Answer A Fool By His Folly

Part of a series of pre-written, scheduled posts. I hope to get enough time to de-spam any comments, but don't expect to have time to respond, and the posts will lack in links.

I've read in a couple of places-- writing this from my sister's kitchen table, so I can't link-- that folks object to women who have had abortions coming forward to say that they ruined their lives. The reasoning seems to go-- I skimmed, mea culpa-- that the "a baby will ruin your life" thing is an appeal to emotion; supporting the "abortion ruined my life" only cancels out the "babies ruin your life" people and a fallacious argument shouldn't be used for so low-level of a gain. Contrast the gain to that of showing pictures of newborn babies or unborn babies-- or the dead babies resulting from abortion. Similarly emotional argument against an emotional argument, but the aim is to humanize the fetal human whose life is in the balance rather than to offer an alternative testimony on the possible impact on the mother, thus legitimatizing that as a consideration vs someone's life.

The risk of supporting emotion as a valid concern when you're talking about a literal life-and-death situation shouldn't be underestimated, but neither should the fact that it's already considered a valid consideration for the folks we're trying to reach. Thus, the title-- it's a quote, folks, don't take it personal.

Looking back at high school, I do wish that I'd understood this tactic. One of the arguments seen as uncounterable was that being anti-abortion was irrational, because you may as well argue that every single sperm had to be "used," or you were being irrational. (Think of it as a 15 year old version of the "every sperm is sacred" song.) If I'd known how to figure out why folks probably thought as they did, assuming they had reached it rationally instead of receiving it whole-sale and untouched by thought, I would probably have honed in on the state-change between the body cells of sperm and ovum and the embryonic human. You know what ended up changing my primary opponent into a pro-life activist? Newspaper ads. Newspaper ads from couples desperate to have a baby, asking for women in crisis pregnancies or with unwanted infants to contact them to set up adoptions. There was a whole section of them in the big town over the hill. (Valid, if you were wondering-- I'd imagine they now go through the local crisis pregnancy center, instead, though.)

I have no idea what that girl now thinks, although I am pretty sure she has two kids.

On an unrelated note-- anyone a CCD teacher, PLEASE, touch on the anti-abortion logic, please? I really wish I'd been armed for that, instead of recycled Bible-verse-and-sermon teachings mixed along with the making of felt banners.

Assuming there isn't a moral reason not to do so, we should use arguments that will actually be heard. Teach the ladies who are testifying about the personal cost of abortion to also give the "a baby is a person, no matter how small" argument with their own perspective. (Sorry, Dr. Seuss....)

Fascism Defined

Slowly working through my various RSS feeds, and found another gem at JCW's:

This criticism has to be broken into two questions. First, does the book depict a National Socialist or Mussolini-type political economy inside the book in a good light? In other words, is there a fascist state on stage, as there is, for example in Plato’s REPUBLIC, that is painted in flattering hues? This is asking if there is diegetic fascism; fascists inside the book.

Second, does the book (despite its background) glorify the military in such as fashion that it promotes fascism? This is asking if there is nondiegetic fascism; fascists outside the book, as for example in the writer or his supposed audience.

Fascism has four salient characteristics: 1. Fascism is economic socialism 2. Fascism is political totalitarianism 3. Fascism is Darwinian or Scientific racism 4. Fascism is populist regimentation of the civilian along military lines, with corresponding glorification of the military and contempt for democracy.

It's rather nice to see someone actually defining their argument.

I Think We Need This

How Much Is This Costing Us?

0607-0919-C
Reply
from ((my real name here)) <****@gmail.com>
to paperwork@census.gov
date Tue, Mar 9, 2010 at 4:10 PM
subject 0607-0919-C
mailed-by gmail.com
hide details Mar 9
Where can I access a copy of OMB No. 0607-0919-C?

--
"My attitude toward progress has passed from antagonism to boredom. I have long ceased to argue with people who prefer Thursday to Wednesday because it is Thursday." - GK Chesterton, New York Times Magazine, 2/11/23

Moments ago:

How to Obtain a Census Form Inbox X
Reply
from dmd.decennial.communications@census.gov
to
date Mon, Apr 5, 2010 at 12:49 PM
subject How to Obtain a Census Form
mailed-by census.gov
hide details 12:49 PM (25 minutes ago)

April 1, 2010

Dear Resident:

We have received your March 2009 request for a 2010 Census form. We ask
that you please wait a little longer. As of April 1, we began mailing
replacement forms. If through some error you did not get your original
form, you still might get a replacement form. Please note that in some
parts of the country (about 1% of all addresses), including remote areas,
many American Indian reservations, or areas without postal delivery, the
Census Bureau does not send a form to the household. In these areas, we
send an enumerator to collect the household information in person. Except
for these areas, we have gone to great lengths to ensure a questionnaire is
delivered to every address. However, we know that sometimes this won't
happen. Therefore we have set up two ways for you to be included in the
census:

1) Visit a Questionnaire Assistance Center or Be Counted Center

Visit a Questionnaire Assistance Center or Be Counted Center and pick up a
blank form. A “Be Counted” form asks you to put down a full description of
your address, and contains the same 10 questions as the other Census form.
You can complete a Be Counted form if you have not received your original
form. Be Counted forms are available now through April 19 in public
locations, such as libraries, within your community and at Questionnaire
Assistance Centers where census workers are available to answer your
questions. To find a site in your community, please visit our website at
http://2010.census.gov/2010census/take10map/.

2) Contact Us

If you still have not received your form by April 12, then you may contact
one of our 2010 Census Toll-free help lines. An agent can send you a form
to fill out, or can take your interview over the phone.

English: 1-866-872-6868 Chinese: 1-866-935-2010 Korean:
1-866-955-2010
Russian: 1-866-965-2010 Spanish: 1-866-928-2010 Vietnamese:
1-866-945-2010
TDD (Telephone Display Device for the hearing impaired): 1-866-783-2010
Puerto Rico (in English): 1-866-939-2010 Puerto Rico (in Spanish):
1-866-929-2010

Thank you for your interest in the 2010 Census. We look forward to your
participation.

Sincerely,

Frank A. Vitrano
Chief, Decennial Management Division

Formatting maintained over at TBD, the only change being removing my name and email from the header of the first.  (Yes, they apparently did a BCC on a very, very cruddy response.  Hm, think maybe they got more emails than expected?)

Dude, when you're doing a bad form letter....just let it look like a form letter; if you want to do a better form letter, send 5,000 emails with the right name and address rather than one email BCCed 5,000 times; either way, get better programmers to design the response system.


UPDATE:
 Emailed back that their response had nothing to do with my question, and got the following response:

My apology for the mistake.

You asked....Where can I access a copy of OMB No. 0607-0919-C?

Answer: Go to . Select Volume
73 and search on 0607-0919. On next screen, select the second item, 2010
Decennial.

(Embedded image moved to file: pic10557.jpg)

That leads to this document: fr26mr08N Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; 2010 Decennial.

It mentions something close to my requested information:

III. Data

OMB Control Number: 0607-0919.
Form Numbers:
Letters:

D-5(L), Advance Letter (English, Spanish).

etc

But not really much of an answer... I can GUESS that OMB No. 0607-0919-C was approved to refer to the various documents listed, and I can GUESS there wasn't a change...but still not much of a response.

It ends thus:

Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

Easter

Thanks be to God.

Suffering, Mortification or Giving It Up for God

Part of a series of pre-written, scheduled posts. I hope to get enough time to de-spam any comments, but don't expect to have time to respond, and the posts will lack in links.

The clumsy title is to cover all the various ways to phrase the topic-- which, honestly, is unsuited to the Easter season, so I hope I get to a connection before the Holy day. This is also not researched as I prefer, as my sister's house is somewhat lacking in theology textbooks or a nice, organized collection of Apologists. So you've just got my horrible phrasing and A, C, Q explanations. ^.^

Matthew 9:14-15
Then the disciples of John approached him and said, "why do we and the Pharisees fast [much], but your disciples do not fast?"  Jesus answered them, "Can the wedding guests morn when the bridegroom is with them?  The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. The New American Bible, c Catholic Biblical Association, 1969

 Mortification, in this context, means any action that puts unnecessary stress on the body, generally for religious reasons, to symbolically 'take up the cross and follow Him.'  Lack of sleep, fasting, discomfort (for example, a hair shirt), physical damage.  (Some folks even crucify themselves.  Sounds a bit far too me....)

Luke 4:1-2
Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert.  He ate nothing during those days, and when they were over he was hungry. The New American Bible, c Catholic Biblical Association, 1969

Abstaining, or giving something up (often for Lent), is a sort of mental form of mortification-- generally, you give up something you enjoy greatly, something you love.  Self-denial, in a phrase.

Luke 18:29-30
He said to them, "Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God who will not receive [back] an overabundant return in this present age and eternal life in the age to come. The New American Bible, c Catholic Biblical Association, 1969

If you visit the Anchoress' place (First Things blog, a search engine should take you right there) she can go into "offering up" physical pain, like migraines-- it's sort of related, but more her thing.  Same theory, though-- it's bearing a cross.

Matthew 18:7- 8
Woe to the world because of things that cause sin!  Such things must come, but woe to the one through whom they come!  If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away.  It is better for you to enter into life maimed or crippld than with two hands or two feet to be throw into eternal fire. The New American Bible, c Catholic Biblical Association, 1969

Keep in mind, there doesn't have to be only one reason for an action. Ideally, there should be many-- even if they are big ones, ie, feed the poor because Jesus said to, and because it shows love, and because it's the best way to help them at this time.

Jesus himself fasted, and mentioned that his followers would fast when he was taken away, so there is nothing inherently un-Christian about self-denial.
(Don't forget the Apostles falling asleep when they were supposed to be praying or watching, and how they were scolded for their lack of discipline.)

The symbolism of "sackcloth and ashes" should be familiar to anyone who's got passing familiarity with the Bible-- a way for someone not familiar with giving things up for Lent to understand the custom is, this is sackcloth and ashes that doesn't put on a public show.  Rather than rending your clothes, you rend your desires, I guess you might say.

Fast from what you hunger for in this world.  A hair shirt worn invisible below your other clothes, a string of dedication to remind you to be holy, a penance for your sins.

Often, the giving it up is accompanied by a complementary good deed-- you give up eating out, and give the money you save to a soup kitchen.  Some have it inherent as part of the sacrifice-- if you greatly value your free time, you might "sacrifice" it to visit folks in a hospital.  A goodly number of Catholic bloggers give up blogging and spend the time in prayer; Jimmy Akins is posting every day. (He's a Catholic theologian, so that's kind of like resolving to give free labor every day at your job-- tax prep for the poor if your an accountant, for example.)

Sometimes, a behavior modification is taken on--someone prone to using a sharp tongue might resolve to guard it more closely.   (I don't like strictly behavior related ones, or ones that are relative, but that may be because I don't trust myself not to lie to myself.  Desire can make a LOT of things seem reasonable, especially if you pick something counter to your baser desires.)

Depending on what you're doing, it might be fitting to use it as a tool for witnessing-- although, natch, you have to watch that it doesn't become "oh, look at me, I'm so holy," but you also don't want to let a chance to evangelize pass by; kinda like any other religious observance, really-- you have to keep an eye on the proper motivation.