I'm sitting on the couch watching Jamie Oliver's food revolution and it's really made me start thinking about what I ate for lunch during the school year and what my family's been eating a lot lately. He did this thing where he showed this family that at out almost every day how much they eat in a month in fast food. It's crazy, it didn't all fit in the SUV. The school board is forcing out the crew out, but the school employees are fighting the board to help their school and community be healthier.
The L.A. USD is trying to force them out, so they're opening a healthy shop right by the school. Jaime Oliver thinks it's stupid and backwards that the schools aren't interested in helping the kids and the community and so he's going into the board meeting and is going to film during the public comment session. "It's important not to piss off the board." says Jaime. They're suspicious when they are thanked.
"This is not a boutique cafe administration, you need to know that." "As the officer, it is me and I have made the decision. It's fit and right. It's clean. They may not all like it, but it is food. We're feeding them." That's what Raymond what's-his-face said to Jaime. Um, earth to Raymond what's-his-face: IT'S A UNIVERSAL FACT THAT KIDS HATE CAFETERIA FOOD. MOST CAFETERIA FOO TASTES LIKE CARDBOARD, RUBBER, OR SPONGE. HINT: THAT'S NOT HEALTHY!!!!!
I realized just how much instant ramen I ate during the school year. We;re talking three or more packs of ramen that came in packs of 24 each. And there are so many preservatives in there. It's really nasty when I think how much of that crap I ate. Add in what I ate at Wendy's up until about a month ago, and it's nauseating to think how much that junk adds up.
I'm starting to realize how lucky I am to know how to cook. I can actually cook healthy stuf for myself, and I need to start doing that more. I need to stop eating so much candy and junk food. I should know better, diabetes runs in my family.
I should also pack healthier lunches when school starts again because then I won't want any junk from Wendy's or the vending machine that no longer accepts coins. We should start a little cafe inside Linworth and all bring ingredients for stuff and share recipes. If stuff needed to be heated/cooked, we could cook it in the microwave. (By the way, someone should help out Willie by cleaning them, they're totally disgusting.)
Friday, June 10, 2011
Monday, June 6, 2011
Freshman year
What a journey this year has been. There have been so many random twists and turns of fate that I never could have predicted at this time last year. I find myself looking back on a year that hit me in the face.
Freshman year for me, in a way, started in February 2010 during percussion camp. Mickey called us then-eighth graders freshmen, because for us, the marching band season had already started and that's what we would be in the fall. I got to know Nick and Teresa better, and I met Joe. Sarah and Jessica didn't crop up till auditions. I already knew the other freshmen.
Through various "section bonding" get-togethers over the summer, I became comfortable with the rest of my band family. Band camp came around and I got to know a lot of the bandies better. It was like having one crazy-huge family.
Band was a lifesaver, because it meant I entered high school with a good number of friends who were upperclassmen and really cared about me. When people picked on me, I could go to my band friends to vent and get advice.
Arena scheduling at Linworth was overwhelming for me on the first day of school. It meant an overwhelming amount of chatter and general noise, not counting Larry's air horn. There were so many people, and all of them were so unique that I felt like I didn't fit in because I wasn't as unique. So I hid in a corner as far away as I could get from the air horn and drew pictures till lunchtime and till my turn to sign up for classes. I had never felt so shy in all my life.
Kilbourne was even more of a challenge to adjust to. The moment you walk into the building, you're hit with sound. Talking, footsteps, locker doors slamming, chairs scraping against floors, doors being slammed shut, the obnoxious bell, announcements...it seemed like too much. I was surrounded by popular people in most of my classes, which made me feel self-concious because I wasn't exactly popular. So I kept my mouth shut, studied, wrote, and drew in my sketchbook. I was retreating into my own little world.
Winter and indoor drumline changed my world yet again. I grew closer to my drumline friends, and they helped me come to terms with the fact that my friend Delaney, who was in the hospital with cancer that was pretty advanced, was not going to live much longer. The whirlwind of pracices and contests kept me busy so that I wouldn't dwell on the fact.
Second semester brought arena scheduling again, but it was far less stressful this time because I had been through it once already and some of my old friends had transferred. After classes, I began to reach out and connect with people more, becoming more social than before, probably because I wasn't as busy.
In the middle of the spring, Delaney passed away. It was tough to try to deal with. She was 15, newly so. It didn't seem fair that her life had to be so short and that she should have had to suffer so much at the hands of cancer. I was tempted to just shut down completely and watch the rest of the world stream by, while I stood motionless in time. But my counselor pointed out that Delaney wouldn't want me to just totally shut down, because that wouldn't help anyone.
The pain has numbed with time, but the start of true marching band season has helped too, with distractions like teaching the incoming freshman how to play the different instruments. I pity the freshman who got stuck playing the rack this year, but it's not nearly as dangerous as when I did it. Back then, it had been dubbed "The Cage of Death". The old one that was given that name broke into four pieces towards the end of last fall. He'll get used to putting all the stuff on eventually. I'll be there to give advice.
With the craziness of graduation parties, birthday parties, and end-of-the-year parties, the past few weeks are a blur, but I have a feeling this will be a great summer vaction.
Freshman year for me, in a way, started in February 2010 during percussion camp. Mickey called us then-eighth graders freshmen, because for us, the marching band season had already started and that's what we would be in the fall. I got to know Nick and Teresa better, and I met Joe. Sarah and Jessica didn't crop up till auditions. I already knew the other freshmen.
Through various "section bonding" get-togethers over the summer, I became comfortable with the rest of my band family. Band camp came around and I got to know a lot of the bandies better. It was like having one crazy-huge family.
Band was a lifesaver, because it meant I entered high school with a good number of friends who were upperclassmen and really cared about me. When people picked on me, I could go to my band friends to vent and get advice.
Arena scheduling at Linworth was overwhelming for me on the first day of school. It meant an overwhelming amount of chatter and general noise, not counting Larry's air horn. There were so many people, and all of them were so unique that I felt like I didn't fit in because I wasn't as unique. So I hid in a corner as far away as I could get from the air horn and drew pictures till lunchtime and till my turn to sign up for classes. I had never felt so shy in all my life.
Kilbourne was even more of a challenge to adjust to. The moment you walk into the building, you're hit with sound. Talking, footsteps, locker doors slamming, chairs scraping against floors, doors being slammed shut, the obnoxious bell, announcements...it seemed like too much. I was surrounded by popular people in most of my classes, which made me feel self-concious because I wasn't exactly popular. So I kept my mouth shut, studied, wrote, and drew in my sketchbook. I was retreating into my own little world.
Winter and indoor drumline changed my world yet again. I grew closer to my drumline friends, and they helped me come to terms with the fact that my friend Delaney, who was in the hospital with cancer that was pretty advanced, was not going to live much longer. The whirlwind of pracices and contests kept me busy so that I wouldn't dwell on the fact.
Second semester brought arena scheduling again, but it was far less stressful this time because I had been through it once already and some of my old friends had transferred. After classes, I began to reach out and connect with people more, becoming more social than before, probably because I wasn't as busy.
In the middle of the spring, Delaney passed away. It was tough to try to deal with. She was 15, newly so. It didn't seem fair that her life had to be so short and that she should have had to suffer so much at the hands of cancer. I was tempted to just shut down completely and watch the rest of the world stream by, while I stood motionless in time. But my counselor pointed out that Delaney wouldn't want me to just totally shut down, because that wouldn't help anyone.
The pain has numbed with time, but the start of true marching band season has helped too, with distractions like teaching the incoming freshman how to play the different instruments. I pity the freshman who got stuck playing the rack this year, but it's not nearly as dangerous as when I did it. Back then, it had been dubbed "The Cage of Death". The old one that was given that name broke into four pieces towards the end of last fall. He'll get used to putting all the stuff on eventually. I'll be there to give advice.
With the craziness of graduation parties, birthday parties, and end-of-the-year parties, the past few weeks are a blur, but I have a feeling this will be a great summer vaction.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Maybe it's just me...
Sometimes I wonder if people are truely frightened of people who are kind and friendly. I know that last fall, I thought it was almost unreal when the people in the marching band at a school I visited were friendly enough to provide dinner, provide water and all made at least one friend in our band. I practically expected a monster to jump out at me at any second. It was kind of unnerving.
I like getting to know people and making new friends. Even if I have only met a person once or twice, if I think they're a good person or have traits that make them a good friend, I will keep in contact with them. I will send them friendly texts and try to talk to them. If they're doing something, like maybe they have a band, or they play a sport (that sort of thing), then I try to go out and support them.
Yet when people don't return my messages, I feel like the awkward, over-friendly freak. I start to think that they think I'm weird and embarrassing and awkward. Then it just spirals into my own paranolia from there. I worry a lot about what other people think of me. When people make remarks about me, they have no clue how much it affects me. Is that normal, or is it just me?
I like getting to know people and making new friends. Even if I have only met a person once or twice, if I think they're a good person or have traits that make them a good friend, I will keep in contact with them. I will send them friendly texts and try to talk to them. If they're doing something, like maybe they have a band, or they play a sport (that sort of thing), then I try to go out and support them.
Yet when people don't return my messages, I feel like the awkward, over-friendly freak. I start to think that they think I'm weird and embarrassing and awkward. Then it just spirals into my own paranolia from there. I worry a lot about what other people think of me. When people make remarks about me, they have no clue how much it affects me. Is that normal, or is it just me?
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
My opinion on the Dream Act
I would like to share my opinion of the Dream Act, a bill that basically proposes that if an unregistered immigrant graduates high school and/or goes in the military for two years, they can automatically become an official US citizen. This would give many young immigrants a chance at citizenship. I think this is a good idea because if they are educated, they will not be tricked as easily by con-men and other shady characters who would try to fool undocumented immigrants into joining their schemes, stealing money from them and such. Even a simple GED or high school diploma opens up far more jobs and better pay than any job that could be offered to those without diplomas. I also think the military service idea is good because if you are willing to serve in the military to become a citizen of the country whose military you will be in, it shows you are loyal to that country and are serious about becoming a citizen. Plus, for those whose families otherwise could not send them to college, the military would give them a valuable, higher education. They could prove their loyalty and learn at the same time, which is a great concept if you ask me.
It's terrible that undocumented immigrants are being made the scapegoats for the recent recession. People are always looking for someone to blame when things go wrong. Any talk of closing our borders or limiting immigration into the US is hypocrisy, because America is a melting pot of ethnicities and cultures. We are a country formed from immigrants and descedants of immigrants. America has always been the place that is veiwed as a haven for all. That's how it's been since the beginning of our nation. People came here as immigrants for religious, ethnic, economic or political reasons, because they thought they could make a new life in this place. We're appalled when we learn about how African-Americans and the Irish were treated when they came here, but we are treating Hispanics and Middle Eastern immigrants in a very similar way. They deserve a shot at citizenship just as much as the rest of us. I think in some ways they deserve it more because they work for it. We must remember not everyone is lucky enough to be born in the United States and automatically become a citizen. Those who come here in search of freedom, of jobs and for a new life truely believe in our country and may be more dedicated to it than we are. Therefore, making it easier for dedicated, good immigrants to get citizenship is a good thing. It could greatly increase patriotism and American pride, which seems to have run low lately.
It's terrible that undocumented immigrants are being made the scapegoats for the recent recession. People are always looking for someone to blame when things go wrong. Any talk of closing our borders or limiting immigration into the US is hypocrisy, because America is a melting pot of ethnicities and cultures. We are a country formed from immigrants and descedants of immigrants. America has always been the place that is veiwed as a haven for all. That's how it's been since the beginning of our nation. People came here as immigrants for religious, ethnic, economic or political reasons, because they thought they could make a new life in this place. We're appalled when we learn about how African-Americans and the Irish were treated when they came here, but we are treating Hispanics and Middle Eastern immigrants in a very similar way. They deserve a shot at citizenship just as much as the rest of us. I think in some ways they deserve it more because they work for it. We must remember not everyone is lucky enough to be born in the United States and automatically become a citizen. Those who come here in search of freedom, of jobs and for a new life truely believe in our country and may be more dedicated to it than we are. Therefore, making it easier for dedicated, good immigrants to get citizenship is a good thing. It could greatly increase patriotism and American pride, which seems to have run low lately.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Prom Night: Fun, Friends, Memories,
Prom nights are infamous in this day and age as nights where a lot of car crashes happen because of alcohol and texting. Prom season is the time during the year when the most teens die in car crashes. Well, tonight is my first prom night. I can't wait. For me, dances are a time to hang out with friends and have fun just goofing around. Not so much the romanticized versions of dances that you see in the movies. No date for me, unless the guy I asked who stupidly didn't just say "yes" or "no" decides to turn up. I'd be partially happy, partially really mad. I have my dress, shrug and shoes ready and I might get my aunt to help me with my hair. I usually hate wearing dresses because the majority of them are uncomfortably itchy, frilly, etc, etc. I'll need to make sure I have time to do my makeup before prom. (This is one of the rare occasions when I think it's ok to wear makeup.) Tonight will be a night to just hang out with friends and dance till I forget my troubles. I don't need a boy to be hapy at a dance. I don't need to obsess over a dance that I probably won't remember who I brought with me by this time last month. I don't need slow dance drama. I don't need jealousy issues. I don't need worrying that I'll be ditched. I don't need to make sure a tux goes with my dress. I don't need to cling to a boy all night and not do what I want. Heck, I do what I want when I want. I don't tolerate being bossed around. I don't want to deal with the pain of being ditched, or being jealous of another girl because she's caught some boy's attention. I don't want to deal with the loyalty issues some guys have. I don't want to deal with some guy asking me to grind, which I think is disgusting. I don't want to deal with the awkwardness of slow dancing, because I'm a klutz and I always get tongue-tied and awkward around guys I like. I don't want to deal with guys and their wandering hands. I don't want to deal with worrying about what some boy thinks of my dress. I don't want to deal with afterparty drama. I don't want to deal with awkward dinner dates. I don't wanna deal with embarrassing wardrobe malfunctions. I don't wanna deal with awkward texts and stuff like that. That's why for once, it may be a good thing that I'm going stag to a dance. Normally, it would just depress me, but this time it may save me from a ton of stressful things. I'm growing into my own person, realizing that lack of a boyfriend doesn't need to be taken personally. Enjoy prom season, everyone!
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Prom Prep...
Well, there are two days till prom and a lot to do in that time. The most important thing, at least in my mind is to work out so I feel better about myself when prom actually happens. Second, I need to find comfy shoes that will go with my dress. I may have to enlist some fashion help from my aunt to pull that off (money included). I'm not gonna bother with makeup. I think I look perfectly fine without it, thank you very much. Plus, makeup is too much of a hassle. There's no hope of me learning to dance better before then, and the guy I asked has made it pretty clear he's not interested in coming in the group to see what it's like. In the meantime, there's ironing to be done, becuase my dress and shrug look really wrinkly. I also need to figure out what the heck I'm gonna do with my hair. ( I swear the stuff has a mind of its own!) I'm definitely not letting my mom drag me to Great Clips like she did before homecoming, because I walked away with a million bobby pins, crunchy curls and a two day case of helmet head. I also need to find a way to get some sleep in before getting ready for a concert the next day and possibly seeing a play. Man, it looks like I'm in for a heck of a time, one way or another.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
My solution to the "don't ask, don't tell" policy debate
I think it's stupid that openly gay people can't be in the army. I mean, there are some great people who were in training for the military who had to leave the army because they revealed they were gay. It's not fair to gay people that they have to stay closeted if the want to serve their country. I think that goes against the Constitution because it says all people have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. What if simply being allowed to be themselves without having to keep part of them in the closet is their pursuit of happiness. Some opponents of the repealing of "don't ask, don't tell" say that having openly gay military members housed with other soldiers their own gender is as awkward as if you put the opposite genders in housing together. Well, if that's all their worried about, then the solution is simple: straight girls with straight girls, straight guys with straight guys, gays with gays and lesbians with lesbians. Then everyone could feel comfortable and be themselves.
I say this because I have several friends who are gay, and who would be happy to serve their wcountry but can't because they don't want to go back into the closet after working so hard to come out of the closet in the first place. They are passionate about protecting the US and are proud Americans, yet this policy is barring them from military service simply on grounds of sexual orientation. This policy is blatantly anti-gay and prejudiced. It's terrible that they cannot do what they want simply because the armed forces have homophobic policies. A lot of homosexuals who have "mission critical" skills like speaking Arabic are turned away simply because they are homosexual. Think how much more sucessful and/or larger the armed forces could be if all those homomsexual people were allowed to join! We would have more manpower, more translators, more intelligence. But as it is, we don't. It's time to change America's homophobic policies like "don't ask, don't tell" and also allow gay marriage. Homosexuals deserve happiness and the right to the jobs of their choice just as much as heterosexuals.
I say this because I have several friends who are gay, and who would be happy to serve their wcountry but can't because they don't want to go back into the closet after working so hard to come out of the closet in the first place. They are passionate about protecting the US and are proud Americans, yet this policy is barring them from military service simply on grounds of sexual orientation. This policy is blatantly anti-gay and prejudiced. It's terrible that they cannot do what they want simply because the armed forces have homophobic policies. A lot of homosexuals who have "mission critical" skills like speaking Arabic are turned away simply because they are homosexual. Think how much more sucessful and/or larger the armed forces could be if all those homomsexual people were allowed to join! We would have more manpower, more translators, more intelligence. But as it is, we don't. It's time to change America's homophobic policies like "don't ask, don't tell" and also allow gay marriage. Homosexuals deserve happiness and the right to the jobs of their choice just as much as heterosexuals.
Monday, May 9, 2011
A week in the life...
Monday: Drumline, parade rehearsal
Tuesday: Thankfully nothing
Wendsday: Drum lessons
Thursday: Drumline, parade rehearsal, band concert
Friday: Linworth Prom
Saturday: play, We Followed The Giant concert
Sunday: Band extravaganza
Busy week, that's for sure! I'm not quite sure how I'll manage all of this stuff that's going on, but I want to be part of everything. I also wrote a song shortly after midnight, so I have some achievements for the week done already. I have some big projects I have to work on to get finished on time to turn in next week. The weirdest thing I have have ever done for a school project is officially making a hippo out of clay. I thought it would be easy because their bodies are just kinda lumpy, but it actually took more shaping than I thought. Time to be a homework ninja and get as much as possible done so I don't have to worry about the stuff later in the week. I have my hands full, between band and school and personal interests.
Tuesday: Thankfully nothing
Wendsday: Drum lessons
Thursday: Drumline, parade rehearsal, band concert
Friday: Linworth Prom
Saturday: play, We Followed The Giant concert
Sunday: Band extravaganza
Busy week, that's for sure! I'm not quite sure how I'll manage all of this stuff that's going on, but I want to be part of everything. I also wrote a song shortly after midnight, so I have some achievements for the week done already. I have some big projects I have to work on to get finished on time to turn in next week. The weirdest thing I have have ever done for a school project is officially making a hippo out of clay. I thought it would be easy because their bodies are just kinda lumpy, but it actually took more shaping than I thought. Time to be a homework ninja and get as much as possible done so I don't have to worry about the stuff later in the week. I have my hands full, between band and school and personal interests.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
All things band blog #1
Marching band and drumline:
Got assigned to pit today. They haven't placed us on definite instruments yet (keyboards) but I will be playing cymbals in the Memorial Day Parade. Our cadence this year is called "Dur". I will be playing four-mallet keyboard music, and already have blisters from practicing that. The show this year for marching band is "Cirque du Soliel".
Friends' Bands:
Blame It On Yesterday
A local metal band. They put up the audio for their song "Questions, Answers?" the other day and have shot from #94 on the metal charts for Columbus to #23 as of the time this was posted, within a period of four days. They are hoping to professionally record the song soon, as the version on YouTube right now was recorded using a Guitar Hero microphone. Go like their Facebook page! They have shows coming up soon.
We Followed The Giant
A local post-hardcore band. Their single "Avert Your Gaze" will drop on the 19th on iTunes and Amazon. "The Little Perc Who Couldn't" is expected to release soon as well. They are having a concert at the A & R Music Bar on the 14th of this month. They are currently #18 on the alternative charts for Columbus. They hope to release their EP this summer. Go like their Facebook page, and you'll be helping all of us fans get "The Little Perc That Couldn't" sneak peek sooner.
Gentlemen
Yet another local band, made up of Kilbourne students. They have two songs up on their Facebook page and would appriciate it if you listened and gave feedback. (Oh, and like their page. That helps.)
Go support them!
My band:
I am an independent singer, guitarist (crappy), piano player and drummer (intermediate). I write my own songs and will be posting some soon. Check out Anna Laird (band page) on Facebook and ReverbNation soon for songs and/or video.
Got assigned to pit today. They haven't placed us on definite instruments yet (keyboards) but I will be playing cymbals in the Memorial Day Parade. Our cadence this year is called "Dur". I will be playing four-mallet keyboard music, and already have blisters from practicing that. The show this year for marching band is "Cirque du Soliel".
Friends' Bands:
Blame It On Yesterday
A local metal band. They put up the audio for their song "Questions, Answers?" the other day and have shot from #94 on the metal charts for Columbus to #23 as of the time this was posted, within a period of four days. They are hoping to professionally record the song soon, as the version on YouTube right now was recorded using a Guitar Hero microphone. Go like their Facebook page! They have shows coming up soon.
We Followed The Giant
A local post-hardcore band. Their single "Avert Your Gaze" will drop on the 19th on iTunes and Amazon. "The Little Perc Who Couldn't" is expected to release soon as well. They are having a concert at the A & R Music Bar on the 14th of this month. They are currently #18 on the alternative charts for Columbus. They hope to release their EP this summer. Go like their Facebook page, and you'll be helping all of us fans get "The Little Perc That Couldn't" sneak peek sooner.
Gentlemen
Yet another local band, made up of Kilbourne students. They have two songs up on their Facebook page and would appriciate it if you listened and gave feedback. (Oh, and like their page. That helps.)
Go support them!
My band:
I am an independent singer, guitarist (crappy), piano player and drummer (intermediate). I write my own songs and will be posting some soon. Check out Anna Laird (band page) on Facebook and ReverbNation soon for songs and/or video.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
The Death of Bin Laden: Good or Bad?
With many people celebrating the death of Osama Bin Laden at the the hands of Navy Seals Team 6, I find myself once again outspoken on the topic of his death. Many people are celebrating in the streets and saying things like "We got him!" and "I'm glad he's dead." Yet I feel this is the wrong reaction. What good does it do to celebrate the murder of someone, regardless of who they are and what they have done? It does nothing. Murdering him in the frst place would have been enough reason for the jihadis to hate us even more, but then we go celebrating his death on top of everything else? I'm horrified by how boodthirtsty this makes Americans look.
Even some of the people who lost family members during 9/11 have said it only gave them a grim sense of satifaction. Not real happiness. Nothing can really "avenge" the deaths that happened that day. There is no way that killing him could have brought those thousands of people back.
I don't think we should have killed him. As bizarre as it sounds, I think they should have offered him the chance to be taken alive, and then when he rejected the offer they should have told him they would kill him. Better for them to warn him and have him take his own life than get more blood on our hands. But as it is, we murdered him.
Some people are refusing to call it murder because they think he did so many terrible things that it should just be said that we "killed" him, "disposed" of him or "finished him off". I think that by refusing to call it murder that we are lowering ourselves to the level of the terrorists who were as happy as we are now when the twin towers went down. No matter how many terrible things he did, it still remains that we caused his death intentionally, which makes it murder.
I think we need to remain vigilant because there is the possibiliy of jihad attacks in retaliation for Osama Bin Laden's murder. By murdering him, we have simply given them a justified reason to hate us. We have made their hate and accusations of Western Civilization real. We have given them a reason to hate us that we cannot deny. We are now equally to blame and may have even gotten ourselves into more of a mess. Anyone who thinks we will not be attacked just because we've taken Al Queda's leader away is a fool. You know a cunning person like that surely knew the day would come when he would be found and surely made arrangements for leaders after him.
Even some of the people who lost family members during 9/11 have said it only gave them a grim sense of satifaction. Not real happiness. Nothing can really "avenge" the deaths that happened that day. There is no way that killing him could have brought those thousands of people back.
I don't think we should have killed him. As bizarre as it sounds, I think they should have offered him the chance to be taken alive, and then when he rejected the offer they should have told him they would kill him. Better for them to warn him and have him take his own life than get more blood on our hands. But as it is, we murdered him.
Some people are refusing to call it murder because they think he did so many terrible things that it should just be said that we "killed" him, "disposed" of him or "finished him off". I think that by refusing to call it murder that we are lowering ourselves to the level of the terrorists who were as happy as we are now when the twin towers went down. No matter how many terrible things he did, it still remains that we caused his death intentionally, which makes it murder.
I think we need to remain vigilant because there is the possibiliy of jihad attacks in retaliation for Osama Bin Laden's murder. By murdering him, we have simply given them a justified reason to hate us. We have made their hate and accusations of Western Civilization real. We have given them a reason to hate us that we cannot deny. We are now equally to blame and may have even gotten ourselves into more of a mess. Anyone who thinks we will not be attacked just because we've taken Al Queda's leader away is a fool. You know a cunning person like that surely knew the day would come when he would be found and surely made arrangements for leaders after him.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Time Most Influential 100 People list versus my opinion: Cecile Richards
Name: Cecile Richards
Occupation: President of Planned Parenthood
Age: 51
Other: Mother of three, founded Texas Freedom Network
Time 100 most influential; article
I agree that Cecile Richards has been an influential person this year, but I also think that she was not influential in a positive way, as the article would paint her to be. Cecile Richards is the current president of Planned Parenthood. She is well known to be a pro-choice activist and is a Democrat. She inaccurately described the attempts to take title X money away from Planned Parenthood an attack on women's healthcare rights. While Planned Parenthood has kept the money seperate from that used for abortions, their recieving the money is freeing up other money from their donors to be used for abortions and abortion-related services. There is no basis enough for law to prosecute Planned Parenthood, but Planned Parenthood WAS making false claims saying it was "an attack on women's healthcare". She needs to realize that her company is not the only organization in the US that provides contraception and other HELPFUL, NON-HARMFUL services to women. They claimed that they do mammograms for women, but NO PLANNED PARENTHOOD DOES MAMMOGRAMS. They refer people to hospitals and other places that DO provide mammograms.
Negatively influential, not positively. Please understand this, people. Look at her. She can't be happy, truely happy with herself in the end. Her eyes are dead and void of happiness and life. Her smile looks so forced. The whole expression on her face does. It is like a mask. You have to wonder what she really thinks, what her real motives are. It makes you wonder if something deep inside her is hinting that what she's working for is wrong and that she's just denying it. I guess we'll never know.
Occupation: President of Planned Parenthood
Age: 51
Other: Mother of three, founded Texas Freedom Network
Time 100 most influential; article
I agree that Cecile Richards has been an influential person this year, but I also think that she was not influential in a positive way, as the article would paint her to be. Cecile Richards is the current president of Planned Parenthood. She is well known to be a pro-choice activist and is a Democrat. She inaccurately described the attempts to take title X money away from Planned Parenthood an attack on women's healthcare rights. While Planned Parenthood has kept the money seperate from that used for abortions, their recieving the money is freeing up other money from their donors to be used for abortions and abortion-related services. There is no basis enough for law to prosecute Planned Parenthood, but Planned Parenthood WAS making false claims saying it was "an attack on women's healthcare". She needs to realize that her company is not the only organization in the US that provides contraception and other HELPFUL, NON-HARMFUL services to women. They claimed that they do mammograms for women, but NO PLANNED PARENTHOOD DOES MAMMOGRAMS. They refer people to hospitals and other places that DO provide mammograms.
Negatively influential, not positively. Please understand this, people. Look at her. She can't be happy, truely happy with herself in the end. Her eyes are dead and void of happiness and life. Her smile looks so forced. The whole expression on her face does. It is like a mask. You have to wonder what she really thinks, what her real motives are. It makes you wonder if something deep inside her is hinting that what she's working for is wrong and that she's just denying it. I guess we'll never know.
Monday, April 25, 2011
The "peep show" PEEPs contest: Entry 1
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Why I am Pro-Life
Lately, I've been getting a lot of questions about why I am pro-life, in this day and age. So, today I will explain myself and my reasoning. This is in the wake of the Live Action Films' "Why I am prolife" campain. I found the idea interesting, and it made me want to explain myself in far more than 140 characters.
The first thing that made me think I was prolife was the fact that it's just not right to tear a baby out of the mother's womb. If you think about it, no other animals do that. You don't see monkeys doing it. You don't see sharks doing it. You don't see lions doing it. All of them know that it's wrong. You don't kill your own offspring. That's the stupidest genetic choice you could possibly make, whatever species you are.
Second of all, I saw real pictures and videos of abortion. Abortion pictures and video . My heart was racing for a good half-hour afterwards. I thought I was going to puke as I watched the video, it was that overwhelmingly sickening. Your body reacts to these graphics. You see how terrible this sort of thing really is when you see fleshy, pink body parts severed and lying against different objects so you can see the size these are. You see the horror of it when you see the bloody body parts. Reality hits you when you see a baby being aborted, pulled out of the mother's body in seperate pieces. That's when you know you cannot be silent anymore.
Third of all, these are our fellow human beings, being denied personhood by our government. Our government is tolerating murder/infanticide, when you think about it. The unborn are the most vulnerable in ur society. It says something about us that we don't bother to protect them. If the government can't protect them, then how can we trust them to protect us, the ones who made it to birth and beyond?
Then there's the fact that a baby is so helpless. They are completely at our mercy, they can do nothing to protect themselves. They rely on us to care for them, but then we let their mothers kill them? I'm sorry, but that's just messed up.
Even more messed up is the fact that you're more likely to die in the womb from abortion than to be killed in warfare. It's awful that you'd be better off on the battelfield than before birth. That's just scary to think about. In a way, abortion is a war on life. And the war has taken millions of casualties.
We have to protect these babies. They have no voice, so we have to stand up for them and BE their voice. We cannot let this legacy of murder continue any longer. It had been almost 40 years since the decision to legalize abortion across the US was made. Let's make the decision to take the evil words back.
The first thing that made me think I was prolife was the fact that it's just not right to tear a baby out of the mother's womb. If you think about it, no other animals do that. You don't see monkeys doing it. You don't see sharks doing it. You don't see lions doing it. All of them know that it's wrong. You don't kill your own offspring. That's the stupidest genetic choice you could possibly make, whatever species you are.
Second of all, I saw real pictures and videos of abortion. Abortion pictures and video . My heart was racing for a good half-hour afterwards. I thought I was going to puke as I watched the video, it was that overwhelmingly sickening. Your body reacts to these graphics. You see how terrible this sort of thing really is when you see fleshy, pink body parts severed and lying against different objects so you can see the size these are. You see the horror of it when you see the bloody body parts. Reality hits you when you see a baby being aborted, pulled out of the mother's body in seperate pieces. That's when you know you cannot be silent anymore.
Third of all, these are our fellow human beings, being denied personhood by our government. Our government is tolerating murder/infanticide, when you think about it. The unborn are the most vulnerable in ur society. It says something about us that we don't bother to protect them. If the government can't protect them, then how can we trust them to protect us, the ones who made it to birth and beyond?
Then there's the fact that a baby is so helpless. They are completely at our mercy, they can do nothing to protect themselves. They rely on us to care for them, but then we let their mothers kill them? I'm sorry, but that's just messed up.
Even more messed up is the fact that you're more likely to die in the womb from abortion than to be killed in warfare. It's awful that you'd be better off on the battelfield than before birth. That's just scary to think about. In a way, abortion is a war on life. And the war has taken millions of casualties.
We have to protect these babies. They have no voice, so we have to stand up for them and BE their voice. We cannot let this legacy of murder continue any longer. It had been almost 40 years since the decision to legalize abortion across the US was made. Let's make the decision to take the evil words back.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Cherynobyl vs Fukashima Daichi
Now that the Japanese government has raised the level of its nuclear disaster to a 7 on the scale, on the same level as Cherynobyl. There's been a lot of debate as to whether this is an accurate evaluation or not. Cherynobyl is considered by most to be far worse than the Fukashima Daichi disaster. Far more radiation was leaked/expelled by the Cherynobyl disaster due to the fact that the reactor core was made of highly combustible graphite, which caught fire when the heat from the meltdown reached the point at which the substance would ignite. The reactor then exploded, spewing highly radioactive gases and materials high into the atmosphere. Jet streams and such carried the radiation all over the world.
The Fukashima Daichi incident has really freaked people out lately. What with all the paranoia about the possibility of a meltdown shortly after the earthquake, it really had people from all walks of life freaked out about what kind of repercussions something like that could have. There was panic about whether radiation would leak into the ocean and poison fish and other products, as well as harming ocean life. They also were worried about the groundwater becoming tainted. An odd similarity between the two disasters is that the government either tried to cover up the event or that figures about the radiation levels was distorted. Now the main problem is no longer the risk of explosions or meltdowns, it's what the government and TEPCO are going to do with all that contaminated, radioactive water that's leaked and been building up.
In my opinion, they should either add an eight on the scale for the Cherynobyl, or the level of the Fukashima Daichi incident should be lowered, because these two incidents are obviously not on the same level as each other. Cherynobyl is by far the worse of the two incidents, and so far, it has had the greatest fallout.
The Fukashima Daichi incident has really freaked people out lately. What with all the paranoia about the possibility of a meltdown shortly after the earthquake, it really had people from all walks of life freaked out about what kind of repercussions something like that could have. There was panic about whether radiation would leak into the ocean and poison fish and other products, as well as harming ocean life. They also were worried about the groundwater becoming tainted. An odd similarity between the two disasters is that the government either tried to cover up the event or that figures about the radiation levels was distorted. Now the main problem is no longer the risk of explosions or meltdowns, it's what the government and TEPCO are going to do with all that contaminated, radioactive water that's leaked and been building up.
In my opinion, they should either add an eight on the scale for the Cherynobyl, or the level of the Fukashima Daichi incident should be lowered, because these two incidents are obviously not on the same level as each other. Cherynobyl is by far the worse of the two incidents, and so far, it has had the greatest fallout.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Fashion finds!
Recently, I have joined a indie fashion site and made a few friends on there. My favorite designers right now are who I'm gonna feature today! They are Zora Belle(Liz Pape) and Boheme, on UsTrendy. Here are some of my top picks!  |
| Boheme's Art Noveau Iris Pendant A beautiful brass charm that's actually affordable. Has a vintage look to it. The pendant would probably look best with a girly outfit or at a formal occasion. |
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| Boheme's A Beautiful Day In Paris necklace A pretty button charm has a picture of the the Eiffel tower, with postcard script overlaid. There's also a golden charm that says "Oui" (yes) and a delicate white rose on the chain. Perfect for those who love fashion, travel and anything girly. |
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| Intricate Gothic-style locket that opens for storage. Goes well with formal outfits and also with rather quirky outfits. Add this night-time friend to your collection of jewelry. Very detailed. |
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| Boheme's Memories of Paris necklace. A pretty, silver finish chain is the base of the necklace. There is a small Eiffel Tower charm, a picture of the tower from afar, and a small metal tag suspended from the chain. Great for those who love travel and classic fashion. Goes great even with casual outfits. |
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| Boheme's Time to Fly necklace. A classic pair of pilot's wings, with real clock gears mounted on them. It would make a great gift for any steampunk fan, and makes you appriciate the painstaking detail that goes into clockwork. Pairs well with army-style outfits or jackets. Also works well with worn-out clothes you'd do messy jobs in. |
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| Tiny Dancer's Farmer's Daughter Full Red Skirt. A great piece for when you want to feel girly, this comfortable red skirt has lace trim at the bottom. This skirt looks great even on curvy girls because the top of the skirt sits at the natural waist. Very versatile, it could be worn dressed-down with a tee and sneakers, or dressed-up with a blouse and heels. |
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| Tiny Dancer's High Waist Plaid skirt. This skirt creates a flattering shape on most body types, seeing as it settles at the natural waist. It is made with re-used material, making it eco-friendly, a plus in any buyer's book. I like it because it makes me think of a more classic era in fashion and the fun it must have been to be a schoolgirl back in the day. |
Monday, April 4, 2011
Assault, stupidity, and colleges...oh my!
NPR Article about federal government action
Finally, a sign that our government can do at least some things right: the federal government has told universities and schools to not simply rely on what's referred to as "bystander education" (educate the other students to intervene so the school won't have to) and to properly follow through with investigations of claims of sexual assault. A recent government study had revealed that some universities aren't doing their part and leave the perpatrators unpunished and punish the victim for any rules broken, usually leaving them at the mercy of the perpatrator. Even in the Ivy League, this was a problem. Because of legal technicalities, you could even say that some of these universities accidentally skirted the law.
There's no doubt that these days, sexual assault is a problem, especially at the college level. Some guys think they can do anything they want to a girl in college because they are legal adults and their parents can't tell them what to do anymore. To a**holes like that, I say "There are things called laws for a reason." The trend of violence (escepically of the sexual sort) comes as no surprise. Guys are being taught that these kinds of actions are okay because you see them in the media all the time. If you doubt me, watch a few popular TV shows and a few music videos, or listen to some pop music. You'll quickly see what I mean. Studies have shown that sex in the media and teenage pregnancy are lined. With growing examples of sexual violence in the media, is it any surprise that accusations like this are coming to light? It shouldn't be a surprise.
The media is not the only one at fault here. Parents are partially to blame as well. Many parents can barely bring up the topic of sex while talking to their kids, let alone inform them about sexual violence or proper attitudes towards women. Parents should be teaching their sons the right way to act towards girls and the right way to treat them. That said, they should also be teaching their daughters what to do if a guy acts "improperly" towards them, that they should not have to deal with that guy, and self-defense.
It's sad to hear, but if you ask students at high schools and colleges, they're more than likely to tell you that there are at least rumors that things resembling sexual assault have happened recently. School officials have been slacking off in general about everything lately, as proved by the slews of school shootings, bullying videos, and student suicides. A few years ago, a dancer who had once worked with my dance instructor was murdered in her apartment after being assaulted by a man she had recently met. She was in college at the time. I can tell you that just this past fall, students at a local high school were caught doing it in a car in the school parking lot during school hours. That is clear proof that school administators and other staff are not doing their jobs. They should be concerned with the safety of their students and making sure they have a safe school environment. They should also be doing more to crack down on students who skip classes, investigating why the kid was out of class and what they were doing. Colleges delaying investigations of claims (leaving the victim at the perpatrator's mercy in the process) are obviously failing the "safety of their students" part, to say the least.
I think the government is doing the right thing in this case, because they are promoting justice and the safety of their people, which is what should be happening in the first place. Schools and universities that have been slacking off should have to do extra to make it up to the students who were punished for things involved in the assault despite the fact that they were the victim. That's just unacceptable. You can punish them later, if you're really that mean, but get rid of the greater evil first! (It's called logic, people. You should try it.) I feel that-as bad as this is going to sound- government involvment is the only way to get schools and universities to stop shoving these under the rug and that this will keep them from not doing their part. Congratulations to the government- you're at least taking some steps to fix this broken system.
Finally, a sign that our government can do at least some things right: the federal government has told universities and schools to not simply rely on what's referred to as "bystander education" (educate the other students to intervene so the school won't have to) and to properly follow through with investigations of claims of sexual assault. A recent government study had revealed that some universities aren't doing their part and leave the perpatrators unpunished and punish the victim for any rules broken, usually leaving them at the mercy of the perpatrator. Even in the Ivy League, this was a problem. Because of legal technicalities, you could even say that some of these universities accidentally skirted the law.
There's no doubt that these days, sexual assault is a problem, especially at the college level. Some guys think they can do anything they want to a girl in college because they are legal adults and their parents can't tell them what to do anymore. To a**holes like that, I say "There are things called laws for a reason." The trend of violence (escepically of the sexual sort) comes as no surprise. Guys are being taught that these kinds of actions are okay because you see them in the media all the time. If you doubt me, watch a few popular TV shows and a few music videos, or listen to some pop music. You'll quickly see what I mean. Studies have shown that sex in the media and teenage pregnancy are lined. With growing examples of sexual violence in the media, is it any surprise that accusations like this are coming to light? It shouldn't be a surprise.
The media is not the only one at fault here. Parents are partially to blame as well. Many parents can barely bring up the topic of sex while talking to their kids, let alone inform them about sexual violence or proper attitudes towards women. Parents should be teaching their sons the right way to act towards girls and the right way to treat them. That said, they should also be teaching their daughters what to do if a guy acts "improperly" towards them, that they should not have to deal with that guy, and self-defense.
It's sad to hear, but if you ask students at high schools and colleges, they're more than likely to tell you that there are at least rumors that things resembling sexual assault have happened recently. School officials have been slacking off in general about everything lately, as proved by the slews of school shootings, bullying videos, and student suicides. A few years ago, a dancer who had once worked with my dance instructor was murdered in her apartment after being assaulted by a man she had recently met. She was in college at the time. I can tell you that just this past fall, students at a local high school were caught doing it in a car in the school parking lot during school hours. That is clear proof that school administators and other staff are not doing their jobs. They should be concerned with the safety of their students and making sure they have a safe school environment. They should also be doing more to crack down on students who skip classes, investigating why the kid was out of class and what they were doing. Colleges delaying investigations of claims (leaving the victim at the perpatrator's mercy in the process) are obviously failing the "safety of their students" part, to say the least.
I think the government is doing the right thing in this case, because they are promoting justice and the safety of their people, which is what should be happening in the first place. Schools and universities that have been slacking off should have to do extra to make it up to the students who were punished for things involved in the assault despite the fact that they were the victim. That's just unacceptable. You can punish them later, if you're really that mean, but get rid of the greater evil first! (It's called logic, people. You should try it.) I feel that-as bad as this is going to sound- government involvment is the only way to get schools and universities to stop shoving these under the rug and that this will keep them from not doing their part. Congratulations to the government- you're at least taking some steps to fix this broken system.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
The issue of teen bullying
Teen bullying is a major issue today. Stories of bullying targets committing suicide are becoming so common in this day and age that it's horrifying. It shows that bullying can now follow you wherever you go, thanks to technology. Even since my generation was born, things have changed a lot. Facebook and other social media makes it so easy to bully people and spread rumors today, and there is almost nowhere to escape from it unless you plan on becoming a hermit or something ridiculous like that, which is totally out of the question for students still in school. The bullying is like constant mental battery.
Mean people can really take advantage of these sites to contact and harass their victims. It's nearly inpossible to save Facebook chats, making it so that the victims don't have proof of the bullying. People are far less trusting than in the past, and oftentimes they think the victim is just making stuff up. Bullying even happens right under the noses of teachers, who remain oblivious. More often than not, the classmates intervene before the teacher has even realized what's been going on. This usually comes fter several minutes worth of torment. Sometimes, the classmates just ignore what's going on and let a group of bullies gang up on someone. I know I've been in that situation several times as the victim.
Bullies' words really do affect their victims. Sticks and stones may break your bones, but simple words can kill you. The wrong remark at the wrong time can cause someone to commit suicide. Suicide is even more of a danger when the remark is something like "Go die" or "nobody cares". Remarks about appearance really hurt people.
Who are we to judge everyone else? We are not perfect, and neither is anyone else. We're human, we make mistakes. We can't help the situations that we are born into. You never know what may have happenned in someone's life that may make a remark of yours sting even more to them than to anyone else. When I see situations like the little Australian bully and his bigger victim who finally snapped after years of torment, I am more likely to sympathize with the victim. In that case, the victim is more believable in all the interviews. His reaction was not appropriate, but he had far more reason for taking the action he did than the bully, with the flimsy excuse of only being called "the class idiot". Well, in my book, you ARE the class idiot if you're bullying someone.
Mean people can really take advantage of these sites to contact and harass their victims. It's nearly inpossible to save Facebook chats, making it so that the victims don't have proof of the bullying. People are far less trusting than in the past, and oftentimes they think the victim is just making stuff up. Bullying even happens right under the noses of teachers, who remain oblivious. More often than not, the classmates intervene before the teacher has even realized what's been going on. This usually comes fter several minutes worth of torment. Sometimes, the classmates just ignore what's going on and let a group of bullies gang up on someone. I know I've been in that situation several times as the victim.
Bullies' words really do affect their victims. Sticks and stones may break your bones, but simple words can kill you. The wrong remark at the wrong time can cause someone to commit suicide. Suicide is even more of a danger when the remark is something like "Go die" or "nobody cares". Remarks about appearance really hurt people.
Who are we to judge everyone else? We are not perfect, and neither is anyone else. We're human, we make mistakes. We can't help the situations that we are born into. You never know what may have happenned in someone's life that may make a remark of yours sting even more to them than to anyone else. When I see situations like the little Australian bully and his bigger victim who finally snapped after years of torment, I am more likely to sympathize with the victim. In that case, the victim is more believable in all the interviews. His reaction was not appropriate, but he had far more reason for taking the action he did than the bully, with the flimsy excuse of only being called "the class idiot". Well, in my book, you ARE the class idiot if you're bullying someone.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Government insanity
I feel like all the government is going pretty insane right now. All over the world, we have these revolutions occuring. I will repeat what I said back when Egypt was revolting: "If the leader does not step down, they are almost surely going to be killed." All of these countries are just repeating the processes. We have so many places where there are bombs dropping, bullets flying, fires burning and when it's all over, there will be massive numbers of people dead. It repeats itself without fail. It is ridiculous to assume that this is all going to solve itself peacefuly, despite the fact that I am an advocate of peace. All the revolutions are so out of control that there is no quick, clean end to them. Knowing how world history has gone, then there will be violence from at least one side of the revolution. Usually both sides, because we humans love to fight and see blood and gore.
I've noticed that humans always seem to fight with each other. We have so many problems with communication and just generally getting along with each other. It never ceases to amaze me that the human species has survived as long as we have, considering how violent we are and how we manipulate each other. I mean, look at it from a purely objective view. We love to kill each other, we have people fight each other who get famous for it, we love to cause fights, we yell at each other a bunch, and we don't like people messing with our ideas because we always want to get our own way. Look at the apes in comparison, and how similar our DNA is to theirs. You don't see any of them purposely killing groups of themselves. They fear the best fighters. They realize they have to work together. When you consider we're developing things that will endanger life on Earth for years, we're being kind of stupid. Maybe the monkeys think we're the dumb little hairless ones who are pretty much killing each other off.
Everything is kind of changing all at once. I don't agree with any of the apocalypse theories, but I will say that natural disasters are becoming more and more frequent. It's so bizarre. It makes me think of the song "The Circle of Life" from The Lion King. Our earth is always destroying old material and creating new material. Continents and different landmasses slam into each other. Yet life goes on, despite it all. Welcome to life on earth. We're going in a continuous circle.
I've noticed that humans always seem to fight with each other. We have so many problems with communication and just generally getting along with each other. It never ceases to amaze me that the human species has survived as long as we have, considering how violent we are and how we manipulate each other. I mean, look at it from a purely objective view. We love to kill each other, we have people fight each other who get famous for it, we love to cause fights, we yell at each other a bunch, and we don't like people messing with our ideas because we always want to get our own way. Look at the apes in comparison, and how similar our DNA is to theirs. You don't see any of them purposely killing groups of themselves. They fear the best fighters. They realize they have to work together. When you consider we're developing things that will endanger life on Earth for years, we're being kind of stupid. Maybe the monkeys think we're the dumb little hairless ones who are pretty much killing each other off.
Everything is kind of changing all at once. I don't agree with any of the apocalypse theories, but I will say that natural disasters are becoming more and more frequent. It's so bizarre. It makes me think of the song "The Circle of Life" from The Lion King. Our earth is always destroying old material and creating new material. Continents and different landmasses slam into each other. Yet life goes on, despite it all. Welcome to life on earth. We're going in a continuous circle.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
The Live Action Films Debate
As Congress gets ready to determine the fate of the Pence amendment, there has been a buzz about the youth pro-life group, Live Action. I would like to clear up some of the common misunderstandings of Live Action and the undercover videos they have filmed using hidden cameras at Planned Parenthood locations all over the nation. I work with Live Action and, in fact, help distribute their magazine, The Advocate. People seem not to understand the aim of this group.
Misunderstanding #1: "They're trying to take away all the title X family planning money that Planned Parenthood receives from the federal government."
Arguments of why Planned Parenthood is being targeted
Planned Parenthood, while it does provide family planning services using contraception, and advertise themselves as such, is the nation's most well-known abortion provider, since abortion became legal in 1973. There are plenty of less corrupt businesses and organizations that provide similar services, but are far more deserving of the millions of dollars in federal funds (tax-payer money) that Planned Parenthood receives each year. Live Action is trying to point out that abortion is not a form of birth control and therefore it should not be considered family planning.
Misunderstanding #2: "Their 'undercover' videos are modified and spliced. They shouldn't be trusted."
Planned Parenthood avoiding the issues videos pose
Planned Parenthood changes its tune
If Planned Parenthood is truly without blame, why are they skirting accusations? If they were innocent, they would come right out and say it and deny the accusations. They run away from confrontation by their opposition, waiting instead till the opposition has had its say before telling their side, avoiding a court-system reminiscent fact check. I would also like to point out that if the staff in the video were innocent, then why were they all promptly fired? And why, before April of this year, are all their staff working with young adults and teens being retrained? Something is obviously wrong with this picture.
There's a pattern here. Video is released, Planned Parenthood calls foul play, they realize the odds are stacked against them, they fire the employees that were incriminated, increase security measures, and they try to act like it was an isolated incident. Repeat.
Misunderstanding #3: "The videos were an elaborate hoax. They reported the cases to the FBI immediately. The videos were selectively edited."
Full, unedited video footage
First of all, other organizations do undercover stings all the time and federal authorities aren't called on them simply for conducting a sting. Planned Parenthood reported to the FBI that they suspected a sting or elaborate hoax. At that time, Planned Parenthood did not inform the FBI or any other authorities of the possible criminal activity that they heard about. Only after Live Action told the public time after time that it had not been reported did Planned Parenthood ever notify the authorities. By then, Live Action had already contacted the Department of Justice.
Misunderstanding #4: " Planned Parenthood's services are only 3% abortion related. They are trying to help low income women and they provide many services for women's health. These women won't have anywhere else to turn if Planned Parenthood was shut down."
What Planned Parenthood is hiding
Facts? This sounds more like an ad
Planned Parenthood knows they're in danger of losing federal funds. They have even gone so far as to ask a million people to stand by them and write to Congress. They haven't quite reached their goal yet, but I can say that many more people have written to Congress via the Expose Planned Parenthood site alone, not counting through other sources. http://exposeplannedparenthood.net/contact-congress/ This link proves that in 2009 alone, about 1,500,000 pro-life people contacted Congress and other government officials.
Planned Parenthood does not even offer the breast cancer detection and prevention services that they claim to offer. The evidence supporting this comes straight from Planned Parenthood's own website. What Planned Parenthood does to promote breast health
Planned Parenthood has a quiz on their website that they say will help you determine the best method(s) for birth control for you and your partner. But with the quiz answers, you have a limited number of options and they basically force certain methods upon you. Take the quiz and see for yourself the limitations
Planned Parenthood has more than four million activists, supporters, and donors nationwide. The Planned Parenthood Action Network enables online activists in all 50 states to stay on top of the issues and get involved with campaigns that advance and protect women’s rights and health. Also furthering Planned Parenthood’s mission are several advisory boards and initiatives.
The Planned Parenthood Action Fund is an independent, nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization formed as the advocacy and political arm of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. Fortifying our commitment to protect women’s health, educate teens, and prevent unintended pregnancies, the Action Fund engages in educational and electoral activity, including public education campaigns, grassroots organizing, and legislative advocacy.
I would like to point out several flaws in this statement. If PP is the nation's most trusted reproductive healthcare center, then why are so many of their own employees who quit of their own free will turning against them and helping the pro-life side expose their former employer? Second of all, if they really were so concerned about women's health, then they would tell them all the facts about abortion. They claim that abortion is a safe, legal procedure. While it may have been deemed legal, that doesn't mean it's safe. Women who have abortions are at risk for miscarriages, ectopic pregnancies, uterine scarring, and infertility. They don't tell you that on the website when they give you information about abortion.
Look at what Planned Parenthood claims about the fetus trying to avoid being aborted.
· CLAIM: The 12-week fetus makes
purposeful movements (e.g., agitated
movement in an attempt to avoid suction
cannula).
· FACTS: At this stage of pregnancy, all
fetal movement is reflexive in nature
rather than purposeful, since the latter
requires cognition, which is the ability to
perceive and know. For cognition to occur,
the cortex (gray matter covering the brain)
must be present, as well as myelinization
(covering sheath) of the spinal cord and
attached nerves, which is not the case.
An example of the reflex withdrawal without
pain occurs in an anencephalic (absent
brain) newborn. Another known example of
the reflex movement at this stage of human
pregnancy is thumb sucking in utero.
What is termed “frantic activity” by the fetus
is a reflex response of the fetus resulting
from movement of the uterus and its
contents induced by operator manipulation of
the suction curette or the ultrasound
transducer on the abdomen. This same type
of response would likely occur with any
external stimulus. A one-cell organism such
as an amoeba will reflexively move or display
a withdrawal reaction when touched.
In addition, experts in ultrasonography and
film technology have concluded that the
videotape of the abortion was deliberately
slowed down and subsequently speeded up
to create an impression of hyperactivity.
This just reinforces that any living creature put in those circumstances would try to escape, because they know they are in danger.
· CLAIM: A fetus is indistinguishable from any
of the rest of us.
· FACTS: A fetus of 12 weeks cannot in any
way be compared to a fully formed
functioning person. At this stage only
rudiments of the organ systems are present.
The fetus is unable to sustain life outside the
woman’s womb, it is incapable of conscious
thought; it is incapable of essential breathing.
It is instead an in utero fetus with the
potential of becoming a child.
When exactly do we become a person, Planned Parenthood? Even a baby born preterm is considered a person, so why not in the womb.
· CLAIM: Fetal head at 12 weeks requires the
use of “crushing instruments” for extraction.
· FACTS: At 12 weeks’ gestation (10 weeks’
fetal age) and even 1-2 weeks beyond,
instrumentation other than a suction
cannula is not required when abortion is
properly performed. Cannulas for
aspiration abortion come in varying sizes,
and the larger sizes are adequate for
withdrawing the contents of the uterus.
They say only one to two weeks beyond can suction be continued, and they purposefully avoid anything that would say the fetus is a person or living. The fact that crushing instruments and such are mentioned as part of some abortions but not in their information about abortion procedures should underline that they are not telling the whole truth. In legal terms, this is considered lying "by ommission".
Planned Parenthood
With over 850 abortion clinics in the U.S. and abroad, Planned Parenthood is the largest abortion business in the world. Founded by Margaret Sanger in 1921 as the American Birth Control League, Planned Parenthood was renamed in 1942. Sanger was a eugenicist and an avowed racist. Her goal as a leader in the birth control movement was to exterminate “the feeble-minded”, including non-whites, the disabled, and other targeted groups from society. In her publication Woman, Morality, and Birth Control, she wrote, “Birth control must ultimately lead to a cleaner race.” (1922, page 12) In Birth Control Review, she wrote, “The most urgent problem today is how to limit and discourage the over-fertility of the mentally and physically defective.” (Oct. 1921, page 5) In a 1939 letter to Dr. Clarence Gamble, she wrote, “We want to hire three or four colored ministers, preferably with social service backgrounds and engaging personalities. The most successful approach to the Negro is through a religious appeal. We don’t want the word to go out that we want to exterminate the Negro population, and the minister is the man who can straighten out that idea if it ever occurs to any of their more rebellious members.” Would you call this helping lower-income, minority women? The organization has been messed up from the start.
It's your turn to decide whether Congress should let Planned Parenthood continue to use our tax dollars. The continuing resolution just voted on by Congress proposed cuts to their funding- and it passed. The House of Representatives voted almost two to one to pass the Pence amendment.
The elected officials respond to unedited footage
If Planned Parenthood wants to continue acting like this, they should do it with their own money and that of the "donors" they claim to have.
Misunderstanding #1: "They're trying to take away all the title X family planning money that Planned Parenthood receives from the federal government."
Arguments of why Planned Parenthood is being targeted
Planned Parenthood, while it does provide family planning services using contraception, and advertise themselves as such, is the nation's most well-known abortion provider, since abortion became legal in 1973. There are plenty of less corrupt businesses and organizations that provide similar services, but are far more deserving of the millions of dollars in federal funds (tax-payer money) that Planned Parenthood receives each year. Live Action is trying to point out that abortion is not a form of birth control and therefore it should not be considered family planning.
Misunderstanding #2: "Their 'undercover' videos are modified and spliced. They shouldn't be trusted."
Planned Parenthood avoiding the issues videos pose
Planned Parenthood changes its tune
If Planned Parenthood is truly without blame, why are they skirting accusations? If they were innocent, they would come right out and say it and deny the accusations. They run away from confrontation by their opposition, waiting instead till the opposition has had its say before telling their side, avoiding a court-system reminiscent fact check. I would also like to point out that if the staff in the video were innocent, then why were they all promptly fired? And why, before April of this year, are all their staff working with young adults and teens being retrained? Something is obviously wrong with this picture.
There's a pattern here. Video is released, Planned Parenthood calls foul play, they realize the odds are stacked against them, they fire the employees that were incriminated, increase security measures, and they try to act like it was an isolated incident. Repeat.
Misunderstanding #3: "The videos were an elaborate hoax. They reported the cases to the FBI immediately. The videos were selectively edited."
Full, unedited video footage
First of all, other organizations do undercover stings all the time and federal authorities aren't called on them simply for conducting a sting. Planned Parenthood reported to the FBI that they suspected a sting or elaborate hoax. At that time, Planned Parenthood did not inform the FBI or any other authorities of the possible criminal activity that they heard about. Only after Live Action told the public time after time that it had not been reported did Planned Parenthood ever notify the authorities. By then, Live Action had already contacted the Department of Justice.
Misunderstanding #4: " Planned Parenthood's services are only 3% abortion related. They are trying to help low income women and they provide many services for women's health. These women won't have anywhere else to turn if Planned Parenthood was shut down."
What Planned Parenthood is hiding
Facts? This sounds more like an ad
Planned Parenthood knows they're in danger of losing federal funds. They have even gone so far as to ask a million people to stand by them and write to Congress. They haven't quite reached their goal yet, but I can say that many more people have written to Congress via the Expose Planned Parenthood site alone, not counting through other sources. http://exposeplannedparenthood.net/contact-congress/ This link proves that in 2009 alone, about 1,500,000 pro-life people contacted Congress and other government officials.
Planned Parenthood does not even offer the breast cancer detection and prevention services that they claim to offer. The evidence supporting this comes straight from Planned Parenthood's own website. What Planned Parenthood does to promote breast health
Planned Parenthood has a quiz on their website that they say will help you determine the best method(s) for birth control for you and your partner. But with the quiz answers, you have a limited number of options and they basically force certain methods upon you. Take the quiz and see for yourself the limitations
Planned Parenthood's claims (from PP website)
Leading the Reproductive Health and Rights Movement
On campuses and online, in statehouses and courts, in community settings, and in the media, Planned Parenthood is a visible and passionate advocate for policies that enable Americans to access comprehensive reproductive and sexual health care, education, and information. Whether talking with members of Congress, parents, or faith leaders, or arguing cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, we fight for commonsense policies that promote women’s health, allow individuals to prevent unintended pregnancies through access to affordable contraception, and protect the health of young people by providing them with comprehensive sex education.Planned Parenthood has more than four million activists, supporters, and donors nationwide. The Planned Parenthood Action Network enables online activists in all 50 states to stay on top of the issues and get involved with campaigns that advance and protect women’s rights and health. Also furthering Planned Parenthood’s mission are several advisory boards and initiatives.
The Planned Parenthood Action Fund is an independent, nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization formed as the advocacy and political arm of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. Fortifying our commitment to protect women’s health, educate teens, and prevent unintended pregnancies, the Action Fund engages in educational and electoral activity, including public education campaigns, grassroots organizing, and legislative advocacy.
I would like to point out several flaws in this statement. If PP is the nation's most trusted reproductive healthcare center, then why are so many of their own employees who quit of their own free will turning against them and helping the pro-life side expose their former employer? Second of all, if they really were so concerned about women's health, then they would tell them all the facts about abortion. They claim that abortion is a safe, legal procedure. While it may have been deemed legal, that doesn't mean it's safe. Women who have abortions are at risk for miscarriages, ectopic pregnancies, uterine scarring, and infertility. They don't tell you that on the website when they give you information about abortion.
Look at what Planned Parenthood claims about the fetus trying to avoid being aborted.
· CLAIM: The 12-week fetus makes
purposeful movements (e.g., agitated
movement in an attempt to avoid suction
cannula).
· FACTS: At this stage of pregnancy, all
fetal movement is reflexive in nature
rather than purposeful, since the latter
requires cognition, which is the ability to
perceive and know. For cognition to occur,
the cortex (gray matter covering the brain)
must be present, as well as myelinization
(covering sheath) of the spinal cord and
attached nerves, which is not the case.
An example of the reflex withdrawal without
pain occurs in an anencephalic (absent
brain) newborn. Another known example of
the reflex movement at this stage of human
pregnancy is thumb sucking in utero.
What is termed “frantic activity” by the fetus
is a reflex response of the fetus resulting
from movement of the uterus and its
contents induced by operator manipulation of
the suction curette or the ultrasound
transducer on the abdomen. This same type
of response would likely occur with any
external stimulus. A one-cell organism such
as an amoeba will reflexively move or display
a withdrawal reaction when touched.
In addition, experts in ultrasonography and
film technology have concluded that the
videotape of the abortion was deliberately
slowed down and subsequently speeded up
to create an impression of hyperactivity.
This just reinforces that any living creature put in those circumstances would try to escape, because they know they are in danger.
· CLAIM: A fetus is indistinguishable from any
of the rest of us.
· FACTS: A fetus of 12 weeks cannot in any
way be compared to a fully formed
functioning person. At this stage only
rudiments of the organ systems are present.
The fetus is unable to sustain life outside the
woman’s womb, it is incapable of conscious
thought; it is incapable of essential breathing.
It is instead an in utero fetus with the
potential of becoming a child.
When exactly do we become a person, Planned Parenthood? Even a baby born preterm is considered a person, so why not in the womb.
· CLAIM: Fetal head at 12 weeks requires the
use of “crushing instruments” for extraction.
· FACTS: At 12 weeks’ gestation (10 weeks’
fetal age) and even 1-2 weeks beyond,
instrumentation other than a suction
cannula is not required when abortion is
properly performed. Cannulas for
aspiration abortion come in varying sizes,
and the larger sizes are adequate for
withdrawing the contents of the uterus.
They say only one to two weeks beyond can suction be continued, and they purposefully avoid anything that would say the fetus is a person or living. The fact that crushing instruments and such are mentioned as part of some abortions but not in their information about abortion procedures should underline that they are not telling the whole truth. In legal terms, this is considered lying "by ommission".
Planned Parenthood
With over 850 abortion clinics in the U.S. and abroad, Planned Parenthood is the largest abortion business in the world. Founded by Margaret Sanger in 1921 as the American Birth Control League, Planned Parenthood was renamed in 1942. Sanger was a eugenicist and an avowed racist. Her goal as a leader in the birth control movement was to exterminate “the feeble-minded”, including non-whites, the disabled, and other targeted groups from society. In her publication Woman, Morality, and Birth Control, she wrote, “Birth control must ultimately lead to a cleaner race.” (1922, page 12) In Birth Control Review, she wrote, “The most urgent problem today is how to limit and discourage the over-fertility of the mentally and physically defective.” (Oct. 1921, page 5) In a 1939 letter to Dr. Clarence Gamble, she wrote, “We want to hire three or four colored ministers, preferably with social service backgrounds and engaging personalities. The most successful approach to the Negro is through a religious appeal. We don’t want the word to go out that we want to exterminate the Negro population, and the minister is the man who can straighten out that idea if it ever occurs to any of their more rebellious members.” Would you call this helping lower-income, minority women? The organization has been messed up from the start.
It's your turn to decide whether Congress should let Planned Parenthood continue to use our tax dollars. The continuing resolution just voted on by Congress proposed cuts to their funding- and it passed. The House of Representatives voted almost two to one to pass the Pence amendment.
The elected officials respond to unedited footage
If Planned Parenthood wants to continue acting like this, they should do it with their own money and that of the "donors" they claim to have.
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