Abortion is a touchy subject - both sides feel very strongly about their arguments, the pro-choicers about being forced into parenthood, and the pro-lifers about killing the fetus. But I have a question - has anyone actually considered men's reproductive rights?
I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm totally pro-choice... but if we give women the right to choose, we have to give men the right to choose or it's not legally equal. If women get to opt out of being pregnant for 9 months, I'd say it's definitely unfair to force men to pay child support for eighteen years.
An example: Some case in Kansas (Hermesmann v. Seyer) in which this sixteen-year-old girl started having sex with the twelve-year-old boy she babysat for, having the baby when she was seventeen and he was thirteen. The district court, and then the Supreme Court of Kansas, ruled that the thirteen-year-old had to pay child support because "the issue of [his] consent was irrelevent." A thirteen-year-old girl would not even be legally required to give birth to a baby conceived in statutory rape, let alone pay anything. The case refers to the girl's "wrongdoing" in quotes - try getting off that easy if you're an older teen male who impregnated a barely teenaged girl. He'd be really lucky not to go to jail.
I just find it odd that no one, including men, has brought this up. Everyone's all up in arms about women's rights and equality and all, but where is the equality for men in the fight for reproduction rights? Shouldn't men get to decide, too, if they want to be parents? If a man wants a baby and a woman doesn't, all he can do is try to convince her to keep it. If he doesn't want it and she does, he can either try to talk her out of it or leave her, and then he still has to pay for the kid. How is that fair? A woman only has to be pregnant for 9 months, but child support must be paid for all 18 years. A man gets no choice in the matter. Where are the pro-choicers for THIS issue?
Now, this is not to say that men shouldn't have to support their children, because sometimes the mother can't. But why not, say, just for the first ten years? Or if the mother doesn't have a good job, or isn't able to leave the kid anywhere? Or if he leaves after the kid is born, he has to pay, but if the mother has advance notice, he doesn't? Why is it required for the man to pay all 18 years? There should be criteria OTHER than "Is he the biological father?" on the child-support application.
And I know a lot of women would be outraged at the idea, but seriously, if you're going to go on about equal rights, they've got to be equal for everyone. If you get pregnant and your man says, "Honey, I don't want to be a father yet, can't you give it up?" and you say, "Screw you, it's my body," and then he leaves you, he shouldn't be required to pay for it. He made a choice before the baby was born, just like an abortion or adoption, and therefore he should legally be free of all responsibilities vis-a-vis this baby. However, just like abortion, there should be limitations: It can't be a form of birth-control for men (i.e. if he's done this __ times, he's cut off); in the circumstances of rape or incest, if the baby is born and the man is identified, he is required to pay child support; as mentioned above, if the woman cannot take care of the kid by herself, he must pay at least the first 5 years, maybe more depending on the circumstances. I think that would work out in pretty much everyone's favor.
What do you guys think?
Monday, June 14, 2010
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Top Five Records Presents - Bands
One of my favorite movies is High Fidelity, in which John Cusack plays a record store owner who is always making "Top 5" lists. I'm going to do a series of Top 5s, starting with a big category - bands! I will do Top 5 Bands Right Now, and Top 5 Bands of All Time.
TOP 5 BANDS RIGHT NOW
1. ALL CAPS.
There is a phenomenon called wizard rock, music based off of Harry Potter. I, needless to say, am a huge fan. Two of my favorite bands are good friends, and one member from each, Luke and Kristina, created a band called ALL CAPS, which is basically just nerdtastic. They have songs about World of Warcraft, The Office, robots falling out of love, NaNoWriMo, zombies, and other nerdy things. :D They're pretty awesome - funny or sweet lyrics, good voices, neat music. I love them a lot.
http://allcapsband.com (oh my god, they're so cute)
2. Endless Mike and the Beagle Club
Oh my god, these guys. They are so fantastic. :D They're this little obscure band from Johnstown, PA, who writes amazing songs about mundane things like living in the same town your whole life, not finishing college, seeing all your friends grow up and get married and have babies while you're still not sure who you are... it's amazing. Their album The Husky Tenor changed my life. <3 Their music is great - they have like, sixteen people "in the band," who just intermittently show up to record stuff on weird instruments - and the lyrics are really insightful and catchy, and Mike's voice is so sweet and weird and honest. They're an amazing group of musicians, and every one of you would do well to have this album.
The Husky Tenor - mediafire.com/?0jykjtw2dwc
http://www.purevolume.com/endlessmikeandthebeagleclub
3. Joss Whedon.
Okay, so he's not a band, but his music is so fantastic! :D I've been listening to the soundtrack to "Once More With Feeling," the musical episode of Buffy, for a month and a half now. It's so creative and awesome. And Dr. Horrible's Sing-A-Long Blog?! GENIUS. God, that man is just... well, God, kind of. XD Joss is boss, as Summer Glau famously said. And it is true. Go download the soundtrack to Dr. Horrible and tell me he's not a genius. Actually, don't, because if you don't think Joss Whedon is a genius, we can't be friends. XD (I'm kidding.)
http://whedonesque.com
4. Lady Gaga.
I am no longer ashamed to admit that I love me some Gaga. :D At first, I resisted, but I was converted. She has a pretty decent voice, and her songs, while not genius-level, certainly are catchy and fun. But the real appeal of Madame Gaga, of course, is the costumery and craziness of the woman herself. She's a throwback to the days of Bowie, Madonna, and Prince. She's a show in and of herself. And that is really why people like her - or at least, why I do. She's fierce, and fabulous, and utterly unafraid to be herself, and who cares about the people who don't think you should wear thirteen-inch heels and rhinestones glued to your face to go to the grocery store, SHE'S gonna do it ANYWAY. (Also, "Bad Romance" is RIDICULOUSLY catchy!) <3 Gaga <3
http://www.ladygaga.com
5. She and Him.
Zooey Deschanel sings. Who needs to hear more? :D No really, she has an amazing voice, all lilting and sweet and easy. Their first album was covers, while their second is original stuff, and both are amazing. Aside from her being adorable and a pretty decent actress, this girl can sing.
http://www.sheandhim.com
TOP 5 BANDS OF ALL TIME
1. The Beatles.
... It's the Beatles, dude. ANYONE'S bands of all time should include them.
2. Weezer.
Nerd rock at it's best. The Blue Album and Pinkerton will always remind me of high school and certain people, and will probably always make me either laugh or cry. Weezer is just too cool. <3
3. The Decemberists.
This band is just ridiculous. They are so good it HURTS sometimes. Their lyrics, their music, Colin Meloy's warbly little voice... it's just too much. Instantly a classic, I don't think I'll ever stop listening to this band.
4. The Smiths.
The pinnacle of high school misfit rock, the most famous band no one's ever heard of, the band made infinite by The Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Smiths will always have a place in my heart. Morrissey is an amazing singer, and his lyrics are somehow both strikingly poetic and painfully straightforward. The Smiths are one of those bands that are classic high school weird kid bands, and I guess the weird high schooler in me will never give them up.
5. Ozma.
Another one of those bands that will always bring back high school memories for me. I love this band. They're also obscure - I'm always surprised when anyone else knows who they are. But they have some amazing songs. They're a little like Weezer, which might be why I love them so much, but their lyrics are so clever and sweet that it's clear they have a voice of their own. Rockin' tunes, ballads, amazing solos, gut-wrenching choruses, heart-gripping vocals... these guys rock out loud. They're fantastic. <3 I love me some Ozma, and I probably always will.
Oh my god, that was hard. XD It's all subject to change, anyway. Who can really pick a top 5 favorite anything and stick with it? My favorites change all the time. But this is but the first installment in a series of Top 5s. Next, possibly, books! :D That won't be hard at all, right? O_o
TOP 5 BANDS RIGHT NOW
1. ALL CAPS.
There is a phenomenon called wizard rock, music based off of Harry Potter. I, needless to say, am a huge fan. Two of my favorite bands are good friends, and one member from each, Luke and Kristina, created a band called ALL CAPS, which is basically just nerdtastic. They have songs about World of Warcraft, The Office, robots falling out of love, NaNoWriMo, zombies, and other nerdy things. :D They're pretty awesome - funny or sweet lyrics, good voices, neat music. I love them a lot.
http://allcapsband.com (oh my god, they're so cute)
2. Endless Mike and the Beagle Club
Oh my god, these guys. They are so fantastic. :D They're this little obscure band from Johnstown, PA, who writes amazing songs about mundane things like living in the same town your whole life, not finishing college, seeing all your friends grow up and get married and have babies while you're still not sure who you are... it's amazing. Their album The Husky Tenor changed my life. <3 Their music is great - they have like, sixteen people "in the band," who just intermittently show up to record stuff on weird instruments - and the lyrics are really insightful and catchy, and Mike's voice is so sweet and weird and honest. They're an amazing group of musicians, and every one of you would do well to have this album.
The Husky Tenor - mediafire.com/?0jykjtw2dwc
http://www.purevolume.com/endlessmikeandthebeagleclub
3. Joss Whedon.
Okay, so he's not a band, but his music is so fantastic! :D I've been listening to the soundtrack to "Once More With Feeling," the musical episode of Buffy, for a month and a half now. It's so creative and awesome. And Dr. Horrible's Sing-A-Long Blog?! GENIUS. God, that man is just... well, God, kind of. XD Joss is boss, as Summer Glau famously said. And it is true. Go download the soundtrack to Dr. Horrible and tell me he's not a genius. Actually, don't, because if you don't think Joss Whedon is a genius, we can't be friends. XD (I'm kidding.)
http://whedonesque.com
4. Lady Gaga.
I am no longer ashamed to admit that I love me some Gaga. :D At first, I resisted, but I was converted. She has a pretty decent voice, and her songs, while not genius-level, certainly are catchy and fun. But the real appeal of Madame Gaga, of course, is the costumery and craziness of the woman herself. She's a throwback to the days of Bowie, Madonna, and Prince. She's a show in and of herself. And that is really why people like her - or at least, why I do. She's fierce, and fabulous, and utterly unafraid to be herself, and who cares about the people who don't think you should wear thirteen-inch heels and rhinestones glued to your face to go to the grocery store, SHE'S gonna do it ANYWAY. (Also, "Bad Romance" is RIDICULOUSLY catchy!) <3 Gaga <3
http://www.ladygaga.com
5. She and Him.
Zooey Deschanel sings. Who needs to hear more? :D No really, she has an amazing voice, all lilting and sweet and easy. Their first album was covers, while their second is original stuff, and both are amazing. Aside from her being adorable and a pretty decent actress, this girl can sing.
http://www.sheandhim.com
TOP 5 BANDS OF ALL TIME
1. The Beatles.
... It's the Beatles, dude. ANYONE'S bands of all time should include them.
2. Weezer.
Nerd rock at it's best. The Blue Album and Pinkerton will always remind me of high school and certain people, and will probably always make me either laugh or cry. Weezer is just too cool. <3
3. The Decemberists.
This band is just ridiculous. They are so good it HURTS sometimes. Their lyrics, their music, Colin Meloy's warbly little voice... it's just too much. Instantly a classic, I don't think I'll ever stop listening to this band.
4. The Smiths.
The pinnacle of high school misfit rock, the most famous band no one's ever heard of, the band made infinite by The Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Smiths will always have a place in my heart. Morrissey is an amazing singer, and his lyrics are somehow both strikingly poetic and painfully straightforward. The Smiths are one of those bands that are classic high school weird kid bands, and I guess the weird high schooler in me will never give them up.
5. Ozma.
Another one of those bands that will always bring back high school memories for me. I love this band. They're also obscure - I'm always surprised when anyone else knows who they are. But they have some amazing songs. They're a little like Weezer, which might be why I love them so much, but their lyrics are so clever and sweet that it's clear they have a voice of their own. Rockin' tunes, ballads, amazing solos, gut-wrenching choruses, heart-gripping vocals... these guys rock out loud. They're fantastic. <3 I love me some Ozma, and I probably always will.
Oh my god, that was hard. XD It's all subject to change, anyway. Who can really pick a top 5 favorite anything and stick with it? My favorites change all the time. But this is but the first installment in a series of Top 5s. Next, possibly, books! :D That won't be hard at all, right? O_o
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