The Selective 'Right to Choose'

[RS Davis]

[glow=red,2,300]David Boaz Wrote:[/glow]I'd like to hear a presidential candidate say, "I believe in a woman's right to choose. I believe in a woman's right to choose whether to have a child. I believe in a woman's right to choose any job someone will hire her for. I believe in a woman's right to choose to own a gun. I believe in a woman's right to choose the school she thinks is best for her child, public or private. I believe in a woman's right to choose to drive a cab, even if she doesn't have a taxi medallion. I believe in a woman's right to choose the employees she wants for her business, even if they don't fit some government quota. I believe in a woman's right to choose the drugs she prefers for recreation, whether she chooses Coors or cocaine. I believe in a woman's right to choose how to spend all of her hard-earned money, without giving half of it to the government."

Whatever one's decision on the right to choose abortion, surely that is a more difficult issue, involving more lives and more complexities, than the right to choose a breast implant, a school for your child, to use marijuana, or to own a gun. And yet many of the supporters of "a woman's right to choose" don't support a woman's right to make those choices.

- Rick

[emilys revolution]

"And this month we've learned that the most vocal feminist advocates of "choice" don't believe a woman should have the right to choose silicone breast implants.
I'd like to hear a presidential candidate say, "I believe in a woman's right to choose. I believe in a woman's right to choose whether to have a child. I believe in a woman's right to choose any job someone will hire her for. I believe in a woman's right to choose to own a gun. I believe in a woman's right to choose the school she thinks is best for her child, public or private. I believe in a woman's right to choose to drive a cab, even if she doesn't have a taxi medallion. I believe in a woman's right to choose the employees she wants for her business, even if they don't fit some government quota. I believe in a woman's right to choose the drugs she prefers for recreation, whether she chooses Coors or cocaine. I believe in a woman's right to choose how to spend all of her hard-earned money, without giving half of it to the government."

There is an interesting point here with the issue of silicone implants. But the main difference between abortion rights and implants or legalizing cocaine or gun control is safety. Abortions are safe as long as they are legal. Silicone may not be. Cocaine is not. Guns are not unless they are controlled by someone who knows properly how to use them. And women can own guns. They can get implants. Legalizing marijuana is on its way (As far as other drugs go, it would be hard for me to say they should be legal based on the danger of usage although logically I believe that legalization would make it safer-- less cross contaminants-- FDA regulation... and that more addicts would get help if there weren't the possibility of prosecution and the stigma of criminality along with persecution). The schools issue? Well, any person has the right to send their child to whatever school they wish as it stands today. If the authors intends that vouchers ought to be given to parents for private schools, that seems anti-Libertarian to me. Isn't that sort of a handout by the government? Aren't Libertarians against that? And as far as putting s.s. money into private investments, I don't necessarily believe that more money will be made. There are many who would suffer from that if at retirement time the market crashed. How would they live in their old age? It is unconstitutional that gay marriage is not legal. I am not defending Dick here or for any of this. I am defending the idea that it is somehow hypocritical to fight for right to chose and against silicone. But hey! I am not really defending feminists either who would outlaw the music of Eminem if they could (and have tried). I am only defending myself as a self-proclaimed liberal. Really, if anyone wants bigger breasts, I don't care. But people do make choices that are unsafe without laws. It always gets back to the motorcycle helmet for us. The problem with the idea that everyone should be allowed to do anything is that when people get hurt, we can't all say, "Fuck it. They made their choice." Some of us can't stand to watch people suffer like that.

You might say that's what charities are for. You might say that the government should ignore these things. I will say that our government should lead its people by example. What is the point of being the wealthiest country in the world if we don't offer a safety net for our citizens.