... issues and tissues with a touch of the spicy from the spirit hag ...


the following five statements are amongst those i read/heard in the media this week. taken out of context this way, they represent questions all of their own.


so, would you say the following statements are TRUE or FALSE, and why ?



1/ abortion should remain a womans' right


2/ war is wrong regardless of the circumstances


3/ prison is the best solution for the rehabilitation of career criminals


4/ any couple who are in love should have the right to marry


5/ poor parenting is responsible for the majority of juvenile crime



let me say again that everybody is welcome. the purpose here is to talk about issues without fear of reprisal, and to share opinions in a relaxed way. (well, i hope so anyway !). as always, please feel free to skip or amend any question for personal or other reasons. thanks. mig XX


Comments (Page 1)
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on Jul 30, 2004
1/ abortion should remain a womans' right True. If you don't agree with it, that's fine with me, but if I were pregnant now the life that I could offer a child would not be fair on them or me. I think we're all allow to make a mistake. I do NOT agree with people who use abortions as a form of contraception (for want of a better word)

2/ war is wrong regardless of the circumstances False. War sucks. War is horrible. War leads to far many senseless deaths and broken lives. BUT sometimes there are things that need to be fought against. To use and oldie but a goodies as an example - what if no one has fought Hitler? (Even though they were a little late as it was)

3/ prison is the best solution for the rehabilitation of career criminals I don't know on this one. I don't think you can
rehabilitate career criminals. Which sounds like a truly defeatist statement but the revolving door prison system seems to be in good working order and showing us constantly how likely people are to reoffend. I imagine that you could rehabilitate a small number of them, but that would require and entire shakeup of the prison system so that the inmates learn how to be honest rather than simply refining their skills as crims.

4/ any couple who are in love should have the right to marry True. True, true, true, true, true.


5/ poor parenting is responsible for the majority of juvenile crime Another tricky one. I think that it is part of the problem. So I guess I'd say true. HOWEVER, the reasons for the poor parenting are many and varied and need to be addressed by society. And there are some cases where regardless of how great parents have been, kids still do bad things. I don't jump on the blame the parents bandwagon, but I do think that they have somehow allowed these crimes to be committed.

Oooh - provoking migs. I don't really like many of my answers but i tried to be as honest as possible. Sadly I am such a grey area person but I tried to pick one side or the other. Even doing that I have a tonne of qualifiers!

Hope you're feeling better!

Suz xxx
on Jul 30, 2004
4/ any couple who are in love should have the right to marry True. True, true, true, true, true.


I'll qualify that, actually. I think this should be dependent on age. Don't want kiddies in 'love' getting hitched.
on Jul 30, 2004

qualification accepted, suz !. thanks for your answer chicky. i'm hoping for a few more so i can "hide" mine amongst them hehe

mig XX
on Jul 30, 2004
i'm hoping for a few more so i can "hide" mine amongst them hehe


Ahhh - be out and proud migs - we wouldn't expect anything less from you! Look at you being all controversial this week. I LOVE it! xxx
on Jul 30, 2004
Look at you being all controversial this week. I LOVE it


it's the laryngitis. i really DO think my head is going to explode, i'm not kidding !!!

oh no, there it goes nowwwwwwwwwwwwwww


mig XX
on Jul 30, 2004
1/ abortion should remain a womans' right

False. I am going out on a limb here, but there certainly are situations where the bloke has been tricked into inpregnating a woman - i.e. Lying about the pill etc. There are also cases where the woman would just have irrational maternal thoughts regarding keeping the baby - where the bloke could possibly be in a better situation to make a logical conclussion if they are not ready for the baby... This is a mine field - but at the end of the day, both parties are responsible for the child, so there should be equal responsibility...

2/ war is wrong regardless of the circumstances

False - War is a necessary evil due to the negative aspects of human nature... change human nature, and it will always be wrong. I wish you luck in you quest!

3/ prison is the best solution for the rehabilitation of career criminals

I simply can't answer this - I like to have faith in human nature, and the possibility of rehab for someone who has been in the system for so long, but I just cant see it... I want to see it...

4/ any couple who are in love should have the right to marry

True - I dont care... marraige is an archaic tradition anyway... get with the times. (for all you inbreds reading this - this doesn't include you)

5/ poor parenting is responsible for the majority of juvenile crime

True - This was the easiest of the lot to answer... Environment is the most important aspect in character development... It's up to the parents to develop that character in a positive and loving environment.

BAM!!!
on Jul 30, 2004
1/ abortion should remain a womans' right
True, it should be the womans right, just because I would never do it, does not mean I have the right to tell another woman what to do with her body. It is her body, and her decision. She will have to live with the consequences of that action herself, and there are many different circumstances, it is personal choice.

2/ war is wrong regardless of the circumstances
False. War is necessary is some cases. That is just the harsh reality of it. the way we go about war could be changed, but sometimes the world does have to be that brutal. We do have to do such things and if we didn't I think the world would be in a worst state than it is now.


3/ prison is the best solution for the rehabilitation of career criminals
False. Career criminals are that for a reason. They master their trade in prsion. Come across bigger and badder versions of themselves, who teach them more than what they went in with. Prison does work for some people, and scares them enough to never want to do it again. Some however sumply fit in with the system, and the shock factor does not phase them. They need to be taught in other ways. Found better opportunities when leavving prison, better educated, shown a better route.


4/ any couple who are in love should have the right to marry
True. Marriage is personal choice, again. I don't agree with all these people who marry at a drop of a hat, or who are just to young. Having said that I wouldn't want to stop them. They have to learn themselves, and as I am a bit of a romantic, who am I to judge it won't work? Life is full of surprises, and love is stronger than anything, so of course they have the right to declare that.


5/ poor parenting is responsible for the majority of juvenile crime
False. Again in some cases it is. I know alot of loving, caring parents whos children have gone down the wrong path. It is not the parents fault always. Because they are not the only people bringing their children up, they have their peers, society, school, all kinds of outside influnces, and some people are just bad. That's it full stop, they want to be like that. That doesn't mean they can't be changed, but it is just in their personality to be like that. Juveniles know right from wrong, lets hold them responsible for the actions for a change, if they are old enough to do the crime, they are old enough to do the time.

I enjoyed this Mig, brilliant as usual!
on Jul 30, 2004
This is a mine field - but at the end of the day, both parties are responsible for the child, so there should be equal responsibility...


At that point is it equal? If the woman feels that strongly about it, and I really believe this is a tough decision to reach in the first place for any woman. Should the man have a say in what she does with her body for the next nine months? Will it do her or the baby any good for that matter if she decides to go through with something she doesn't want to do? What when the baby arrives, and she still doesn't want it, is that fair to the baby? Every situation is different of course, men do have a right. They are equally responsible, but when it is the womans body, it is ultamately her decision.
on Jul 30, 2004
Ah Sally.... you are correct... as usual... That's the great thing about JU, you always get to see things from other perspectives, and I am now a wiser lad for it!

It's a tough issue, thats why it will always be a controversial talking point!!!

BAM!!!
on Jul 30, 2004
When you have unprotected sex, this is the risk you take, if you dont want to carry a baby for 9 months, take the proper precautions. Having an abortion penalizes other lives for your own personal lack of responsibility.


I don't actually agree with abortion, I think it's wrong, but up until that baby is born, it will remain the womans decision, because right or wrong it is her body. Does anyone else have the right to tell her what she should do with her body? I don't think so.....
on Jul 30, 2004
1/ abortion should remain a womans' right
Yes, until the fetus is post-viability, and then no.

2/ war is wrong regardless of the circumstances
War is not the best answer to many of the world's ills, though it is the last resort when diplomacy has failed. The current problem is that diplomacy is rarely tried with the same vigor and sincerity as war is.

3/ prison is the best solution for the rehabilitation of career criminals
Honestly, I don't have any idea what the best way to rehabilitate criminals is, but I would like them off the street while they are being rehabilitated.

4/ any couple who are in love should have the right to marry
I agree--with Suz's exception duly noted.

5/ poor parenting is responsible for the majority of juvenile crime
Poor parenting is responsibile for a breakdown in values, trust and respect. These are the things that lead to crime...so yes.
on Jul 30, 2004
1/ abortion should remain a womans' right
False - While the mother is host for this newly created life, I don't think she should just be able to commit murder just because she's currently hosting this life.

2/ war is wrong regardless of the circumstances
False - war is a horrible thing that should avoided at almost all costs, and you might say that it is "wrong", but it's sometime neccessary.

3/ prison is the best solution for the rehabilitation of career criminals
False - I don't know what the best solution is though

4/ any couple who are in love should have the right to marry
True. While I personally the thought of gay sex/love confusing and disgusting, I don't feel like my marriage is any less valid if someone chooses to give their marital bond the same title as mine. More power to ya.

5/ poor parenting is responsible for the majority of juvenile crime
True.

What when the baby arrives, and she still doesn't want it, is that fair to the baby?


It would at least be more fair than being murdered before even having a chance to run from their attacker...
on Jul 30, 2004
1/ abortion.
I'm much less certain of where I stand on this than I used to be. I was a pretty solid "women's right to choose" advocate for a long time. But to the "It's my body to handle as I see fit" argument, It's not JUST your body. It's somebody else's body too, which just happens to be inside yours. If you were a landlord and you knew 100% that evicting your tenant would kill them, would you still evict them? Even if you're an absentee landlord and have never met, seen, or even talked to your tenant?
I agree that at the least it should be a joint decision between both parents. Ideally it should be avoided if at all possible.

2/war.
False. There's a saying that "War is the last refuge of the incompetent". To which my reply is "Yes, because only the incompetent would wait that long to use force." Human nature being what it is, wars are inevitable. You're much better off picking when YOU are ready to fight rather than letting the other person decide when they're ready.

3/ prison.
False. As currently constituted, prison (in the US, at least) is not a vehicle for rehabilitation, but for punishment. The rehabilitation efforts are secondary at best. I would like to see that change, but I think mostly what criminals need to learn is impulse control and I don't know how to teach that. I disagree with Sally that prison is a place where criminals learn their craft from other criminals; they might share some ideas, but prison is where people who were stupid enough to get caught go, so there's not necessarily much to learn there, and not much to practice on, either.

4/ love/marry.
True with conditions. I support the separation of a legal union and marriage.
A legal union is provided (and recognized) by the government, and is available to all (with the age restriction caveat previously noted).
Marriage is performed by a religious institution, and is subject to whatever restrictions they see fit to place upon it.

5/ bad parenting/juvie crime
true. A strong home environment can overcome a weak outside environment.
on Jul 30, 2004
Oh... and in regards to question 1:

I had a friend when I was stationed back in San Antonio named Jenny. Jenny was probably one of the nicest people I've ever known. Jenny was put up for adoption and lived with foster parents. I can't look past the fact that her mother could have exercised her right over her own body to completely destroy any chance Jenny would have had in life.

While it is true that kids who are put up for adoption have been dealt a pretty crappy hand to play with, at least they get the chance to play. People also say that they couldn't put their kids up for adoption, and that it "wouldn't be fair for the child to have to live in a poor situation with the mother", it's STILL more fair to at least give them a chance. No matter what the situation I was being born into, I would MUCH rather be given a fighting chance than to have somebody else "throw in the towel" for me before I even get a chance to fight.
on Jul 30, 2004
1/ abortion should remain a womans' right
FALSE She didn't "create" this life, so to speak, so why does she have the right to destroy it? It's not a permenant "condition" as someone said. Just because she's carrying this human life gives her no right to murder it.

2/ war is wrong regardless of the circumstances
FALSE Hmm, I wonder if anyone will say true to this. As most of the above people have stated war is necessary at times when two parties can't come to an agreement. There's a time for peace, but also a time for war. Can you imagine the US/Iraq affairs right now if Clinton were in office. Scares me to think about it.
3/ prison is the best solution for the rehabilitation of career criminals
FALSE. I don't think prison is a "solution" I think it's more of a "prevention" of further crimes.I really don't see how prison is helping people

4/ any couple who are in love should have the right to marry
FALSE. gays should not have the right to marry... I also don't PERSONALLY agree with civil unions, but for the sake of law and order think that it's better than marriage.

5/ poor parenting is responsible for the majority of juvenile crime
TRUE. There's not a lot to explain, but I think that if parents were actually spending time with their children, showing them love, raising them right, and not getting divorced all the time children would be much better off and wouldn't get in so much trouble outside of the home anyway.

~Sarah
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