Orange Juice, Lentils and other Tools of Oppression

Yesterday I looked at an inflamatory article by the Washington Post designed to inflame outrage at the March of Dimes and CDC for recommending that women get more folic acid (Vitamin B9). Green-Jenni 'almost burst a blood vessel' when she read this suggestion to eat more lentils and orange juice or to take Vitamin B9 supplements.

The March of Dimes and CDC had made the recommendations because the US is seeing a rise in infant mortality and premature birth (especially among minorities). This study is actually the completion of a mandate passed in 1998 (during the Clinton era). Anyway, they believe that the rise in birth defects, infant mortality and premature births is the result of folic acid deficiencies at the time of conception and early pregnancy.

The CDC and March of Dimes want folic acid deficiencies to be seen as a woman's health issue and not simply a pregnancy issue. The thought actually makes sense. The health of one's reproductive system is important regardless of whether or not a person is trying to get pregnant.

Angry progressives, however, claim that the recommendation that women get move vitamin B9 is a plot by right wing Christian groups who see women as nothing more than walking talking fetuses. The goal, I guess, is to oppress women with lentils and orange juice.

Yesterday, I commented on Green-Jenni. I really would have expect someone claiming to be Green to be happy about suggestions that women eat more lentils.

Today, I want to look at the comment of Laura who says "This isn't about health care, or making people healthy (because we'd have socialized medicine if that were the case)"

I think it is a bit unfair to say that the March of Dimes doesn't care about making people healthy. Laura is welcome to her opinions.

The really puzzling part of her statement is that Laura is complaining about the government's interference in her diet and in her reproductive system, but follows the complaint with a praise of socialized medicine.

I am puzzled by the large number of people who praise the ideal of socialized medicine without understanding what socialized medicine is.

Socialized medicine is a system where people completely relinquish their health care to the government. Doctors in government organizations would then sit in an ivory tower like the CDC and administer their version of health care to the populace. In socialized health care, this study on birth defects would not have ended with a recommendation that women take more folic acid. It would have resulted in a mandate that women take more folic acid.

Laura is angry because the "pre-pregnancy recommendations" do not take into account the individuality of women. Laura is not thinking of having children at this moment so she does not worried about the health of her reproductive system.

I happen to agree with Laura on this part of the issue. As an avowed free marketeer, my personal belief is that each person should develop their own individual approach to health care.

Socialized Health Care is the system where you have a paternal government dictating one's health care choices.

I showed the WP article and anti-folic acid rants to a few people. What is interesting is that people with a free market point of view take this research showing a strong link between folic acid deficiencies and birth defects as welcome news. Progressives, who advocate socialized medicine, take the recommendation as an affront.

Anyway, I need to rush. I see a woman down the street who appears to be starting to have an independent thought; As a male oppressor, I need to do my duty and oppress her by forcing her to eat a bowl of lentil soup (Get Free Soup).

Lentil Soup ... the choice of the oppressor!
Oppress the women in your neighborhood ...
serve lentil soup today!

Here is more info on folic acid.