24 July 2006
♥ illogicolorado
Last Friday was not the first time I've passionately waved a dissenting sign at passing motorists. It was not the first time I've protested the president's visit with other rabid liberals; it was not the first time I've felt that spine-tingling desperation for revolution.
And yet, somehow, it was not the same old story.
This time it was to protest the theif-in-chief's visit to Cherry Hills, a wealthy suburb of Denver which, conveniently, caters to Mr. Bush's political leanings. To be more precise, though, it was held to demonstrate the rallygoers' deep disappointment (though not necessarily surprise) that His Majesty had issued his first-ever veto two days earlier to kill a bill - one which was, and is, supported by an overwhelming 72% of Americans - which proposed that embryos which would otherwise be thrown away as medical waste could instead be donated for stem cell research, a technology whose development could lead to treatments and cures for such diseases as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis, and diabetes, as well as paralysis and in cases of organ failure.
But Mr. Bush felt that the contents of Congresswoman DeGette's bill, which had passed in both houses of Congress, were immoral. The logical argument, of course, is that Old Testament clearly states that it is a sin to waste life. ("He spilled his seed on the ground to keep from producing offspring for his brother. What he did was wicked in the Lord's sight, so he put him to death also." [Genesis 38:9-10]) Then again, Mr. Bush hasn't exactly been touted as a master of logical thinking thus far in his reign, so it should come as no surprise that he has trouble making decisions as simple as this one: Which is the more Christian thing to do (nevermind that whole "separation of church and state" bit): to throw something away, or to use it to help others?
I've never set fire to an American flag, but I think it's shameful to limit free speech by outlawing such an act. I may not throw paint on your fur coat (think universal "you"), but I wouldn't wear an animal's skin any sooner than I'd eat it. (I guess it won't come as much of a surprise if I let slip that I'm a vegetarian.) I guess what I'm getting at is this: I may not approve of your conservative bumper stickers, but that doesn't change that you have a right to proudly display them on your hideous gas-guzzler of an ozone killer.
I've been to a lot of protests - peace vigils, rallies for education and independent political candidates, your good old-fashioned war protest - and somehow, that feeling that you're making some progress, that someone might actually be listening, that you're instigating change, never really does lose its thrill.
As a free speech activist, I believe that, in many cases, there is a moral "gray area"; two groups of people may fundamentally disagree on something, and neither of them is really "wrong," are they?
In this case, however, I don't see a gray area. Forgive me if I sound like a conservative, but this issue is black-and-white. There is ignorance, and there is science.
And yet, somehow, it was not the same old story.
This time it was to protest the theif-in-chief's visit to Cherry Hills, a wealthy suburb of Denver which, conveniently, caters to Mr. Bush's political leanings. To be more precise, though, it was held to demonstrate the rallygoers' deep disappointment (though not necessarily surprise) that His Majesty had issued his first-ever veto two days earlier to kill a bill - one which was, and is, supported by an overwhelming 72% of Americans - which proposed that embryos which would otherwise be thrown away as medical waste could instead be donated for stem cell research, a technology whose development could lead to treatments and cures for such diseases as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis, and diabetes, as well as paralysis and in cases of organ failure.
But Mr. Bush felt that the contents of Congresswoman DeGette's bill, which had passed in both houses of Congress, were immoral. The logical argument, of course, is that Old Testament clearly states that it is a sin to waste life. ("He spilled his seed on the ground to keep from producing offspring for his brother. What he did was wicked in the Lord's sight, so he put him to death also." [Genesis 38:9-10]) Then again, Mr. Bush hasn't exactly been touted as a master of logical thinking thus far in his reign, so it should come as no surprise that he has trouble making decisions as simple as this one: Which is the more Christian thing to do (nevermind that whole "separation of church and state" bit): to throw something away, or to use it to help others?
I've never set fire to an American flag, but I think it's shameful to limit free speech by outlawing such an act. I may not throw paint on your fur coat (think universal "you"), but I wouldn't wear an animal's skin any sooner than I'd eat it. (I guess it won't come as much of a surprise if I let slip that I'm a vegetarian.) I guess what I'm getting at is this: I may not approve of your conservative bumper stickers, but that doesn't change that you have a right to proudly display them on your hideous gas-guzzler of an ozone killer.
I've been to a lot of protests - peace vigils, rallies for education and independent political candidates, your good old-fashioned war protest - and somehow, that feeling that you're making some progress, that someone might actually be listening, that you're instigating change, never really does lose its thrill.
As a free speech activist, I believe that, in many cases, there is a moral "gray area"; two groups of people may fundamentally disagree on something, and neither of them is really "wrong," are they?
In this case, however, I don't see a gray area. Forgive me if I sound like a conservative, but this issue is black-and-white. There is ignorance, and there is science.
7/24/2006
03 July 2006
♥ eddie played bee girl...
...and I will never stop loving Tom Petty.
7/03/2006
