Uuuuuuuugh. I somehow started talking with Cindy about abortion and such and I got all riled up and I'm gonna post something I said that kind of sums up what I'm pissed about.

but grrr, i just don't get how people will be like "don't have an abortion, even though we won't fund family planning programs, and now we're gonna criticize poor people for having kids when they can't afford them!"

I need to calm down though...I'm getting way too riled up. I hate ignorance and stereotypes.

Oh, and I got extremely pissed at an article that I read in the paper at work. I will once again quote from my conversation with Cindy so I don't have to type it again.



sullengirl1020: oh, an di also got pissed about an article i read in the paper at work
sullengirl1020: it was about the bombings in london
sullengirl1020: and the ENTIRE article was about how the people who did it are muslim
sullengirl1020: and the last sentence was something like "the jihad is here"
sullengirl1020: way to not encourage discrimination against muslims!!!!!
sullengirl1020: as;ldkjfawoiejv;laekija;ldfk vnmq4u9ga'w
highlightmouse: oh my god! yeah! the first thing i heard about it said they're almost positive it was muslims.... but one of the places they hit was an islamic neighborhood!
sullengirl1020: and another sentence implied that ALL of the muslim faith is extreme

and here is our conversation about our conspiracy theories:
sullengirl1020: you know what i think?
highlightmouse: idiots. muslims are about love and acceptance.
sullengirl1020: this is my conspiracy theory:
highlightmouse: hm? maybe it matches what i think... i have a conspiracy theory
highlightmouse: loil!!!
sullengirl1020: okay let me go first
highlightmouse: ok
sullengirl1020: does yours have anything to do with the patriot act?
sullengirl1020: okay, mine is this:
sullengirl1020: our government went and found some british muslims and paid them to do it
highlightmouse: erm... actually i don't know much about the patriot act. go on..
sullengirl1020: so that people will be more open to renewing the controversial parts about the patriot act
sullengirl1020: that allow them to discriminate against muslims in the name of the "war on terror"
highlightmouse: ahhh, yes
sullengirl1020: and also so that they can be like "see, it isn't just because they hate america! they want to terrorize EVERYBODY"
sullengirl1020: okay, what's yours?
highlightmouse: my conspiracy theory is more on the british end of things
sullengirl1020: hehe, figures
sullengirl1020: lol
highlightmouse: people are mad that tony blair is our ally and with us on this war business. so the bombing happened, whether it was the government paying someone to do it or the ira or al quaida (sp??) or whatever. but regardless of who did it, they immediately blamed the people we blame, so that people won't be so mad at tony for being with us against iraq, and they'll support him/us more
sullengirl1020: ah, nice
sullengirl1020: i think it's both of ours
highlightmouse: maybe it's a combo of both
sullengirl1020: yes
highlightmouse: lol again!
sullengirl1020: because they both go together
highlightmouse: yeah
sullengirl1020: and both serve american interests
sullengirl1020: like, they want the world to be with america and against their enemies
highlightmouse: yep
sullengirl1020: and this is the perfect way to do it
highlightmouse: exactly

Okay, thanks for letting me get out my frustrations.


As for the abortion thing, I think we need new terminology besides pro-life and pro-choice. Once those words hit the air everybody's minds and ears just close, because they think they know everything about the person they're talking to already based on the label. And I think it completely undermines any efforts that people could make to come to a sort of compromise, or find some middle ground (not that people try). For one thing, I think that many pro-lifers need to realize that pro-choice is NOT pro-abortion. I don't know anybody who thinks abortions are a good thing! And I definitely feel as remorseful thinking about it happening as pro-lifers probably do, but the only difference is that I don't think that there is one hard, fast rule about it for every single person, and I am not one to decide what every single woman should do regardless of circumstances, let alone a bunch of old men! I'm sure there are misconceptions I have about pro-lifers, too, just because of the label, but, being pro-choice (actually I consider myself BOTH! who doesn't like life?), I can't speak for that side. Perhaps my inclination to assume that they're all against birth control just because a few of them are making a stir in the media could be one example.

So...I need to come up with a word or short phrase for where I stand on the issue, so I can at least have an outside-the-box label. Because then people will have to think about it. The other labels stop people from thinking. And people need to think more. Yeah. It's like the whole thing in creative writing: don't use common metaphors like "faster than lightning" because it's been so overused that it doesn't create an image in the reader's mind. Make up unusual metaphors that force people to actually picture what you wrote and it's more effective.

Man, life would be so much easier if I didn't get so fucking passionate about these things. What happened to my well-worn apathy? Oh, I think the election ate it. I just keep wishing I could change the world...and I can't. But there are things I can do to make a difference, even if it is a small one. And if I don't do it, who will?