And a very happy 18th to all.

I can't help but stand aghast at the resurgence of morality legislation.  Strange to learn, in looking at past news media reports, that in 1962 Blacks (African Americans, Negroes, Coloured People, pick your generational euphemism for ethnic -- hey!  no hate speech on my blog!!) were counted at 10% of the American population.  Unlike us Quirs, that didn't mean they weren't entitled to full citizenship.  Then there's Wymins Rights -- growing so steadily from 1922 'til last year and upheld in Roe v. Wade -- taking a hard hit from the Repugnicans and a bunch of boobs in Democratic drag.  All of a sudden a female member of the population has no right to determine what legal medical procedures are essential to her well-being.

I don't want to dwell on the groups that vociferously shout down any defense of a womans right to choose #Catholic "Church," JCLDS "Church," wimps and untrained apes who fear their sex partner may recognize they aren't good breeding material after all, powerless little men who fear freedom for others -- you know the ones -- okay, NOT dwelling), but where is the outrage from defenders of liberty?

"Right to life" groups can't seem to recognize the difference between "living" and "surviving."  What about the women raped by subbies who become pregnant as a result?  Where's their "right to LIFE" when legislation forces them to endure nine months with the fruit of that violation growing in their body?  When they're required to raise (or throw away into the "Child Protection" available to children "in the system") a child born out of such a horrible event, daily seeing the genetic offshoot of the beast who abused them?  What consideration has been given to the "life" that offspring will probably suffer through?  What quality of existence will arise from such Draconian enactment of shortsighted rulings?

Ah, well, I suppose they can always fall back on back-street butchers, like they did prior to 1973, with the resultant gory deaths, the expense of corrective medical treatment, and the prevalence of infections that preclude future child bearing.  Or the young women ostracized by their families and forced to apply for welfare in order to raise the unwanted "bundle of joy."  Or we could repopularize the chastity belt for all unwed women and all married females whose lords and masters are temporarily away from home.

A few things we do know -- abstinence, alone, does not prevent pregnancy; the technical medical term for women who depend on the rhythm method is "mothers;" even the most aggressive use of available forms of pregnancy prevention is no more than 85% assured of success (failure?); the population of the world is already 48% more than the ecology can support; when reproduction is enforced on all who can't afford surgical intervention the over-abundance of new births will be to mothers who are financially (and most often emotionally) incapable of raising a child.

Doesn't the morality clause in the "Universal" Health Coverage hint at a wonderful future?

As The Cross Burns

 From the beginning of life I learned
That showing courtesy and honour
To each person met as my road turned
Was the surest way to get along.
That meant not insisting I be heard,
Much less that I have the final word,
When someone said my words offended.

It seems my training in this was odd ––
Most others, now, claim it as a right
To everything about their "Faith."
I try to calmly tell them it might
Be a comfort to me if they tried
Leaving their religious thoughts aside,
As I’ve found that I’m quite contented

To follow my Way while they go theirs.
Though they’ve heard how insulted I feel
At such preaching, it seems no one cares.
Yet the teachings they claim to cherish
State that making a big public show
About God’s not holy –– it’s hollow!
Matthew 6: 5 - 15, you see.

It seems like I won’t be free to stay
Among those who share this artful site.
My joy of sharing is less each day
Against all the pressures that I feel.
I’d hoped I could deal with the attack
On my nerves and mind by the fact

That these "Christians" would rather be rude,
Even proclaim that I’m just a fool,
Than to take a relaxed attitude
And not shove their "Faith" down my throat.
Now I hope you won’t misunderstand ––
You’re free to live life as you’ve planned.
Give all the right to be so free.

But I insist, I have the same right
Not to be hounded about your church
When I write about darkness and night.
I don’t need to find the things you seek.
I’ve survived Hell, and I’m going strong.
I’m here –– and I think I belong.
I can’t care if you disagree.