Ballot Initiatives...

Tomorrow is a big day. I am excited to see what happens tomorrow, especially with ballot initiatives.

Abortion – South Dakota (once again) is trying to pass an abortion ban. I am so sick and tired of hearing about abortion. I firmly believe BOTH political parties are wrong about the issue. It is not about being pro-life or pro-choice. I asked fellow classmates in law school if they really think abortion will ever go away. If Roe v. Wade was overturned, it would go to the states, and some states would still allow it. Do “pro-lifers” (who also support the death penalty completely drive me crazy) really think they can completely eliminate it? NO.

Abortion has always and will always exist. Get over it.

How about we reduce the number of unintended pregnancies by providing easier access to birth control? Do you know how hard it is to get birth control pills and how expensive it is without insurance?? With taxes and bigger government (better health care), we can provide better access to birth control and thus reduce unintended pregnancies.

How about we reduce the number of sexual assaults in this country? Do you know there are statistics as high as 1 out of 4 females face an attempted or actual sexual assault? That is embarrassing. I am read that a state politician in New Hampshire focused on reducing the number of rapes in her state and it worked! Fancy that. Instead of arguing about whether abortions should be legal or not, why don’t we talk about why there are so many rapes in our country? It is time to move on.

What about reducing the infant mortality rate? Or what about the government providing for the children once they are born? As the saying goes for “pro-lifers,” life ends at birth for these babies… How about better education system, better access to child day care for low-income mothers who are scared?

Point being – so many other issues to talk about than just whether abortion should be legal. President Bush has had 8 years and nothing. What a waste of a vote that was based solely on the issue of abortion. South Dakota and the rest of the country needs to get over it.

And another “controversial issue”…

Gay Marriage – Arizona (once again) has a measure on the ballot to make gay marriage illegal. Who cares if Tom marries Joe? "Straight people" have done enough to screw up marriage. Why do people go out of their way to be so hateful? It is not our job to be judgmental, that is up to our Maker. Arizona voted this initiative down two years ago. What a waste of money to bring it up again. When we pulled out of the church parking lot yesterday, we were acousted with pro-life signs and gay marriage signs. I just want to go to church and be left alone with that stuff.

There are many bigger issues to worry about this election than gay marriage or abortion. Our economy is terrible, we are facing two to three wars (sometimes President Bush brings up the “war on terror”), health care is terrible in this country, people are losing jobs, gang-related crime is on the increase since 9/11 because the FBI has been focused on terrorism…

I am tired of people focusing on distracting issues. Lets talk about the real issues.

- Jen