politics | Page 3 | Minivans Are Hot

April 30, 2009 by Kelli

I normally do not turn the TV on during the day. I can’t stand the constant noise and so, typically, the TV doesn’t come on until late afternoon when I finally allow the kids to watch cartoons for a little while.

But I’ve felt a little out of touch with the world lately, so the last two mornings I’ve turned on the news while I make breakfast, only to turn it back off within 10 minutes because AAAHHH the constant sound makes me insane!

I was a little humored this morning to hear the talk about swine flu. I, of course, do not take the fact that something like this could potentially become pandemic lightly, but I had to laugh at the journalists insistence that we all be terrifed. It’s like the newscasters feed off the fear they create in their viewers and this morning they seemed hungry.

More than 160,000 kids are out of school today due to school closings in infected areas. Diane Sawyer’s question to a CDC rep. went something like this:

“If it seems imminent that a pandemic is coming, why not take the ultimate precautionary measure and close down all school?”

Uuuhhhh…first of all, is it imminent? And second, because the nation can’t shut down in a time like this and what on earth will working parents do with thier kids?

Really, sometimes these things get taken a step too far. If any shut down needs to occur, it’s the closing of the borders. Do that before closing the schools. But this constant yammering and fear-mongering is just slightly over the top. (Slightly as in ridiculously ludicris)

I’m the type of girl who wants the news how it is. Give it to me straight. Don’t specuulate on what you think will happen. Tell me what’s happening right now and let me draw my own conclusion. This is, of course, why I rarely watch the news.

Again, I know this flu thing is real and I’m certainly not planning any trips to Mexico in the near future, and of course if my son’s school reported a case of this flu strain then I would be more inclined to take this a little more seriously. But putting us in a state of constant fear that we’re all going to the pigs is just plain silly.

It’s silly I tell ya!

And that’s all I have to say about that.

It’s a New Day

April 10, 2009 by Kelli

We are back in the land of the living, though Landon is still a sick little boy. He did sleep last night and his fever finally broke, but he’s so congested and he’s just wiped out as evidenced by the fact that it’s 8:15 and he’s already taking a nap.

Because yesterday was such a rough day, I wasn’t able to post my feelings on the conscience protection plan for physicians. In 2008, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services passed a measure that protected physicians who choose to not perform abortions. In March of this year, the new administration announced plans to rescind this protection. Midnight of last night was the deadline to sign an online petition stating your opposition of this measure and I’m sorry I did not get that link posted earlier.

But, it’s not too late to let the President, the HHS and your congressman know that you vehemently opposed such legislation.

It is baffling to me how two sided people can be on this issue. Pro-Choice advocats clearly only support freedom of choice when it serves the purpose that they want it to serve. But what about a doctor’s freedom to choose whether or not he wants to participate in something that he may find unethical or, at best, detrimental to the health of his patient? Rescinding the protection for these doctors is the very antithesis of the freedom of choice.

Shame on those who support this and are pushing for it’s acceptance.

If you have a few moments today, please visit the Freedom2Care site to find out how you can support physicians rights to not practice abortion. There are several links within the site that will explain what you can do to show your support for our physicians and their right to practice medicine without persecution. And, if you have a blog, take a moment to post about this topic and pass on the above mentioned site.

Do not let this matter go unannounced. We need to band together to protect our freedoms, which are slowly being pulled away from us. Let’s vocally support our rights as citizens to choose doctors that meet our ethical standards and let’s support our physicians who are fighting to do what’s right even in the face of opposition.