Shades of Gray

I'm back in the throws of school.  It's a good semester, but a busy one.  I mean, I'm at school almost every day of the week right now.  How did that happen?

I have come to the conclusion that Facebook is a terrible place for political poking.  I post  things with the idea of starting conversation on both sides; what happens instead is everyone gets so worked up over what they believe and over the topic that it becomes a posting war of sorts.  It's like grown people have forgotten how to debate and articulate their ideas.  You know, don't attack the people, attack the issues; listen to both sides and put out facts to back your claims.

I'm rather disappointed, actually.

A friend of mine brought up a good point, which is that if you don't read or research the opposition of your view point, you become an extremist.  While the right side of issues typically has the reputation of being extremists, it also goes for the left.  I realize there have been times where I've probably come across as a liberal extremist, and I apologize if that is the case cause that has never been my goal.

Rather, I write and post and read to start conversation.  I think it's important that both parties and sides be able to have rational discussion about hot topics.  If we don't, then we'll never find middle ground.  I don't want the left side to be so sure they're right that they shoot down the right; I don't want the right to be so convinced that theirs is the only way that they refuse to look at the left.

It's like science.  I was raised Christian.  Growing up, I went to church and was taught all about God and Jesus and the Bible.  But I was also encouraged to learn both about Creationsim and Darwinism through being homeschooled.  The reason for this was so that I could formulate my own opinion - not the church opinion, not my parents' opinion, but my own opinion and beliefs.


I want that for the world.  I want us to not be so comfortable in our own little bubbles that we forget there is more out there.  I personally try to read everything that comes my way - world religions, fundamentalist things, liberal things.  Heck, I've even read part of Hitler's book just so I could see what made him the way he was.  Knowledge is not the enemy. 

When you write a paper for college, you have a thesis.  But in a really strong paper, you also have an anti thesis to show that you understand the flaws in your argument and that you understand the opposing view.  Life is a lot like that.  You can't back your own things unless you know what the other side thinks too.

It's okay to be passionate about things.  I know I am.  But it's also important to respect the opinions of those who differ from you, even if you don't agree with them.  When I post things, I read all the feedback.  I try to see where everyone is coming from.

Because isn't that what makes this country great?  That you can have opinions and that you can voice them, but that you can also learn about everyone and everything else?

Just a thought.

~Meaghan

Why I'm Becoming so Opinionated

I want to voice something here - women's reproductive rights is always a heated topic.  Why on earth should I even want to become a part of the argument?  I used to always take a stand along the mindset of letting things work themselves out.

Not any more.

If we don't take a stand (we being any number of people - women, men, children, gays, transexuals, etc. - people in general, really) then we will fall.

Isn't that what life is about?

I am angry.

I am angry because so many people I know are stopped by a brick wall when approaching topics such as women's reproductive rights or gay rights.

They believe their God is against it.  They believe that you are sinful if you commit those things.  They believe that the only right way in life is the straight and narrow and that things like Planned Parenthood are going to blow that path into smitherines.

I understand that.  Truly I do.  I would never be able to take the life of a child inside me.  I don't particulary want a gay marriage, as I'm happily involved with the man of my dreams.  Their sanctity of their religion is their right - I do not oppose fundamentalists.  I don't believe like that and probably never will, but I don't hate people who believe that way and I do respect their choices.

But I don't understand why they can't see beyond the scope of their faith.

That's what makes me angry.

And sad.  And frustrated.  And confused. 

Why would God be so judgemental and narrow?  Did He (or She) not create us all unique, knowing full well how we would turn out and what choices we were going to have to face?  I don't get it.

If a woman gets pregnant and the egg gets fertilized in certain a way, that pregnancy can occur in the fallopian tube.  It's called an ectopic pregnancy; according to Web M.D. it happens every one pregnancy out of fifty.  This is not a good situation for the mother.  The embryo has to be terminated in order to save the mother. According to the American Pregnancy site, there are three ways to do this: through medication that terminates, through surgery if the embryo has already ruptured whatever area it's in (which is awful for the mother as it screws her reproductive organs up), or through surgery removing the embryo manually.

But if abortion is banned and laws are passed the way congress wants to, that woman is going to die.  No doctor is going to risk their license to save a woman when the procedure is labled as murder.

Reproductive rights don't start and stop with abortion, though.  They also include birth control and contraception, and the right to say "yes" and "no".

Did you know, dear reader, that women in the Middle East are not allowed to control their sexual rights?  They marry as young as eight and bare children as soon as their bodies are able.  Their husbands are the ones who decide how many children they have, disregarding the wishes of the woman or the health of the woman.  The same is in India.  And in Mexico, although the women are starting to take control of their rights there.

Why are we going to do that here?  Why is congress in the process of trying to create laws that will ban birth control and morning after pills? 

Do you see my frustration?

I am not about to have a minority or a group of men or (forgive me if this offends you) God telling me when I can or can not have sex, who I can or can not have it with, how I can or can not protect myself, and how I will deal with my pregnancy when it occurs.

It is my body.  It is my right.  Just like I demand the right to attend school and to live on my own and to marry when I want, I demand the right to take care of my reproductive rights the way I see fit.

It's the same with gay rights.  Why should a certain group of people be denied rights because a minority feels that they are living in sin?  What will happen if one of those people in that minority has a child who is gay or lesbian or transgender?  Are they going to stop loving their child?

If God made each of us by hand and knew each of us from birth, then wouldn't God know who was going to be gay and who wasn't because God made them that way?  Maybe I'm washed up and maybe I'm wrong, but that really doesn't make sense to me.  Everyone says God is like a parent; well, a parent still loves you and takes you home no matter what. 

This is why I'm fed up with organized religion.

Please, dear readers (the one's who made it this far), think about it.  I'm begging you.  Think about it.

~Meaghan

Civil Rights

I would like to propse a question:

What defines civil rights?

Civil rights, to me, mean that everyone is treated equal.  Everyone has access to the same things, like insurance and voting abilities.  Everyone is treated equal regardless.

Which brings me to my next question:

Have we achieved equal civil rights in the United States?

I'm going to give my thoughts, but I would really like everyone to take a moment and chew on this.  I think it is incredibly important.

My answer is no.  No, we have not achieved civil rights for all in the United States.

What do you think of when you think of civil rights? 

Do you think of the racial inequality once brought about until the 60's and 70's? That's one aspect for sure of the topic.  While  we have come so far where race is concerned, we still have a ways to go.  There are still places where people are uncomfortable around each other, which is a shame.  But over all, we have gotten far.

But civil rights encompasses so much more.

Take, for instance, the women's movement.  Women still only make 80 cents to every dollar earned by a man.  While we are no longer forced to be stay at home mothers, it's still expected by some people and is disappointing if your husband is a stay at home dad.  Yet if you are a stay at home mom and you don't work, you're frowned upon.  When will women be able to do what they want - be that working or staying at home - without judgement? 

Same with our bodies and our sexuality.  Women who read this, please consider something.  Women in the middle east don't get a choice as to having children, getting married, and living their lives.  And yet some women and men here in the United States are passively trying to get us back to that state of being by banning types of birth control and morning after pills.  Abortion will always be a hot topic, but without it as an option even remotely available, we lose one aspect of owning our bodies and our sex lives.

It's another facet of civil rights.

What about the gay, lesbian, bi, and transgender community?  They live their lives like we do - they work, raise families, own homes, add to communities, run PTA's and bake sales, put out fires and save lives.  But they are denied the right to marry the ones they love legally.  They are denied insurance benefits to their partners because they are same sex.  How is that equality?  Explain that to me.

 It doesn't matter where you stand on the issues.  You can be right wing conservative or left liberal.  If this is going on to these minorities, what's stopping it from happening to you?

So many people outwardly condemn others.  "That's wrong!"  "You're going to hell!"  "A woman's place is in the home!" And so on.

But I don't think they realize that it's a fine line between having rights and losing them.  All it takes is enough people saying you are wrong or a disgrace to the eyes of God, and you're freedom to marry is gone.  Or your freedom to vote is gone.  Or your ability to protect your sexuality is gone.

Do we have equal civil rights in this country?

That is up to you to decide.

Please, dear readers, I hope this post has made you think.  Form an opinion, it is your right.  Just make sure it is educated.

~Meaghan