Not a Creature was Stirring except a cat who looked like a mouse plus a review: Dumbing Us Down

I try to get to bed by 1o:oo every night. It is not always doable, but its a goal. Last night I was tired...in bed well before my goal. Tucked in and sound asleep with all the children; they have STAAR tests this week and have been told by their teachers how important a good nights sleep is...even if you are in K through 2nd and don't have testing yet. It is your responsibility to get a good nights sleep so you will be on your best behavior and quiet several halls away where your older siblings are eating mints and taking tests (evidently mints are a time honored tradition, much like mums, here in the south...but I digress). At approximately 11:27 (yes, I looked) I was awoken by a small "mew" sound. I shot a look at my fat cat sprawled on the bottom of my bed. I heard it again, and her mouth never moved. In fact, she looked at me like this...

Clearly, it was not Ashe. The two of us went off in search of the now much louder mewing...did the birds learn to meow? Didn't I tell y'all that the Murphy Farm grew by two birds last Easter, thank you very much Easter Bunny! I am trying to teach them to talk though my two girls tell me often that Parakeets have lost their ability to speak. That said, every time I walk in their room, I say in a high squeaky voice, "Nico, Kiki" convinced that they will repeat me one day and finish off my heart. Now Ashe began to hiss at an alarming frequency and began to hold back in the quest, ignoring the delicious looking birds room, so I knew it wasn't them. No, it go louder the closer to the lit up kitchen I got. There, Matthew had the tiniest grey cat with the largest voice captive in a cage. "I rescued it mom from the parking lot of the health club...can I keep it?"  I looked at Ashe, and though all she would do was hiss, I just kept thinking, "remember the last time you tried to bathe a cat and how that turned out...and this kitten stinks." But I just said put it in the garage with some food and make it stop making so much noise, and back to bed I went thinking what is it about my PA kids that has made their inner farmer come clawing to the surface. We can't get enough animals. Mariah took one look at the half dead kitten in the morning and claimed it...as if her crazy dog is going to be willing to share. But like that, it was settled.

Later, I couldn't help but think is it Nature vs. Nurture. I have been reading a book by John Taylor Gatto  called, Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling. He isn't very encouraging saying, "School, as it was built, is an essential support system for a model of social engineering that condemns most people to be subordinate stones in a pyramid that narrows as it ascends to a terminal of control." I had to use his words,because he is genius. Those words and his enthusiasm for education are what made this book such a long enduring success. He claims that he left a very lucrative career as a copywriter, and if you read the book, you will see that he must have been very successful. He can make you believe in a reading (a quick read, it wasn't easy to stop once in!! ) that all public schools should just be scrapped. They are too big and too expensive to just be reformed. In fact, Mr. Gatto claims that the Public School system is 100% successful in its true goals which have nothing to do with education, but instead with turning us into a population of materialistic, unattached, and distracted individuals that have no true support systems or values. That is a very lofty if misguided goal. I don't believe that it is the true agenda of the Public School System, however, there is much that rings true in his assertions. Societal problems that Mr. Gatto attributes to the school system include: provisional self-esteem or basing self-worth and value on something external; dependency on others to tell them what to do or fear of getting anything done without expert instruction; that no one can be trusted and you must watch everyone all the time; the demise of family and community in favor of shallow networks; drugs; suicide; and divorce. He said that the lessons of public schooling, "confusion, class position, indifference, emotional and intellectual dependency, conditional self-esteem, and surveillance. All of these lessons are prime training for permanent underclasses, people deprived forever of finding the center of their own special genius." He believes that school encourages youth, and consequently, the population, to sever community ties in favor of networks to gain better jobs and ways of life, but which are not rich sources of community--in fact are not community at all. He talks about successful communities who grow by like minded people moving closer to each other and helping each other....caring about each other. Not in a network because they fall into the same catch man area. Pretty heavy stuff for a mom who was just wondering why her PA kids keep bringing home animals and my city kids  are content to  watch TV...but what do I know.

Anyway, I can't help but think that Mr. Gatto has made an impressive start on the debate of compulsory schooling. Of course, this book was written initially in 1992 and I was reading the 1oth anniversary issue...the debates well underway. The book gives a wonderful explanation for many of the ills of our society that we currently are plagued with. Kids are very distractable...how could they not be if every time they begin to get interested in something a bell rings and they need to put it away and move to something else. Genius, but no real supporting research. I guess I need that because I am a product of compulsory education and would like an expert opinion or two. I am tempted to agree with him because he confirms my position that children should spend more time at home with each other than with teachers. I believe there is sufficient evidence to that, even the Bible and the Catholic church agree there, but I am not ready to scrap the entire public school system on Mr. Gatto's very persuasive and enthusiastic anecdotal evidence after 30 years in one city school district. Might a rural school have fared better if he had spent the same amount of time there. Can the national system of education really have a decades long evil agenda, even if it initially began that way? The system was self-perpetuation because it involves many individuals, a lot of money, and entire industries that now feed into it. Even the home school industry has many dollars riding on education. Which leads me to my original question that led to the search for the book...

artwork from digiscrap studio and holly murphy

And the one thing I really wanted to know, why I even bought the book was his idea that it takes about 100 hours to transmit the information to a child how to read, write, and do math once that child is sufficiently ready and zero money. If that is true, then I can definitely teach my children. Can I really home school, or do I need an expert to teach me how to do it...I was unable to find expert support (damn my compulsory schooling!) for that statement, however, I will keep looking. If its true, then really, I just have to make them love learning, follow their lead and natural inquisitiveness, keep them away from television (which Gatto said is the second agenda stealing our children away from their natural support) and wait until they are emotionally ready to learn. Then they will excel. In that case, Mr. Gatto has made me a believer. That is supported by the millions who do home school. I may be a product of my education, but I'm not stupid!

If you are even a little curious, whether or not you may choose to homeschool, this is an important look at the state of our nation's future...our youth. I have the book linked in my Amazon widget on this page...enjoy! I sit here several days after we adopted an abandoned kitten, much to Ashe's dismay, she is still hissing, and wondering if we are going to have to bury it, too...any cat experts out there...

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References:
John Taylor Gatto. Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling (p. 13). Kindle Edition.  

John Taylor Gatto. Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling (p. 16). Kindle Edition.

John Taylor Gatto. Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling (p. 33). Kindle Edition.

Decisions...



So I am pretty sure I am going to home school, at least this summer and see how it goes. None of my children, with the exception of Tina, is a very serious student. I figure I probably cannot hurt them and maybe it will help. If it goes well with all of them, I am sure I will be able to handle most through the school year. My reasons for homeschooling have very little to do with education, though :o(

Why Home school?

1. The majority of our children, 7 out of 11, are from a sibling group who were adopted out of foster care two years ago. We need to learn how to be a family and that is difficult with our current schedules.
2. Many of the children were born addicted to drugs and we believe they can be helped through nutrition. In fact, last summer we implemented a whole food diet and we saw tremendous gains...we think we can do better but consistency counts. Not only does the time spent away from home hurt this, but just being in public school has hurt. The children want what they see their friends eat...and its always "just one special treat."
3. The children have all missed early stimulation and some basic skills. Our public school has been amazing in trying to close the gaps, but it is just too hard.

Why not Home school?

1. There are a lot of them and one of me. If I disappear after June and don't return, would someone please call for help!
2. I really don't know anything about teaching. I am an avid reader and I can read about how to do it, but I really don't know what to do!!
3. Um, there are a lot of them...

So that's the plan...My reason's to are much more compelling than my reasons not to, but still...I'm afraid. Given that none of our children are destined to be scholars, I tell myself that the reasons to keep them home will benefit them in the long run, but that is a huge gamble to take. Do you think I can teach myself enough skill to make this work. I have seriously considered signing up for a teaching program, but the idea of starting a new bachelors at 50 just doesn't sit well with me. I have a few Masters credits but they are in social work. Is there something I could do to add to it to help. Because of the unpredictability of my MS, I am unlikely to ever return to the work world, so could it be helpful enough for me to justify the expense?

And then there is the aspect of printables. I have become obsessed with making printables for subjects. I always try to have something on hand if we an event coming up or to help with homework. So I was reading one of my new favorite teacher blogs (I really love almost all of them! They are so fun!) They are having classes online and while I think it is in regards to making and marketing printables, they are sharing teaching ideas? Could this help. It is infinitely affordable and I would be learning some skills? Any thoughts? Better ideas? Just trust God to help me do this...

Any teachers out there want to chime in.

Any teachers out there want to take the class or teach me...Here is a link to the site I was on and the information regarding the class...

Mother knows Best?

So I woke up yesterday morning. After getting most of the kids off to school with Shawn, I saw that I had one out of school son sleeping over...must have visited the girlfriend last night and no gas money to get back to his apartment. Another son sleeping in nursing a cold. Two small girls also nursing a cold but suffering from a slight fever, rendering them ineligible for public school today. Grabbing the girls, my phone, and my vitamins, I began I began to surf. While perusing my messages, I found what looked to be an interesting article from a blogger I subscribe to..."Why I don't encourage my girls to follow their dreams..." Hmmm, sounds like something Mariah would claim on her facebook page that I said to her and I took a look. At first glance, I agreed with the article. I absolutely want my daughters to marry, forever, and give being a homemaker a good shot. I feel its so important. Then with a quick glance at facebook which I have completely abandoned this week while fending off flu germs and mourning the candidacy of my favored candidate while he watches his child, sigh...I see that another GOP candidate was crucified in the news by Obama's new press agent who said his wife could not relate to American mother's because she had never worked a day in her life. She was reportedly avenged by none other than Michelle Obama, who gave her the big girlfriend high five. Did I miss so much in just a week of flu germs and Clorox free white vinegar disinfectant wipe-downs. Yes, it was a big mommy week. But isn't it always!

Truly, I was great with Kelly's blog, but I am an adult woman. I suspect that I am an incredibly rebellious adult woman when I agreed with it. My husband would agree that only in my better moments do I agree with her. I was having one when I read it. I could, and should, do better. I agreed with her assertations for myself. Do I think for Mariah, she is correct. While I want for Mariah all the things she claimed God wanted in the Bible...a qualified yes. I think nothing would make me happier than Mariah living her life, for God...with a Godly husband who supports her and their eventual children. Very happy. If that is what she chooses. Because God does allow that choice.
When Hilary Rosen decided to take a swipe at Ann Romney, I am sure she did not expect the backlash that it would create, even before her boss's wife chimed in. Many others have said things that in hindsight, would have been better not to utter. I would have to say that the most ignorant thing that she said was that American women wouldn't find her relate-able...I have never been able to relate to any of the First Lady's...not because they are or aren't mothers, but because they live a life of scrutiny that I cannot even imagine. I wouldn't be able to relate to Mrs. Romney in any way, despite the fact that she has many children, she has stayed home with them, and she has MS. She is a different religion, a different tax bracket, and she has stared death in the eye more than once. There are a million different reasons why I wouldn't relate to her, any more than I did Mrs. Obama. Women need to learn to respect each other's choices in all area's, but motherhood is an area where we should be the most sensitive. There are a million reasons why they need to work or stay home. Express themselves or die to self. Have children or don't...So complicated and so simple...Really. I thought I would die if I didn't have a child...and then I had many at once...this was my life...

Yes, God wants us to obey him. We don't always listen...heck, we don't usually even ask. Some may get that at 18. Others not until they are considerably older. Others may never. I hope, for my daughter's sake, she is closer to the one who gets it at 18. I want my girl...all of my girls to know God enough to have a glimpse of what He wishes for her to do and to have the maturity to decide to go along with that plan. I haven't even begun to think about the other side of that decision...the fatherhood side. Something that neither Miss Rosen or Kelly addressed; the man in our daughter's life that will be the father of the child. If I want for my daughter to commit, for life, to a man, we will need to be praying very hard that he shows up. Right now Mariah's only qualification are that he is "hot." I have a few more expectations. Our society is not making many young people who will fit that bill. Even my own boys are lacking some essential qualities that I would like my prospective son-in-laws to possess. I would not be adverse to Mariah having some marketable skills to fall back on, however, I would like her to be able to use them in rearing my grandchildren. But what will God want for her?
Something that Kelly didn't address in her blog. Sometimes God wishes to use us for things that he didn't plan, but will save the soul of another. Yes, God used those people in the catacombs and it wasn't easy. Some people may have to lose children in order for someone else to be saved. I don't know anything on this side of the tapestry...I do not know what people in my life may have suffered in order for me or someone else to be saved. I believe that God does not cause bad things to happen to us, but I do believe in His sovereignty. He orchestrates all things. I believe that He thinks enough of us to let us die. When we realize that His ultimate aim is for us to live with Him forever in Heaven I think maybe we make too much of all of this. We can never presume to know His will because we could never, not in a million years, know what it really is that He wants us to do. And some things, marry, have a child, homeschool them, nurse, be a teacher...none are intrinsically wrong or right. To say that God wants us to have as many children as possible is to deny God's plan for us, which could be anything because we could never know what He needs us to do. So, I want my daughters to do whatever God needs them to do, whether or not it sounds like what I need them to do. My heavenly father loves all of us more than I can even imagine and we have no way of knowing what He needs us to do...I just pray that we have the stregnth to comply...

Hang on, Jesus! I'm coming!!

I was sitting waiting for Mass to begin last week...we were quite a bit early. I was chatting with my 8 year old son trying to focus him quietly; there is nothing he dislikes more than being quiet and sitting for long periods of time. Collecting Palms was a distraction at first, but his beloved Palm was now sitting ignored as he looked around and gave me a non-stop commentary on other parishioners. All of a sudden in mid-sentence, he sat up straight in his seat and yelled, "Hey, why did they cover up Jesus? What are they doing...He can't breath. They are trying to kill Jesus!!" He jumped to his feet and whipped out his Palm sword and his cross shield (made by twisting the palm into a cross) He yelled, "Hang on, Jesus...I'm coming!!"

Oh, how wonderful it would be to always be prepared to help Jesus, no matter the problem. How wonderful it would be to always be ready to jump up eager to be of use to the Lord.

I keep the Lord always before me; for with him at my right hand, I will never be shaken. (Ps 16:8)

graphics by digi web studio

I have a printable download available for your child to use to be in God's army...download it here...

Such a joy to see the new Catholic's energy...Ant was nodding and looking all pleased with himself...I told him then, "Just think...by next month almost all of you will be able to to receive the body of Christ!" His response, mouth open wide..."what!" It is obvious we have much more work to do!!

While four of our children entered into the church with Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist during the Easter Vigil Saturday night, four more have sacraments in the coming weeks. My 10th and 11th graders make Confirmation. Our Third and Fourth graders make First Eucharist. We still have a lot of work to do this Easter. And now is a time to have strong Catholic youth. Our children really do need to be in God's Army. Our church is attacked on all sides both in the world and spiritually. The world is ready to attack the Church by not only ignoring its teachings, through practices such as abortion, but also through legislative means, like through Obama's Mandate. We also attack the foundations of the Church through things like the Clerical Abuse Scandal...both fabricated stories of abuse or real abuse perpetrated decades ago. It erodes the pride and dignity we feel in our Church. We need to learn about our faith. We need to move past the scandals. We need strong children of God to learn and fight for our church. Thank-you, God, for the 11 children you have given Shawn and me to train and teach. May they become strong soldiers for your Holy War...Amen.

(This has been posted at Catholic Icing's First Friday Linky....click here to go back to Catholic Icing)
May you all have a very Blessed Easter!!
the Murphy's

Girls Can Be Firefighters, Too...

Curly Sue Fire Safety by Scrappin Doodles

We had an Easter Egg hunt this weekend in our town and the girls who did not have football wanted to attend. Of course we didn't hunt for any eggs. There were bounce houses and balloon art. Then the Fire and Police Departments showed up...Who cares about bounce houses and easter eggs when there is a fire truck and horses!!

Come back tomorrow and I will have a free Fire Safety Printable for you to download!





My 6 Boys Left the House this Morning Wearing a Hoodie....

Actually, I think a large portion of the 5 girls may have as well. At the risk of overstating it, if the weather doesn't warm up in a few minutes, I will throw my hoodie on, too. Does the fact that I am white (don't get me started on what my race is...I will be focused!!) make a difference in in whether or not I will safely return?

Trayvon and Obama, google photo

To say that it shouldn't be a factor is slightly naive, of which I claim more than my fair share. But I think that everyone should agree that it should not be the deciding factor in whether you will live or die...your skin color and choice of clothing. I think most everyone would agree that the choices we make should be more of a deciding factor in whether I live or die. I think that we could all also agree, if I am dressed like a gang member, walking around urban areas, steal a back pack, and run from the police as this recent story suggests, I should be at least fearful that something bad might befall me. Stealing at night is a bad idea...Stealing at night in the same area dressing in a hoodie and running at a time when racial relations are at its highest tension level since the 60's is not the greatest idea. But it still shouldn't be a death sentence.

A story that has captured the nations attention recently, however, is this one...regarding Trayvon Martin. According to one of the many reports on the Internet, Trayvon was 28 year old George Zimmerman is a member of the local Neighborhood Watch. As a member, Zimmerman is forbidden to carry weapons...they are not police. Zimmerman did not recognize Trayvon as a neighbor, so he watched him. Since Trayvon was walking off the path, Zimmerman followed him. Then it becomes more he said/he said/she said on the cell phone. We do not know the truth. What we do know is that

• Zimmerman disobeyed the rules of neighborhood watch
• Trayvon was black
• Trayvon was wearing a hoodie
• When he was killed Trayvon had nothing but his cell phone, candy, and an iced tea on him

I live in a neighborhood where we have an active neighborhood watch. Recently there was a rape on the trail through the park. Neighborhood watches went out to keep joggers safe. Hello...if I went for a jog at night on that trail, although the rapist is probably long gone, I would have some sort of a weapon for safety. If I was going out with a group to check on the trail, I would obey the rules. If I followed someone-alone-because he looked and acted suspiciously to me, I have some choices to make. Zimmerman made errors in judgement, mostly regarding violations in following rules when responding to neighborhood watch type assignments. In wondering if property was more important than young lives. Possibly crossing the line from his current course work in criminal justice at school to real life. Either way, these are things that he must live with now. The black community is making their voices heard through peaceful appeal to the local police and we should be able to move on. I for one would like to see this completed. I have many black boys, they wear hoodies, have been in trouble at school, and despite all my admonishes to eat green, love skittles.

This scares me...I don't worry about Obama because he is black. I worry about Obama because he has proven that he is wild card and will do whatever he want. This scares me...giving him myriad powers in the event of chaos is not something that he wrote, and he says he will not use it..He doesn't always do what he says he will. And this scares me...The New Black Panthers who self-identify as a "hate group", call for killing whites, and while not mandatory, many of it members are Islamic. They are not your mother's Black Panthers. I have a lot of black sons and they have a lot of friends, black, white, Hispanic, and Asian. They are mostly unsubmitted and rebellious...most of us are. And almost all of them wear hoodies and eat skittles. Most have been in trouble in school but that should none of these should be risk factors in living. Getting grounded, yes. Dying, no. Is it so hard to just follow the rules. If EVERYONE follows the rules, then we could breathe a little easier...whose rules, you ask. I know that I follow Gods rules as stated to us by Jesus Christ more than 2000 years ago, written down by his followers, and translated through tradition and through divine interpretation by His Catholic Church. I cannot tell you to follow it, too, but I invite you to...

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Why Radical Feminists Need to Vote for Santorum

An un-solicited, un-validated, and probably un-wanted endorsement...I know you were all waiting though. I finally decided to write this post.

Last week, I spent hours of time I really couldn't afford trying to understand a situation. A little boy, I'll call him Trayvon, but he could really be any boy, was walking around a development. This little boy was dressed like my boys like to dress, Gangsta! I know because I have listened to, "Mom, everybody dresses this way...it doesn't mean anything." I lecture, and then they dutifully pull up their too big pants until they are out of my sight. Pants which we have allowed because I have witnessed my little brother go through this stage...his freshman slacks get tighter through high school and the older he gets Now he sports a bow tie...but I digress. I get it...it is a stage. They will continue jailing their jeans until they get older and have their own style and more courage to be individual. This, too, will pass. But not for Trayvon. He will not get beyond this point because he was shot. There are plenty of witnesses who came forward to say that Trayvon is a good boy who would never hurt anyone and others who said that he is a trouble-maker. I will leave it up to the experts to make the decisions and pray that they are correct. Unfortunately, with all the press that the story has been given, it has become fodder for the nation. Our President, Barack Obama, made a comment regarding Trayvon being shot. A nice comment actually, where he called for the nation to pray. And I started to wonder....what is he up to?

From the little I know, and a blog article I read today, the security guard who actually shot Trayvon was told by law enforcement officers to ignore Trayvon and they would be along as quickly as they could. Said security guard pursued him against their orders and shot him. According to the blog article I read today, the biggest issue is the lack of following directions on the part of the security guard. But no one wants to talk about being responsible, so we will discuss whether President Obama is being racist, the American people are being racist, or why individual citizens should carry guns, which may in fact be, with the exception of Trayvons parents, the biggest issue. While we are looking at all of these things, we won't be looking at the Supreme Court deliberations going on in Washington right now...possibly the biggest deliberations since 1973 when Roe v. Wade was passed. Obama Magic...

I have have had to live through days like this quite a few times during this presidency. But the unthinkable...the HSS Mandate. Our president doing something that is illegal. Our president and I do not see eye to eye on many of the issues, however, I expect him to follow the law. In the past year, my eyes have been opened to things that politicians have done, both democratic and republican. I imagine I lean strongly to the side of naive with a healthy bit of disinterest thrown in. Things I have learned this year have forever pushed the disinterest out and I am horrified by how my country has let me down. Let me rephrase...how I have allowed my country to let me down, because I must take some blame. I am interested now.

So back to my endorsement...I wasn't interested in eating green...I was interested in eating free...specifically free pizza on Friday nights at our frat house where Rick was president and my best friends boyfriend was a brother. Eventually, I became a sister. I was charged with interviewing all the brothers prior to initiation and I did not. I was interested in the free beer, free pizza, and a fun place to hang out. I interviewed only as many brothers as I could find the time. I didn't have much time, as it turned out. At initiation, the sister in charge of Pledging questioned me...did you interview all the brother's. Did you interview Rick...the president of our fraternity. Uh, skinny guy, dark hair, sweater vest? OK, I made that up, but you know, I did learn how to say the Greek alphabet 3 times to a match and figure out where Marvin Monroe's room was...the invisible brother. But we weren't big on hazing and I was in. As you can see, my interest was not in inner workings of the fraternal system at Penn State. My interest was somewhat less...cerebral! But even then, I could see that Rick was a good man. A good catholic. I began following Rick's career through my involvement in our Fraternity. His first race...we tried to all support him. It is what we did...Regardless of positions we supported our brothers.

My excruciatingly long preface was about illustrating that most people do not walk a path for a long time. Our reasons for what we do change. It helps if you have a moral compass that doesn't change. Catholicism is a very steady moral compass. Since its inception by Jesus more than 2000 years ago, times have changed, but maddeningly sometimes, the Catholic church has not. The outside world makes advances, discoveries, and slowly, the church may update its positions. The core statements have remained unchanged. Using it for guidance will help you to be steady and fairly unswerving in your opinions.  If elected, Rick will not make his Presidency about turning us all into Catholics or imposing his own personal values on everyone. Rick lives its tenants, including the ones about love your neighbor, not convert your neighbor. Catholics are charged with pointing out a brother's sin lest he is held responsible for it, but not with making him stop against his will. People who disagree with the Rick and the Catholic church can be certain that Rick will not try to take away their right to contracept or abort or any other right we are guaranteed in the constitution, like smoke or indulge in any destructive act, allow guns to be carried by security guards who don't follow orders, or take Pills the FDA has labeled a Class 1 Carcinogen...He will be too busy ensuring that your rights are not eroded by politicians who are more easily swayed by the big dollar lobbyists in the FDA, Big Pharma, and AgriFood. Rick is the only candidate I have seen who has a long record of following the rules...upholding our constitution. Take a look at the issues. They are much more clearly and intelligently stated than I could say it. But look. And look how long he has been fighting for our rights. Then compare him with this, a president who says he is going to give you what you want, regardless of the constitutionality of what he wants to do. A president who told a representative from another country on television to "give him some room while his re-election is on", and then he can do what he wants. I still don't know exactly what Obama's angle is with Trayvon...I don't even care to guess what he means after election is over. His promises to Planned Parenthood. His promises to women. 

I do not believe in abortion and I vote against it and sometimes hold signs. I think it is a life that is being destroyed and therefore not subject to death at the whim of its mother. If that changes in the future, it should be because of me and others like me. If we can make the issue popular enough that the court would be willing to hear the issue again and rule, well, thank-you God. But our President can not arbitrarily decide that it is or is not good for women. I choose not to use hormonal contraception either, but it is a right given to women in the constitution. And our government has just labeled it a carcinogen on the same level as tobacco. Will Obama be changing his mind on these and some other issues when the election is over and he has more leeway? Are you really willing to risk it?

The only thing Rick Santorum is promising you is that he will uphold the constitution of the United States and your right to live as you see fit. The only real intelligent choice is one we are ensured of before hand.