Lets finish up with some torture.

A classmate of mine recently commented on the actions of Attorney General Eric Holder regarding instances of torture. I detest the idea of torture and had a few words to say on the subject.

You bring up an interesting way of thinking about the purpose of imprisonment, I think when you do really break it down, imprisonment in a wartime situation really only serves two purposes, leverage and information. But as a modern society, theres certain things we need to acknowledge and universally wrong (not as much as morally wrong, but 'hey, lets not do that to each other, no one likes it' kind of wrong.) Torture is one of those things, the threat of further imprisonment in horrible conditions should be the sole motivator for information.

I'm glad the Attorney General is taking active steps to ensure a precedent is set that this will not be tolerated. The United States played a big part in the setting of a lot of wartime standards and regulations and its sad to think we readily engage in breaking them.

"Keep your laws out of my body"

With my last blog about gay marriage, I guess I should have no problem blogging about another controversial issue. So just as last time, I’ll come out and say what this is about, the A-word. Abortion, one of the touchiest issues of the last 100 years. From the Roe v. Wade decision to clinic bombings and violence, I’m not sure I’ve seen any issue invoke as much passionate divisiveness. Hell, even I have a bit of trouble really expressing how I feel about it; It’s an uncomfortable topic that is sadly part of life.

But does the government have a right to interfere in a woman’s private affairs such as this? In my opinion, no. Past the point when the child could survive outside of the womb I’d say the State has much more interest in the life of the child, but prior to that point, I feel the mother’s interests are more important. No one except woman (or couple) who has become pregnant knows their ability to care for a child, and no one but that woman should have the right to make a decision as to its birth. A woman who would be unable to provide adequate care for a child should not be forced to have that child, and the child should not be forced to be born into poverty or an unwilling home. Especially in modern times, where over-population and food crises have become part of modern existence, we should be more responsible with our reproduction. A child is something that should be planned for; a loving home and enough to provide for the new child is necessary. If the mother doesn’t feel she could adequately provide that, she shouldn’t be forced to. After all, aren’t you taking away her chance to better herself and have a child when she is ready? I won’t even considering the atrocities that woman may go through if abortion became illegal, I hope no one has to go through these types of things again.

Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t think abortion should be just a run of the mill type activity, there is lots of responsibility in being sexually active and sadly it is not always practiced. But even when it is, things can still happen, and do. I think instead of protesting and detesting abortion, we should be revamping the archaic and confusing sex-ed coming from some schools and churches. After all, if what you’re taught is wrong, how could you possibly act right?

OMG wut r u up 2? im jus drvn

One of my classmate recently posted a blog supporting a law to ban texting while driving. Though I agree with the idea, I had some additional commentary to add:

I completely agree with the idea behind this law, though I can't say I'd expect much for enforcement. Texting can be done well below the window line and there are plenty of other things that can similarly distract a driver besides texting. Enforcement will have a very difficult time proving that someone was indeed texting short of getting into their phone, which of course would be unconstitutional.

Instead I'd like to see better education on the dangers of being distracted by driving. It is a very serious danger and it really comes down to personally responsiblity, which I feel we should try to instill in young adults anyway.

Just a personal side note, but my sister totaled her car because it drifted while she was texting. Luckily she was alright and no one else was involved, but it definitely changed my habits immediately. I'd be very happy if others didn't have to experience that or worse to learn the lesson.