A Lily for the Virginia House of Delegates

While many in the anti-abortion movement advocate that rape-induced pregnancy is not a ground justifying an abortion, the government of Virginia wants to make being raped a part of the process of terminating a pregnancy in that state.

Using an inanimate (or animate!) object to penetrate certain orifices of a person's body without their consent is a sex crime in the State of Virginia and now a woman trying to terminate a pregnancy will be required to submit to a medically unnecessary vaginal ultra-sound first.  

Non-consensual sexual penetration to discourage a woman from terminating a pregnancy, or punish her before she is allowed to exercise the right to do so--a Lily for sure.  

Where's My Right of Conscience?

So, it's been on my mind for a while now:  how is it that "pro-lifers" get to make the government jump through hoops to ensure that none of their tax money gets used for abortion?  Most recently, we watched Congress go up and over the top on this during the health care debate without anyone asking how come they get to make those kinds of demands.

I am morally opposed to war on conscientious grounds and it is certainly clear to me where God is at on that--especially considering the amount of rationalizing theological notions and notional holidays our imperial priesthood has to lay down to obscure the issue to condition and manipulate us into going off to  kill total strangers for the most secular ends.

Millions and millions of tax dollars spent by my government to kill innocent people--and some that those who prosecute wars want to dub "guilty" to make their deaths OK.

So, when do I get to make the government guarantee that my tax money isn't spent for war because it's "against my religion?"

And if I don't get that guarantee why do to the "pro-lifers" get it?

This is about integrity, of course, but it's also about equality.  Why are some people's religious views "more equal" than those of others?  And, in this country, given the First Amendment, why is "it's against my religion" a cogent argument in how tax money gets spent?

I think there's a big Cynical Lily Award to give out here, I am just not sure to whom it should be given.