Hey, a public official who's not acting like a crazy person!

[moominmuppet]

Suozzi, a Catholic who supports abortion rights, in May 2005 proposed the plan to encourage adoption, promote information about contraceptives to reduce the number of unplanned pregnancies and provide homes for single mothers in the county. Suozzi has said he hopes the plan can "bring together opposing sides" to create a "world with fewer abortions" (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 5/12/05). He also appointed a 70-member task force to work on the proposal (AP/7online.com, 2/7). Members of the task force include representatives of public schools, universities, hospitals, social services, religious groups and not-for-profit organizations -- including Planned Parenthood of Nassau County and Catholic Charities USA, which support and oppose abortion rights, respectively -- the New York Times reports (Lambert, New York Times, 2/6).

Also:

National Politics & Policy | Male U.S. Representatives With Daughters More Likely To Vote in Favor of Abortion Rights, Women's Issues, Report Says

Comments

and in other goodish news

[calebbullen.livejournal.com]

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5194527

Re: and in other goodish news

[moominmuppet.livejournal.com]

Ah, good to see! I've heard some evangelicals speaking up about the environmental issue previously. The ones who aren't dead certain we're already at the end-times can be very good on that sort of thing. "Stewardship" is a major thing in christianity. Evangelicals can be really good about a decent number of issues, although I'm not always pleased about the specifics of how they deal with them (since they do, after all, have evangelical goals). Poverty and some other social justice issues, especially.

Re: and in other goodish news

[calebbullen.livejournal.com]

yeah, I heard the story this morning and was struck by the difference between the two kinds. The way they had it on air, you went from them talking about how it's a moral issue because ecologic issues hit poor people harder to the other guy talking about God puts humans first in stewardship and going against business and economic interests is not putting humans first.

My brain did a spit take.

I mean there's a lot I don't like about religion and especially Christianity but how could you possibly be for Jesus and thnk that protecting the poor isn't putting people first but proctecting business is?

I'm no theologian but I have read a christian bible and Jesus didn't seem like a real pro-business cat.

[leveldeaded.livejournal.com]

That guys who says "you can't be on both sides of the issue" embodied everything I hate about politicians by doing so. It's impossible to accomplish anything at all if you don't comprimise. Reality isn't one side or the other, most likely it's somewhere in between.

godblessit.

oh, speaking of your lovely booklist. DON'T EVER READ _Girl Meets GOD_. Not that you would have, but my parents gave it to me and it's AWFUL drivel from a girl who converted to become an orthodox jew, then got baptized and confirmed to become an episcopalian, which would all be fine except that she's a whiney, over-priveledged, over-educated snob. yipppee~

[moominmuppet.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's something I could see my mom giving me. Duly noted; will avoid!

[redbird]

I'd be happier if Suozzi weren't including "abstinence education" on his list of projects.

Of course, whether any of this will happen is an interesting question. Suozzi is county executive. To actually do this, or anything else that costs money, requires the county legislature to act.

In order to do that, the county legislature would have to meet, which it has not done this year, because they're busy fighting over legislative leadership positions (all the details you could want available from www.newsday.com).

[moominmuppet.livejournal.com]

I'd be happier if Suozzi weren't including "abstinence education" on his list of projects.

Oh, agreed. But he's not _only_ supporting abstinence-only education, so I'm willing to see it as a step in the right direction, given that it looks like an honest attempt to find a middle ground where people can put their energies without screaming at each other. We still need the ends of the spectrum (OK, I'd like to think we only need my end of the spectrum, not the other one), but I'm glad someone's working on a project like this.

Of course, whether any of this will happen is an interesting question.

Ah, I hadn't been aware of that. Thanks!