Political Stuff

[ericadawn16]

Okay, here's a bunch of different political stuff that I've been thinking about lately.

1. Why is it that circumcision is seen as unnecessary trauma for an infant but piercing a baby's ears in a need to prove their gender identity to the world is seen as normal?

P.S. Please don't tell me it's not as traumatic. I shop at Claires, I've seen tiny babies have it done and there's always crying, ALWAYS. I totally understand exceptions to the rule that not every baby cries, but every baby I've watched have it done has.

2. We seem to finally be getting away from vaccines as an Autism cause and studying on chemicals in the environment. This seems like it should be a duh! to me, but corporate America is obviously hoping for an easy solution that doesn't impact their livelihood. I'm hoping second link is proof that that organization wants to change its image because I don't want to feel so guilty when our corporation makes us beg for donations:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2581663/Growing-evidence-autism-linked-pollution-babies-283-likely-suffer-condition-compared-birth-defects.html

http://www.autismspeaks.org/science/science-news/autism-and-toxic-chemicals-are-pollutants-fueling-rising-prevalence

3. I tend to really love Christopher Ingraham editorials. This one is about all the ways that the United States is Number One!
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/07/03/21-maps-and-charts-that-prove-america-is-number-one/

4. Rick Scott is a giant douche.

But the 75 times tv spot is a little misleading:
http://members.jacksonville.com/reason/fact-check/2014-07-05/story/fact-check-did-gov-rick-scott-take-fifth-75-times-federal

However, he also refuses to answer reporter questions or interviews he can't control:
http://rsiaa.com/2014/06/13/rick-scott-refuses-interview-when-he-cant-pre-approve-the-questions/

This is about the hypocrisy of not expanding affordable health insurance for veterans while complaining about the VA not being able to get it done:
http://www.beachpeanuts.com/2014/05/rick-scotts-hypocrisy-on-the-va-and-his-refusal-to-expand-medicad.html

Comments

[zoaster-toaster.livejournal.com]

Environmental factors in the prevalence of ASD is a new area of study as an (actually) probable cause, but genetic mutation, pregnancy trauma, and family history are still the primary factors as far as what's know. (I hope Autism Speaks also distances itself from the anti-vax movement too, but I won't trust them as advocates for ASD treatment and research when the A) stop funding mostly research for a "cure and B) don't advocate for services and research by painting autism as a death sentence.)

[allisnow.livejournal.com]

I had my ears pierced when I was 3, I think. I remember it hurt and I cried. I think calling it traumatic is overstating it.

[iibnf.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't say ear piercing is as traumatic as circumcision, because it doesn't interfere with normal sexual function, lead to life long problems and pain, infections, infertility etc, the way circumcision can/does. But it's done for equally stupid reasons - the indulgence of the parents in fashion/religion at the expense of the health and welfare of their children.

Let people make their own decisions when they are adults. Body modification of any type should be an adult choice. And I bet circumcision would fall out of fashion fast if you were cutting the genitals off 18 year old women/men rather than little babies.

[ragnarok-08.livejournal.com]

I remember getting my ears pierced at like 3 or 4 - it did hurt and I'm just wondering how come the parents can't wait until the babies turn 4 or 5 to have their ears pierced.

[potentiality-26.livejournal.com]

Piercing a baby's ears is totally ridiculous. I don't get why people do that crap.

[cp.livejournal.com]

I'm rather glad we had no male children because I'd have had to wrestle with the circumcision question myself. I'm cut so it's what I'm familiar with, but of course there's also the science that says it's unnecessary and potentially problematic. That said, I really don't regard much of anything as traumatic for an infant, simply because they don't remember it. Like I said, I was circumcised, and hardly consider myself traumatized because of it. I would suggest that the expected response when doing something painful to a baby--whether it's piercing the ears or a heel-prick to check blood sugar--will be cries and screams, but that's hardly the same as lifelong mental trauma. Kids are extremely resilient, far more than most adults seem to give them credit for.

That said, I agree on the ear-piercing. Waiting until adulthood as another commenter suggested seems extreme, but we made our girls all wait until they understood what was involved, understood that it would hurt at first and require care afterwards, and wanted to go through with it anyway.

Florida politics are ticking me off this year. Of course Rick Scott is a giant douchecanoe, and deserves to be run out of the governor's mansion on a rail. But is Charlie Crist seriously the best the Dems can come up with? I can only imagine they're going with him because he has name recognition and they think that gives him a better chance at winning. But I'd MUCH rather see someone with principles and consistency, and give THAT person the dollars and attention to take on Scott. I mean, Crist won't even debate Nan Rich, because he knows she'd tear him apart. And Scott probably won't debate anyone, because he knows he'd get his ass kicked too. It's all ridiculous.

[ericadawn16.livejournal.com]

Thanks for answering.

My mom may be liberal in some respects but in others, I had a fairly conservative childhood...no lip gloss until 6th grade and no pierced ears or actual makeup until 9th grade. Thus, I know my perspective probably doesn't mirror the average person.

Crist is probably the only person with name recognition enough to be a credible threat to Scott.