not to, and thankfully, I listened. That kid means the world to me. I'm not sure that I could have ever lived with having an abortion--I live in my head a lot and constantly think about ethics.
I'd like to believe there is a God, and he's a forgiving and understanding one, one that only wants the best for us.I don't think it's fair for anyone to stand in judgment of a woman that made the choice to have an abortion.Our country made it legal, our medical industry made it acceptable. How are some of us supposed to know what the full repercussions of what an abortion might be? Especially a teenager. No one in charge ever explains that part. How many women are like you, or how many suffer without good therapy? Or how many can't ever reconcile what they did? And that's my problem with our medical industry--they're too busy taking our money to care about the consequences of their actions. They no longer practice an art, they practice business.
I could be reading too much into your post, gina, but you seem to be implying that suza feels that her abortion was a mistake. I've followed suza's posts for quite some time now, on several forums, and while we don't always agree, I consider her to be an ethically minded person. If you are implying something she didn't mean in her post, I have no doubt she will refute it herself. Like I said, I could be off base here, but I feel as though you are twisting her message here. My apologies beforehand if you are not, and to suza if she resents my commenting on it.
TooSense...that's the problem with discussing abortion with people that hold opposing views. It's a very emotionally-charged issue and easy to misread or be insensitive to others feelings. I apologize, Suza, if I came across that way. I didn't mean to suggest that you had no ethics, only that ethics are a big thing in my life. Everyone has different ethics, and for meat this point in my life, abortion is taking an innocent life. For you it was an agonizing decision that you felt at the time was the best one. If I had been in your shoes when I was pro-choice, I probably would have made the same one. That's a scary thought for me, because of the ethics I have now. My point about ethics was that taking into consideration my ethics now, I'm not so sure that I could have ever reconciled it the way you have.
Does that help clarify things?
It does for me, gina. I can appreciate where you're coming from.
Suza and TooSense...thank you both for understanding.
Post a Comment