Up with Chris Hayes Explores Atheism

Finally - someone who has the guts to have an intelligent conversation with and about atheism, as Chris Hayes of MSNBC did this morning (Hayes himself is an atheist). The show's website is here. You can see some clips from the show there.

The Reason Rally, a gathering of atheists and agnostics, took place in Washington, DC yesterday, and listed among its speakers Richard Dawkins; Congressman Pete Stark (D-CA), the only identified atheist in Congress; actor/comedian Eddie Izzard; Jessica Ahlquist, the 16-year old student who successfully sued and forced her school to remove a prayer; and producer of the movie The Artistocrats Paul Provenza. (Washington Post story is here.)

Hayes' show included as guests Dawkins; Steven Pinker, a Harvard professor; author Susan Jacoby; journalist Jamila Bey; The Atlantic editor Robert Wright; and comedian/radio host Jamie Kilstein. Particularly interesting was his guest Paster Mike Aus, who was "coming out" as an atheist on the show (he said he will be meeting with the leaders of his church next week to discuss his conversion to atheism. I suspect they won't be terribly supportive). You can view that clip from the website linked above.

Thank you, Chris Hayes, so much for doing this show!

Kansas Joins the Anti-Abortion Bill Idiocy

I'm sorry, young ladies of the United States. Apparently you are going to have to fight again a battle that the women of a generation before me fought and won. Many of you may not know who Gloria Steinem is, or would recognize the names of the ladies who fought to give you rights to decide about your sexual and reproductive health. But here we are, in 2012, going through the same crap all over again.

Let me just say right off that I have no personal dog in this fight. I am (thankfully) through menopause, so birth control and abortion rights have no personal meaning to me. However, when I see what the Republican Party is trying to do to women's rights in general, and our reproductive rights in particular, it makes steam come out of my ears.

The only way to stop them permanently is to vote the bastards the hell out of office and make sure they never get back in.

Kansas has now joined the chorus of states run by right-wingers who want to restrict a woman's right to an abortion. I have said before and I will say again that I don't think abortion should be used as birth control; that's what birth control is for. But there are occasions (rape, incest, extreme disabilities, including a fetus that is not viable outside the womb) where the decision whether to continue the pregnancy should be left to the woman, her partner, and her doctor. But for whatever reason, Republicans who preach daily about how government should de-regulate everything and stay out of our lives as much as possible are conjuring up the most insidious and invasive ways to get into our bedrooms and our reproductive choices.

The Kansas bill is just nothing short of immoral and downright sickening. This bill would allow a doctor to lie to the patient about the health of her fetus if the doctor thought telling the patient would lead the woman to seek an abortion. That's right... THE DOCTOR COULD LIE TO HIS PATIENT ABOUT THE HEALTH OF HER FETUS, and on top of that, the bill provides that when the woman finds out adverse information about her baby, as she inevitably will, right? that the doctor cannot be sued for not telling her the truth.

Well, obviously, because the little lady can't be trusted with the truth, right?

Never mind that not all couples who find out their baby will have disabilities would choose to abort. Some just appreciate the heads-up about the baby's condition.

But hey, it does still provide that a wrongful death suit can be filed if the mother dies. Nice. And the bill requires doctors to tell the pregnant woman that abortion causes breast cancer. Which isn't true. But it REQUIRES DOCTORS TO LIE TO YOU about that. Doesn't this run afoul of something called the Hippocratic Oath?

Kansas state representative Joe Patton (R-of course, Topeka) said "Kansas women don't want (abortions)." Who the hell is he to say? How dare he presume to speak for all women who happen to live in the state of Kansas? Does he think he just knows better than they do?

I happen to have known someone -- from Missouri, btw, next door to Kansas -- who sadly had to have a late second trimester abortion after she and her husband discovered through an ultrasound that the fetus was not viable outside the womb. (Missouri doesn't allow for abortions this late, so she had to travel to... get ready for it... Texas.) There have been cases where OB GYNs have known that a fetus could not survive (such as cases where the entire brain was missing), but haven't told the expectant couple because they knew they would want an abortion. How dare a legislator, or a doctor, think he or she has a right to tell a would-be parent facing such a horrible thing what to do?

I'm getting a kick, though, out of some female legislators (and one male - kudos to Ohio state representative Ted Celeste-D), who are turning the tables on the Republican holier-than-thou males passing these ridiculous laws. See the article here from Allison Yarrow of The Daily Beast. Hey guys, you want some Viagra? How about a rectal exam? How about being required to have your wife (or one of your past lovers) have to testify about your inability to get it up? I love it.

You know, I have always said that I thought Republicans wanted to take women back to the 1950's, and people pooh-poohed me. Unfortunately I was right. But if they think we're going to sit still and let it happen, they have absolutely no idea the fight they're in for. BRING IT ON.

The Utterly Ridiculous and Degrading Contraception Law Arizona Wants to Pass

Arizona has passed some extreme right-wing laws before, but this one takes the cake, I think. Along with other bills around the country that seek to strip a woman's right to decide what happens to her own body, now the Arizona state legislature is proposing a doozy of a law that aims to strip women of their right to contraception. Included in this law is the right of your employer to demand that you prove to them you have to take birth control pills for medical conditions and not to prevent pregnancy; to deny birth control coverage in your health care plan; and to fire you if you take birth control if said employer doesn't want you to.

I'm not kidding.

See the article here from The Huffington Post.

Rick Santorum started this bullshit, and yet somehow the man is actually in the running to get the Republican presidential nomination. Why on earth any woman is actually voting for him is a puzzle to me. Makes one wish Romney were a better candidate! Not saying I like the guy or would ever vote for him, but he's the least worst of the four remaining contenders.

It's time for the women of Arizona to stand up against this kind of ridiculous government overreach and vote the bastards who dreamed this up out of office. I'm just very proud to say that I do NOT live in Arizona, and if I did I would move posthaste!

Whatever happened to the righties who want "government out of their lives"? Seems to me they want government to stick their noses into every woman's bedroom. This kind of legislation is just sickening.

Guys, you might want to perk your ears up as well. There will be a whole lot less sex going on in this country if women are denied birth control pills. Just sayin'.

Bill O'Reilly Gets the Birth Control Debate Wrong (Again)

As promised, below is a list of the national sponsors of Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor. Bill-O again took on Sandra Fluke, the Georgetown law student who testified in front of a Congressional panel on behalf of a fellow student when the student health plan there refused to pay for birth control pills necessary to prevent ovarian cysts, the consequence of which was that the student lost one of her ovaries.

O'Reilly posits that this is really about the reelection of Barack Obama. That's right -- he now says that Democrats turned this from a war on religion (theirs) to a war against women (the Republicans'). Well, and here I thought the Democrats didn't have anything to do with Rush Limbaugh and O'Reilly himself being asses and calling Ms. Fluke all kinds of horrible things and suggesting nasty ulterior motives on her part. Silly me.

Both Limbaugh and O'Reilly are missing a lot about this debate, but many people and almost all the media are missing one other thing. For those who think Obama is still in the wrong about the birth control option in his health care bill, even after changing the provisions so a religiously-based organization of any kind doesn't directly pay for contraception, understand this... Obama didn't make that decision in a vacuum. That decision was OK'd by the leaders of several large Catholic organizations, including the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, with whom Obama consulted.

O'Reilly doesn't get that birth control pills are prescribed for things other than contraception, some quite serious conditions. On his show today he said this: "Why should anyone have to pay increased health insurance premiums so she (I presume he means Ms. Fluke) and others can get the pill free?" So he also doesn't understand that insurance companies would much rather provide contraception than pay for a) pregnancies, b) the other conditions that can be remediated by using birth control, particularly the pill, such as the condition that caused Ms. Fluke's fellow student to have to have surgery to remove her ovary. So, Mr. O'Reilly, no one is asking you to pay for anything. The idea is that contraception would simply be covered as part of the student health care plan. Also, and here's the kicker -- if insurance companies didn't pay for contraception, then your costs would go up. Hang with me here, I know this is really hard for knuckleheads like you, but pills are cheaper than babies. Or surgeries. You really need to get some schoolin' around this, Bill-O, before you spout off any more. Seriously.

Here is a partial list of advertisers on O'Reilly's Monday program:

T. Rowe Price
Viagra (I'm not making this up!)
Chevy Volt**
Advair
PCMatic.com
Aleve
Subaru
United Healthcare
HP
United Van Lines
Hyundai
Verizon

** There were at least two ads for the Chevy Volt on O'Reilly's program. But during his show O'Reilly made fun of the car by showing a disparaging internet video slamming the Volt. Way to bite the hand that feeds you, Bill-O!

Let's Get Something Straight: Rush Limbaugh Did NOT Apologize for What He Said

They have it all wrong -- the headlines that say Rush Limbaugh "apologized" for what he said about Sandra Fluke, the Georgetown student who testified in front of a House committee (chaired by Nancy Pelosi) regarding the right to have birth control included in the student medical plan. In point of fact, he did not apologize for what he said, only for the two horrible things he called Ms. Fluke in saying it. (See the HuffPo article here.)

So Rush still doesn't understand how birth control pills work. He doesn't understand that taxpayers wouldn't be paying for the women of Georgetown to have sex, as he said. He doesn't understand why Ms. Fluke was testifying on behalf of a fellow student who lost an ovary, and he doesn't understand why advertisers are leaving in droves and women all over the country are upset. In short, Rush doesn't understand anything about the situation at all. Well, when you're talking to someone who calls women "femi-Nazis" what do you really expect?

By the way, surely one of his four wives must have taken birth control. He has no children. That only leaves... a) impotence, or b) infertility, or c) no desire to have children. It does make you wonder which it is...

Anyway, ProFlowers has suspended their advertising on the show. Not good enough! AOL and TaxResolution have also suspended their advertising. They should all make a pledge never to advertise on that show again.

Very disappointing is the fact that the Department of Defense continues to say they will maintain their advertising. Firstly, Rush on a daily basis disparages and flat makes up lies about their Commander in Chief, President Obama. Secondly, the Armed Forces has tremendous problems with sexualization and marginalization of women, as well as out and out sexual assault. They have absolutely no business advertising on a show where women are treated worse than dirt.

I will be looking to see what Bill O'Reilly has to say tonight as well. Which gives me the creeps, just that I have to watch any part of that show... but I guess it's for a good cause.

Ms. Fluke, I'm glad you didn't take Rush's "apology" seriously, because he certainly didn't mean it be serious. But if advertisers keep fleeing his show, he might want to rethink that.

Boycott Rush Limbaugh's Sponsors

[UPDATE 3/3 #3: Carbonite has issued a statement that despite Rush's non-apology apology, they are pulling their advertising from his show.]

[UPDATE 3/3 #2: RUSH STILL NOT GETTING IT - Rush issued a wimpy apology to Ms. Fluke (probably his sponsors pulling out of his show started to make him sweat), but said this: "I think it is absolutely absurd that during these very serious political times, we are discussing personal sexual recreational activities before members of Congress. I personally do not agree that American citizens should pay for these social activities..blah blah blah... In other words, he still doesn't understand that Ms. Fluke was testifying on behalf of her friend who lost an ovary due to cysts, and he doesn't get that taxpayers aren't paying anything; the cost of the birth control pills were simply to be covered under the college's student health care plan. Jeez, I knew the man was stupid, but he's surpassing even my low expectations!! Don't get too complacent, O'Reilly -- we're comin' for you next.]

[UPDATE 3/3: LegalZoom has "suspended" their advertising on the show, which frankly I don't think is good enough, but it's something. Citrix has pulled out of Rush's show. I am hoping Carbonite will also pull out, as I use their service, I like it, and if they don't I WILL go to another online backup service. Autozone has pulled its advertising. Bill O'Reilly, Fox News chief blowhard, however, has been on the air with the same kind of nonsense Limbaugh has been spewing. He also completely misunderstood why Ms. Fluke was testifying, or chose not to understand. We might have to start a campaign to finally get him off the air permanently, too. I have added some other sponsors to the list below. It disturbs me that American Forces Network advertises on his show considering the vitriol he spews toward their Commander in Chief.]

Unless you've been living under a rock the past couple of days (or maybe if you watch Fox News), you probably know the despicable things Rush Limbaugh has said on his radio show about Sandra Fluke, the Georgetown law student who testified before a House committee this week regarding the high cost of birth control.

I'm not going to repeat what he said here, because a) it was too disgusting to reprint, and b) you've probably already heard it and don't need to hear it again. But what a lot of people are missing is the fact that it's obvious from Rush's remarks that he doesn't understand how birth control pills work! So Rush is not only an arrogant asshole, he's an ignorant arrogant asshole! It reminds me of a woman I used to know who had a college roommate who asked her if she could have one of her birth control pills because she was going on an overnighter with her boyfriend. My friend gave her one (probably one of the inert ones), because she figured if she was that dumb she was bound to get pregnant at some point anyway (she didn't, at least not that weekend).

The other thing ignorant Rush doesn't get is that birth control pills can be prescribed for things other than contraception. In fact, Sandra Fluke was testifying on behalf of a friend of hers, who had been prescribed birth control pills to prevent ovarian cysts. Georgetown has a student health plan, but being a Jesuit institution it does not pay for birth control pills on religious grounds. When her friend could no longer afford the pills (at $100 a month, that's $1,200 a year, let me help you with the math there, Rush), a tennis-ball sized cyst formed, and she had to have surgery to remove her ovary. This, quite frankly, was a senseless tragedy.

Now, Rush has said vile things before, and ignorant things on a minute-by-minute basis, so I normally just ignore him as he's not worth the bandwidth on my blog. Actually, he's not worth the dust bunnies under my computer... but this was so horrible and so egregious that I have to join the many others calling for him to be fired, and failing that, a boycott on his sponsors (three of which have already left - Sleep Train, Sleep Number and Quicken Loans). I have a list of the others hanging with Rush - so far - below:

Cleveland Cavaliers (suspending advertising for the year)
ProFlowers (reevaluating)
Citrix (suspending advertising)
Carbonite (pulled their advertising)
LegalZoom (pulled their advertising)
AutoZone (pulled their advertising)

American Forces Network (DOES NOT INTEND TO LEAVE RUSH'S SHOW)

Mission Pharmacal (has not advertised on Rush's show for some time)

TaxResolution (suspended their advertising)

Sears (ad ran on Rush's show by mistake)

LifeLock (DOES NOT INTEND TO LEAVE RUSH'S SHOW)

AOL (suspended their advertising)

The Republicans in Congress, each and every one of them, should denounce Rush and his comments, but they are terrified of doing so because Rush has a huge (and apparently not very bright) audience. John Boehner, I'm going to call you out specifically, because you hid behind your spokesperson. As Speaker of the House, you are a coward if you don't get in front of the press cameras and throw Rush Limbaugh under a big, red, double-decker London bus.