The inalienable right of Luigi Taparelli

When I read this, I wrote: “What the FUCK did His Holiness mean?” I’m sure that it’s a sin to have the f-bomb and “His Holiness” in the same sentence. And it’s definitely bad form to swear on somebody else’s Facebook page (sorry, James). But James is a confirmed Democrat and is perfectly comfortable with enforced-charity theocracy, but not enforced-chastity theocracy, and having gone around the barn there several times, I am not as patient as I should be to another Christian and human.

Quoting from a slightly less biased site, I see a less definitive pronouncement than at Think Progress, and I also notice that this is very old news. I haven’t yet found Benedict’s exact words, but it is by no means certain that he actually called health care “an inalienable right”.

But let’s pretend that he did, and that such a position is actual Church doctrine (remembering that not every word that falls from the Pope’s lips is infallible). Here are the problems. First, this “inalienable right” does not exist in a state of nature, so how can it be a natural and inalienable right?. Second, if the right exists, it has been violated through most of the world through most of history. Third, if it is a right which is an obligation of government, it is one that the Church has been silent on through most of its history. Was there ever a Church campaign to get the Holy Roman Emperors to provide free leeches and midwives for their subjects? Did anyone say of Diocletian, “He hates Christians, but at least he supports public nutrition programs”?

Now, this is not to say that medical care is no concern of the Church. Jesus healed people (go thou and do likewise). And the Church has provided medical care through history. It’s only now, in the face of the HHS mandate, that the Church has suggested that it will stop doing what it has done since the beginning. Either that’s a bluff, or the Church is abandoning a core historical practice in the face of politics…which is virtually unheard of. No right exists without a corresponding responsibility, and it can be argued that we are obligated to the corporal acts of mercy. But to make that obligation binding on the non-Christian through force of arms is a very Muslim thing to do. It also seems that the US pre-Obamacare was providing the sort of basic medical care under discussion.  Regardless, it’s very confusing to have to pick the social teaching of the Magisterium  from the social teaching of the Comintern.

Komen-tary

To my lady friends who are having the vapors over the Komen decision:

1. I’m seeing a lot of “Punish Komen” thoughts, including going after their corporate sponsors. If breast cancer is your real concern, do you really want to do that? Is your real motivation in doing that to make sure that increased contributions by pro-lifers don’t have an effect?

2. Planned Parenthood claims to provide “lifesaving care for women where Planned Parenthood is their only source of health care.”. I doubt that. There are few if any places in the country without Medicaid or some other charity care. Besides, I thought Obama fixed that. And Planned Parenthood is not in the mammogram business — and rightly so, given that their name is not Women’s Health Services.  If PP is just serving as a pass-through point for Komen money, why can’t Komen designate a different pass-through point, one where there will be no danger of money being skimmed off to support a procedure the majority of Americans oppose? Kaiser, maybe?  Might it be because the breast cancer service is the fig leaf over PP’s bloody business? As for contraception, Barry Obama and Katie Sebelius have that covered, no matter what you or your employer thinks.

3. There is no reason this can’t be a win-win for breast cancer. Pro-lifers who had a conscience problem with Komen can now contribute. Pro-abortion folk who think it really important that PP do breast exams can donate directly to PP…and can use their money to make certain that the exams actually get done, instead of going to other procedures (though I note that PP’s online donation page has no way of earmarking a donation for non-abortion services). We could end up with MORE money to fight breast cancer…and how is that a bad thing?

But of course this isn’t about breast cancer. The reason you’re so upset is because it’s an instance of a private foundation caving to public pressure on the abortion issue. You don’t like that the culture is turning against you…. which is why the courtesan media have tried to make this about “a politically-motivated investigation by one crank in Congress”. Well, when Congress appropriates money for something and evidence surfaces that perhaps that money is not being used for intended purposes, and the folks you’re giving to may be involved in illegal activities, don’t you think the recipient should be investigated? At least if they aren’t America’s abortion monopoly?

Believe me, I’m sympathetic. You’ve been living under the protection of Roe…, er, Dred Scott, and here are these upstart abolitionists in Oberlin who won’t return your property, the body you have a right to. It’s enough to make you want to start your own country.

UPDATE 2/3: Contributions to Komen are up 100% over the past 2 days; I hope that’s not just a blip of feelgood. Meanwhile the drunken clown Cleveland councilman Zack Reed is talking about pulling their permit for the annual run. Like I said, these folks don’t really care about breast cancer.

UPDATE 2/3. The ball-less bastards caved. I wonder if Simcha Fisher misses her $10 yet? Consider spending your charity dollar at one of these organizations. And no more pink. It’s just a paler shade of red.

UPDATE 2/7 And Karen Handel is out.

Breitbart isn’t taking his trash out

Memo to Republicans: Where’s ObamaCare’s Replacement?
by Dr. Susan Berry

Dr. Susan Berry is a practicing clinical psychologist. Susan uses her skills to help people learn how to empower themselves.

Listen, shrink: if you want us to be empowered, leave us the fuck alone, OK?  We need to replace Obamacare like we need to replace cancer with heart disease.

Sicko banned in Cuba

Isn’t this a pretty little WikiLeak? Almost makes the rest of Assange’s bullshit worthwhile:

…when the film was shown to a group of Cuban doctors, some became so “disturbed at the blatant misrepresentation of healthcare in Cuba that they left the room”.

Castro’s government apparently went on to ban the film because, the leaked cable claims, it “knows the film is a myth and does not want to risk a popular backlash by showing to Cubans facilities that are clearly not available to the vast majority of them.”

I wonder how the Left will wish that one away.

No pressure…right?

Alvie just made himself a meme:

That’s a lot of blood wasted that could be used to prop up a sick Senator or other vampire, though.

(If you’ve been away from the Net and don’t get it, click here.)

Washington cheesesuckers demand bigger, fancier free rubbers

OK, I know that 3% of DC has HIV (regrettably, the wrong 3%). I know the little bastards (predominantly literally) are going to do it anyway, and that they won’t pony up for condoms when there is crack to be bought. I know the public health arguments for this program. I don’t care. The government should not be subsidizing promiscuity. I have a major problem with the demand of the Church that secular authorities enforce “morality” (that generally being sexual, as opposed to “thou shalt not steal”, which some bishops think is a perfectly valid means of applying “charity”.). But I think we can agree that government shouldn’t be in the business of spending Other People’s Money to promote IMmorality, yes?

Worse, they’ve bought the marketing, and they have to have Trojans. And big ones too. So they’re getting them.

The number of free condoms that the District dispenses has been steadily increasing. The health department distributed 3.2 million last year, including about 15,000 in schools. The city, which has 600,000 residents, is on pace to hand out more than 4 million condoms this year, having distributed about 2.5 million so far. The program cost about $165,000 last year. The Durex condoms cost the city 5.7 cents each, but the Trojans will cost 6 cents to 9 cents each (depending on size).

It’s not like they’re distributing Brand X White Label from the far reaches of China. They’ve passed the tests. Back when I was using them, I was certainly sensitive to price. People who can’t afford condoms can’t afford the consequences when they leak, which is possible with any condom.

When the guy who handles AoSHQ’s queer beat gets his mind boggled, you know it’s mindboggling.

It’s hard to be sympathetic

A new wellness program at the Palm Beach County tax collector’s office has employees saying they’re being intimidated into giving blood for health screenings or risk losing their jobs.

All cheap jokes about bloodsuckers aside, this is objectionable behavior from an employer and even more objectionable from the government. That being said, they could quit. And this Anne Gannon does not sound like the kind of person one wants in that job.

American Academy of Pediatrics comes out in favor of child abuse

…because if we torture Muslim girls a little bit, it will keep their parents from taking them overseas to be tortured worse.

According to the New York Times, the American Academy of Pediatrics last week advocated that American doctors be allowed to stick girls’ clitorises with a needle so as to satisfy Muslim and African families’ demand for female genital mutilation: “It might be more effective if federal and state laws enabled pediatricians to reach out to families by offering a ritual nick as a possible compromise to avoid greater harm.”

Note that: “American doctors.” Follow the Benjamins. I wonder if this will be covered under Obamacare? More to the point, how is it covered under the Hippocratic Oath?

NY ASS[emblyman] seeks to nationalize spleens

… hearts, kidneys, livers, and doubtless brains and genitals.

Of course, your guts have already been nationalized, given that you can’t sell them. This is “for your own good” as a market in organs would allegedly mean that you’d wake up one day in a bathtub full of ice, missing your left kidney. We forbid the sale of babies, too, and have “streamlined procedures” so that unwanted children can be adopted. Nevertheless, one regularly reads of babies being yanked live from their mother’s womb, with the mother generally ending up dead.

But this is a further wrinkle. So far, you still own your guts enough to be able to take them to the grave. And theoretically, under this law, you can still do so, if you opt out. But as Soja says, “It really is the Vampire State.” . I wonder if they’ll be claiming the blood, too?

A few fries short of a Happy Meal

That best describes Ken Yeager, the Santa Clara County supervisor who wants to ban the inclusion of a toy in any restaurant meal that has more than 485 calories, more than 600 mg of salt or high amounts of sugar or fat — which includes all Happy Meals.

Let’s overlook for a moment that this is a slap at the parenting skills of every parent in the county, that it’s a violation of right-of-contract, and that it’s fundamentally mean-spirited to take toys away from children. Yeager cuts to the chase:

“We’re responsible for paying for health care in the whole county,” Yeager said. “We pay close to $2 billion annually on health care, and the costs have done nothing but rise.” A big part of the increase, he said, is costs related to obesity.

Follow the Benjamins. This is why Obamacare is such a disaster. Once your toe is in the cannibal pot, you claim control of the guest list, and over portion size.

If this guy still has a job next election, you will know (as if there were any doubt) that California is hopeless. The Ecotopian Revolution can’t come too soon.