I am pro-choice, too.

When inspired, it's best to hear the source of inspiration straight from the horse's mouth, so to speak.

It hasn't been easy. I don't change opinions willy-nilly, especially if I've held them for a long time and if they're about key issues. But I've been doing a lot of soul-searching lately and feel that the only responsible thing to do is to go public and admit that I'm now pro-choice.

Here is my new thinking:

1. The government shouldn't be able to tell me whether to paint my house yellow or green. It's my house, and the choice should be mine. I'm pro-choice.
2. No one should pressure me to buy a foreign rather than a domestic car--or the other way around. It's no one else's business whether I drive a Toyota or a Chevy. The choice should be mine. I'm pro-choice.
3. On election day, I should be able to vote against any scoundrel I wish. I don't want to be nagged into voting against this guy or that. I can choose my own scoundrels. It's my ballot and my decision. I'm pro-choice.
4. In these E-Letters, I should be able to express any opinion I want. If a reader doesn't like what I say (or doesn't understand irony or parody), tough. It's my E-Letter and my writing. I'm pro-choice.

Precisely because I am so consistently pro-choice when it comes to my own choices, I acknowledge the right of others to make choices of their own.

Just one example:

I think every child should have a choice about whether he will come into this world. If he chooses not to, we should respect that choice. Of course, his choice will have to be manifested in a sufficiently clear way.

When the rest of us make choices--to hire a house painter, to buy a car, even to vote--we sign a contract or somehow make our choices known on paper. The same should apply here, for consistency's sake.

Thus, if an unborn child signs a waiver or agreement or contract (or whatever the document would be) indicating that he doesn't want to come into this world, his choice should be respected. Absent such a signed document, we have to presume that his choice is to come into this world. After all, everyone I know who ended up being born preferred it to the alternative.

Whatever the unborn child decides, we should respect his choice--and we should not allow it to be overruled by someone else's choice. That's my opinion, and that's why I'm pro-choice.

-Karl Keating, Catholic apologist
(From his e-letter on Catholic Answers)

I've always liked that letter. I wonder what pro-abortionists would say to that (quite frankly -and I say this after the trend of responses I've seen and heard countlessly - I wonder if what they might say would somehow not contain "flamatory" remarks or rants about crazy Catholic/Christian/God-believing-zombies-trapped-by-religion...(thinks)nah.)

I too am an advocate for freedom of choice. Who doesn't want to have the freedom to choose their preference? That is why I'm so grateful for being Catholic. There's this teaching in our faith that God gave us free will (oo, so we're not a group of zombies somehow contributing to the psychological phenomenon known as organised religion?!). And then, from the Gospel of Spiderman, we read, my brothers and sisters, "with great power comes great responsibility". Cue screeching record to a halt. Isn't that another way for saying "to whom much is given, much is expected?" Let's just say that all men will agree that there is a God and God gave us free will and God wants only the best for men and that God, not being a creation from men's mind to fill an unnecessary void, truly knows more than men do because of He is Infinite Wisdom, thus knows what is best for men. And let's say that He taught us through various ways of revelation that we have a responsibility for many of the undeserving gifts bestowed upon us creatures capable of stupidity, one of which is called Free Will. So, the question that comes to mind is: what is this responsibility? Do we, as men, make up what will be that responsibility? Hm, well, because we don't entirely know what is best for us, just a limited portion- because we're not beings of infinite wisdom- then God would know what the responsibility is for having Free Will. So, who to trust, God or man? If I've limitedly rationalised that, as much as man is capable, man is limited, and that since I cannot entirely prove that there is no God, I'm going to throw my best chances that there is one and move on with that, put my trust in God and His Truths revealed- yeah, that was pretty much Pascal's Wager, in a sense but not entirely.

And yes, I know I divert.

So, secular vernacular: Freedom of Choice. Catholic/Christian/God-believing zombies (I'm kidding, zombies) vernacular: Free Will.
Free Will = our own choices + responsibility
Freedom of Choice = Free Will
Thus, Freedom of Choice = our own choices + responsibility.

My point: many people living today with under this pro-choice, "freedom of choice" banner seem to shun the "responsibility" factor in the equation. I'm sick of the "freedom of choice" to do whatever the hell I want, even if I don't know that it will harm someone else, ...blahblahblah, excuses, etc. etc. In secular, Catholic-devoid terms, shut the f*** up. But that's just my opinion. :)

It's so weird waking up so early on a Sunday morning. Weird in that wonderful way. Because now I won't nod off during 0800 Mass.

Upon donning the mic and make-up...

I never finish thoughts. Even when I've said I'll finish what I started...bad habit. Pathetic habit. And if I hear anyone else reiterate my own feelings, I'll strangle you. I'll say what I want when I please.

Random quote:

"Hearing nuns' confessions is like being stoned to death with popcorn."

- Bishop Fulton Sheen

Amongst other relatively noteworthy tidbits, approximately a month's time shall pass before this globe-trotting citizen zeros in on a relatively permanent location. In the meantime, partly dusted rooms are expected with a high chance of insanity. We should see a storm pass through the halls as organised junk falls from an upset of formerly inconspicuous shadows. Look for this erratic system to remain due to isolated thoughts and simultaneous combustive issues.

In sports, resale for previously-owned vehicles is uncertain. Let's take a look at the line up: we have the Bluebird- a funny name for that one seeing as it's white and not "blue". Who were his parents? Regardless of his namesake, he's looking swell and keeping well and should last the year. I reckon he'll be voted for MVV. That Vech' is Sleek. Carina's coming in second, no doubt. After her recent injury, and by the look of the judges' score, her performance has seen a decline. Let's just hope she holds for another month or two. As for Prairie,...have mercy. Well, it looks like the Main Man hasn't been preparing his line up. Not sure if this looks bright. That's right- especially if we've seen a weak side to the drag of the PSC season this time of year, there's no telling what prospects will arise. Will it have to be short of a miracle for all three to make it to the finals, or will some of them simply have to hit the road...in pieces? More on that later.

Well, that's all the time we have for now. Tune in next time for an update on The Global Trotter: will the trotting end, or is there more around the bend?

Good night, United Carbon-Based Forms of Life- and stop being collectively stupid.