Empowerment Comes Only in Certain Forms

The YWCA of Greater Toledo turned down a $1,200 donation from the Lucas County Democratic Party in the fallout of strippergate. According to local Chairwoman Lisa McDuffie, "Strip clubs are an outlet to dominate, control, and exploit women through money." Last time I checked, no one was holding a gun, forcing women to become strippers. In fact, they were making a choice.

I find this interesting, given the YWCA's stance on abortion. In fact, according to their own position paper, the organization "has been an advocate for reproductive rights and freedoms," and "adopted a “freedom of choice” position in 1967 at the YWCA National Convention following an extensive debate by the nearly 1,000 delegates from local associations all over the country." (Emphasis mine) If a woman has the choice of what to do with her body where abortion is concerned, why does this not extend to the acts that lead to the abortion? Looks like a double standard to me.

RWT

Pro-Choice Doesn’t Extend to Education

In his State of the State speech, Ted Strickland announced his intention to eliminate private school vouchers for students in failing schools. In the very same speech, Comrade Ted proposed an increase in state-sponsored health-care for all children. Said state-sponsored health care includes, presumably, abortions. So, in Ted’s world, a prospective parent should have the choice – regardless of economic circumstances – of aborting their child but not the choice – regardless of economic circumstances – of how and where any child they so graciously allow to live should be educated.

The inconvenient facts about Ted’s position on abortion are all too clear. While serving in Congress, the governor voted several times in favor of governmental funding of abortions, and even federal funding of research into the “abortion pill.” He has received unquestioning support from NARAL, and he has promised to veto any pro-life legislation that comes from our state representatives.

In addition, Comrade Ted received a 100% rating from the NEA, and was heartily endorsed by the teachers’ unions. Those unions have a long-standing opposition to private and religious schools, or any competition to a state-sponsored monopoly on education – a monopoly that would insure their jobs regardless of ability. So, political payback required the governor to being quickly to remove the biggest sources of competition to our failing school system – private and religious schools.

I find it interesting that the governor heartily endorses using my taxpayer dollars to fund something I’m against – abortion, but wishes to deny it for something to which liberals object. And before quoting the First Amendment at me, I heartily suggest everyone re-read that one – there is no “wall of separation”, excepting that the government shall mandate no religion on the people. (In fact, this phrase derives from a letter from Jefferson to Danbury, Connecticut, Baptists.) Red Ted also plans on eliminating the ability of for-profit companies to run charter schools. Because we all know that for-profit companies will compete to gain more students (hence profits), and in order to compete they might well provide a superior education at a lower price than their public school counterparts.

My recommendation to our Komissar? Let citizens carry their own tax dollars to the school of their choice. If parents want to take their children to private school, why should they continue to pay double? Introduce more competition to the schools, not less – competition drives excellence, no matter what the self-styled experts at the American Psychological Association (the same folks who published an article claiming adult-child sex isn’t harmful) say. After all, isn’t this all about the children? How can we, in good conscience, deny them the education they deserve – instead of the one that the government has been giving them?

Margaritas ante Porcos,
Right Wing Toledo