cf. brake

Abortion has been relegated to the backseat in the general social arena in recent years. That is, until the current murder trial of Kermitt Gosnell once again forced it into the limelight. Largely lacking the mainstream attention of other potential social shifts, the abortion dialogue is being conducted through blog posts, counter-posts, response posts, and Twitter (#Gosnell). Along with it comes a familiar vitriolic output of both those promoting and condemning abortion. In response to this reignited war of words, Donald Miller recently posted   an article   calling on the Pro-Life movement to proceed with compassion. More specifically, he calls for a display of love like that of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and he calls for a voice like Dr. King's to lead the movement. All of this is good and commendable. Abortion is a polarizing issue and often carries unfathomable secret and personal pain. A quick word or a sharp tongue can turn a civil convers...

"Together, we resolved that a great nation must care for the vulnerable, and protect its people from life's worst hazards and misfortune. ... Our journey is not complete until all our children, from the streets of Detroit to the hills of Appalachia to the quiet lanes of Newtown, know that they are cared for, and cherished, and always safe from harm." - President Barack Obama, Inauguration Speech, January 21, 2013 Today, let us take a moment to remember the lives we were unable to protect. Those lives whose end was neither natural nor accidental. Let us think upon those never allowed to fill their lungs with air. And let us think upon those who have bought the lie that this is "choice." Let us, in silent vigil, remember the one out of every four children [1]   and the millions of woman left with empty arms. But, let this moment be brief. For, as President Obama has exhorted us, there is work to be done. Let us turn our at...

There's an old saying, "Remember when men were men?" It may not feel that old, but it harkens back to a day well before my generation stepped foot on this earth. A time we fondly look back on as too "chivalric" and laugh at as being unrefined and uneducated. A time of inequality, even inhumanity. Today, the simple act of opening a door so that a woman might pass through first, or walking her home simply to make sure she arrives safely is scoffed at. On a deeper level, we have told men they are overly-violent, sexually-driven vagabonds who cannot be trusted with responsibility. In short, we make the claim that men are irrelevant to society, denuding them of parental and spousal responsibility - making the claim that the burden they should have been carrying is best suited to be born by women. All this we know. All this has been coalesced into a singular societal expectation, where, when we hear of a man who stands by his family for a lifetime, he is l...

There has been a lot of discussion recently about contraceptives, abortion coverage, and corresponding religious liberty issues. Particularly with the implementation of Obamacare (the Affordable Care Act), there has likely never been more espousing of the non-theoretical impacts of mandated abortion coverage carried in health care insurance policies. There is current litigation concerning requirements that religious employers cover contraception that is against their religious belief. Radio show monologues stir furor. And the issue of women's health has taken on a new turn. So, why do I, as a guy, bring this up? Because I believe that men can make a difference in the whole situation. How? Say, "No." Wait, What? Let me explain. The suggested purpose of proposing coverage of contraceptives in health care policies is, in short, so that women can have the same freedoms as men when it comes to sexual relationships. Or, in other words, to be on an equal...