I wanted to write a long and ranty post about how I really wish people would stop adovcating censorship on my behalf to protect me from whatever. I didn't like it when the public library told me I needed my parents permission to read James Joyce when I was 12. I don't like it when the religious right tries to tell school libraries what my kids can read and I don't like others deciding what poorly worded tshirts (from a taste point of view) can or cannot be sold within my presence lest my history of past trauma be triggered. Censorship is just not a good idea. Censorship on behalf of others is usually an even worse idea.
Really. I wanted to explain all this in great detail, explain what made me think about it now and all that stuff and I even wrote half of a long post doing so and then I just figured wtf? Who really cares that I personally have an issue with censorship and a paternalistic (or I suppose maternalistic) need to protect me from harm. I'm a big girl (in so many ways) I can protect myself and if need be speak up for my own damn self. If I honestly believe someone is trying to endorse an unsafe environment around me I will and have called them on it.
Anyway. I am more angry about the continued attack on women by many on the Conservative Right. I'm tired of legal options for women's health like contraception and abortion being slowly destroyed by groups that would "save" us from ourselves. I am enraged that a woman, with low income, who has been raped and is now pregnant can't even get a morning after pill from many pharmacies in this country, let alone an abortion. I'm tired that recent attacks on PP have focussed once again on abortion and ignored that most of their work involves so much more and saves womens lives and by extension their children's lives for years to come. I'm angry and I'm frustrated and that's what I need to focus on in an election year. That the values I care about aren't thrown away in the interest of political expediency.
As for local gatherings that want to travel down the road of censorship while protecting their right to offend you in other ways with the offensive stuff they deem ok? Whatever. Do as you like and I'll continue to stay away.
It's pretty much unrelated but I figured I'd mention that I got "The Rector and the Rogue" for Christmas because I saw it in your reading list. Not a bad book so thanks. :-)
As for the post itself, you know how I feel about both topics.
Posted by: DDA | February 10, 2012 at 06:04 PM