On "All Lives Matter"

Written by me in response to someone who was in turn responding to something commenting on "all lives matter" as a response to "Black lives matter":

It's a matter of context. Yes, all lives matter. That's why the message that black lives matter is so important. "All lives matter" as a response to "black lives matter" is dismissing the experiences of black people, and the importance of the message that their lives matter. "All lives matter" used used to mean white lives matter more than black lives is despicable.

Changes

I really hate the argument that changing X doesn't solve problem N, therefore it's a waste to do X. Grrr. Just because something doesn't solve the world's problems doesn't mean it doesn't need to be done.

Of course, usually, the real reason behind the argument is they object to the change. A change others recognize is a change that should happen.

Treating someone with respect doesn't solve all their problems. But I should still treat people with respect. (And I mean an equality sort of respect, not a some people above others sort of respect.) And some changes people, companies, governments, and such, choose to make because they realize making those changes is necessary for treating everyone with respect.

Why we should wear facemasks

The evidence that wearing masks works is statistics. We know that in areas where almost everyone wears masks, there's less spread of COVID-19. Understanding the specifics of why and how that works isn't necessary to know that it does.

Did you know that Florence Nightingale was a statistician? She used statistics to understand what was and wasn't good nursing care, and thus improved nursing care.

And looking at the numbers is how we know that wearing masks works. If people in a community wear masks, that reduces the number of people in the community that get COVID-19. And, yes, you might be one of the people that benefits from everyone wearing masks.

Lives Matter

Seems to me "all lives matter", that set of words, has been appropriated by people who don't actually believe that. Or who at least don't believe all lives matter equally. I feel like we need to re-appropriate those words in our responses to them. Use the words "all lives matter" (no capitals) along with "Black lives matter" (with or without capitals). Something like, "I believe all lives matter, and that's why I support Black Lives Matter", or, "Yes, all lives matter, thus the importance of the message that "Black lives matter".

Additionally, people listen more if you start by agreeing with them rather than by disagreeing with them or attacking them.

#BlackLivesMatter

I see "Black lives matter", and for me it's a reminder that all lives matter, mine included, with a focus on black lives, in response to black lives being treated as if they don't matter. It's pointing out that some lives are treated as if they don't matter.

Thoughts on abortion

Written May 17, 2019, posted on Facebook.

So, lots of talk related to the issue of abortion. Which I tend to not comment on because I can't just simply agree. I definitely am on the pro-choice side of the legal issue, but I don't agree with everything pro-choice people say. Some things I strongly disagree with.

The "pro-life" side, the argument (at it's best at least) seems to be unborn children have a right to life, therefore abortion is morally wrong, and therefore it should be illegal. Unborn children have a right to life, I have no problem with that idea (though one can be more nuanced about it). Therefore it's morally wrong... as a general viewpoint that's more or less how I feel, but, for me, that does not at all extend to judging particular people in particular situations. I hear woman who tell stories of why they got an abortion, and I can't judge. I can't say they are wrong. And the idea of doing so is alien to me. And, so, as you can imagine, I also don't agree with jumping from "it's morally wrong" to "it should be illegal". I don't believe in basing laws on morality.

I think laws should be based on rights. Protecting rights. And not just as a statement that something is wrong because it's infringes on someone's rights, but practically protecting rights. I'm not going to go into all the detail of my thinking on this issue, but there's a few thoughts I want to share.

I do think abortion is not a good thing, and we should do everything we can to minimize abortions. But I don't at all like the idea of doing that by legally preventing a woman who wants an abortion from getting one. I'd rather we, as a society, do what we can so she's not in that situation. Which can mostly be summed up as: support women. Make birth control available and affordable. Men, don't have sex with women without their full and clear consent. And do your part to create a culture where that's the norm. And let's support pregnant women and mothers. No matter how the mother got pregnant.

I dislike the "exception for rape or incest" idea. It seems to me supporting such a provision in an abortion law comes from either wanting the law to be based on mortality, or else a compromise because it's better than the same law without that provision. But I don't like the idea of a woman having to prove she was raped. I don't like the idea of the woman's decision being everyone else's business. Seems to me better to leave it to her, her chosen medical professionals, and those she goes to for support. Trying to implement an "exception" law, for those reasons or medical reasons, seems both really messy to implement and unfair to women.

And I dislike that abortion being illegal, rather than this stopping abortions, it would mean going back to the days when women can't trust the safety of an abortion. The law does a good job of making sure abortions are safe. How about we let it do that and work to reduce/eliminate abortions in a way that supports and empowers women.

And then there's the fact that it seems like those that push for anti-abortion laws aren't coming from a place of respecting life. And if you don't respect women (or blacks, or foreigners, etc), then you can't really be said to respect life.