Well, today is the 38th anniversary of the Roe v Wade decision!
When I think about what life was like over 38 years ago – before abortion was legal in this country – I can’t help to think about this nut ball doctor up in Philadelphia who a few days ago was indicted on several counts of MURDER for basically performing “illegal” abortions. Now, I have not had the time to look closely at the indictment and, frankly, I’ve never heard of this guy but the only thing I thought of when I heard the news was that what he was doing was just how it worked in the old days. We had all these sleazy illegal abortionists with unqualified staff, using unsterilized instruments and offering no counseling. As a result, women throughout the country were being harmed physically and, worse, dying. This guy up in Philadelphia is just an old “abortionist.” Unfortunately, it’s someone like that who makes the headline and that, of course, gives the legitimate doctors a bad rap by association.
In the grand scheme of things, I can see how certain anti-abortion folks are so totally fixated on “saving” that fetus. It’s just their thing and I am not qualified to psychoanalyze their thinking. But while these folks are seemingly mesmerized by the quest to “save babies” do they not see what might happen if abortion were made illegal again in this country? Do they not see what happened up in Philadelphia recently? Do they have absolutely no compassion for the real, live, breathing woman? I mean, they’re not all totally myopic, are they?
I think I know the answer that the pro-lifers will give me, I’ve certainly heard enough of the rhetoric over the years. But, at least at this time, 38 years later, I can breathe a sigh of relief that in 1973 the Supreme Court in 1973 was brave and smart enough to realize what they were doing. They struck a blow for woman’s health and that’s what I choose to celebrate today.
I have been watching the “Today” show for a good thirty years. I’ve been through dozens of co-hosts and countless funky weathermen. Unfortunately, in the last few years I’ve watched “Today” morph from a true news show to a morning version of “Entertainment Tonight.” And I’m tired of it. So, Matt and Meredith and Al, if you are listening, I need to tell you that I’m gone.
The tipping point came yesterday morning. Waiting for my coffee to brew, buttering my toast, I switched on the TV to Channel Four and heard that familiar opening theme. You know the one I’m talking about, the one that starts with the three heavy notes. I can’t convey that sound in writing, but if you take a second you’ll hear it. Then, after this dramatic intro, you hear the somber voice of Matt Lauer.
“Soaker,” he announces.
Huh? Did he say “soaker?” What the frig does “soaker” mean?
I glance at the television and see a quick shot of a street and it looks like it is raining. I am puzzled.
He then gives us the next one word verbal “headline,” which I will get to in a minute.
After this titillating intro, Matt proceeds to give us a little more information on that FIRST story on this NATIONAL television broadcast that is being watched my MILLIONS of Americans. I have to assume it’s something significant. I am on the edge of my seat.
He proceeds to tell us that it is raining pretty hard in Florida. Yep, that’s it. The first story of the day is that it is raining heavily somewhere in the state of Florida. People are getting – you guessed it – soaked. What the heck? Is that it? Are you kidding me?
Matt and Meredith
Then, for a live, action-filled report on this breaking story, the camera cuts to some dweeb who is standing in the middle of this “soaker” wearing the obligatory heavy rain gear. His hood is over his head but, honestly, I don’t see any rain falling on him. Now, mind you, he is not talking about a hurricane. No one has mentioned the word “tropical storm.” Heck, he hasn’t even used the word “tropical depression.” No, it was just a lot of rain. It was a “soaker.”
They cut to a street where you can see some water backing up. I also see cars flying back and forth, zipping right through the puddles. Meanwhile, this brave reporter, who wants us to think he is risking his life for us, is using the obligatory buzzwords to keep our attention. “I will add, Matt, that there have been no DEATHS or no SERIOUS INJURIES due to this STORM. “
This was the first story of the day. This was the hard news that the producers of “Today” thought I just had to know. Then there was the second most important story of the day.
It seems that there was some beauty contest in Australia or New Zealand or one of those semi-English speaking countries. After hours of inane interviews and silly talent displays, the field was pared down to two young girls. The emcee, a woman, took out the card with the winner’s name on it and, in true Ryan Seacrest form, milked the announcement for several minutes. The tension was palpable. Finally, she declares the winner and the place goes nuts. The new Miss Marsupial is screaming her lungs out, jumping all over the place. The runner-up gives her the obligatory hug while no doubt cursing her under her breath.
But, wait a minute! The emcee is yelling something over the din. She is screaming “I made a mistake, I made a mistake!” Well, it seems that she screwed it up and named the wrong person. So, she had to suck it up, stop the premature celebration and announce, practically in tears, that the original winner was really the runner up.
A funny story, if you ask me. Maybe a little sad as well.
But my point is was this really the SECOND MOST IMPORTANT
Anne and Al
NATIONAL story of the day? I mean, c’mon folks, do I really need to know about this screw up? Didn’t anything happen somewhere in the rest of the entire world that qualified as real news? We’re in a war for God’s sakes, didn’t we win some skirmish somewhere or capture some terrorist? Didn’t some city or state pass some controversial new law? Believe me, Matt, I can take the hard news if you got it.
But the more I think about it, maybe the “Today” show and other “news” shows are just giving the public want they want. Maybe most folks don’t want to hear about some boring debate in the U.S. Congress, even if it is about a bill that would reduce carbon emissions and possibly stave off the DESTRUCTION OF OUR PLANET. Maybe people just don’t want to be too serious and they’re just looking for fluff. In some ways I guess can’t blame them. But, for me, I must say adios Matt.
I am supposed to use this blog to talk about “healthy women.” All right – I will be honest with you. I am by no means an expert in women’s health, but, sure, I could do some research on some issue and pass it on to you and you could read it or not. But then this blog would be like billions of other blogs out there. It would be BORING.
So, I’m gonna stretch my jurisdiction a bit and you can tell me if it makes sense. I am going to focus on things that affect our mental health. In other words, I am going to talk about some things that DRIVE ME CRAZY.
The first thing I want to talk about is the local TV weatherman or – politically correct moment coming – weatherwoman. No, that’s not even right. I think they now call themselves “meteorologists” or, if they are over 25 years old and their acne has cleared up, they are called a “chief meteorologist.”
Did you ever notice how these people are on the TV screen every ten minutes? Seriously, watch the news for one hour straight and tally up how much time is devoted to talking about the weather. As if things can change that quickly in your local area. I mean, is there no other news out there? Why the heck to we have to be barraged with the same information every ten minutes?
Then, notice how each weather segment now has a title. “Now, from Channel 4’s STORM CENTER, here is Benny Silverman with the STORM CENTER news!” The oh-so-perky Benny Silverman comes on, horn rimmed glasses and bow tie, and proceeds to tell us that it will be a sunny day, temperatures in the mid 70’s, great bike riding weather. “And that’s my report from the STORM CENTER! Back to you, Betty.”
What just happened? What about the friggin STORM?
The thing that drives me totally nuts is when they give the temperatures in the local area. They pull up a map and pick about 10 cities within a twenty mile radius and underneath the city’s name they post the current temperature. “So, right now in Alexandria it’s a comfortable 71 degrees. Up in Bethesda (30 miles away), it’s 72 degrees. And look at Reston – they are at a chilly 69 degrees. Better bundle up folks!”
Why for God’s sake do I need to know the temperature in every friggin town in my area? It’s not like it varies by 15 degrees of so. “Hey, Mabel, let’s drive up to Arlington today, it looks like it’s gonna be cooler up there!” What the hell?
And don’t get me started on when the forecasters see a blip on their screen telling them that a gaggle of clouds is forming near some tropical island 1,000 miles south of Puerto Rico. Oh my God – it could be the STORM OF THE CENTURY! We need to monitor that one! The meteorologist needs to stay here, send our weatherman to the ocean, put some rain gear on him and have him report to us in front of crashing waves! And start running “storm alerts” every five minutes!
Do me a favor, folks. In two minutes tell me if it’s gonna rain or not and tell me how high the temperature is going to get. Then, God forbid, use all that extra time to tell me what is going on in the world.
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