Abortion Rights are not about Your Feelings

Don't tread on me

They’re about autonomy.

Autonomy for a living, breathing woman to decide–for whatever reason or in whatever circumstances–that she does not want to carry a baby to term.

It doesn’t matter that abortions make you uncomfortable. No one likes abortions. Nor does it matter that it’s against your religion, your personal moral code, or your sense of decency.

If you argue that a woman does not have autonomy over her own body, you are arguing for the oppression of all women by the government–and worse, by your self-righteous moral code. It’s that simple.

And before you start, here are some preemptive reasons why you’re wrong:

  • Life does not begin at conception. An embryo is a collection of cells that is utterly dependent on the mother for its existence.
  • There is no clear line at which life “begins” in the womb. If the fetus is not viable outside the womb, then it is not an individual.
  • If you want to claim that a fetus has the full rights of an individual human, then you must also believe that fetuses should have social security numbers, health insurance, and be included in the tax code as dependents. Let’s go ahead and register them for selective service while we’re at it.
  • If all life is sacred, even in the womb, you would want to support services such as childcare, education, healthcare, and foster care for all of these children you are forcing women to carry to term.
  • A woman is not a vessel for pumping out babies. That is not her duty, responsibility, or privilege in society. Claiming such is misogynistic and oppressive, and the fact that anyone has to explain that to you idiots in 2019 is unconscionable.
  • Your religion does not dictate how others should live their lives. Move to Iran or Saudi Arabia if you believe otherwise.
  • If you honestly want to limit abortions, try providing birth control and female reproductive healthcare for ALL women. You could also stop with the abstinence-only sex ed bullshit.

In conclusion, you’re wrong.

Steve D

With Tyranny on Hand: A Sound of Thunder’s Hope through Metal

While wandering around Baltimore Comic Con last fall, I happened upon a large vendor table playing metal music and loaded with vivid artwork.

There I met guitarist Josh Schwartz from A Sound of Thunder, a metal band based Northern Virginia who had just released an album and accompanying comic book.

Josh is a nice dude, they’re a local band, and they’re clearly into storytelling through their music. So of course I picked up the album. And it’s fantastic.

Continue reading “With Tyranny on Hand: A Sound of Thunder’s Hope through Metal”

Literary Inspiration – What are Rights?

I think about George Carlin a lot. He was one of the first comedians I really started listening to when I was about eight… which is probably too young. But I think his cultural impact goes far beyond being a stand-up comedian. I really think he was a modern-day philosopher, especially as he got older and the subject matter of his comedy became more existential. I don’t know if he believed all of the ideas that he presented on stage, but he at least had the intellectual capacity to consider and explain them – convincingly. Continue reading “Literary Inspiration – What are Rights?”