abortion

A particularly audacious heckler’s veto

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To refresh: A heckler’s veto is when a group objects to something and uses the threat of their own disruptiveness or potential violence to get that thing removed or banned. Or, when someone else who opposes that thing uses the specter of some other (real or imagined) group’s potential disruptiveness or potential violence. Basically, the message is “Force these … Read more

Women who reject their own freedom

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I’ll admit– I’m still surprised when I hear an anti-feminist argument coming from a woman. Women who don’t just reject the label of “feminist” but are actually opposed to specific freedoms for womankind, forcefully opposed, take me aback. I don’t understand how someone could want to be less free, and not just her but every … Read more

How to be a moralizing blowhard

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Have you always aspired to be a moralizing blowhard, but just can’t seem to get your message down pat? Are you unable to find that mix of condescension, ignorance, and absolute certainty that together make the perfect blend of sanctimonious grandstanding fit to publish on the editorial pages of newspapers across the country? Well, let … Read more

Proximate pratfall

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Regarding Richard Mourdock’s “rape babies are a gift from God” comment… It’s fun to see people all over the internet making fun of Mourdock saying that a pregnancy which results from rape should be considered a gift from God, because that life is something God intended to happen. They can see the obvious dishonesty of … Read more

No True Feminist

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Disbelieving Tankard Reist is disbelieving …is not my favorite game. I really dislike playing it, and not just because it’s a variation on an informal fallacy. I’m fully aware that groups need labels, and for the purposes of distinction we need some labels to fit some groups, and other labels to fit other groups. I … Read more

Coulda been, shoulda been, never woulda been

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Apparently October 9th is National Pro Life Cupcake Day. Did you know? It’s a day when pastries become  political…poor pastries. Pressed into service on behalf of highly controversial issue which doesn’t have, so far as I can tell, any direct connection to wax paper wrappers and frosting. But, one might ask, how is this joyous … Read more

What’s wrong with The Marriage Vow

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This is not a marriage. No matter whatit might look like. No siree-bob. If they havekids, they will not be a family.  Nope.This message brought to you by a lot oforganizations with the word “family”in their names, so they know whatthey’re talking about. So far, Rick Santorum and Michelle Bachmann are the two presidential candidates … Read more

Disabled vet stalks WBC members, invites heckler’s veto

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A disabled Afghanistan veteran was arrested today in my hometown of Wichita Kansas on charges of stalking members of the Westboro Baptist Church: Prosecutors charged [Ryan] Newell, 26, with five misdemeanors Thursday, including stalking and three counts of criminal use of a firearm in an incident involving the Phelps family of Topeka’s Westboro Baptist Church. … Read more