This letter writer makes a good point;

A recent poll was conducted in which 86 percent of South Dakotans responded that they were Christian. Either the vast majority of Christians in this state failed to vote on Initiated Measure 11, or they did not vote according to the guiding light of the Christian faith: the Bible.

I would also like to add that they voted to keep video lottery, a great burden on the taxpayers of this state, not a benefit. They also voted to keep the food tax in our state, another burden on low income families. I often find that though South Dakotans may call themselves ‘Christians’ by a majority, they are something entirely different in the voting booth.

I would also like to point out that many pastors and churches came out against Measure 11 because they knew if it passed it wouldn’t prevent one single abortion.

And now the Catholic Church wants to control policy in an Obama White House. Good Luck.

The different associations that use the school district to promote their programs seem to be confused as to who is at fault on this one;

“It’s a shame we live in a society where attorneys decide what’s best for students,” Dr. Lyle Van Hemert told the board, representing the Sioux Falls Soccer Association.

First person to point the finger at is Unruh, not attorneys, who consistently does not know her boundries when it comes to her lunatic mission to push her theocratic beliefs on a majority of South Dakotans. I don’t have a problem with an ad by the Alpha Center, but I do take issue with the language, “Abortion Hurts Women”. WTF? How was this message important to students or their parents? It wasn’t.

A majority of the blame lies in Pam Homan’s lap, she is the super and the buck stops on her desk. Her communication’s office and director did not do their job by proofing materials that get distributed to students. Pam should have recognized that, apologized and handed down the proper punishment to the individual in charge of that office. Instead, as usual, Homan passed the buck and didn’t follow policies already in place to stop materials like this getting in our schools.

It was a policy mistake, plain and simple.

Gawd, I’m glad I don’t have kids.

Most would think that Measure 11 failed because 55% of the voters are pro-choice. I have a feeling that couldn’t be farther from the truth. I think people in South Dakota that would consider themselves ‘prochoice’ is a pretty small percentage, I think most people fit into a grey area like myself. Though personally pro-life, I still think women have the right to choose. So does that make me pro-choice? Not sure.  I think a lot of South Dakotans fit into that category.

I was surprised as anyone that Measure 11 failed. I thought for sure it would either pass or at least be a very close vote. But once I started thinking about it, I came to some conclusions that may explain why South Dakotans rejected it.

This is how I think the vote broke down, and obviously it is not scientific, just pulled out of my butt.

-          Actual self-proclaimed pro-choicers probably made up a small percentage of the vote, but still a significant number. Most of these people are probably long time feminists or young single college aged girls.

-          Personally prolife but actually prochoice were probably the biggest voting bloc. Probably on the fence, though they may personally disagree with abortion for themselves, they do not want the government deciding for other people.

-          Hardcore pro-lifers I would assume voted against IM11 because they still think a total ban is the way to go (no exceptions).

-          The medical community, especially doctors and nurses that work in women’s health probably voted NO in large percentages because they don’t want government intrusion in medical decisions. One person even pointed out that if the ban passed it may also be in violation of HIPPA laws.

-          Another group that may have participated is people who want small government, though they may loathe abortion as a practice, they may think that government overseeing who can and cannot have abortions isn’t a good idea.

-          My last group may surprise you; Cheapskates. These are people who realized that if IM11 passed there would be a very long drawn out court case that South Dakota taxpayers would have to pay for, and ultimately the ban would never take effect anyway because it would be tied up in the courts  for years.

Any others I missed?

Apparently if you voted for Obama, McCain or NO on 11 you are a murderer. That’s a lot of people;

“No, Barack Obama and John McCain are both child-killing socialists. ”

“This makes him a murderer by even the pro-choice definition of murder. Yet 170,884 South Dakotans gave him their stamp of approval in Tuesday’s election. Apparently, genocide is OK . . .”

I’m surprised weirdos like this know how to hold a pen. I think the Gargoyle Leader opinion page editors need to use their brains before printing this kind of crap.

I would like to congratulate Kevin Killer, Martha Vanderlinde and Scott Heidepriem on their victories last night. They all are good people and will represent our state well. Kevin and Martha are very progressive minded people, and they will bring a fresh and LIBERAL perspective to the State Legislature, which we desperately need.

I would also like to thank all the people who voted NO on 11. It was an unconstitional, intrusive law. The morality police need to let this one drop. If they are concerned about children, I suggest they ADOPT a lower income family in this state and buy their groceries for a year or help serve food at the Banquet. Do something to actually help the disadvantaged kids that already born and alive in our state.

I think about all the good that $3 million dollars spent on both campaigns could have done for  the hungry children in our state, and just makes me shake my head.

I propose two new initiatives for the next election cycle.

1)      Eliminate the food tax (something that actually does more good for ALL the children of the state)

2)      Ban the Unruhs from the legislative/initiative process, or better yet, from the state (and take Janklow with you).

I first posted this cartoon on my other blog on November 9, 2006.

Somethings never change. Maybe they will get it this time.

Not sure if you saw the half-page ad the Campbell family put out in the Gargoyle Leader yesterday, but worth the read.

I like the third paragraph, which pretty much sums up the VYFL campaign;

We’ve fallen prey to the Vote Yes for Life tactics of personal attacks, intimidation, and name calling which has become the trademark in dealing with those who share life experiences that cause some undecided voters to question the merits of the Vote Yes for Life position.

Same old, lying, cheating, money laundering campaign as in 2006. They say abortion is a question of one’s morality, I think they need to take a long, hard look in the mirror and question their own morality.

I moderate my comments on here and on KELO, so they go to my email first before I release them, but apparently that wasn’t fast enough for this guy, so he emailed to me.

Care to post the comment I submitted earlier today in rebuttal to your im11 cartoon or will that throw your left-wing agenda too far off course?

Another same old, same old argument from the anti-choice side:

The only thing wrong with Initiated Measure 11 is that is devalues the life of a child conceived of rape or incest.  By including exceptions in the initiated measure for rape and incest, it conveys the idea that a child has to be born of perfect health and perfect circumstance to be deemed worthy of life.

What most pro-choice supporters still don’t understand about most pro-life supporters is that we are not trying to make life difficult for the mother by denying her easy and open access to an abortion; rather, we are trying to preserve the right of the unborn child to have life.

If a mother does not want to keep a child born of rape or incest, there are plenty of organizations willing to help her (both financially and emotionally) to bring the child to full term and delivery so that the child can be adopted by someone who will appreciate the child regardless of the way in which it was conceived.

Rape and incest are horrible acts inflicted upon a mother.  The offenders, if identified, should be the locked up for life and made to pay for their offense.  The innocent unborn child however, should not be recipient of the punishment.  The child is innocent of the crime.

The mother is innocent of the crime as well.  She didn’t ask to be raped or victimized.  However, when she chooses to have an abortion rather than to carry her child to a full-term delivery, she falls into the cycle of abuse.  There is no healing from abuse.

If you look at a 2-year-old on the street, could you readily identify that child as being born of rape or incest if that was the case?  Would the child have a scarlet ‘R’ or ‘I’ emblazened on his or her forehead?  Of course not.  The child, in a nurturing environment, would be like any other 2-year-old.  Would anyone warrant the killing of that child once he or she was identified as a rape or incest kid?  Of course not.  Because, at 2-years-old, we can see that the child is a living breathing child with potential.  Back up two years to the birth of the same child.  He or she is lying in mom’s arms just after coming into the ‘outside’ world for the first time.  Eyes are open, purple skin is taking on color, there might even be a smile looking back at the strange yet familiar lady holding him or her.  Does that child have a scarlet ‘R’ or ‘I’ emblazened on his or her forehead?  Would anyone warrant the killing of that newborn child once he or she was identified as a rape or incest kid?  Of course not.

Back up four months previous to the birth of the same child.  He or she is lying in mom’s womb just waiting to arrive into this world.  He or she has no knowledge of having been conceived or rape or incest.  He or she has a beating heart just like a child conceived by a ‘normal’ married couple.  He or she has a brain just like that of a child conceived by ‘normal’ means.  The child is a whole living being complete with arms, legs, toes and fingers.  The child can distinguish mom’s voice from another and is near or at the point of viability if it were to arrive into the world a bit earlier than planned.

What’s the main difference between the child at 5 months old on the inside of mom’s womb vs the child just born into the world and lying in mom’s arms or in the arms of a loving adoptive parent…?

…one is going to have a chance at life while the other is about to have his or her body parts pulled out one by one by an abortion doctor who’s going to be $700 richer in about 15 minutes…

Scott M.

An image of the 14th Amendment guaranteeing citizens the right to privacy

When the public has very little access to public records ourselves?

Leach and Dr. Marvin Buehner, a Rapid City opponent of the ban, said the law effectively would ban all abortions. Doctors would choose not to provide that care rather than face possible criminal charges and second-guessing of their medical decisions.

Buehner says that while the name of a patient might be blocked out in records submitted to the state, the initiative says nothing about redacting other identifying information, such as Social Security numbers, addresses or dates of birth.

“It would put government in the examining room while threatening severe criminal penalties,” he said.

If they have your Social Security number and DOB what’s the difference if they have your name or not? Same freaking thing as far as I am concerned.