<< >Why don't you find something substantial to complain about?
>
>http://www.walmac.com.au/easttimor/photos/html/photo02.html
>http://www.walmac.com.au/easttimor/photos/html/photo03.html
>http://www.walmac.com.au/easttimor/photos/html/photo04.html
>http://www.walmac.com.au/easttimor/photos/html/photo05.html
>http://www.walmac.com.au/easttimor/photos/html/photo06.html
>
>
>Steven Schimmrich wrote:
>
>> Fight spam!
>>
>> [ BIG SNIP]
> First, let me say that I found your letter obnoxious and insulting.
>
> It's really obnoxious to send links like you did to an association of
Christian
> scientists not mentioning that they were graphic depictions of women being
raped
> and tortured. A warning for those who wish to avoid viewing such images
would
> have been in order. And, being the skeptical type, I wonder if these photos
are
> even real since torturers and thugs rarely gather evidence against
themselves and
> virtually all of the links on this guy's web page come up with a "File Not
Found"
> error. In fact all this site seems to have are graphic photos, I found no
text
> whatsoever. I don't deny that Indonesia has committed terrible atrocities
in
> East Timor over the years, but I fail to see how referring us to pictures of
> women being raped and tortured (and who knows where or when or under what
> circumstances these photos were taken because it doesn't tell us) helps in
any way,
> shape or form.
> I know things are bad elsewhere in the world. There are a great many
evils
> being perpetrated by man. But that doesn't mean we should ignore small
problems
> as well. I subscribe to the view that societies crumble precisely when
small
> problems are seen as "no big deal" ("so what if Clinton lied") and standards
are
> lowered over time such that atrocities become "no big deal" ("so what if
8&1/2
> month old babies are pulled down the vaginal canal and stabbed in the back
of
> the head with sissors and their brains sucked out to decompress their skulls
> so they can be aborted"). I see that happening in this country.
> Finally, I found your letter insulting because it belittled me and an
issue
> that many people are legitimately upset about. I'm not going to ignore
small
> problems in society just because there are big ones. I also fight for
larger,
> more important, issues as well. Quite frankly, I'm more concerned about
abortion
> than about wartime atrocities in southeast Asia. Why? Because I can't do a
damn
> thing about East Timor other than vote my conscience and elect public
officials
> who support my moral views (which Clinton and most of the Congress most
definately
> do NOT). I wish the U.S. would take a stronger stand against dictators
around
> the world but we don't. I can, however, do some constructive things in my
own
> backyard to fight against abortion.
> It's the same with spam. I think that's an issue people can do something
> about and I believe it's more than just a annoyance. If you're interested
in
> learning why spam is bad, check out the CAUCE web site at
http://www.cauce.org/.
> Quite frankly, I think your tactic in sending that obnoxious post will
have the
> opposite effect desired. It will turn people's opinion against you and not
for
> the issue you claim to care about.
> - Steve. >>
This is headed off the spam topic, but the previous message set up well for
the following question. What is everyone's view on abortion after rape? I find
this to be a pressing moral and very emotional issue. Say for instense you, a
sibling, or significant other in your family was raped. Would you be willing
to raise the baby as your own flesh and blood or would you have it aborted. I
know adoption is a strong option in these cases, but that brings up another
side of the problem. Mothers who put babies up for adoption usually end up
thinking about that child everyday of there life after it has been born. This
leaves extreme emotional and psychological damage to the mother (not to
mention the 'damage' already present from the rape). People in these
situations usually end up paying an arm and a leg for psychiatrists and
medications for decades. So, simply put, what is your (referring to all
mailing list participants) views on this subject?
-Mike S.