Fame, Influence, and Susceptible People

People have used fame and power to influence susceptible people for as long as there has been fame and power.  It's nothing new.  Sometimes the influence is used to make the world a better place, for example Bob Barker's plea to "have your pet spayed or neutered" closing message at the end of each The Price is Right Episode.  Thanks to Bob Barker's message and grant money given to rescues, the number of cats and dogs who die needlessly in kill shelters has dropped.  Many others in high-profile positions of modern times have put their endorsement on humanitarian causes to help those in need.  Then we have the other edge of the sword - those who use fame and positions of power to brainwash the masses. 

Today's bark addresses Justin Beiber's recent interview with Rolling Stone magazine, wherein he stated his anti-abortion beliefs.  When asked if that extended to  women impregnated by rape, he response was:  "Um. Well, I think that's really sad, but everything happens for a reason. I don't know how that would be a reason. I guess I haven't been in that position, so I wouldn't be able to judge that."  At least he qualified that statement that he hasn't been in that position.  Really?  You haven't?  You don't reckon that has anything to do with the fact that you don't have a uterus, do you?  The article also drips sappily of his opinions of sex and all about how skydaddy loves us and how to get to heaven.  Just what the world needs - another Kirk Cameron.  A half-assed, piss-poor, minimally talented teenybopper idol who thinks he's the daddy of the mack daddy because a bunch of 12, 13, and 14 year old girls think he's soooooo cute and want to marry him, and hang on his every word.  If Justin Beiber said it, then that's how it is for them.  He thinks it happend for a reason and rape isn't a reason for an abortion, therefore...

Let's break this down for a moment.  Let's replace skydaddy with a flesh and blood mortal man.  If a flesh and blood mortal man had a plan for you, and that plan included you being attacked, raped and impregnated, would you love and worship that man?  No, you wouldn't.  You'd call the police and have a protective order against him.   You'd avoid him like a plague.  You'd probably develop a seething hatred for him.  So why in the blue fuck would you *love* a deity that would have such a plan for you?  Unfortunately, the mathematical odds of some little Biebette who read the article and took it to heart being raped and impregnated are great.  No, it won't happen to them all.  It will be only a small percentage, but stastically, it will happen.  My concern is that some 12-to-14 year old girl who read this article will not only have to endure the physical and psychological trauma of rape, but also of an unwanted, unwelcomed pregnancy - a pregnancy that is not only rife with the psychological torture of being pregnant with a rapist's child, but also the fact that there can be grave physical consequences to pregnancy at such a young age. 

I can handle the fact there there are talentless teenyboppers out there making a mint on the tweenager.  I was a tweenager once myself.  Pictures of Andy Gibb polluted my room.  What frosts my ass is the ones who want to use their fame to pimp skydaddy to the tweens.  Here's Justin Beiber, a punk-assed white boy with a fucked up haircut telling impregnated rape victims it happened for a reason, and then we have Kirk Cameron telling fundies it's ok to lie to atheists when proseltyzing to them.  Um, yeah, Kirk, the whole skydaddy thing is a big lie.    

Please don't misunderstand today's bark to be an endorsement or directive that all impregnated rape victims should have an abortion.  It isn't.  I cannot think of a more deeply personal decision that should be made by the woman in question and only by her.  My bark is about meddlesome religionists who need to mind their own business, and particularly when it comes to something so deeply personal.

So, Biebs, Kirk, all you celebrities out there who have a "personal relationship" with skydaddy, Jebus and/or the righteous spook, that's nice.  Keep it personal.  Keep it to yourselves.