The Philippine government tries to save lives, the Church gets mad.
Posted 3/10/10 by Gina Hodge
Members of the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines have taken up the fight against protected sex after government health workers passed out roses and condoms on Valentines Day. Bishops have (wrongly) accused condoms of causing abortion, contributing the spread of HIV/AIDS, and allowing people to feel secure despite bishops’ warnings of a high failure rate. In a country with an HIV problem increasing in magnitude and a high poverty rate that prevents some from purchasing condoms, the influence of the Church in discouraging the free distribution of protection could prove deadly. In placing religious principles over the very real threat of STI’s, the Church may be as immoral as the contraceptives they oppose so strongly.
If you’ve been watching YouTube trends over the past few weeks (me? procrastinate? never!) you may have noticed a familiar face. BILL NYE! Yes, the nerdy and lovable bowtie-wearing science geek has been everywhere from The O’Reilly Factor to the Rachel Maddow Show and, not surprisingly, has emerged as the voice of reason against an increasingly indignant body of climate change skeptics. If you don’t remember him, here’s the old theme song to refresh your memory.
Don’t want that pregnancy? Don’t try falling down the stairs
Posted 2/24/10 by Gina Hodge
Utah, in response to a case where a woman hired a man to punch her in the hopes that she would miscarry but couldn’t be charged under any laws at the time, has recently passed legislation that groups miscarriage under the heading of illegal abortions. The law would prosecute those who knowingly engage in risky behavior while pregnant (even if they didn’t intend for it to result in a miscarriage), which could potentially include domestic violence victims who stay with their partners. State Senator Margaret Dayton, the Republican who sponsored the bill, said that the law wouldn’t target victims, but would try to prevent other forms of illegal abortion. Still, there’s no knowing what exactly would count as risky behavior and how far the law would reach.