And so it begins...

South Dakota passed a law today outlawing almost all abortions in the state with the intention of forcing a Supreme Court battle to overturn Roe v Wade. The only exceptions made are when the mother's health is in danger. And so it begins. It will take a few years, perhaps more for this battle to work it's way through our court system. I suppose South Dakota may have a change of heart (or legislators) and stop apealing through the numerous times it will be overturned in the lower courts. I doubt it though. Eventually, however many years from now, we will be placing this issue in the hands of the Supreme Court and hoping that Roberts and Alito differ from the nominees Bush obviously intended them to be.

I don't know what my choice would be if I were in a situation where abortion was an option. I don't think that anyone says that this choice is ever easy, as if we were glibly destroying what has the potential to become a life, with all the possibilities that come with it. But I firmly believe that the choice belongs to one person and one person alone- the woman carrying the child. I consider it a privacy issue. No one has the right to govern what I do with my life and my time and my body. I do not consider an embryo or fetus to have a life of it's own. It has the potential to become a life. But each day is filled with potential. I may have the potential within me to save the world, but am I obligated to develop it if the process would destroy me?

Big post o musings

I've reached the point of having a deep and long lasting hatred of the words "Unfortunatly, due to extremely high demand, we are unable to..." Today's joy brought the news that if I want to study abroad in Ecuador it will take emptying my bank account to do it. This after the study abroad office said that Ecuador was a low interest destination so a) it shouldn't be hard to get an exchange position and pay NC State tuition and b) even if I didn't get an exchange position tuition in Ecuador was comparable or even cheaper to NCSU. Tuition, room and board at USFQ is $5775. At State? I hit $4000 this semester because I am insane and taking 20 hours. Excuse me, I don't consider a $2000 difference to be comparable!!! I get a set amount from my parents to cover tuition, board and personal expenses. No negotiations there, so that difference comes out of my pocket regardless of whether I spend more than they give me on random crap or I travel to another country and spend it on travel expenses. Annoyed e-mail already in the inbox of the study abroad person saying "What the fuck did I miss in the damn orientation session?"

In other news, I've been home all of 72 hours and allready want to head back to the dorms. I love my family dearly, but prefer to do so from a distance where I don't have to listen to my brother's insults, my sister's demands for food, my mother's requests for invitation design, my brother's ridiculous new game involving shouting "SAFETY" whenever one farts to avoid being pummeled by anyone who feels like it (ie my brother and sometimes my father) until the offender can get to a doorknob (why a doorknob I have no earthly idea. Ask the cretin who came up with the damn game.) I miss not having to hide my books on witchcraft and my homeopathic supplies. Having my room is nice, but it's severely diminished in size since being chosen to serve as a storage area for two armchairs and a loveseat. Etc, etc, et cetera. The dog is my friend, he loves it when I escape for really long walks with him.