Pro-What?

I'm sick and tired of the hypocrisy and the labeling of things with names that are exactly the opposite of what they mean.

Take, for example, the gubernatorial debate that happened here in Wisconsin on Friday between Doyle and Green...

Green stated that he makes "no bones about it," he's pro-life. He also did not dispute that he opposes abortion in *all* cases. Green also says that he does not support the use of tax dollars to "destroy living human embryos."

Then, Green turns around and voices support for the death penalty.

Pro-life should mean just that. Not just pro-embryo or pro-fetus. Pro-life should mean pro-all life. If you label yourself as "pro-life" but are for the death penalty and/or for war, you're nothing but a hypocrite. What you should call yourself is anti-abortion... not pro-life.

To go even further, I should hope that anyone who *does* call themselves pro-life is also a vegetarian. Life is life... it should not matter if it is human or other animal. It should also not matter that you consider your life to be of greater value than that of other animals. I'm sure that the dear that hunters shoot value their lives more than the lives of the hunters. If you were to ask the dear, I'm certain that it would consider itself in the definition of what it would mean to be pro-life.

It is the ignorance of self-importantance that is promoted by religion that makes humans think that they should value themselves more than any other of Earth's creatures.

And... just for the record... I'm pro-choice and an omnivore. I personally wouldn't get an abortion unless it wasn't my choice to conceive a child. But I don't feel that I have the right to impose my belief system on everyone else. As for eating meat. I'm allergic to all kinds of grains, so meat is a huge staple in my diet. I do not consider myself more important than any other animal on the planet... we all have a purpose... but I will gladly eat a tasty bit of meat and live knowing that something may one day decide that I also look like a tasty bit of meat.

You may ask how I feel that I can be critical of other's beliefs when I do not wish to impose my beliefs on others. The answer is simple. I won't impose *my* beliefs on anyone else, I *will* impose someone else's beliefs on themselves. (And I like it when others point out to me when I fail to live by my own standards. It forces me to re-evaluate myself and my beliefs.) If you believe in something, then believe in it. Don't pick and choose. Don't be a hypocrite. Have reasons to back up your belief... or at the very least do not label yourself falsely as pro- something you're not.