January 22 is the anniversary of the historic Roe v Wade decision that made abortion legal in the United States. The Supreme Court determined that the Constitution protects a women’s right to privacy. A woman, not the state, retains autonomy over her body.
Every year our local Catholic Church, Our Lady of Angels, recognizes this anniversary by setting up a display of white crosses across the street from the church. A large banner proclaims that each cross represents lives lost to abortion. The display evokes emotion in me, but perhaps not those that the organizers intended.
It makes me angry. Angry at a church that doesn’t trust women. Angry at church doctrine that denies the kingdom of heaven to couples who practice birth control. Angry at the paternalistic church that encourages third world women to reproduce, thus ensuring the continuation of the poverty cycle to a new generation. Angry at a church that would deny an abortion to a 12 year old child raped by her father. I’m angry that this church presumes to impose its beliefs on all women. I’m angry that it would take that most personal decision away from me, or my daughter, or my granddaughters, or any woman.
My child bearing years are behind me. I never had to make a decision to terminate a pregnancy. But then, I didn’t follow church doctrine on birth control either. But just because I never had to exercise my right to control my own body doesn’t mean that that I don’t value that right.
Since the shootings in Arizona there has been much in the press about the level of harsh political rhetoric in the media. The abortion debate has been laden with inflammatory language on both sides, and yet it adds nothing to the discussion. It seems that we are not seeking solutions, but passing judgment.
I am not a supporter of abortion, but I strongly believe that the decision to have an abortion is mine to make. If I cannot control what happens to my own body, then I am a slave to the state. I want my government to trust me, to trust that I am smart enough to make an informed decision. This is an issue of privacy. Only the woman who is facing this decision knows all the reasons why or why not abortion is an option for her, and she shouldn’t have to justify that decision to anyone. Trust us to make a good decision.
As a propaganda device the white crosses deliver a powerful message. If we want to continue with the inflammatory language and media manipulation, perhaps it is time for the pro-choice voices to speak up. I’m thinking of running a similar campaign in the local paper. Picture rows of teddy bears on a blank page. The caption reads, “Each teddy bear represents a childhood lost to molestation by a pedophile priest.”
Yeah, it’s a cheap propaganda device, but effective, don’t you think? I won’t be handing out these fliers on the sidewalk in front of the church, inflammatory ad campaigns contribute nothing to improving our society...someone has to show restraint, trust me.
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Great post Nana, there are so many things to consider for each individual womans decisions to have an abortion I don't see how the church can judge.
ReplyDeleteI never had an abortion, but my stepdaughter, years ago when she was fourteen, got pregnant. I helped with the arrangements and drove her to the appointment for the abortion. We lost touch over the years, but one day I saw her again, when she was a graduate student and she thanked me over and over for helping her life to take a different path. It was a hard decision, but we knew it was the right one. Thanks for this thoughtful post, dear friend.
ReplyDeleteI share your thoughts, Jann. I am pro-choice and grateful I never had to make a decision like that for myself.
ReplyDeleteI too understand exactly where you're coming from here. I'm still in potential child bearing years and yet I choose not to have a child at all. In the eyes of the church you speak of this probably makes me the worst of all, especially since I'm also pro-choice. However, that doesn't mean I would get an abortion on a whim. If my husband and I found out I was pregnant we would have the baby, but under different circumstances I dare not even mention, its pretty likely I wouldn't. I like your thoughts on a way to give it right back. Unfortunately you'd probably have to fight to keep it there as freedom of speech is relative.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the thought provoking post.
You've expressed my thoughts on this subject better than I could. Thank you for speaking up, and for doing it so eloquently.
ReplyDeleteI love the way you have expressed this!
ReplyDeleteGreat post! Very thought provoking!
ReplyDeleteIt seems like we're falling apart at the seams...
Extremely well said. I happen to live in a third world country and see the results of the misery and poverty caused by some religions' stance on this very private matter. This should be the choice of the woman, not that of people who know nothing about the lives of real women in Africa.
ReplyDeleteOooh, this pushes my buttons too! In Northern Ireland (where abortion is still illegal), thousands of women travel across to the UK mainland, often in secrecy due to the taboo's they face back home, to terminate their pregnancy. They visit private abortion clinics, all are regulated, but the emotional and financial cost is astronomical. As a mother of a child with special needs, I have also known many families caring for profoundly disabled children that face a shortened life span, where their child's quaity of life is filled with pain and suffering. In the past, without the medical intervention of today, most of these babies would not have survived birth. In these cases, most UK parents ARE trusted to make the heartbreaking choice of whether or not to continue on with the pregnancy (assuming the level of disability is first picked up in the womb). It is a deeply personal and heart-breaking choice which ANY family must be able to indivdually decide and learn to live with. The very society that outlaws abortion, is the same society that offers little to no support to the families of those whose lives are completely torn apart by the results of this legislation.
ReplyDeleteI just found your blog. I think you are courageous to speak about this in a country like America which is getting more and more conservative. I saw a video of a speech Eric Kaufmann gave entitled “Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth?” His answer is “yes” because of changing demography, here and in other countries, religious fundamentalism is on the increase. I am afraid that women will have less freedom in the future rather than more. I know that since I came to the US I find this country has become not as tolerant. I don’t remember ever hearing talk shows with hate speeches like they have now. Yours is the type of post everyone should read.
ReplyDeleteWell said! I agree with you, and I particularly like your point that being in favor of making a choice doesn't mean you "are in favor of abortion." I think that people on the "pro-life" side often get that confused. I do think that something this big isn't something that can be legislated and it isn't a "one size fits all" kind of issue.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! The issue is not about life at all. It is about choices and individual freedoms. If we insist on controlling people, we are then nothing but slave holders.
ReplyDeleteAnd I am a devout Catholic!