The Dominionist dominoes are beginning to fall… Not only is the newly emboldened religious right going after moderate pro-choice Republicans like Arlen Specter with everything they’ve got, but Bush has started placing people who share his “culture of life” vision in places of power. Today he announced that Dr. W. David Hager was going to be heading the Food and Drug Administration’s panel on women’s health policy today. The doctor, probably best known for his book, “As Jesus Cared for Women: Restoring Women Then and Now,” has long been a favorite of the extreme right. (In his personal ob-gyn practice, Dr. Hager refuses to prescribe contraceptives for unmarried women. And, when asked how to best deal with the pain and discomfort of PMS, he’s been known to suggest the reading of scripture.) Now, thanks to Bush, he’ll be in a position to guide policy on things like the “morning after” pill. (I wonder what he’ll say?)
I’d be curious to know from women what they think about having these very important decisions made for them 1) by a man, and 2) by a person, like Dr. Hager, who seems dedicated to the idea of going back in time thousands of years for his medical inspiration. My understanding, and perhaps I’m wrong about this, is that we’ve made one or two minor scientific advances since then.
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What scripture do you think he’d suggest for the painful swelling caused by having the religious right shoved up our collective ass?
Grrrrrrrrrrr. That’s what I think. Reminds me of the southern Senator 10 or 15 years back who was against abortion even in cases of rape because he believed women must experience pleasure during an act of intercourse in order to conceive during said act.
Yeah, welcome to the 21st century. I thought it might be different now. I was wrong.
If you think they’re attacking Specter, just look at what they’re doing to the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Patrick Leahy.
The good christian, Dr. James Dobson, is making the rounds, proclaiming that he, “is a God’s people hater.”
Arrrrrrrgggggggghhhhhhhhh! DOBSON! In case you don’t know, my home town of Colorado Springs is also, again through no fault of my own and without my consent, home to Focus On The Family. When I was working at the Gazette I occasionally had to take my turn building his half page ad, “Ask Dr. Dobson!” It was one of several thing that helped to shrivel my soul while I was there.
Dobson. Feh.
And yeah, there have been a few scientific advances since the dark ages. I’ll do my best to remember them fondly.
Hager has been appointed for two years. He fought to keep the morning after pill off the shelves and won.
My concern is the talk of Tommy Thompson leaving. Will Hager be appointed head of the FDA? I’m seeing signs of it.
Yup, Hager’s been on the panel since 2002, but he’s just been appointed to its head. His term in this apointed position, I believe, runs out in ’05. Who knows what Bush has in store for him then.
Do you happen to have some online resource for that? I have extensive (mostly dead now) links on Hager and I have been getting about 200 hits a day the past week looking for info but all I have been able to find is an indication that an old email is recirculating.
I would like to update my info with newer links. If you happen to have something, I’d appreciate it!
If the interest I get toward my links everytime an email about him begins to circulate is any indication, I would say women are VERY concerned and don’t like it!
Cyndy, the only current thing I have is the Time article that I linked to in the post. Like you, everything else I’ve seen recently relates to that old chain letter that was circulating. The time piece, about his promotion, was dated October 5 of this year, however. I would think that you could find something at NOW though.
Thanks. I think links are being scrubbed. I don’t suppose there’s a purpose for that, eh?
I also wanted to tell you that everytime I hear the word ‘rapture’ all I can think of is your comic book cover!
Someone sent me a link to a video of a rapper doing some kind of remake of the Blondie song “Rapture.” I don’t think it’s a straight-ahead cover, but I don’t know. I watched it in the coffee shop the other day with the sound turned all the way down. The guy sent it to me because Paris Hilton was in it. As they’re both themes that tend to run through my work lately (Paris Hilton and the Rapture), he thought that I’d be interested. He was right… I’ve been meaning to blog about it. Maybe I will this weekend.
As a woman, I don’t care if a man is making important decisions such as these, as long as he is a thinking man, i.e., I’d trust you, Mark. But when their Hippocratic Oath takes second place to their God, I take offense. And remember, I’m a church-going Catholic (as long as my tiny little church stays open), but I don’t believe that the Chuch should control my life.
I warned two woman two weeks ago that Roe v. Wade is gone if the moderates on the Supreme Court can’t hold on four more years (and we all know that’s unlikely). They just shook their heads and refused to believe me. I was dumbfounded.