Very ironic, considering that she is also against abortion and birth control. Another solution to Ann's dilemma and CT's: easy/free abortion for all unwanted pregnancies, and on the front end, free/easy birth control.

Anyone here object to this? I think it is a great idea!

I wanted to give a kind of love that would encompass all the values I had developed during my life's journey; I wanted to show my children what I believed to be important in the world; how to be good citizens and thereby contribute to the world we live in. I don't deny that I wanted love back, and to bask in the joy of seeing my children grow into good, upstanding adults, but I don't think that makes the entire enterprise a selfish one.

Most of the rewards that I gleaned from my children were unexpected: Reading the Chronicles of Narnia (having never read the books myself or had them read to me) opened me up to a world of literature I would have missed out on. When my daughter broke her arm and the feeling I had when she squeezed my hand in the Emergency Room that conveyed utter love and confidence in me. When my son flipped his swim tube and I felt like I was moving in slow motion to upright him, and I knew that there was no more important job than taking care of him.

I didn't anticipate any of those, or many other feelings over the years but they have been an undefinable source of joy to offset the lost sleep, the financial investment, and the grey hairs.

It is probably too much to say that I wanted a family for altruistic reasons only, but I was definitely thinking of the big picture, and to just blow it all off as selfishness is the kind of thing that a) doesn't make people listen or respect you, and b) is usually the way people talk who don't have and don't want children themselves.

Do you have children? Because it is soooo NOT a selfish enterprise!

Do you mean we're luckier because we have Penicillin (which is man-made by enlightened people) and flu vaccines (also man-made) and sanitation (also) and clean water (etc) - oh! and toothpaste? Is it luck that has given us warm homes and anesthetics and ways to share knowledge (the internets) so that more knowledge can be derived?

CT, while our forebears could probably beat any of us in starting a fire from sticks, we could just pull out a box of matches. While our fb's could out-farm us, we have the ability to diversify -- that is, the people who are good with their hands can make beautiful things and the ones who can figure stuff out manage to make life easier for us sometimes. That is a luxury that agrarian societies don't have.

I was just reading CS Lewis The Medusa and the Snail today and I was struck by one (of many) of his observations: In the evolution of the Earth, man evolved in the equivalence of a blink of an eye to the point of making exquisite music. To go from cave-man to Bach was an evolutionary feat of magnificent proportion. CS Lewis, who was no slouch in the "genius scientist" department, had a lot of faith in what man is capable of doing to solve the very problems you speak of.

He was a lot more humble than you as well.

Gay Marriage (at least among males) may start sounding better and better to those who consider it to be a threat to marriage. It could become the "savior of marriage" for all those people who are selfish enough to want to procreate -- according to CT that is.

Wow. I just realized that if CT has his way I'll be out of a job -- I work in infertility and in vitro fertilization -- I better go and apply to WalMart; it is like roaches - even after the BIG ONE only WalMart will be left.

I did not believe that there was a conspiracy with Kennedy's assassination until I researched it myself; urged on by a friend. I have absolutely no doubt about it now at all, and neither would anyone who bothered to check on all the facts that are available. I didn't believe it because I didn't want to bother. But you are right, and I agree we should know the facts.

Jacqueline Kennedy knew. That is why she left the country; to protect her children.

Norm Coleman is a political hack whose family life is in the toilet; he has never been for anything except making money for himself. While Barack was studying world history and politics and Constitutional Law, and then working in the trenches with people who had no hope before he got there; Norm was doing what? Marrying well?

Please! I feel like I know Barack Obama. I volunteered for Barack Obma. I voted for Barack Obama. Norm Coleman (the oily creep) is NO BARACK OBAMA!

BTW, I have some unused bedrooms and the feds don't know me. There is, however a feral cat who comes in through my dog-door and pees all over stuff!

The fact that he gets any inches in print at all is an abomination; but in the paper of RECORD? And #2?

And to the comment above -- yes, Santorum - I kept thinking of "Sanctimonious" and I couldn't bring his name up to consciousness. All the better. Oh, for true justice!

Per Yoo--

The Constitution: Worth standing on top of as you wet your pants.

Only the really smart ones do. Says a lot about both of us, eh?

Virgil Goode: a carbuncle on the butt of Virginia no more! EEEEEEHa!

GC, that is brilliant! Figure out a way to put it on a bumper sticker!