Monthly Archives: July 2022

Worst Quotes of the Week – July 16, 2022

“The diversity of this community — as distinct as the bodegas of the Bronx, as beautiful as the blossoms of Miami and as unique as the breakfast tacos here in San Antonio — is your strength.”

First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, in a speech to UnidosUS, a Latino civil rights group

Biden later apologized for the comment.

“She would have had the baby, and as many women who have had babies as a result of rape, we would hope that she would understand the reason and ultimately the benefit of having the child.”

Jim Bopp, general counsel for the National Right to Life, on the case of the 10-year-old Ohio girl who traveled to Indiana to receive an abortion

Bopp, an Indiana lawyer who authored the model legislation in advance of the Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade, said the girl should have carried her pregnancy to term and would be required to do so under a model law written for state legislatures considering more restrictive abortion measures.

“First of all, this is an illegal immigration issue, because – likely because Biden’s lawlessness at the border and everything going on down there.  Then we have the rape, and then we have this abortion activist, acting as a doctor with a history of failing to report.”

Todd Rokita, Attorney General of the state of Indiana, about the case of a 10-year-old Ohio girl impregnated after being raped

The girl’s family allegedly took her to neighboring Indiana to get the abortion procedure.  A 27-year-old man has been arrested for the assault.  Ohio bans abortions after 6 weeks with no exceptions for rape or incest.  Abortion in Indiana is legal up to 22 weeks.  Some conservative activists had suggested the story was fake.

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Best Quotes of the Week – July 16, 2022

“When you go to places like a crisis pregnancy center, they advocate for women to have the babies and put them up for adoption instead. So more Black babies, especially Black boys, will end up in foster. So more black children will likely be living their lives in the foster care system, which is setting them up for generational trauma and systemic challenges.”

Qiana Arnold, Dallas-based Afiya Center, on the disproportionate effect of Roe’s fall will have on poor communities

“In no uncertain terms, we are reinforcing that we expect providers to continue offering these services, and that federal law preempts state abortion bans when needed for emergency care.  Under the law, no matter where you live, women have the right to emergency care — including abortion care.”

Xavier Becerra, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary, announcing an Executive Order to protect reproductive health care access

“Keep protesting. Keep making your point. It’s critically important.”

President Joe Biden, stating that he’s considering declaring abortion a public health care emergency

“Look, when public officials go into public life, we should expect two things. One, you should always be free from violence, harassment, and intimidation. And two, you’re never going to be free from criticism or peaceful protests, people exercising their First Amendment rights. That’s what happened in this case.”

Pete Buttigieg, Transportation Secretary, responding to FOX News’ Mike Emanuel about a Tweet Buttigieg’s husband had sent about Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh

Chasten Buttigieg had commented about Kavanaugh’s abrupt departure from a restaurant recently to avoid protestors.

“[T]here seems to be a deficit in your understanding of reproductive health. In fact, I want the record to reflect that according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, treatment for ectopic pregnancy requires ending a non-viable pregnancy.”

Rep. Ayanna Pressley, to Erin Morrow Hawley, wife of Rep. Josh Hawley, over the issue of ectopic pregnancies

Erin Morrow Hawley is senior counsel for the right-wing Alliance Defending Freedom.  Pressley asked Hawley to provide a percentage of ectopic pregnancies that can be carried to term.  Hawley correctly responded with “zero”, but insisted that saving the life of the parent in instances where the ectopic pregnancy ruptures is not “abortion.”

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Retro Quote – Charles Wagner

“Joy is not in things; it is in us.”

Charles Wagner

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Word of the Week – July 9, 2022

Inveigle

[in-VAY-ɡəl]

Verb

French, 15th century

Persuade (someone) to do something by means of deception or flattery. Gain entrance to (a place) by persuading (someone) with deception or flattery.

Inveigle is a verb that can be used with an object – “She inveigled him into giving her a better table.”  Or it can be used in a sense specifically related to gaining entry to a place – “He inveigled himself into the meeting room.”  Either way, there’s some trickery afoot.

You might claim that you made a good case for your request, but if your persuasion involved deception or flattery, you need to learn the verb inveigle.  It comes from an Old French verb “aveugler”, meaning to blind. Just don’t turn a blind eye to your true motivations.

Example: I feel the most conservative members of the U.S. Supreme Court inveigled their way onto the bench.

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Tweet of the Week – July 9, 2022

Rep. Lauren Boebert

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Political Cartoon of the Week – July 9, 2022

Randall Enos

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Most Historically Inaccurate Quote of the Week – July 9, 2022

“What is happening now is traditional American values are being trashed as extreme, as outrageous. “Look, this is a country founded on Judeo-Christian, ok? This is in my courtroom and most courtrooms in this country. They say ‘In God We Trust.’ It’s even on our money. And the truth is they are pushing us away from religion and she is a traditionalist in terms of her beliefs.”

Jeanine Pirro, a former judge and prosecutor, about the ‘In God We Trust’ markings on U.S. currency

The ‘In God We Trust’ law was enacted in 1956.

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Most Outrageous Quote of the Week – July 9, 2022

“Fittingly, Biden awarded his presidential medals to fellow losers, Biles and Rapinoe.”

Jenna Ellis, criticizing President Joe Biden for awarding the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Olympic gold medalists Simone Biles and Megan Rapinoe

An attorney and right-wing news commentator, Ellis is a devout Trump supporter and 2020 election denier.

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Worst Quotes of the Week – July 9, 2022

“So, why didn’t anyone raise an alarm? Well, maybe because he didn’t stand out. Maybe because there are a lot of young men in America who suddenly look and act a lot like this guy.  And of course, they’re angry. They know that their lives will not be better than their parents’. They’ll be worse. That’s all but guaranteed. They know that. They’re not that stupid.  And yet the authorities in their lives – mostly women – never stop lecturing them about their so-called privilege. ‘You’re male, you’re privileged!’”

Tucker Carlson, about the 21-year-old man charged with the mass shooting at a July 4 parade in Highland Park, Illinois

“The Highland Park shooting, unbelievable. Unbelievable.  They just passed this law, didn’t they?  18 to 21 year olds couldn’t buy rifles and all kinds of other kinds of things in this law that we told you wouldn’t matter.  They don’t matter.  And they’re not going to matter.  We’ve got a huge problem in this country and it’s a cultural decay. That’s what’s going on in this country.  Cultural decay, the decay of the civil society, the war on cops, the way that human life is viewed, whether it’s abortion, infanticide, whatever the issue.”

Mark Levin, blaming abortion for mass shootings in the U.S.

“If a constitutional right is not mentioned in the constitutional text, it doesn’t exist. I don’t care how desirable it may seem as a matter of policy.”

Jonathan Mitchell, former Texas Solicitor General and principal architect of Texas Senate Bill 8, which outlawed abortion, on targeting other Supreme Court rulings now that Roe has been overturned

Mitchell has opened a private law firm in Austin, Texas, Mitchell Law PLLC, to go after such rulings as Lawrence and Obergefell.

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Best Quotes of the Week – July 9, 2022

“There’s two battles that are happening in our country and in our city right now.  You have the far right that states give everyone a gun no matter what.  You have the far left that states everyone that uses a gun should not be held accountable.  These two groups are not the majority of Americans.  And they have actually held our country and our city hostage.  These two groups don’t realize they’re co-conspirators to the public safety crises that we’re facing in our city and country.”

Eric Adams, Mayor of New York City, about the rise in crime in his city

“Use of the Bible in the abortion debate often focuses on quoting individual verses out of context to prove something about the value of prenatal life. But there are no direct teachings about abortion in the Bible. And not all Christians engage with Scripture in this way, nor is it how all think about what shapes and defines Christian values.”

Rebecca Todd Peters, in an editorial about the reversal of Roe vs. Wade

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