Sex and Science Politics as Government-Mandated “Education” of Women and Children

“Sexual Politics in Bush’s America: Ten Days in April”

April 23: Another large study confirms no link between abortion and
breast cancer.
Researchers from Harvard University, studying over 100,000 women, found there is no association between abortion and an increased risk of
breast cancer. Again, no surprises here. This topic has been intensively debated in past years, as antiabortion spokespeople have tried to make such claims. Indeed, an early scandal in the Bush administration was a posting on the National Cancer Institute website, claiming such an association—eventually the posting was dropped after a scientific
gathering, convened by the NCI, disputed the finding.

Nevertheless, at least five “red” states now require abortion
providers, as part of the “informed consent” process, to tell
patients that abortion may increase the risk for breast cancer.

I remember Scott Somerville mentioning at NHEN four years ago, in the context of “religion and education as political frames” that he’d done a paper on this:

I’m fascinated by the mention of abortion and breast cancer, which happens to be a subject of the only peer-reviewed scientific article I’ve ever published. Without getting into that fascinating subject, let me say that it is one of the reasons I have concluded that ANY government control of “truth” will lead away from truth and towards political power-games. This is why I think government-controlled education is a threat to freedom and democracy.

Scott W. Somerville, Esq.

and now I find his name in the wikipedia review of the whole debate, identified not as I know him (homeschool dad and former HSLDA lawyer) but as an official source from “Accuracy in Media.”
You around to comment on this new study, Scott, and what you think it means for truth, justice and the American Way? 🙂

Another Cloud on “Home Education” Clarity Campaign Horizon?

And it’s not clearing up for the weekend, folks! Here’s my latest boating advisory for Home Education Clarity Speak: Take your paddle.

Minnesota is the Land of 10,000 Lakes and School Choices, so could this be a corporate-government plot to profit from the misuse of the phrase there?

Of the 225 graduates of the city of Mankato’s First Home education classes, 48 have bought homes and none have foreclosed. Twenty-four of those purchases come from single parents. It’s a worthwhile investment to help employees make a significant improvement in their lives that will ultimately mean a stronger, more stable workforce. . . ISJ is helping its employees get over that hump so it can offer stability, as well as peace of mind and a place to call home, to its people.

Mankato’s a cool power of story town in classic kids’ books so I am feeling all sunny and warm now.

But oh dear, do I hear resurgent thunder threatening, that this program’s publicity could cloud the pure absolute meaning of “home education”?

Let’s just chase that storm down, shall we, see if we can get a clear look at it by flying ourselves into its eye . . .

The name Minnesota LITERALLY means “somewhat cloudy water!”

A Dakota word as it happens, which confuses itself right off the bat with our official names for two other states, you know, the Dakotas?

Muddy Water of Dakota would be clear if muddy water CAN be clear, but wait, the Sioux arguably had more to do with MN’s history than the Dakota, and “Muddy Water” means Boston and the Red Sox, doesn’t it? — a song not sung, oddly enough, by Muddy Waters himself, who was in fact born in a (Mississippi, not Minnesota) town with a tribal name — Issaqueena Falls — but redefined himself as a native of Rolling Fork instead and then changed his name and birthdate to suit his public persona . . . and oops, I just confused Muddy Waters and Dirty Water!

Muddy Waters was not this man’s real name, but those who know and love his music wouldn’t know or love his real name, McKinley Morganfield.

Dirty Water is played after every HOME Red Sox victory (if you have season tickets, could you then “homeschool” at Fenway, or is that really worship?)

. . .and btw, thinking of sports reminds me of Muddy Waters the football coach for Michigan State, which takes us back to Minnesota’s neck of the woods and all that cloudy lake water . . .Shouldn’t we unschoolers object when a State claims to embrace education choice, yet brazenly counts Henry SCHOOLCRAFT among its early influentials, mapping everything out for them and killing the freeform view?