Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Pro Choice or Life : What do you think?

"You f@#$ sick!", she said loudly. I turned in the direction of the voice. "You f@#$ sick!" She said it again with such vengeance in her voice.

Who is she talking to? As I am trying to figure this out, a man holding a big poster of gross, bloody looking figure which resembled a head of a human being connected to an umbilical cord is walking towards me. He is wearing a patient smile. His hand is stretched out and he is holding a flyer. Does he expect me to take the flyer from him? He says, "Pro Life". He says it in such a tone that leaves no doubt; he believes that I am Pro Life.

I have to make up my mind quickly. Am I "Pro Life" or "Pro Choice"? Take the d#@$ flyer and walk away from all this, I say to myself. But, I can't just take the flyer for the sake of it.

I don't hear the young, angry voice of the girl any more. Has she left the scene?

He is now closer. He smiles. I smile back. But, my hand stays firmly at my side. He walks passed me and I continue my way to catch the street car.

Am I Pro Choice, then? The answer, as I think about this on the street car, is more complicated than a simple, "Yes".

Coincidentally, the young girl is riding the street car with me. She seems very angry. She must be Pro Choice.

But, isn't that an irresponsible way out of a situation that could have been avoided to begin with?

I believe advocating choice or life is not the right solution to the problem. Those who coined the term and formed the movement, created a rift between us. Taking the life of an unwanted child is not any better than giving life to it and abandoning it in this world.

If reason dominated, neither us nor our dependents would need to be in the situation to decide whether they are "Pro Choice" or "Pro Life".

On this, I choose to abstain.

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Press for change! Signing up for epost...

Adieu to receiving bills in the mail. I am open to change and trying something new. I am motivated to help the environment. One less printed bill means one less reason to cut down a tree. I am going to sign up for epost!

I don't want to think about why epost is available in 2008 and not in 1950 when early signs of forest depletion and global warming became visible. I know better; it's better to arrive late than never. I don't want to speculate Post Corporation's intentions that they are thinking "green" now because if they don't they may become extinct (companies have started sending their customers the Estatements, we email more than we mail.) I am just glad they thought of it; it's better to arrive late than never.


For Post, going green is a fundamental change. It uproots a 4 century old tradition of delivering to the door of millions.
If the future of the mail is electronic. There are things I shall miss. I shall miss the stamps and the taste of the sticky glue after I licked to stick it to the envelope. I shall miss the friendly smile of the mail carrier. I shall miss a hand written note.

There will be books and pictures to remind us of the history. I know better; to gain something I need give up something else. I am all for change!