It's Quality, Not Quantity, Dammit.

I was poking around the Arizona Congress Watch blog, just trying to find new ways to keep up with the news and becoming a better-informed human being, when I came across the above-linked letter from some guy named Trent Franks, who I'm guessing is important in Arizona state politics. I actually hope he's not, because his comparison of abortion to slavery was one of the sappiest pieces of sophistry I've ever read. *sneering incredulously*

Just in case anyone out there is real unclear, I've made a conscious decision to decline the joys of reproduction, mostly because I don't want the job of raising a baby into a recognizably moral human being; instead, I have chosen to help improve the ones other people have already reproduced. This is extremely satisfying, and I wouldn't trade the choices I've made for anything.

However, again and again I find it necessary to put out there the idea that responsible species planning would go a long way towards solving a multitude of problems: unemployment, starvation, homelessness, disease. If people could just remember that before they got overexited on date night, then the nutrition and long life (that also contribute to overpopulation) which humans have scientifically gifted ourselves with would be of benefit to a greater percentage of the population of the world.

If you have children, love them, cherish them, and teach them responsible stewardship of the world.

If you don't, keep it that way by any means you see fit until you're consciously ready to take on the job, or give the baby human to someone who is.