Soapbox Archive

I was pulled out of class in third grade with no idea what happened. Kids chided me about going to the Principal’s office. Two people whom I didn’t know asked me questions about my family. The allegations made me furious. As an adult, I finally know the reason. I hate this person to this day.

Flash Fiction Friday is hosted by g-man. You may also visit Flash Fiction Friday 55′s, a blog dedicated to hosting 55 Flash Fiction Friday posts.

Democrats are focusing too much on Palin’s “lack of experience”. She may be from banjo-playing saw-toothed red-neck-central “small town America” and it may take some adjusting to with the big city D.C. folks but I have a feeling she’ll fit right in. Hell, just look at how well our current “C” average high school student did. Prior to being governor of Texas, Dubya’s only experience was running oil companies into the ground digging around for oil where no one else would risk drilling. Bless our look-the-other-way souls, we gave little Napoleon another chance. In fact, at least 50% of Americans enjoyed his smug smirks and simultaneously ignorant and arrogant sound bites. Palin closely follows Dubya’s footsteps by surrounding herself with people like her that “would not allow others to disagree with her”, protecting her from “haters”. She is also as absent from the state capital as Dubya is from the national one. You see, she’s totally ready to be a heartbeat away from the highest office in the country.

Like many people, I don’t fit neatly into the republican or democrat mold. I do agree with a lot more of what the democrats say they stand for and would like the things they promise (health care). During the primaries, I was hoping that McCain would be the selected republican. I figured if we have to have another one of *them* in office he seemed the least offensive. I guess I don’t pay close enough attention to the enemy. After he won, the media meat market frenzy began with his selection for running mate. I was appalled when I read the news. I thought for sure that he picked Sarah Palin solely to pick up the shattered dreams of the rejected Mickey Mouse Hillary Clinton club. I wasn’t a fan of Clinton but I was offended at the thought that McCain might actually believe women would vote for anything with a vagina.

Palin will ‘help me shake up Washington,’ McCain says
Published: Friday, August 29, 2008

Palin made an immediate play for support from Democratic women, mentioning that she followed in the footsteps of Geraldine Ferraro, who was the Democratic vice presidential running mate in 1984.

There are so many similarities between Palin and Ferraro. It’s so obvious, how could anyone miss them? Geraldine Ferraro grew up in New York and her father died when she was eight, forcing her mother to move them to the Bronx. Palin grew up in a small town. As an attorney, Ferraro headed a bureau that dealt with sex crimes, domestic violence and child abuse. Months after becoming became mayor of Wasilla the former Miss Wasilla beauty queen fired the police chief, Irl Stambaugh because he ‘intimidated her‘ and hired Charlie Fannon. Wasilla then became the only town in Alaska that charged rape victims for tests to collect evidence of the crime in order to avoid causing any burden to the taxpayer. In congress, Ferraro focused on legislation to bring equity for women. Palin’s reputation was built by standing up to oil companies by imposing higher taxes, though she’s in favor of opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas development and she initiated a lawsuit over the federal listing of Polar bears as a threatened species for fear it would affect proposed natural gas pipeline. She also allowed Chevron to increase the amount of toxic waste it pours into the waters of Cook Inlet even though the number of beluga whales in the area has dropped significantly. She is also accused of abusing her power for firing Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan possibly because he didn’t fire her ex-brother in-law after a messy divorce from Palin’s sister. Ferraro was the running mate for the Democratic Party and Palin for the Republican Party; yes, the similarities just don’t seem to end.

She also referred favorably to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, who drew 18 million votes in her unsuccessful run against Obama for the Democratic nomination.

Cause she has a vagina too! *eye roll* Like I said, I wasn’t a fan of Hillary. I can understand people choosing Hillary based on her platform, but some of the women blogs I read after she lost to Obama were freakishly insane. I read one that was upset because blacks received the right to vote before woman did. Seriously, this race isn’t about abortion rights or the Iraq war, but which minority group archives presidency first? Are you fucking kidding me?!? People complain that everything on TV is so superficial and revolves around sex but then they reduce political candidates to skin color and genitals instead of their accomplishments and political position. Yesterday it showed up in my local newspaper. An article that made me furious. They do exist. Those people that vote for genitals.

Love her or loathe her, Americans can’t stop chattering about Sarah Palin
By Jocelyn Noveck, Associated Press

But Kidd’s mother, a former Hillary Rodham Clinton supporter, likes Palin — partially, her daughter said, because of her personal qualities and also, she said, because she’s a woman.

And that’s an issue that Kidd, like many women, is struggling with: Wouldn’t it be thrilling to see a woman VP, no matter what her policies?

I’ll make this simple so you understand – OH HELL NO! MYGOD, how can anyone who was ready to vote for Hillary go to the republican side so easily? Unless of course she was only going to vote for Hillary because of rumors, that she has a vagina. And what exactly would make it so fucking thrilling? Watching her turn back time with Roe vs. Wade because she’s against abortion even in cases of rape and incest? Headlines of her church putting gays back in the closet by trying to convert homosexuals through prayer? What the Fuck decade does she live in?

Wagner decided long ago that she was voting for Obama. But her friend Katy Huggins isn’t so sure anymore. Huggins, also a mother of four, admires Obama, and though she’s a registered Republican, she had been planning to vote for the Democrat.

Then she watched Palin’s convention speech.

“I was like, wow, I want YOU to be president!” said Huggins, who adds that she isn’t much of a McCain fan. “I could completely relate to her on a lot of levels, especially as a mom. That’s what my world is about now.”

LEAPING LIZARDS Batman! Seriously, you’re picking her because she’s a mom? Lady, there aren’t words to describe the simplicity of your brain functions. Oh look, shiny object! Really, I’m floored at the stupidity. I vote that in order to vote you must be able to correctly answer a few questions about the person or topic in which you’re voting. Maybe then I won’t mind the individual votes of small states counting for more than the more populated states, maybe.

There was a rally against Palin in Anchorage on Saturday. This gives me some hope. Unfortunately, no one gave a specific number of protesters. The Seattle Times says there were “at least 500 protesters” and that, “The protest, outside a public library, came hours after the governor held a morning rally attended by as many as 1,500 supporters in downtown Anchorage, then flew to Nevada to resume campaigning.” USA Today didn’t list any specific number of protesters, but did mention what some of the signs/protesters said.

Some of the signs spoke out against Palin’s anti-abortion position. Laura Kimmel, a 40-year-old Anchorage woman expecting her second baby in April, wore a clothes hanger with a sign attached that said, “This is not a surgical instrument. Keep abortions safe and legal.”

Whoa, now that’s a statement! I’d love to meet that woman!

The Washington post also covered the protest. They also didn’t give a specific number of protesters but did say that it was, “in the high hundreds — perhaps surging past a thousand”

Commercials and other age defying cures drive me batty, so I must inform that there isn’t a magic lotion or any other type of topical ointment cream, wrap or elixir that will give back the great young skin everyone wants. Stretch marks, cellulite and wrinkles are part of life. Grow up and old and just fucking accept that the enemy of imperfect skin is deteriorating collagen fibers.

Collagen is a protein in the connective tissue of animals (yes, humans are animals) that allows young skin to have its elasticity. Stretch marks are caused by gaining weight too fast for collagen cells to keep up. This is at cellular level people hence topical crap simply won’t cut it. The best way to avoid stretch marks is to not grow fast, which due to genetics maybe impossible at puberty (I have stretch marks on my knees from growing too fast as a kid). During pregnancy the growing parasite inside and your hormones, determine when you’re hungry and if the food is going to stay down. I was hungry ALL the time when I was pregnant. I remember my stomach waking me up (not the creature inside, but my actual stomach) at 2am and I HAD to eat something. I would be famished even after eating a large meal for dinner. – For those of you from the Midwest, when I say dinner I mean the evening meal not lunch. The evening meal is dinner not supper. The last supper was like 2000 years ago. There’s a painting showing the last supper hanging in a museum somewhere, so stop calling it supper. It makes my ass twitch to hear the word supper. It sounds stupid so just stop, ok?

Whether from puberty or pregnancy you won’t be able to control the rapid growth. **Pregnancy is not a time to diet.** So unless your mother, grandmothers and great-grandmothers all came away from pregnancy with out a mark you’re doomed to see those red lines. They will eventually fade and then only show up when attempting to tan. I think my red lines finally went away a couple months ago. I didn’t really notice when they disappeared. They didn’t leave a note. But I do know it took months because I remember wondering when they would finally leave.

Nothing topical helps cellulite either. The keys to keeping cellulite at bay are:

• Eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, and fiber
• Staying hydrated
• Regular exercise – this doesn’t mean marathon insanity just get up and move around. Walking is great exercise
• Maintaining a healthy weight for your body frame/type (if you’re doing the previous three listed bullets and there are no medical conditions or medications affecting weight, this one should fall into place on its own)
• Not smoking

Cellulite forms when collagen in areas that have fat near the surface of the skin – mostly tights and butt on women – stretch, break down, or pull tight. This doesn’t mean that only fat people get cellulite. It has to do more with being female (it’s more common in women than men – lucky us) and the collagen stretching and/or breaking down because skinny women can have it too. Several things may play a role in cellulite forming, genetics, hormones, fad dieting, slow metabolism, and even dehydration.

I gained 42 pounds when I was pregnant. My digestive system slowed down, and hormones ran amuck. I had cottage cheese ass and it wasn’t pretty. I’m back to my regular 130 pounds and things are mostly back to normal. I don’t have the dimples, but some stuff will never be quite like when I was 23, ever.

The only thing the topical lotions/ointments and other crap are good for is dry itchy skin, however the itchiness isn’t going to go away completely if your skin is healing scars or stretching across a pregnant belly. You’ll only get temporary relief from that.

In the US we tend to bathe too often and it doesn’t help our skin at all. Note that though I’m aware of this tidbit I still shower daily unless I’m camping or I just want to be left alone to my dirty-hippy-vegan-patchouli-oil-wearing self. No, I’m not a vegan. I’ve never even considered being vegetarian, and I’ve NEVER used patchouli oil. For those of you who do use it you should know that those of us that don’t think you smell funny and not in any sort of good way. Now go take a fucking shower and wash your funky hair.

Using regular soap instead of soaps with their natural glycerin byproduct removed and/or added detergents really helps. If you want to know what’s in your soaps, lotions and other cosmetics go to the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database.

I’m happy to be a stay at home mom, but without work, I have no insurance. I could buy it for $350 a month or if we were married, I could get it through Kurt. Thankfully, it’s only $50 annually for a single doctor visit, but today I had a prescription filled that’s $243.00 monthly.

Flash Fiction Friday is hosted by g-man. You may also visit Flash Fiction Friday 55′s, a blog dedicated to hosting 55 Flash Fiction Friday posts.

I was nervous all day Thursday and the night before about going on a trip without Sophia. I know she’s fine during the day with Kurt but because I’m the one with the functioning boobs I’ve always been the sole nighttime caregiver, and to top it off Kurt will be feeding her formula because after having her in daycare my freezer supply is depleted and it’s hard to build an excess when she’s always draining me. I tried weaning her onto solid food for one meal a day so that I could pump and save some, but aside from going to bed at 7pm I can’t get her to do anything consistently. It’s just not in her nature.

The other thing that worried me was not the flight like it might be for some people but airport security. I’m not afraid of the uniform, I mock all uniforms, it’s the arrogance and curt manner with which many of them address passengers. Some of them really take their rent-a-cop job much too seriously. They aren’t there for our safety. They’re only there for an illusion of safety. If you really think that making us all look foolish walking around in our stocking feet while ensuring our shoes go in a separate bin from our laptops and reducing our cosmetics to three ounce bottles all contained in a bag no bigger than a quart size, you’re really fooling yourself.

No one seems to question that prior to 9/11 airport security used to make passengers turn on their cell phones and laptops to make sure they function and aren’t just cases for something more sinister than Tetris. They don’t do that anymore. Instead, they tell us tweezers and nail clippers could be used as weapons of mass destruction, no wait, they’re ok. It’s the various liquids consumed internally for nourishment and the viscose liquids used for external personal cleansing and moisturizing that will invoke the wrath of the board-to-tears-wanting-something-exciting-to-happen-team. Oh but it’s for our safety you say. “Whatever it takes to be safe” Really? What if that retarded ‘shoe bomber’ had hid his matches in a plastic bag up his ass? Would a cavity search be ok with you? And don’t answer with, “Oh, but that’s over the top no one would require that of us.” It does give an indication of where your limit is, but it’s not an answer. I’d also like to point out that after the ‘shoe bomber’ incident that it was lighters that were banned not matches. Carrying matches was still ok. And now out of the blue, lighters are no longer a threat, but ‘loose’ lithium batteries are a no-no in checked baggage. I’m at your assistance, so here is how to carry your ‘loose’ lithium batteries. *eye roll*

Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety. – Quote generally attributed to Benjamin Franklin but probably by Richard Jackson.

Obviously, I’ve informed myself with the most current random rules, so why was I worried? I didn’t want to pay to check any bags nor risk loosing my one very important bag for my very short trip. Without that one large camera-case-like square black bag my boobies would explode! Oh, wait, sorry I didn’t use the “E” word. Note to self not to use the “E” word in an airport even in whispered conversation.

Kurt assured me that I was not the only on to ever carry a breast pump through security. But I try to never underestimate human stupidity and who knows what a square-ish non-descript black bag with a pump and air tubes may look like to them on those scanner thingies. It may very well look like a bomb. OHMYGOD – I didn’t just use the “B” word. I’d never use the “B” word, ever! Note to self – don’t carry an oddly square black bag and utter the “B” word within a ten-mile radius of any airport, even one that only caters to Cessnas and Pipers.

As Kurt drove me to the airport, I played the possible airport security scenarios in my head. The one that stood out went something like this:

After spotting me in line juggling a square black bag, shoes, quart size clear plastic bag filled with mini bottles of various viscose liquids, a laptop (because I’m physically attached to it and must carry it with me at all times much like a security blanket), and a regular carry on bag I reach the front of the line and place all of my items on the conveyor belt. My square black bag that was made to be discrete for taking to work is now scrutinized by airport security. “Ma’am, can I ask what’s in the bag?” I bite my tongue to keep from answering that type of question in my usual smartass manner. “It’s a breast pump.”

There is snickering from the two TSA girls that are now behind him. “Can you open the bag for me ma’am?”

MYGOD it’s so tempting to give a quip that would instantly emasculate him. I keep reminding myself that it isn’t the time to be a smartass. There is no freedom of speech in an airport – the humorless bastards. “Of course” I say. The pump I use is an old Medela model that I bought on eBay. You may think it’s gross to buy such a personal item used but I replaced the personal parts and anything that typically is exposed to the breast milk. I open the flap that covers one zippered pouch in the front and two on the top, and then unzip the two top compartments. One is insulated for keeping pumped milk cool and the other houses the personal things that attach to my person and make me feel like I belong in the barn at a dairy farm. I open the small front pouch that reveals the air tubes and control panel. This is when my warped mind flies way off the deep end.

In my ultimate TSA attitude scenario, Mr. TSA realizes that the compartments don’t reveal the entire inside of the bag. He becomes a little twitchy. I explain that the area not exposed by the compartments houses the pump part of the breast pump. He doesn’t care and asks how he can know for sure. Cringing at the thought of him possibly wanting a demonstration of the pump at work, I suggest that I could plug it in. This actually causes further aggravation because he now believes my black bag is going to take out the whole terminal. At this point relying on a hand pump doesn’t seem so bad. I have a hand pump that came with the electronic one and I’ve used it a couple times. I don’t like it. It takes F-O-R-E-V-E-R and I’ve never wanted to build my forearms up like a lonely man with a bottle of lotion.

I abandon the airport scenario here because I’m sure you’ll wave the bullshit flag when I mention the bomb sniffing dogs, S.W.A.T team repelling down the walls, the helicopters, and the acrobatic way in which they combined their efforts to whisk my bag into a blast proof room and detonate it.

The way to my destination was relatively uneventful except for the new annoying recording they play while going through security.

Transportation security officers need to quickly determine whether or not a bag possibly contains a threat. You already know you’re not a threat, show us by packing smart. Think layers. One layer of clothes, one layer of electronics. That way, it’s easier for us to determine what’s in your bag. Mam, boarding pass and id. Also, being prepared when you approach the checkpoint will make the whole process a lot faster. Lastly, don’t forget to carry only three ounce, travel-sized liquids, gels and aerosols when taking them in your carry-on bag and remember to put them in a clear, quart-sized, resealable plastic bag and place them in the security bin. So next time, simplifly your bags and you could get through security a little faster.

The, “show us” bit really bothers me. Does it sound like innocent until proven guilty to you? Or maybe the other way around?

I only had a tiny issue with carrying 4 ounces of sun block instead of the allowed three ounces within a bottle specifically labeled as 3 ounces, four being right out! Yep, they’re that anal. The nice TSA person let it slide, which confirms for me that the rules are truly unimportant and just plain retarded.

My breast pump didn’t cause any problem whatsoever until the way back. I swear the technician radiated the hell out of it trying to figure out what was in the bag. As I looked down the conveyor to grab my other bag he sized me up, just stared at me. I could see the little hamster running on its wheel. He was trying to decide whether to inspect further. I started to get nervous all over again, but it either, didn’t show (yeah right), they have no clue how to identify body language, or the only reason he was eyeing me was that he just wanted to know what that damn thing was, and I wasn’t about to tell him.

It’s not that I’m embarrassed about carrying a breast pump. I loathe having to explain myself. Obviously I don’t mind writing about me, but this is on my terms. So if I had been forced to explain it would have come out something like, “It’s a FUCKING breast pump, okay?” Yes, I retain all the qualities of a defiant teen except the wheelie shoes. He finally said, “I have to let this one go.” Thankfully the wiring for a breast pump is all wrong for a bomb (damn, there’s that ‘B’ word again). They also paused on the sun block and let it go, again.

I walk away feeling like I got away with something because I had an extra ounce of sun block in my bag, but you can carry scissors with blades shorter than four inches. There is no length restriction on Knitting and Crochet Needles, but “tools” must be less then seven inches. In there link about matches and lighters they write,

Lifting the lighter ban is consistent with TSA’s risk-based approach to aviation security. First and foremost, lighters no longer pose a significant threat. Freeing security officers up from fishing for 22,000 lighters every day (the current number surrendered daily across the country) enables them to focus more on finding explosives, using behavior recognition, conducting random screening procedures and other measures that increase complexity in the system, deterring terrorists. The U.S. is the only country in the world to ban lighters – all other nations, including Israel and the U.K., do not.

I find it amusing that they’re telling us how tedious the ban on lighters was and for some reason felt that it was necessary to mention that no other country had the retarded rule.

I laughed when the ban of liquids came into place. We’re made of mostly water and do I need to empty my bladder before going through security, were my thoughts. Though I knew it was an absurd rule it didn’t really bother me until now. Airlines don’t serve free drinks anymore. Even prisoners get free water, but for an airline passenger it’ll cost $2.00. Of course you can buy it in the secured areas of the airport, but where I was, it was $2.00 plus tax. Tell me the system ain’t stupid. By the way, if you’re traveling with a children you are allowed to bring breast milk, formula, and juice. And nursing moms are allowed to carry breast milk even when traveling without their baby. You just have to have it out and warn them before they see it or they may freak out and bleed from the eyes.

It leaves no marks so no one sees the abuse. It’s all in her head and no one can know. She was happy to know secrets from an adult. It made her feel important to be worthy of such information. Soon it became too much and tore her up inside as the manipulation became apparent.

Flash Fiction Friday is hosted by g-man.

“You don’t have to have sex with every man you meet.” I didn’t bother explaining that spending the night doesn’t necessarily equate to sex. “Why not?” I asked, “I enjoy it.” The notion shocked her which in turn shocked me. There are women that only have sex out of marital obligation? How sad is that?

Flash Fiction Friday is hosted by g-man. You may also visit Flash Fiction Friday 55′s, a blog dedicated to hosting 55 Flash Fiction Friday posts.

A couple days ago I was sorting through all of my links and some blog roll-y stuff and I came across a crib recall post from Play at Home Mom. I probably wouldn’t have paid any attention to that particular post it if she hadn’t added a picture of a crib that looks EXACTLY like Sophia’s.

We bought Sophia’s crib used off of a Craigslist ad. That alone sets many people off because we’re told not to trust used baby items, “You never know if they’ve already been recalled or if they’re missing parts”. I still say ‘used’ is a great way to go just be smart about it. Usually it’s obvious if there are missing parts, so that part is simple. Don’t buy that one. Make sure all of the manufacturer’s stickers/labels and “do not remove” tags are still in place, and stick with newer looking models. Besides, the crib Sophia is using has been on the market since 2002 and it was just recalled in June of 2008. How pray tell does that make a NEW crib a safer bet? Anyway, Sophia will be getting a new crib at a used price.

If you have one of these cribs:

Crib Styles:
- Berkley
- Hilton
- Positano
- Spindle
- Windsor

Only the Following Crib Model Numbers are Included:
BC-23, BC-36B, BC-36G, BC-36P, BC-007, BC-010, BC-010C, BC-010HP, BC-010W, BC-017, BC-107C, BC-107CR, BC-110C, BC-110HP BC-110W, DA617BC, DA620BC, DV730N, DV730W, DA770BC, DV830-N, DV830-W, 0113B00, 0113K00, 0303C00, 0303G00, 0303B00, 0309K00

Then you can go to the Jardine Crib Recall site for a voucher on a new crib (which will probably be recalled six years from now *eye roll*).

Detailed instructions for what you’ll need to do to receive a voucher for a new crib can be found here. Make note of step #2 and #3…

2. Remove mattress support hardware and identification label using the enclosed instructions and Allen key that is provided.

3. Place the bolts, mattress support plates, identification label and signed acknowledgment form in the prepaid shipping envelope provided.

If you’re going to buy a use crib, MAKE SURE the label on the base that holds the mattress in place is still there. If it’s missing, that’s a BAD SIGN.

Finally someone brave enough to point out that Christians can’t agree amongst themselves about various points of their religion.

Dobson accuses Obama of ‘distorting’ Bible
By ERIC GORSKI, AP Religion Writer

“Even if we did have only Christians in our midst, if we expelled every non-Christian from the United States of America, whose Christianity would we teach in the schools?” Obama said. “Would we go with James Dobson’s or Al Sharpton’s?” referring to the civil rights leader.

I think I’ve heard Obama’s original speech that this was pulled from, and I don’t think that he cited examples of Christians that wanted other forms of Christianity removed from schools because their children were being pressured to convert. If he didn’t, I really think he should have. Because many scream out “oh! oh! evil atheist!” when separation of church and state comes up, I think it’s important to understand that keeping religion out of public school is not just a benefit to non-religious people. In a rant I wrote about a chain letter, I cited two examples of Christians who wanted other Christians to back the hell off.

Dobson took aim at examples Obama cited in asking which Biblical passages should guide public policy — chapters like Leviticus, which Obama said suggests slavery is OK and eating shellfish is an abomination, or Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, “a passage that is so radical that it’s doubtful that our own Defense Department would survive its application.”

Woo!

“Folks haven’t been reading their Bibles,” Obama said.

Woo Woo! You tell ‘em Obama!

Dobson and Minnery accused Obama of wrongly equating Old Testament texts and dietary codes that no longer apply to Jesus’ teachings in the New Testament.

What, you’re throwing out the old Testament? Does that mean the Ten Commandments are no longer followed either? Ok, fine. Let’s stick with the New Testament.

1 Timothy 2:9 and 1 Peter 3:3 both say women may not braid their hair, wear gold, pearls, or expensive clothing.

1 Timothy 4:1-3 Says vegetarians are heeding the devil by not eating meat.

Luke 14:26 – If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

Matthew 15:4 – God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.

“I think he’s deliberately distorting the traditional understanding of the Bible to fit his own worldview, his own confused theology,” Dobson said.

If there was just one traditional understanding of the Bible there wouldn’t be so many denominations within Christianity.

“… He is dragging biblical understanding through the gutter.”

It could use a good analytical review.

Dobson reserved some of his harshest criticism for Obama’s argument that the religiously motivated must frame debates over issues like abortion not just in their own religion’s terms but in arguments accessible to all people.

He said Obama, who supports abortion rights, is trying to govern by the “lowest common denominator of morality,” labeling it “a fruitcake interpretation of the Constitution.”

No, dumbshit. He’s saying that in order for something to be Constitutional, a law or public act must have a secular purpose, have a primary effect that neither advances nor inhibits religion, and not result in excessive governmental entanglement with religion. It’s called the Lemon test. And if fruitcakes can interpret the Constitution then I need to move them WAY up on the evolutionary chart from your knuckle-dragging self.

“Am I required in a democracy to conform my efforts in the political arena to his bloody notion of what is right with regard to the lives of tiny babies?” Dobson said. “What he’s trying to say here is unless everybody agrees, we have no right to fight for what we believe.”

That’s right, appeal to the emotion. Oh, but I must protect the tiny babies. It’s my job to protect the unborn. No, it’s a politician’s job to serve the living people. People should be able to do as they wish with their own body. If you don’t believe in abortion – don’t have one!