You may remember the flap over the Secret Service limitations on where protestors could set up near George W. Bush, and the wailing about “free speech zones” being an unconscionable restriction, etc. I have yet to hear anybody (1) complain about the Secret Service’s policy since Obama took over or (2) explain how the policy changed, as I suspect it has not. Like so many routine government activities, it’s only objectionable when it’s Bush.
Anyway, this is a slightly different story – about a private sign-making company, not a government agency – but it’s nonetheless revealing: a billboard company refused to allow signs to call President Obama “pro-abortion,” insisting on altering the billboards to “pro abortion choice.” Here’s the proposed billboard:
Here’s what they ran instead:
First of all, this is ignorance. Obama has long supported taxpayer funding to subsidize abortions. It is simply not possible to support taking money from taxpayers to pay for a thing, causing more of that thing to happen, and then argue that you are not supporting the thing itself. Taxpayer funding is a far cry from live and let live (it’s something Obama opposes for, say, sending black children in failed DC school districts to private schools – he must regard abortion as more desirable than a good education). Add in efforts to squeeze Catholic hospitals that have moral objections to performing abortions, and Obama’s famous crack about how he would not want his daughters “punished with a baby,” and it’s just nonsensical to deny that Obama is, if words have any meaning whatsoever, pro-abortion. The fear of saying so about anybody is revealing, though – it’s a recognition that being pro-abortion is a bad thing, which of course is not the case if you believe, as supporters of legal abortion must, that the act does not take a human life.
(A digression: when Sarah Palin talked recently about the choice to keep her youngest child, liberals argued that this was a concession – isn’t it wonderful, some of them argued, to live in a country that allows such choices? Um, no. Using cocaine and driving drunk are illegal, but we still speak of not doing them as being moral choices. If a teenager from a bad neighborhood refuses to join a gang, we can celebrate the positive moral choice without saying, “isn’t it great to live in a country where teenagers get to choose whether or not to join violent, drug-dealing street gangs?” No, it’s a tragedy.)
Second, the reluctance to allow open discussion of the issue is symptomatic of something Justice Scalia has noted at the Supreme Court level: the systematic bending of all other rules and customs, much as happened in the days of slavery, to protect the practice of abortion, from unique rules for protests around clinics, to laxer regulation of clinics, to distortion of the language itself. The same people calling for displaying graphic photos of interrogation of detainees or who want soldiers’ coffins on the front page of the newspaper without the consent of their families are the ones who are horrified by the idea that any image should be displayed of abortion, the ones who even recoil at showing pictures of live unborn children in the debate. The unwillingness to face the language itself is a symptom of the recognition that some things can’t really be defended.
Moe Lane
Steve Maley
Dan McLaughlin
Neil Stevens
Daniel Horowitz
Denial
Vannek Thursday, May 7th at 2:47PM EST (link)“The unwillingness to face the language itself is a symptom of the recognition that some things can’t really be defended.”
Well said. It’s a fetus, not a baby. It’s a choice, not the taking of an innocent life. Partial-birth abortion is a medical procedure, not an execution.
The cartoonist who draws Calvin & Hobbes said this: “It’s not denial. I’m just selective about the reality I accept.”
Perception words
ExposeDemLiars (Diary) Thursday, May 7th at 4:57PM EST (link)The liberals have taken the high ground by using “perception” words. We need to counter that by making them look foolish whenever they do. That’s easily done by asking questions that put the word back in context. For instance whenever a liberal calls themselves progressive, ask them
What is “progressive” about regressing back into Totalitarianism?
Or if they call someone a homophobe, reply by stating that phobia implies fear and we are not afraid of discussing our position, are they?
When they blame Bush for starting the bailout spending, remind them that Obama has been in office for 5 months. If he were a leader he would have corrected the direction.
In other “words”, we need to use their own words to show a clear and distinct difference between us and them.
Along those lines we should all start calling socialism "caveman economics"
Beaglescout (Diary) Thursday, May 7th at 7:11PM EST (link)Because that is what it is. The tribe owns everything, and lends it to the people of the tribe to be caretakers. Their produce is given to the tribe, and they get a small piece back. When they hunt it is given to the tribe. Nobody, except the chief, can accumulate any property. In a defacto sense everything belongs to the chief and the council of elders, including the lives and labor of the tribe. And that’s exactly the same thing as socialism. Just change the name of the chief to the secretary and the council of elders to the socialist party. The misery and poverty are the same. Caveman economics, as proposed by Marx.
“A nation which can prefer disgrace to danger is prepared for a master, and deserves one.”
He's unambiguously pro-abortion
gonzo55 (Diary) Thursday, May 7th at 3:06PM EST (link)That’s just a statement of fact. Of course, we need to work together to reduce the total number of abortions to just those cases in which having a kid would be extremely inconvenient, like in the case of a single mom in college. How’d that work out for you, Dear Leader?
“Facts are stubborn things” — Ronald Wilson Reagan
Net positive on the sign IMHO
redneck_hippie (Diary) Thursday, May 7th at 3:12PM EST (link)The distinction is clear, at least to me, that by underlining “abortion”, the sign is pointing out that choice doesn’t mean a good thing that is humane. The issue is abortion choice. The emphasis is on abortion choice and not just “choice” is okay. with me.
More billboards, I say.
5... Notre Dame needs to be shamed over this
6eorge Jetson (Diary) Thursday, May 7th at 3:15PM EST (link)So stop sending your sons & daughters to Notre Dame
izoneguy (Diary) Thursday, May 7th at 7:20PM EST (link)Legacy, schmegacy….
The point cannot be made often enough: Modern liberalism, as embodied in the Obama presidency, is the defender of the status quo. And the status quo is a road to economic ruin. Political forces cannot redistribute the wealth that the economic system does not produce.
great comment izoneguy - I mean really, even if there are only 5 conservative
Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary) Thursday, May 7th at 7:37PM EST (link)universities in the US
There must be 10?
but see my comments on the culture war and you will see that I think we are saying the same thing
http://www.examiner.com/x-1597-Charlotte-Law–Politics-Examiner~y2009m4d25-Culture-battles-lost-despite-not-because-of-Dobson-and-Reagan
Mike DeVine’s Examiner.com, Charlotte Observer and The Minority Report columns
“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson
fi you want a truly Catholic school there are several
Lammo (Diary) Thursday, May 7th at 7:53PM EST (link)scattered around the country. The Cardinal Newman Society publishes an annual guide to authentically Catholic colleges and universities. The list, which currently consists of 21 schools, can be found here: http://www.catholichighered.org/TheNewmanGuide/tabid/356/Default.aspx
Don’t be so open minded that your brains fall out. (John Corapi, The Black Sheep Dog)
"IF"
Lammo (Diary) Thursday, May 7th at 8:06PM EST (link)darn computer.
Don’t be so open minded that your brains fall out. (John Corapi, The Black Sheep Dog)
I understand the point but
LibRick (Diary) Thursday, May 7th at 4:06PM EST (link)Shouldn’t the required text have been stated in their RFP or more likely RFQ (on this level) ?
And, doesn’t a private business have the freedom to propose, modify requirements and submit a bid according to it’s own interests?
The Pro Life Action League could have rejected the contract and went elsewhere, and maybe they should have.
Freedom? Absolutely.
Dan McLaughlin (Diary) Thursday, May 7th at 4:17PM EST (link)It’s not censorship, per se. But that doesn’t make it above criticism.
The fact that they were unwilling to print those particular words is telling.
“No compromise with the main purpose, no peace till victory, no pact with unrepentant wrong.” – Winston Churchill
Don't know about South Bend but
Lammo (Diary) Thursday, May 7th at 7:58PM EST (link)in my city, which is about three times the size, there’s only one billboard company so there would be no where else to go.
Don’t be so open minded that your brains fall out. (John Corapi, The Black Sheep Dog)
Abortion Choice
ExposeDemLiars (Diary) Thursday, May 7th at 4:55PM EST (link)If there’s a choice, then the only civilized choice is to outlaw it.
Prochoice is a farse
ExposeDemLiars (Diary) Thursday, May 7th at 5:03PM EST (link)Opposing abortion is simply defending the rights of the innocent. How can there be room to allow each individual the “choice” of recognizing those rights or not?
To say “I’m not pro-abortion, I’m pro-choice, each woman should decide for herself”
is no different than saying
“I’m not pro-slavery, I’m pro-choice. Each plantation owner should decide for themself.”
Even better:
aesthete (Diary) Thursday, May 7th at 10:09PM EST (link)“No one wants to see slavery expanded, and the tired rhetoric from both sides is not what the American people want. To that end, I will not only make slavery safe, legal and rare by upholding the plantation owner’s right to choose, but I will also increase government funding for slavers, will prohibit merchants from pointing out the moral and long-term economic pitfalls of slavery, and will increase funding for slavery around the world.”
Isn’t that such a reasonable position?
The act of defending any of the cardinal virtues has today all the exhilaration of a vice – G.K. Chesterton
Private Business
jabley Thursday, May 7th at 8:30PM EST (link)It would bother me more if a private business was forced to put up any billboard someone brought their way. They have a right to have content guidelines, just like RedState/Eagle Interactive does (and which they clearly define on their advertising materials. Private business. Their choice. End of story.
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From Eagle Interactive
All web banner, dedicated e-mail and e-newsletter text advertising creative is subject to Eagle Interactive approval. Eagle Interactive reserves the right to reject or cancel any Advertisement, Insertion Order, and space reservation or position commitment at any time based upon its creative content or otherwise. Eagle Interactive has the right to refuse any content that is defamatory, racist, sexist or discriminatory to any social or religious group at its discretion. Eagle Interactive has the right to refuse any content that is sexually explicit in nature, that contains reference to bodily functions, that condones illegal actions, that contains violence, that advertises any male enhancement products or advertises HGH (human growth hormone). Eagle Interactive also reserves the right to refuse any advertisement(s) with content that we determine to be unacceptable to our audience.
I’m actually a Democrat pretending to be a Republican, and that’s why I got banned. I’m just too dense to be able to defend my side with facts and reason, so I have to resort to deception, just like President Obama.
I wonder if the private business argument would hold up if...
DONTREADONME (Diary) Thursday, May 7th at 8:36PM EST (link)the person was a black man and the business owner was a white man? I agree with you that this is a private business matter, but the hypocracy in this country usually shifts the argument depending on the purchasee’s minority status. Again, I agree with you this is a private business.
Yes it is a private business but
Lloyd Davis (Diary) Thursday, May 7th at 10:16PM EST (link)we also have the option of not giving them our business.
From what I read
leftylurker (Diary) Thursday, May 7th at 8:47PM EST (link)On Kos, fwiw, even the Vatican thinks that all the outrage over this is politics.
A little black paint
JoeG Thursday, May 7th at 10:32PM EST (link)Could fix that sign real quick.
If someone is paying for this
WarEagle01 (Diary) Sunday, May 10th at 12:39AM EST (link)Why in the heck would the sign company care?
“A wise, doughy leg with rich tingly experiences will always reach better conclusions than will a more tanned, muscular leg that hasn’t felt those thrills.” –Chris Matthews’ Leg
“The alternative to the awful extremity of abortion is the indispensable joy of introducing this flawed world to someone who might make it better.”–John Hayward (AKA Dr. Zero)
Here's three reasons the sign company might care
civil truth (Diary) Sunday, May 10th at 12:50AM EST (link)…of the top of my head. I probably could come up with others if I took more time.
1) The owners had a personal objection to the message because of their convictions on the abortion issue (pro-abortion) and/or support for Obama, and so wanted to craft the message in a weaker form that would still pass muster with the buyers.
2) The owners did not want to risk displeasure of other advertisers.
3) The owners wanted to minimize a possible public controversy so as not to get drawn into it, which would be a losing situation for them regardless.
The greatest evil…is conceived and ordered (moved, seconded, carried, and minuted) in clean, carpeted, warmed, and well-lighted offices, by quiet men with white collars and cut fingernails and smooth-shaven cheeks who do not need to raise their voice. Hence, naturally enough, my symbol for Hell is something like the bureaucracy of a police state or the offices of a thoroughly nasty business concern. -C.S. Lewis
http://www.gmsplace.com/
nt
WarEagle01 (Diary) Sunday, May 10th at 12:41AM EST (link)“A wise, doughy leg with rich tingly experiences will always reach better conclusions than will a more tanned, muscular leg that hasn’t felt those thrills.” –Chris Matthews’ Leg
“The alternative to the awful extremity of abortion is the indispensable joy of introducing this flawed world to someone who might make it better.”–John Hayward (AKA Dr. Zero)