We officially made it a month after the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. In the newsroom, my colleagues and I continue to report on the individuals and communities affected by this.
This week I took a take a deeper look at who can get pregnant in the military and what the decision means to them.
The feeling an army doctor shared with me? A complex internal conflict.
“I joined the military to serve my country, save lives, and serve the people of the United States. But it felt like my personal freedoms have been taken away at this time and the personal freedoms of the people I am fighting for,” Sergeant Reagan Hasenfratz said, noting that his views are his own and do not represent the Department of Defense or the military.
This internal conflict can also create mental health problems.
“Anytime someone is put in a position where their values or beliefs may conflict with something they’ve already agreed to do, that puts you in a position really tough place“says Amy Williams, clinical director of Headstrong, a non-profit organization that provides mental health care to veterans and their families. “It’s not that different from the concept of moral injury, where people at through their service (in the military) are faced with choices that may not align with their values.”
The dissonance that some may feel, says Williams, can cause anger, sadness and despair.
Moreover, the military deal with other factors that make the Dobbs decision frightening for abortion rights troops, including not controlling where they live and high rates of sexual assault.
To read my full story and learn more, Click here.
Is all cynicism bad?
It’s easy to be cynical in today’s society. My colleague Alia E. Dastagir tapped into that sentiment in his report this week. Here is an exerpt :
In poll after poll, Americans’ trust in government and in each other is historically low. Faith in institutions is abysmal and interpersonal trust has deteriorated. Scientists’ ratings have now fallen below what they were before the pandemic, according to the Pew Research Center. According to Gallup, trust in Congress, the Supreme Court, newspapers and the criminal justice system is at its lowest level in decades. The majority of Americans rate the nation’s moral values as fair or poor.
Many people feel cynical, succumbing to a diminished view of humanity.
“Cynicism is the belief that people are going to exploit each other, use each other, and abuse each other, because basically, at the base, people are, we say, ‘morally bankrupt’, that which means people mostly care about themselves,” says Kathleen. Vohs, a psychologist and behavioral economist at the University of Minnesota. “It’s this underlying idea of human nature, and for a person who is a die-hard cynic, human nature is selfish.”
Cynicism is a complex concept that has evolved to include multiple meanings and uses. Experts say some forms and doses of cynicism can be detrimental, while others can be productive.
To read Alia’s full story, Click here.
“My sister-in-law treats our house like a hotel, and I can’t take it anymore”
In this week’s advice column, one reader wrote, “My husband’s sisters both live out of the country and want to stay with us whenever they come to the US. They want to stay between two and four weeks, and I can just’ I’m in my 70s and I can’t host people like I used to. As a nice gesture, I told them they could stay for a week this time, then book a hotel or rental for the overtime.They both have enough money to book a hotel or other accommodation, but just don’t want to spend money on accommodation.
Also, friends they have stayed with in the past have turned them down as they have obviously overstayed their welcome. I’m tired of being the maid, the cook, the cleaning lady, everything when her family asks to stay with us. My husband gives me all kinds of grief for this, and at this point I think I’d rather get a divorce than have to put up with his family and his pout and his retaliation.
We never ask to stay with them when we go to their destinations! They’re laid back and I guess that’s part of the problem – sleeping on the floor is fine for them. I’m a bit more demanding and I need my privacy. I like to walk around in my underwear and have breakfast at 11 o’clock. They never consult me to stay with us. Is offering only a week and not letting them stay for a month a mistake? »
To see what our advice columnist has to say, Click here.
Today’s readings
today’s pet
Meet Myrtle.
“Myrtle holds the fort while I’m at work, then somehow drapes herself over me once I’m home,” writes Mary Kay Longwell of Batavia, Illinois.
She adds that Myrtle, 7, was “a great companion during the years of COVID lockdown (and) continues to be great company!”
