According to many sources of reputable statistics (giving the benefit of the doubt), the average woman in the United States earns about 80 cents on the dollar of what the average man earns?
But, once we start breaking down these large aggregates of averages down to different subsets, we can see more reasons for the numbers. What are the largest factors that make women in the average earn less?
Disaggregating the data:
- Is age a factor?
- Why don't greedy businesses hire only women and save on cheap labor?
- How much does marriage and family affect the dollars? (hint: a lot!)
Questions to consider if trying to "close the gap" by social policy:
- What about biological differences?
- How do we handle the needs of children?
- Do geographical and demographical factors complicate the issue?
- What about non-monetary compensation that some value over others?
- Would we stifle the unique traits and personalities of individuals?
- Would we be fighting a never-ending battle and unintentionally cause poverty?
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In this episode we conclude our series of episodes responding to John Iriving's article in the New York Times. We demonstrate how Dr. Horatio Storer's writings and campaigns influenced state legislatures to criminalize abortion by making the law consistent with advances in science and medicine. We see how the laws against abortion strengthened, but then began to scale back as the eugenics movement in the early twentieth century ranked the worth of one life against another. We examine some quotes from Margaret Sanger, the founder of abortion provider Planned Parenthood that show the strong eugenics mindset behind the origins of abortion as a means of population control and engineering.
Sources Cited:
"The Long, Cruel History of the Anti-Abortion Crusade"
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/23/opinion/anti-abortion-history.html
Margaret Sanger, "High Lights in the History of Birth Control," Oct 1923.
Margaret Sanger, Woman and the New Race, Chapter 5, "The Wickedness of Creating Large Families." (1920)
Margaret Sanger, "America Needs a Code for Babies," Article 4, March 27, 1934.
https://www.nyu.edu/projects/sanger/webedition/app/documents/show.php?sangerDoc=101807.xml
In this episode we begin to respond to an opinion piece written by John Irving for the New York Times. We put Mr. Irving's reasoning to the test of logic and fact and show how his references to "men in power" and "modern diagnostic ultrasound" contradict the very premises on which he bases his idea that colonial America was more friendly to abortion practices.
We also note that Mr. Irving accuses pro-life advocates of evil intent. Yet, he never addresses the actual position that pro-life advocates claim for themselves. He never even attempts to deal with the real arguments against abortion. This is a huge elephant in the living room for Mr. Irving's article.
Articles Cited:
"The Long, Cruel History of the Anti-Abortion Crusade"
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/23/opinion/anti-abortion-history.html
Prepare to be simultaneously shocked and entertained as we look at some examples of dark humor in the Bible. How many sermons have we heard tackling these rather unsettling portions of Scripture with a little embarrassment or cringing? Since the Word of God is pure and holy, we have to understand that God has a side to Him that can require some thick skin on our part.
Put on your seat belts and try to be amused with these six stories (with dark humor titles):
- Quail Fail (Num 11:10-20)
- Left-handed and under-handed (Jud 3:14-25)
- What's the point? (Jdg 4:1-24)
- The supply and demand of madmen (1Sa 21:10-15)
- The false god who needs a potty break (1Ki 18:20-39)
- The king is dead, long die the king! (2Ch 21:1-20)
