This Guy's Pretty Cool

[teleen_fiction]

TW: This video contains a rape survivor telling her story. 

I found this when I was answering a comment on a previous post and watched the video that was attached again.  It's a bit old, but I doubt she's changed her mind at all.  As if I needed another reason to hate what Sarah Palin stands for:

Comments

[hab318princess.livejournal.com]

I class six months of permanent sickness and 1 1/2 stone weight loss as not easy...

and all the issues you've described (no money, responsibility etc) have happend to me due to the depressive illness of my husband who was unable to work - shall I now divorce (or even euthanise him) him because he is/was a parasite in my life - draining me emotionally, financially etc? (as I was working the state did NOT help out - even took child care support money off us because he was at home and it was therefore not necessary - yes, a depressed man unable to get out of bed looking after a 4 year old energy bundle - I don't think so!) I married him and made that commitment and I'm working hard to make life work - we're having a long slog getting out of our debt situation caused by his illness -

A child is such a committment that shouldn't be entered lightly but there are also ways to not get pregnant (which I appreciate don't apply to the rape victim) so the woman has the choice right there (and drinking alcohol does not stop you from taking responsibilty for yoruself right there)

As you say, Life's not fair but I also feel that a life should be worth more than money -

and yes, I'm cross about people who don't work and get benefits that seem to be worth not working - having a child as a single parent gets you up waiting lists for council housing etc - my taxes support them too and I'd rather not but that is not the child's choice but the parents - I sometimes think we would have been better off if I'd not been working, that is what galls me

It has also meant, for example, that I am taking sensible precautions not to conceive another child (much as I want to) because I could not support that child - as I live in the UK contraception is free - you can walk into a clinic and get as many condoms / contraceptive pill / implant freely as you need which I understand is not the case in other countries - which feeds in my point above

[masterde.livejournal.com]

I understand depression well. I try and stay positive about the things in my life but, even through medication, my mental illness can break through and I'm sleeping 20 hours a day for 2 weeks straight. And without a support system (such as you were for your husband) I would not be able to survive. I've thought a lot about the fact that I've been a drain on society. I freely admit it. American tax dollars come into my bank account every month. I am, however, using those tax dollars to live off of while I go to university so I can change from being a drain on society into being a productive member of society. And this is a life long battle with mental illness. I don't get a break. I deal with it every day. And while not an excuse, my depression, when I have it, is a reason for my action/inaction. It's as much a part of me as breathing. Those were the cards I was dealt. I'm trying to make the best of it.

Your husband's depression (my condolences, btw. It's never easy on a care giver) is something you were willing to accept instead of divorcing him. Not so with an unwanted pregnancy. To use your example, they choose to divorce (abortion). Is it morally right? Hey, I'm the last one to speak on morality so I'll just keep my mouth shut on that subject, except to say that those morals that we have differ from person to person (such as your opinion and my opinion on this particular subject. Our morals tell us if/when it's acceptable and not acceptable.)

And the socio-economics of raising a child in a low-income vs. a moderate-income is vastly different as far as statistics go for if that child will grow up to repeat their mother's mistake. Maybe it shouldn't be about money, but it is a part of the equation. Sad really, but true.

I also think, though we didn't touch on this, that if the father wants to keep the child, and can find a suitable surrogate for the fetus, then they should be allowed to keep the child and raise it. But again, that's choosing a child and making a commitment that they want. Not one that's forced upon them by anyone else.

Unfortunately, here in America we now seem to have 2 conservative parties (Republicans and Tea Partier) and funding the places like Planned Parenthood who would provide education (to schools, if invited, or to individuals who come in and ask [but sex is such a taboo subject here that someone wiling to walk in off the streets to educate themselves is rare]) are having their government funding cut to next to nothing. It's all "Abstain until you're married!" Right like that's stopped any teenager (including those high and mighty teenage Republicans and Tea Partiers) from having premaritial sex. Look at Sarah Palin's daughter. Big Republican, told her daughters nothing about sex but not to do it, and then they go and do it. Frustrating to an extreme. So taking sensible precautions isn't really an option for most teenagers or adults here in the US.

It's a sad state of affairs when we can't even talk to our own kids about sex and give them precautionary measures to keep them from getting someone/getting themselves pregnant. Case in point: A conservative government funded group put out an ad campaign that showed a father miming pulling on a rope, against a great force trying to push him back, as he slowly made his way towards his young daughter. The message they gave: "We know it's hard to talk to your kids about sex. You don't have to tell them the specifics, just tell them what you want them to do." !WTF! Children and teenagers don't listen to their parents. Especially about something that every hormone in their body is telling them to do. What kind of message does that send?

Parent: "Stay away from sex it's icky and wrong."
Hormones: "Throw him down on the bed and stick it in!!!"

How confusing is that message? Damaging them, it is.

And you're right a child is a commitment that shouldn't be taken lightly. But what about unprotected sex? Shouldn't be taken lightly. But we don't talk about that over here. No, oh no. *welling up of great shame for even thinking about it*

[hab318princess.livejournal.com]

Thanks... depression is a tough battle (and though being the care giver is tough... living it must often be worse - I can find ways of dealing with how I feel) my husband is working again hence we're dealing with the money issues...

Re the sex education: I agree, sex needs to be talked about - I attend church where the teaching is about not having sex before marriage and whilst I agree with that (I share the faith after all)- I've seen the damage it can do not even to talk about body parts and making someone feel comfortable about their sexuality (whatever that may be) so that is something I am determined not to repeat with my son

I've also worked in the Health Service for the HIV service... my son will learn about STDs and prevention - if he's determined to 'stick it in' then he'd better be safe with it -

in the same way I think a woman should be responsible who she lets do that to her and she can only be sensible if she has that information, the UK apparently has the highest teen pregnancy rate so it's a similar issue here, but I don't see being drunk as a valid excuse to not take responsibility for yourself if you know what to do

I know it's a corny line: but I think with right comes responsibility - yes, it's my body and I choose who does what with it - but it's my responsibility to treat it well (i.e. not expose it unnecessarily to STDs and/or pregnancy) - again, rape is of course a differnt issue here but I hope I make sense