abortion

  • An interview with Tony Kaye, the controversial director of American History X, on his upcoming documentary Lake of Fire about the abortion debate. He's been working on it for over 16 years, and the 152 minute film features three actual abortions.
    [W]hat I was trying to do as a filmmaker, in a personal way, was to find out exactly what abortion was without taking any sides and without being judgmental.
    That's an ambitious claim, and even if he succeeds, I doubt it will be perceived that way. (16) #
    10/15/2007
  • Regardless of your position on abortion, it seems like yesterday's Supreme Court decision to allow Congress to ban the intact dilation and extraction procedure came about solely because Alito has replaced O'Connor, rather than any new legal distinction. Kennedy, however, tried his damn best to make one in the majority opinion -- but Slate's Dahlia Lithwick thinks his argument is both personal and paternalistic. (9) #
    4/19/2007

"Good People"

David Foster Wallace has a new short piece of fiction at the New Yorker titled "Good People" about a religious, unmarried young couple dealing with an unwanted pregnancy. This story has ignited some debate on the wallace-l mailing list:

  • Did DFW write this with the expectation that the subject matter (sincere but doubtful religious feelings) would challenge typical New Yorker readers?
  • Does the story represent a Classical Prisoner's Dilemma?
  • Would it be out of place in a traditional religious magazine?
  • Is it a commentary on "Good Country People" by Flannery O'Connor?
  • Are the two main characters "good people?" Or is just one of them "good people," as in, "She's good people" in the common vernacular?

Maybe this sounds like an English assignment to you, but I'm always interested in what Wallace is trying to do with his writing (see his Dostoevsky essay in Consider the Lobster), and hey, it's only for extra credit.

Wed, 01/31/2007 - 1:57pm
  • The anti-contraception movement is picking up steam.
    "[W]hen a baby is conceived accidentally, the couple already have this negative attitude toward the child. Therefore seeking an abortion is a natural outcome. We oppose all forms of contraception."
    Yes, they hate women. (thx, lorelei) (21) #
    5/17/2006
  • "Do they really believe that abortion is murder?" An interesting analysis arguing that pro-lifers are more interested in punishing women for sex than for the murder of fetuses. I think the fetus vs. 4-year-old question is worth asking, although I wonder if most pro-lifers view abortion as murder of a lower degree. (And if they do, what does that mean about the "a fetus is a person" claim?) (10) #
    3/21/2006

So I guess that answers the question

Miers's abortion survey

The above image is from a survey Harriet Miers filled out when running for Dallas city council. The survey was given by Texans United for Life, a pro-life organization. The rest of the questionnairre has other clear indicators that Miers was very much pro-life in 1989, even to the point of wishing for a Human Life Amendment in the constitution to proscribe abortion. Anyone who thinks that it's still up in the air whether or not Miers would vote to overturn Roe v. Wade is kidding themselves. And from the right's point of view, that seems to be her one qualification. (via the gleaner)

Tue, 10/18/2005 - 2:34pm
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