Monday, September 1, 2008

A Brief Political Commentary

I was looking into Sarah Palin a little bit today, and I found something that really pisses me off. She is anti-abortion, even in cases of rape and incest, and has said that she has faith that every baby is created for a reason. Basically, God controls life, and there is a greater reason that we can not understand because we are not God. 

Well, that position hardly surprises me. What makes me mad is the fact that she (and many others who share her views on abortion) is also in favor of capital punishment. Her rationale is that we have a right to know that someone who rapes or murders a child will never do it again.  How is that not insanely hypocritical? A baby's innocence by default makes it worthy of life, but a murderer or rapist it's ok to kill? (I happen to think that a murderer or child rapist deserves to die; but that does not mean I think we have a right to kill him). Isn't the question not one of circumstance, but of the value of human life and our qualifications to decide it? 

I can't stand listening to the hypocrisy of conservatives who will fight tooth and nail to preserve the "sanctity of life" when it comes to abortion, but fail to see how they're contradicting themselves if they argue that it is ok to take a human life if that human has committed a crime. The question is not whether life should be taken in a certain situation, but whether we as humans ever have the right to decide questions of life and death (hint: we don't; we are not qualified). You can't have it both ways. 

I also find it incredibly cold (and incredibly unlikely) and a clear case of political calculation for Sarah Palin to say that if her daughter were raped, that she would not want her to have an abortion. Even if she were to follow through with this plan in the event of it occurring, there are many other mothers who care more about their daughters than their high and mighty morals, and would want the ability to choose. Pro-choice supporters are not pro-abortion, they are pro-CHOICE. 

2 comments:

Unknown said...

I totally agree with most of that. My favorite activity of the last few days has been mocking Sarah Palin. There is just so much at which to laugh. My personal theory is that McCain decided that he didn't actually want to be president, but had too much bravado to back out.
My roomie actually got a rumor about her put up onto perezhilton.com...

CRM said...

Funny I read your blog today. During breakfast this morning I was talking to my parents about this. I differ in some ways with my mother. I am for abortion but against capital punishment. Also perhaps counter intuitive. I am for abortion because I believe in the woman's freedom to decide what is best for her. It's up to every person to decide what to do with their bodies. On the other hand, I am against capital punishment because I believe that the longer the person is in jail the longer he has to repent and reflect on what he did if guilty. In most cases, death penalty cases cost the state more money because of many appeals than if we were to support someone in jail for the rest of their life.