Something to consider…
As a longtime Southwest Side Democrat and neighborhood advocate, I want to congratulate the News-Herald for its wisdom in endorsing the re-election bid of Congressman Daniel W. Lipinski (D-3rd).
I think it’s important to add a few observations to the ones made in the editorial.
The few cranks and chronic complainers among us can say what they want about how Congressman Lipinski first came to be the Democratic nominee way back in 2004; but the fact is that he stood before the voters for election in the fall of 2004, and the voters said "yes" to his candidacy. He responded to the vote of confidence by serving the district well — so much so that when he stood before everyone for re-election in 2006, he won a majority of votes handily.
So now it’s 2008, and Congressman Lipinski finds himself faced with several primary opponents — one of whom, Mark Pera, is heavily supported by left-wing extremist political groups.
These groups and their millions of dollars are not from the Southwest Side or anywhere around here, but from places like San Francisco, Hollywood, New York City and Massachusetts. (But don’t believe me. Look it up and find out who is behind the Open Left radical organization and some of the other political hate groups that are funneling resources to defeat Congressman Lipinski.)
These aren’t your garden variety liberals. The people backing Mark Pera are radical left-wingers — people who, for example, have publicly criticized Ted Kennedy for not being liberal enough.
I’m not sure about you, but I have a hard time imagining how Ted Kennedy could possibly be more liberal.
The left-wing extremist groups trying to defeat Congressman Lipinski are political punks who snicker and sneer at Southwest Siders like us. They laugh at traditional values. They mock people who go to church. They dismiss senior citizens as irrelevant relics of a bygone era. They look down their educated noses at blue-collar men and women who work for a living. They bad-mouth police and other public safety employees — except when they need a cop, of course. And they give the finger (figuratively and literally) to the men and women of the American military.
They think that regular folks like us, the residents of the Southwest Side, should no longer have a place in the Democratic Party — despite the fact that we were working, sweating, building and strengthening the Democratic Party while they were still crying in their cribs because their diapers were full.
But these extremists have a lot of money, and they are going all out to eliminate all Democrats who are not hardline left-wingers. They say they want to purge the Democratic Party of centrists and moderates like Congressman Lipinski and a handful of other congressmen across the nation.
So clearly, this is more than a re-election battle for Congressman Lipinski. This is a war for the heart and soul of the Democratic Party. A war that was started by left-wing extremists to kick folks like us out of our own party.
Unfortunately for me, the Marquette Park neighborhood I love and fight for is just outside the boundaries of the Third Congressional District. So I can’t cast a vote in the Democratic Primary for Congressman Lipinski.
But one thing I can do is expose the shameful tactics and goals of the left-wing extremist punks trying to defeat Congressman Lipinski; and I can strongly urge all my fellow Southwest Siders to go out and vote on Tuesday, February 5th for Congressman Daniel W. Lipinski.
Let’s get it done, and let’s show the punks how real Democrats can mobilize and make our voices heard.
Just three final points to make: first, a tip of my cap to Illinois Supreme Court Justice Anne Burke for returning some $1.5 million in campaign contributions. She is under no legal obligation to do so, but decided to do it after she learned she’d be running unopposed. I’m not surprised that Anne Burke did something that exemplifies the highest ethical standards, but I wanted to say a good word about her actions nonetheless.
Second, I encourage all Democrats to vote for Thomas Allen for Cook County State’s Attorney. Far more than others in the race, he embodies all the law and order values we need in a chief prosecutor; and through his service as an alderman he has earned a reputation as a man from the neighborhood, for the neighborhood — a man who listens to and respects the people. He has my vote for sure.
Finally, I want to urge everyone to vote for Brian Terrence Sexton, a tough anti-gang prosecutor, for Circuit Court Judge (Nowicki Vacancy). We need more judges who are tough on gangs; and Sexton’s opponent, Michael B. Hyman, has been exposed for hiring the notorious Wallace "Gator" Bradley as a consultant. Gator, of course, is a convicted burglar and armed robber, and a former warlord for the Gangster Disciples. Gator claims that he’s changed his ways, and perhaps he has. But really, what does all this say about Michael B. Hyman? Is that who we want as a judge? Please!
-Joe Kulys
Published in the SOUTHWEST NEWS HERALD on Friday, February 1, 2008
[...] if this anti-Democratic praise is coming from Southwest Sider, blogger, and Dan Lipinski supporter Joe Kulys or from Lipinski himself since he put out a flyer lifting Mr. Kulys’ rant [...]
Pingback by Get off my lawn, you punks! « Illinois Reason — February 3, 2008 @ 6:30 pm
Dan Lipinski is out-of-touch with Democratic voters in the district. On the big issues there are big differences between the values of the voters and how Dan Lipinski votes in Congress.
This isn’t 1968. There isn’t some huge culture war happening. Lipinski votes one way, the majority of Dem voters, the overwhelming majority of Dem voters, feel the other way.
We have elections to sort this stuff out. That’s the American way. Getting a position for life because your father had it is not the American way.
Comment by Carl Nyberg — February 3, 2008 @ 9:09 pm
What a crock of horse dung. It’s sad that this letter was put out by Lipinski’s campaign, it’s sad that it is filled with lies, it’s sad that Lipinski can’t represent his constituents in the way that he needs to.
“Regular folks like us” are tired of seeing their neighbors kids come home in body bags; I’m a practicing, proud Roman Catholic and I am ashamed, embarrassed, and personally offended by your bizarre and ill-informed statements regarding liberals and religion. Here’s an idea, take your head out of Bush’s tuckus for a few minutes and look at the world around you. You can believe in God and be a liberal…God hates war and killing. He also hates agitators like you who use the word punk three times in two paragraphs…Yikes…try a synonym.
I too have lived on the south side for my entire life and am a lifelong Democrat. A true democrat. One who believes in Democratic ideals and principles. Not one who slides down the middle of the road afraid to take a real stand. While Lipinski probably will hold on and win, he (like his father before him) will never get my vote until they represent my beliefs.
Comment by A liberal from Bridgeport — February 4, 2008 @ 12:33 am
Yeah, I’m one of those middle-aged “radical left-winger punks” -born and raised in a blue-collar neighborhood in Chgo. Unlike you and Little Lip, I want my beloved troops home so that they can protect my country’s borders in times of disaster. You and Little Lip must be working the other side of the fence..for the GOP. A true blue Democrat would never write junk against his own people. I urge everyone to vote for Mark Pera on Tuesday..vote early..vote often.
Comment by TrueBlue Democrat — February 4, 2008 @ 6:36 pm
A liberal from Bridgeport, be honest, you’ve never been to Bridgeport in your life and you’ve never lived on the South Side. No one from Bridgeport is dumb enough to vote for someone who cares more about the views of narrow-minded liberals in Evanston than working class liberals on the southwest side. I’m a liberal too, but Pera supporters are not true liberals, they are just intolerant hate mongerers. They don’t believe in any diversity of thought or representative democracy. They want all elected officials, wherever they are from, to agree with them 100% of the time. If they don’t, then to them, that must mean they are horrible people. This is the kind of ignorance we are up against. I am proud to have a Congressman that represents the views of his constituents.
Comment by 3rd District Democrat — February 4, 2008 @ 6:47 pm
DEAR FRIEND-
I AGREE. AS A FORMER CLEARING PERSON NOW IN DUPAGE COUNTY, DAN IS OUR BEST CHOISE!
BEST SUCCESS,
ROBERT JONES
Comment by Robert Jones — February 4, 2008 @ 11:08 pm
This is exactly why Chicago will never be a world-class city as long as the Daley/Cook County machine continues to operate.
Comment by Catbus — February 5, 2008 @ 1:11 am
People who don’t know how to spell or use their caps lock keys agree with Robert Jones: Dan Lipinski is the only choice who can be counted on to continue old-guard Democratic traditions like graft and wholesale thievery. Vote Lipinski this primary season for more of the same! Hear, hear!
Comment by Web Design — February 5, 2008 @ 2:19 am
3RD district dem, you are dead on target. A person’s opinion, or more impotantly vote, shouldn’t count unless they’ve lived in the district since conception.
Comment by Jim McMahon — February 5, 2008 @ 2:27 am
Lipinski is nothing more than a “Joe Lieberman Republican”.
The sooner we get rid of punks like him who get their office handed to them by their daddy the sooner we’re going to have a strong national Democratic party, one that’s not filled with guys like him who vote like a Republican.
It’s time to get rid of the old guard, people.
Pera 08!
Comment by Jimmy Venom — February 5, 2008 @ 2:48 am
You and Dan would’ve gotten away with it too, if it weren’t for those punk kids and their Techno-communist dog.
Comment by Scooby Doo — February 5, 2008 @ 4:08 am
This kid was born on third base and thinks he hit a triple. Most people earn their way to a Congressional seat, Danny was given his and it shows.
Comment by Mitch — February 5, 2008 @ 6:38 am
What a crock of crapola. No way will I support a Democrat that hates his own party and fellow Liberals. I’ll be donating to Pera
Comment by Thedan — February 5, 2008 @ 7:18 am
I am a former SW sider. I grew up on Leclaire near Vittum Park. I support Mark Pera because of his strong progressive democrat stance on the issues. I have seen Lipinski’s voting record, he has voted with Bush on most of the issues. I urge all residents to vote for Pera for a strong change in Congress.
Comment by Former SW Sider — February 5, 2008 @ 7:28 am
Your views are as shocking as they are pathetic and desperate. Dan Lipinski is a corrupt Republican in a Democrats clothes. He should be happy that the people in this district are merely trying to take his congressional seat and not petitioning the district attorney to take his freedom due to the large number of inappropriate and possibly criminal conflicts of interest this “gentleman” has entangled himself in.
Comment by Thomas Swinicky — February 5, 2008 @ 7:54 am
Our family wasn’t from the South Side…but the same type of people..Croatian steelworkers. Dan Pera was working in a steelmill…while your hackmaster Daily was pushing NAFTA on us. And this liberal Democrat didn’t give the military “the finger”..my brother and I served. You machine hacks have done nothing but sell out working folks for years…admit what you are..Republicans.
Comment by Charles Mamzic — February 5, 2008 @ 8:30 am
Too bad for Mr. Lipinski he is being revealed for what he is - a Republican running as a Democrat because there is no other way he would get elected in this district.
Mark Pera will do a much better job representing the values and work ethic of this Democratic district than some %ickhead like Dan Lipinski who inherited his job and never earned it. But isn’t that how it always goes with these damn corrupt Republicans?
Extremist punks? Yeah thats the ticket. The folks who engineered a crushing wave election that returned the Democrats to power in both chambers of Congress, yeah extremist punks for sure. Same group that is leading the Democrats to victory in the presidential contests? Punks for sure.
Dan Lipinski and Joe Klueless - poster children for stupid for which there is no cure.
Comment by Dan Minar — February 5, 2008 @ 9:39 am
Mr. Kulys,
It is clear that you do not believe that the ideas of Rep. Lipinski warrant the continuation of his Congressional service. If you did, you would lay out his voting record and policies rather than call Mr. Pera and his supporters rude names. Since his record is abyssmal, it is easy to see why you avoided this upstanding method of campaigning.
I find it pathetic and yet highly amusing that you say you will “expose the shameful tactics and goals of the left-wing extremist punks” when in reality you do not “expose” any questionable acts by Mr. Pera’s supporters. Rather, you use the word “liberal” as an insult, disparage perfectly honorable regions of our fifty states, and lie maliciously. Show me the Pera supporters who dismiss the elderly as irrelevant or give our soldiers the finger… oh, wait, you made all that up, didn’t you?
Indeed, you conduct is worthy of much harsher words than I shall use here to condemn you, but be mindful that as ye sow so shall ye reap. You have sown ill, and thus shall you reap yet iller.
Comment by joseph — February 5, 2008 @ 10:09 am
Thanks for the opportunity to send a shout out to all Mark Pera supporters who will have the opportunity to actually vote for Mr. Pera, the far superior candidate, from the world of hard core liberal punkism, Northern California.
Pera in ‘08!!
Thanks again Joe. Have a great day.
Comment by liberal punk (52 y.o.) — February 5, 2008 @ 10:40 am
The writer of this peice of crap is not a democrat. He uses fear and insult to make his case and not one single fact can be found in his rant. These are the tactics of a republican, not a democrat. People are sick and tired of these people that simply spread hate and fear. Being liberal shouldn’t be used as a derogatory term. And a democrat wouldn’t do so.
Just saying,
John Jones
Comment by John Jones — February 5, 2008 @ 10:43 am
Kulys and Lipinski have no shame.
Disgusted.
Nothing more.
Comment by apparantly a punk — February 5, 2008 @ 11:59 am
Dear Joe;
You are a freedom -loving American. Supporters of Mark Pera are dyed in the wool commies who hate God, old people, working people and their lovable pets.
Stand tall For Dan Lipinski’s voice in supporting American’s God-Given rights to invade other countries, ignore the environment and work for the minimum wage or less.
Now it may be true that Lipinski is a Republican in disguise. So what? Does that make him any less a man? In America, we have the freedom to lie, cheat and steal from the American people right up to the day we get caught.
Dan Lipinski is the candidate of all God-fearing Americans who admire what our President has done to the country and the world.
Comment by cosmici — February 5, 2008 @ 12:02 pm
Jim McMahon, read what I wrote instead of lying like most Mark Pera supporters and Mark Pera himself.
Anyone here trying to pretend that Mark Pera’s support comes from in the district is most likely an out of district Pera supporter. Anyone can check the endorsements Mark Pera is so proud of, none of them are from elected officials in the 3rd District. They are all north side politicans. You can also check Open Left, the organization that is so strongly backing Pera. Open Left is attacking all Democrats who do not agree with them 100% of the time, as I pointed out earlier.
It’s quite possible that these Pera supporters on here aren’t even from Illinois as they may be under the impression that some of his endorsements came from elected officials in the district. They have not. The overwhelming majority of elected officials in the 3rd District are Democrats, Democrats like Lipinski. If Pera supporters were more aware of the people that actually live in the district and the type of people that reprsent the district residents as state representatives, state senators, aldermen, and village mayors, then they would not be wasting so much of their time and money to spread their ignorant viewpoints.
Comment by 3rd District Democrat — February 5, 2008 @ 12:34 pm
Dan Lipinski will be reelected because he has the support of the machine. Plain and simple. If you grew up in the district like I did, if you wanted any voice in the basics of local government - you voted Democratic. It’s not as solidly sewn up as it used to be, so this Pera movement thing might make a dent - but Lipinski will still win today. It sucks, but there it is.
Unfortunately, the stupid rants of homophobic creeps like this clown Kulys aren’t enough to change the dynamic. Good try though Joe!
By the way Joe - I grew up in the district and moved to New York, to be among to radical left hate-mongers. Daily, we snicker and sneer at the uneducated fools of the South Side of Chicago, write letters to Ted Kennedy telling him he’s not liberal enough, and have very gay sex with each other. It’s awesome.
Comment by Marty B. — February 5, 2008 @ 12:52 pm
Ugh. After reading that piece of purple prose I think I need a shower. …This makes you look outright terrible. You seem to think you know how to manipulate your voters, but you really don’t. All your sh*t slinging ends up landing on yourself.
Comment by A disgusted south sider — February 5, 2008 @ 1:17 pm
I am a born-and-bred southwest sider, having attended St. Bruno Grammar School, Quigley Preparatory Seminary South and St. Xavier College (now University). My parents are 82 years old; my dad was a machinist at W.R. Grace, and I worked there as well in my college days. I am among the first generation of my family to earn a college degree, thanks to the living my dad was able to make back when a blue-collar factory job provided a middle-class income.
I am the opposite of the stereotype Joe describes in his anti-Pera-supporter screed.
I respect senior citizens, I go to church and I am a Southwest Sider.
So why am I for Mark Pera? Because I don’t think the way Dan Lipinski got his position in the first place was right. Because I have a big problem with his vote to drill in one of the last pristine wildlife reserves on Earth. Because his vote to provide tax cuts for oil companies at the same time Exxon posted the highest quarterly profit of any company ever in history while working families are losing their homes is disgusting to me. Because while I do not condone abortion, I believe that the true pro-life position is to use cells grown in a petri dish outside a womb to save lives rather than to discard them as medical waste, which is what happens to the cells which are not implanted in a womb (and that is the vast majority of these cells). Recall that when Jesus was asked if a farmer could pull his donkey out of a well on the Sabbath, he chose saving the life of the animal over the letter of the law. Are we called to follow Jesus or to act as Pharisees?
Dan Lipinski may not be the worst member of Congress, but Mark Pera will represent my values, which are the values of hard-working Americans who pay taxes and play by the rules, better than Dan Lipinski has.
And I deeply resent the slander Mr. Kulys has heaped upon me and other Mark Pera supporters.
Comment by Patrick — February 5, 2008 @ 1:37 pm
Mr. Kulys, these responses from the Lefties are a hoot! Thanks for being big enough and honest enough to post them. So many of them, in what they say and how they say it, actually confirm (albeit unintentionally, I’m sure) much of what you said about them being political punks who tolerate no view other than their own. My oh my, how they yowl like spoiled children when they get a swat on the bottom from a real Southwest Side Democrat!
I especially like the posts, both here and on the Lefty sites, from the angry post-adolescents who claim they grew up on the Southwest Side but moved away to New York or San Francisco because apparently they hated their mommies and daddies for working two jobs, raising them in a clean home, bringing them to church and paying their tuition bills. And now that they’re safely ensconsed a thousand miles away they make their smarmy jokes about blue-collar Democrats like us. I especially like the post from the whiner who complained about a spelling bee (of all things to whine about years after the fact!) sponsored by Congressman William O. Lipinski.
I miss your columns in the Southwest News-Herald, but it’s good to see the occasional letter to the editor from you—and now that I have learned of your blog, I’ll be checking in here.
What so many of these punks never get around to addressing is the central truth of what you said—the larger, national, concerted effort by Open Left and others to evict Blue Dog (centrist) Democrats from the Democratic Party. I’ve always thought that our party was a big tent that celebrated diversity of thought—a healthy and invigorating mix of liberals, centrists and yes, conservatives. But clearly, since the New Left staged its coup in the late ’60s, the Democratic Party tent has been folding. First, the Southern conservatives were kicked out, which led to the Wallace campaign and which opened the door for eight years of Nixon/Ford; and then the urban blue-collar Dems were alienated, which opened the door for 12 years of Reagan/Bush. Then the late great liberal AND prolife Governor Casey of Pennsylvania was muzzled at the 1992 convention. That and other actions collapsed our tent further, leading to eight years of Bush/Cheney. And now we have these Open Left punks trying to purge the remaining centrist Democrats in Congress.
What these punks don’t realize is how much they have in common with Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter, Laura Ingraham and the various other punks of the far right wing, who are attempting a similar purge in the Republican Party and slandering Senator McCain, Governor Huckabee, Mayor Giuliani and anyone else who doesn’t fit their mold of a “real Republican” or “true conservative”.
Thanks, Mr. Kulys, for holding up the mirror to these punks.
Comment by Red-Blooded, Blue-Collar SW Side Democrat — February 5, 2008 @ 6:01 pm
“Patrick” is a creaton of the Pera campaign. If you aren’t, then please post your full name to confirm that you actually exist. From a southwest side standpoint, you outlined reasons to vote for Jim Capparelli or Jerry Bennett, but not Mark Pera.
Comment by 3rd District Democrat — February 5, 2008 @ 6:38 pm
Currently, transgender Americans have to pay out of their own pocket for corrective sex surgery. Mark Pera is the only candidate who will stand up for all transgenders and ensure that any necessary surgery will be paid in full by the government. Mark Pera is the only candidate who is committed to working on issues of importance to the LGBT community.
Comment by Mark Pera 08 — February 5, 2008 @ 6:44 pm
I was post #3 and this is in response particularly to post #5 (3rd District Democrat) and his obviously idiotic take on the world.
I’m 41 years old and have spent 40 of them living on Union Avenue. I went to All Saints-St. Anthony Elementary School, St Ignatius College Prep, and Loyola University of Chicago. I teach 7th and 8th grade in Bridgeport, and have devoted my life to helping the people around me.
Anyone who votes for a candidate who still supports the war in Iraq is the true hate-monger. Anyone who supports anybody that will smile at Bush’s 3 TRILLION dollar budget is the real narrow minded person.
The problem with the Democratic Party is not that it is too liberal, it has always been that it is not liberal enough. I’m not exactly sure who the Evanston liberals are, or what the hell that has to do with Lipiniski, or Kulys’ hate filled tirade, but you Reagan Democrats can continue to think progressives hate blue-collar workers, when most of us ARE blue-collar workers.
For the record, a college education is a wonderful thing….if you don’t believe me, reread post #6, and ask yourself if he wouldn’t have been helped by a college education.
Comment by A liberal from Bridgeport — February 5, 2008 @ 7:08 pm
A liberal from Bridgeport, I am not a Reagan Democrat, I am probably more liberal than you. I am more progressive than you if you voted for Pera. Pera supports legal abortion, a real progressive believes in equal rights for all humans, including the preborn.
My view is not idiotic, it is informed. If you don’t know what I meant by Evanston liberals, then your view is ignorant. The Evanston, north side, and Oak Park liberals are Pera’s campaign volunteers. Please visit his website and look at his endorsements. None of the elected officals that endorsed Pera are from the district, they are all from the north shore or the north side. Look at the organizations that endorsed him and where they are from. If you are really who you say you are why don’t you respond to this point or any of the points I have made that these fake Pera supporters are ignoring.
What school do you teach at? Are anti-John Daley as well or do you not know who John Daley is?
Comment by 3rd District Democrat — February 5, 2008 @ 7:56 pm
3DD,
You say you believe in equal rights, but somehow that doesn’t deter you from denigrating those who have the audacity to not be 100% in line with your viewpoints.
That goes for all of you who don’t so much support Lipinski as you hate Pera. I see so much hate from you. That speaks volumes.
And it looks like your candidate won. I guess you won’t have Mark Pera to kick around anymore. Congratulations. Too bad that you weren’t able to advocate for your candidate in a classy way.
Comment by Ben — February 5, 2008 @ 10:19 pm
“…a real progressive believes in equal rights for all humans, including the preborn.â€
The preborn? Does that mean I should refrain from masturbating because I’m losing millions of preborn? Or does preborn only refer to the fetus once it is in a woman’s uterus? And is this your medical opinion, or is this some sort of religious belief. Because if this is a religious belief, well, I’m no expert on the constitution but I’m pretty sure we have something called separation of church and state. It’s why I leave out “…under God…†when I say the Pledge of Allegiance every morning with my students. A real progressive actually understands science and would agree with most medical doctors that life actually doesn’t begin at the moment of conception. Personally I’m opposed to abortion, however, I am NOT opposed to real sex education…are you? Do you think condoms should not only be discussed, but passed out? Or do you think that abstinence is the answer? I know what a progressive would say.
“If you don’t know what I meant by Evanston liberals, then your view is ignorant. The Evanston, north side, and Oak Park liberals are Pera’s campaign volunteers. “
Let’s forget the endorsements for a brief moment. While I was taking out $30,000 in student loans to go back to school to get my masters to become a teacher where was Mr. Lipinski? Was he living in state? Was he working towards helping his neighborhood and its constituents? Oh, that’s right, he spent five years living in Indiana and Tennessee working at one of them there fancy learning places. Dan Lipinski was never a blue collar person. His dad didn’t work as a truck driver (mine did); he didn’t have to bus tables during his junior year of high school (I did).
“None of the elected officals that endorsed Pera are from the district, they are all from the north shore or the north side. Look at the organizations that endorsed him and where they are from. If you are really who you say you are why don’t you respond to this point or any of the points I have made that these fake Pera supporters are ignoring.â€
This is a flawed argument. That would be like somebody discrediting the Tribune’s endorsement because it’s not a Southside Paper. I am not actually a Pera supporter. I voted for Pera only because Lipinski used this letter full of insults, lies, and idiotic statements as a campaign tactic. This letter by itself is just a stupid opinion that’s easy to ignore; this letter as a campaign tactic is borderline despicable. That was my point. That is what cost Lipinski my vote. The letter downplays (almost mocks) education; the letter is derogatory and uses the word “punk†as though I accidentally spilled his drink at Schaller’s. This letter isn’t full of serious political thoughts, but rather someone trying to incite fear where there is none. Had Lipinski not used this as a campaign tool, I may very well have voted for him, had he considered retracting it as a campaign tool, I definitely would have voted for him.
“What school do you teach at? Are anti-John Daley as well or do you not know who John Daley is?â€
Isn’t he that alcoholic golfer?
Comment by A liberal from Bridgeport — February 5, 2008 @ 11:19 pm
Believing that life doesn’t begin till birth is like believing the Earth is flat. Do you believe the Earth is flat, Bridgeport “liberal”? Biologically, life begins at the moment of conception. The only way to justify believing life doesn’t begin till birth would be as a crazy outdated anti-science religious belief. I believe in the separation of church and state and that’s why I support using the biological definition of life and not some science phobic person’s personal belief.
It’s interesting though you have to assume it to be a religious belief because this is the only way you can back up your support of abortion. You are incapable of responding to a progressive argument against abortion so you set up your own weak argument against abortion to knock down.
So you go for Pera because you don’t like despicable campaigning? You don’t consider all the mailers Pera sent out filled with lies to be despicable? Were you just unaware that there were other candidates besides Lipinski and Pera?
What school do you teach at? Notice that “Patrick” hasn’t made any posts again? I think we can all agree that “Patrick” was a made-up person. At least you are real and not a character invented by a Pera supporter.
Comment by 3rd District Democrat — February 6, 2008 @ 12:11 am
“Believing that life doesn’t begin till birth is like believing the Earth is flat. Do you believe the Earth is flat, Bridgeport “liberal�
No, I don’t believe the earth is flat, but I do believe in evolution, do you? Or do you think God zapped us onto the earth 20 or 30 thousand years ago, like Harry Potter? As for your contention about when life begins, there is absolutely NO scientific concesus on this issue at all. If you are equating a two cell embryo with a fully developed, self sustaining human being then we have some serious issues. Human life does not begin until a human can be sustained outside of her mother’s body, until that point most scientists would not equate fetal life with human life. But perhaps such subtleties and nuances on life are lost on you, because I’m sure you are 100% pro capital punishment, and there’s no denying that a 45 year old man is human, even if he commits inhuman acts.
“It’s interesting though you have to assume it to be a religious belief because this is the only way you can back up your support of abortion. You are incapable of responding to a progressive argument against abortion so you set up your own weak argument against abortion to knock down.â€
I think abortion is abhorrent and terrible. But I also think cigarette smoking is abhorrent and terrible, as do I think drinking is abhorrent and terrible. But guess what, they’re all legal. I believe that we should start teaching kids about sex when they’re very young. I think moms who breastfeed should be able to pop out their breast wherever they are without fear of people ogling or oohing. The reason abortion is so prevalant in this society (as is teen drinking and drug use) is because we choose to want to ignore difficult situations as parents and teachers and governments. We want to tell people what to do and what not to do, instead of actually talking about premarital sex or drug use. You want to lower the abortion rate, have honest open dialogue about sex with kids…don’t scream and yell when Janet Jackson’s boob pops out on stage…but a large portion of the US is still very Puritanical in their ways, and therefore they want to tell you you can’t have sex, you can’t have an abortion.
What school do you teach at?
Why would I tell you the name of the school that I teach at ? So you and your progressive buddies can wait outside and teach that liberal, commie “punk†a think or two? Please. I notice you haven’t answered a single one of my questions. How do you feel about homosexuality? A real progressive like you with roots in “science†knows that a percentage of all species have animals that are homosexual. What about global warming? A progressive with so much science in their background realizes that we need to come down extra hard on those oil companies, not cut them breaks, right. And evolution…we all did come from monkeys, you are aware of that. Or are you just going to continue to attack and never defend…
Comment by A liberal from Bridgeport — February 6, 2008 @ 10:44 am
“because I’m sure you are 100% pro capital punishment”
I love this statement. I am 100% against the death penalty. For you to assume that someone that believes in equal rights supports the death penalty really shows how totally ignorant you are. I’m sure you support the death penalty 100% for innocent black children that just walk down your street.
The argument you make to support legal abortion is the same argument used to support legal slavery. I’m sure that is what it’s all about for you. It’s not so much that you care one way or another about abortion, it’s that you really want slavery to return to this country because you are a racist. You only act like you are all for abortion rights because you think that will lead to you being able to own slaves again.
If you want to continue on with this, then just post your e-mail address and not a response. There is no reason for us to keep on doing this here.
Comment by A progressive — February 6, 2008 @ 6:15 pm
3rd District Democrat, did you suddenly become ‘a progressive’ or are you two different people? I’ll respond here, because this is where this conversation started, and this is where it will continue.
There is only one problem with you analogy between slavery and abortion. A slave is a human being that could walk, breathe, and sustain itself without the use of another person’s insides. A fetus/unborn child/preborn child IS NOT A HUMAN BEING. Was that argument used to defend slavery, it sure was. However, you are connecting two unrelated concepts.
Let’s suppose for a minute that I wanted to eat lettuce, and you said that I shouldn’t eat lettuce and I said “Lettuce is not a human being.” You could then very well say to me…”That’s the same argument people used to defend slavery.” While this fact was true in the case of slavery, it is not true in the case of lettuce. The same can be said with your use of this argument. A fetus is NOT a human being. Will it become one…absolutely. Is it horrendous to end the life of a fetus…it sure is. But is this the same as running down your neighbor in the driveway…NO!
I’m glad you (a progressive) are 100% opposed to the death penalty, I’m sure you do as much to defend the rights of those on death row as you do to defend the rights of those who aren’t even born yet. But again, no one seems to want to answer any of my other questions. How do you ‘a progressive’ or ‘3rd District Democrat’ or whoever you are feel about comdoms, and sex ed, and telling kids that sex isn’t a sin? How do you feel about evolution? How do you feel about homosexuals?
What I think is hysterical is that so many people want me to reveal the school I teach at or my e-mail address. That’s absolutely hysterical. Why don’t you tell me your e-mail address and where you work?
And as for me wanting slavery to return, you couldn’t be more correct. I want to have a punch of half born fetus’ squirming around the sidewalk trying to wash my car, but instead leaving a trail of blood and viscera. I want a fleet of gel-like fetus’s at about 4 weeks development to hang from my wall and serve as artwork. (IN CASE YOU CAN’T DISCERN SARCASM…THOSE STATEMENTS ARE LIES).
I don’t have a racist bone in my body…however I do have a prejudicial bone in my body. I don’t like small minded people who are quick to attack, but never defend. I don’t like people who tell other people what to do but offer up no alternatives or answers. I don’t like people who say idiotic things like “…I’m sure you support the death penalty 100% for innocent black children that just walk down your street.”
I would venture a guess that you are probably much more racist than I am. You are probably one of those people who has “lots of black friends” or maybe you’re ‘just’ one of those people who feels that we need to profile Arabs–just in case. Or maybe you support the war in Iraq, and the idea of killing babies “over there” so we don’t have to kill them “over here” appeals to you.
In case you didn’t read all of my other posts, I’m a CPS teacher and I deal with all sorts of children from dozens of ethnic backgrounds and economic walks-of-life. I actually try and get them to make good, smart decisions; I try and get them to understand the importance of being educated (which apparently to Kulys is some sort of dirty word).
If you want to continue, you can post your e-mail, and I’ll respond to you…or you can simply answer any of the other questions or issues I’ve raised. You do know how to defend yourself-whoever you are.
Comment by A liberal from Bridgeport — February 6, 2008 @ 8:50 pm
A human fetus is a human being. Do you think a human fetus is some other animal? I really hope you aren’t a science teacher. Do you think a fetus is some magical creature and then all of a sudden after 9 months it is magically replaced with a human?
Biologically, a human fetus is a human, just like a human baby is a human or a human toddler is a human or a human teen-ager is a human. A fetus is a human in an early stage of development and a human’s development does not end at birth. Why do you have such a problem accepting this scientific fact? Many educated “pro-choice” activists will not deny that human life begins at the moment of conception.
As I said, we should use the biological definition for life in regard to our laws. Bridgeport liberal, you want to force your beliefs on everyone else. If you want to believe that life doesn’t begin till birth or till 30 years old or you don’t want to believe in evolution, you are free to do so. However, that does not mean that it should be legal for people to harm or kill other people because you believe it’s okay or that evolution should not be taught in schools because you don’t believe in it.
Any argument you make to defend abortion can be applied to any life-taking form of violence.
Comment by A progressive — February 7, 2008 @ 7:34 pm
This is the last thing I’m going to say about abortion…because debating with a pro-life advocate is like banging your head against the wall. I
“Do you think a fetus is some magical creature and then all of a sudden after 9 months it is magically replaced with a human?”
So, then, a tomato seed is a tomato? A sunflower seed is a sunflower? You argument is flawed and false, and requires no other discussion.
You’ve answered none of my points, you talk nonsense (i.e. “However, that does not mean that it should be legal for people to harm or kill other people because you believe it’s okay or that evolution should not be taught in schools because you don’t believe in it.”) It absolutely is legal to harm and kill other people…the war in Iraq is a perfect example of that. And evolution absolutely should be talk in school, because it is a fact. Creationism shouldn’t be taught in school, because it is a myth.
Comment by A liberal from Bridgeport — February 7, 2008 @ 11:24 pm
A liberal from Bridgeport, your argument is the flawed argument. You are clearly very ignorant when it comes to biology. You are in the same camp as those who deny evolution or believe that the world is flat. Liberal from Bridgeport, why don’t you go and try to learn about human biological deveolopment so you won’t continue to spew your anti-science, anti-life rhetoric.
Comment by A progressive — February 20, 2008 @ 7:14 pm
Computers have already revolutionized the way we live and work. Have they changed the way we think? After reading all posts I think they have. People, why do you write what you hear somewhere, not your own thoughts?
Comment by mike — April 3, 2008 @ 5:27 am