There was a buzz amongst the crowd and whispers in ears. That was, until August 13th, 2011. Now we all know with certainty that Rick Perry is going to attempt to run for President. My first thought was he'd be out of Texas. But then my conscience and empathy kicked in and I realized I just couldn't place that kind of burden on the good people of this nation.
For people who see through all the fluff, Texas is not in the grand economic standing Perry lead the nation to believe it was in. (Around about the time he was loosely throwing around the term of succession.) In fact, like many of the states in our nation, Texas has some major defects of our own. Just a couple of them being our poor education system and non-existent budget. The idea that his decisions will be on a national level is scary.
Amongst one of the many reasons I feel this way is his stance on Gardisil. For those who don't know or remember, this is the HPV vaccination he was fighting to make mandatory for all teenage girls in the public school system. A vaccination for a disease that is transmitted sexually for the teenage girls who aren't having sex because they're being educated properly on sexual activity in the sex ed classes that teach only abstinence. I feel this is a great invasion of personal rights and that the HP virus can not compete with the severity of a measles outbreak. Kids aren't having sex right? Cause it's wrong? So why make this mandatory?
Rick Perry's stance on immigration is also questionable. For the time being, he seems to be the most lenient of his components in the race for the GOP seat. It's not all that hard to believe considering that he comes from Texas. However, I can't help but doubt his diligence to the cause if elected. It's no secret the Republican party think immigration is a hot button topic and they certainly aren't the party that will be on the welcoming committee. Will he be able to go against the grain and fight for his true beliefs? If so, he may just find out what it feels like to be our current President and if he does, will he be able to stand his ground?
In another blow to women of his state, Perry made it priority to pass the Sonogram bill, requiring women who have chosen to have an abortion to first view the fetus on a sonogram and hear it's heart beat. As if the decision to have an abortion isn't already a great burden on women, he believes it necessary to force HIS personal views upon those choosing to have one. His implication that an alternate solution will be reached after hearing the heartbeat or seeing the fetus is nothing short of insulting to women. Regardless of whether it's a choice he agrees with, it's a perfectly legal act. It can't be summed up any better than the quote, "If you can't trust a women with a choice, how can you trust her with a baby?"
Being a minority and a woman, it's a double edged sword. I can't say who the next president should be or who is going to be able to change the world but I can say that it's a safe bet Rick Perry won't be my choice.
After reading Annette's blog post on Rick Perry and the changes he wishes to seek if he were to become president, I feel sick to my stomach. Being a woman myself, I take offense to the requirements Perry feels the need to push on women. Annette outlines what currently is the issue and how Perry's "solutions" are "nothing short of insulting to women".
ReplyDeleteThe issue with HPV and the Gardasil shot is most likely due to the poor sexual education provided in the school systems around the country. With the media and the younger of an exposed generation coming forth, sex is almost inevitable. Rather than trying to require a vaccine that a) costs $600 per person and b) does not even protect against ALL forms of HPV, we should probably hop off the whole abstinence bit and get real. Let's start talking about contraceptives and other forms of protection, having open discussion and making sure there is someone on campus who can personally answer questions that a student may feel uncomfortable discussing with their parents. Communication is the key if the message you're trying to get across is about being safe.
As for the Sonogram Bill, I couldn't agree more about Annette's stance on the idea. It's ridiculous. Getting an abortion can be due to many terrible reasons, whether it be a teenager getting raped, a woman who could lose her life without getting an abortion or a woman trying to spare raising a child with poor health implications that are incurable. No matter what the situation, abortion is a dreadful act that no woman looks forward to going through. If you had to go through with one because you were fifteen years old and ended up being raped, why should you be forced to look at something you couldn't even control? It's heart-breaking and abortions alone typically cause psychological illnesses among women, why add icing to the cake? Unless Rick Perry grows a vagina and goes through one himself and still has the same stance on the matter, I'd be surprised.
It may be more difficult for a man to understand the offense Perry's views on these matters are, but I feel like Annette spelled out the wrongs in his decisions to allow a reader of either gender to get the gist of how insulting Rick Perry is and why he is not suited to be president.