I have, however, what may be some unique views on abortion. I don't necessarily advocate for outlawing abortion - I recognize that some women really will refuse all other options and will get an abortion, and I want those women to be safe, rather than having to go to sketchy, back-alley, untrained providers. Rather, I would like to see abortion become an overpoweringly undesireable option on an individual level, in two ways: 1) make sure that each woman is aware of what an abortion entails - the stopping of a beating heart, the end of a life. And 2) developing huge layers of support for women so they can carry their pregnancies to term, by expanding adoption services and growing support for single, young, and busy mothers.
Today some classmates and I spent the morning drawing hundreds of hearts in sidewalk chalk at a busy intersection, and writing "Abortion stops 3,500 hearts a day." We passed out flyers with the same message, and provided a phone number for people affected by abortion or facing an unplanned pregnancy to call for help. What surprised me most was the vitriol spewed by some passers-by. I understand that not everyone sees abortion the same way I do, and I respect those views, though I believe they are wrong. The statements we were making were not hateful or bitter accusations; they were statements of mourning of a terrible fact. So what I was most surprised by were the flyers that were thrown back at us when the person read what they said; the passers-by who purposefully scuffed out our drawings as they walked over them; the people who swore or cast angry words back over their shoulders as they walked by. I was particularly impacted by one woman who, after staring at our chalk for several minutes, dragged her feet through it to scuff out the letters and said, "I'm not impressed!" On some level, obviously, she WAS impressed; she WAS impacted, or she wouldn't have reacted that way. What provokes such anger? Is it that this fact, that 3,500 hearts are stopped each day by abortion, is too real? Too much information? Too close to home? We were seeking to make people aware of a hard-to-swallow truth, and offering help to those affected by this truth. Why would people try to, literally, scuff it out as if it isn't true?
I'm also a bit surprised by the incredible hatred spewed by some of my colleagues towards the Susan G. Komen Foundation, for pulling their funding for Planned Parenthood. Perhaps surprised isn't the best word, just curious, maybe. As I understand it, Planned Parenthood provides STD testing and treatment, contraception, sexual education, and pap smears. These are all amazing services, provided at little to no cost to their patient population. Planned Parenthood also offers abortion, obviously, and according to them (http://www.plannedparenthood.org/files/PPFA/PP_Services.pdf), they performed 329,445 abortions in 2010, compared to 841 adoption referrals. That is over 390 abortions per adoption referral, which makes me question whether they really are helping women look at all of their options. Because of more blatant and questionable practices (detailed at http://www.aul.org/executive-summary-2/), the federal government is investigating Planned Parenthood's usage of federal funds and business practices. Because PP is undergoing federal investigation, new Susan G. Komen Foundation policy dictates that funding for PP be removed. Whether this is politics or an actively pro-life move by the Foundation is anyone's call. I think the fact is that if Planned Parenthood really is a sound, helpful, healthful organization, it will come out unscathed from this federal organization, and the Susan G. Komen Foundation will resume funding it.
In the end, I see the pro-life movement as loving. My experience has been that they love babies, love life, and love women, and will do everything in their power to make sure that women facing unplanned pregnancies are supported and loved, and that their children receive the best life possible - whether that is through adoption or through supportive measures for the birth mother after birth. My experience with the pro-choice movement has framed that movement in a more bitter, angry, and selfish light. All we can do is keep loving.
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