Take A Stand On...
this meme has been going around, so i figure what the hell...
Take A Stand On:
Abortion?
i'm very much pro-choice; however, with that said i think a woman should be informed (perhaps even professionally counselled) on all of the alternatives in advance. lets just say i'd like to be certain she is making an informed decision. a tangential area which doesn't seem to get addressed is with respect to the rights of the father who is also impacted (legally and otherwise) and tends to have little say in the matter.
Death Penalty?
given sufficient evidence, an adequate defense, and an appropriate crime, i'm for it. but when done, lets not draw it out with endless appeals that were clearly meant to delay the sentence.
Prostitution?
i'm all for getting it off the street corners, but if a woman (or man) wants to do that, so be it -- legalize and regulate it like any business with similar risks.
Alcohol?
we're too uptight here in the states. sure, there needs to be a reasonable age, but lets not go nuts. just set appropriate punishments for crimes that are alchol related.
Marijuana?
frankly, i consider this much like alcohol though i'd probably put a much higher minimum age on it. legalize, tax, and regulate it. and of course, punish [harshly] those that commit crimes because of it.
Other drugs?
depends on the drug.
Gay Marriage?
i don't think marriage has anything to do with the sex of the people wanting to enter into it. if two people want to commit themselves to each other, they should attain the same legal rights and standings regardless.
Illegal immigrants?
by saying they are illegal makes me against it. i have no problem with people coming here to try and achieve the proverbial american dream. with that said, i would also expect them to be working towards citizenship and that social programs would be limited until that was achieved. i am against people entering the country just to get the perks.
Smoking?
bad habit. i don't, haven't, and never will. i do realize that far too many people (my parents included) got hooked and have difficulty quitting. that's sad. i guess it boils down to -- go ahead until it affects me.
Drunk driving?
i'm willing to accept that people make mistakes. assuming there are no deaths/injuries where heavy punishment should be doled out right away, a first offense should carry a large fine, community service, and loss of driver's license for no less that 6 months. second time the license is gone for good. driving is a priviledge not a right.
Cloning?
depends what you are cloning and what the goals are. i believe there are some very good reasons to conduct research in the area, but can come up with lots of bad reasons too. lets just say -- regulate it. there is too much potential good to outlaw it.
Racism?
i have no respect for anyone that judges someone based soley on their race -- or religion or sex for that matter. at the same time, i have an equal amount of trouble when people use these as excuses for not getting what they want.
Premarital sex?
in an ideal world, i'd say "definitely". this is not an ideal world. as long as both parties are mature enough to engage in sex -- meaning are able to handle it emotionally -- and take all appropriate measures to avoid disease and unwanted pregnancy and are doing it to please both themselves and their partner.... why not. maturity is the key. as we all know, marriage is no insurance of maturity, commitment, love, or any other things that are important factors in giving of one's self.
Religion?
if it takes religion to make you a good person, i support you in taking part so long as you don't assume it takes religion (specifically yours) for me to live my life well. it doesn't take the fear of a god to remind me to try and do my best to be a good person. now don't get me wrong, i think the work (community service and alike) that many churches do is wonderful. i whole-heartedly support their efforts. it's a shame it takes the bond varied religious beliefs to rally communities in that way.
The war in Iraq?
i'm suspect of the reasoning that led us into it, but if we are to remain, lets take care of business and get the troops back home. and to some degree i'd rather see a lot of the money that is funding that effort be put into taking care of the people that are here.
Bush?
one of the great things about being an american is that i can say i do not like our president. that i believe he has made decisions that have not always been in the best interests of the country (as a whole). he is our president, so i support him the best i can. i wish we had a better alternative. i'm not convinced that kerry would be any better. maybe we can clone ronald regan! :-)
Downloading music?
illegal downloading? bad. i do think artists deserve to be compensated for their work. at the same time, i think it's reasonable that i can have access to music to hear it (in full) and decide whether i want to have a copy for myself. i think iTunes and their ilk are a good step forward. you can argue their prices and the security they impose -- 99 cents is not unreasonable for a song, though i'd like to see album prices be lower. i disagree with DRM on the tunes. if i bought it i should be able to put it on my computer, iPod, whatever.
The legal drinking age?
i dunno, 14 maybe. lets not make it so damn taboo which just draws kids to it. lets face it, sneaking out and getting drunk has more to do with being rebellious and doing what "adults" do than it does with anything else. punish thoses that aren't responsible and be done with it.
Porn?
not sure what they are asking, but... as far as making it. if the people are mature enough to consent, let 'em pose naked or do whatever it is they want.
with respect to viewing it... i think it's a maturity issue again. as long as it doesn't affect others, i don't see the harm.
Suicide?
if a person is of sound mind and decides to take their own life, i don't see a point in calling it a crime. for example, i am accepting of physician assisted suicide specifically in the case of terminally ill patients. doctors should not be punished for helping someone avoid the agony of slow/painful death.
Posted by ac at July 29, 2004 11:00 PM