Abortioneers. Tell me if you haven't met someone -- a young girl, an older woman, a mother of four, the grandmother of the patient, a survivor on the run -- whose hands you wanted to grasp as you told her, basically, this:
The Laughing Heart
your life is your life
don’t let it be clubbed into dank submission.
be on the watch.
there are ways out.
there is a light somewhere.
it may not be much light but
it beats the darkness.
be on the watch.
the gods will offer you chances.
know them.
take them.
you can’t beat death but
you can beat death in life, sometimes.
and the more often you learn to do it,
the more light there will be.
your life is your life.
know it while you have it.
you are marvelous
the gods wait to delight
in you.
It's that time folks. Grab your corn chips, your salsa from a jar, and a good old American Bud Heavy and sit down to watch the Saints try to keep the American Dream alive and beat the Colts. And also to see the much talked about, much hyped Focus on the Family commercial.
For those of you blissfully unaware: Pam Tebow, Tim Tebow's mother, was pregnant when she was on a missionary tour in the Philippines. She became extremely ill and went into a coma. The drugs used to get her out of her coma and to treat her dysentery caused a severe placental abruption to occur. Basically, the pregnancy detached from her uterus. REALLY BAD. In fact, "fetal mortality rate of 20-40% depending on the degree of separation. Placental abruption is also a significant contributor to maternal mortality." So the doctors said that the baby was likely to be stillborn and recommended abortion. She was in the Philippines, where abortion has been criminalized and illegal since 1870, so I am not sure how great her doctor was since he was apparently ignorant of the country's laws?? Anyway, she said no, and carried the pregnancy to term. AND TIM TEBOW WAS BORN WOWOWOW MIRACLE OF LIFE.
This commercial is getting a TON of press, and my head is about to explode if I have to read another article talking about how IT'S NOT A BIG DEAL AND TIM TEBOW IS SO NICE AND WE LOVE HIM. (Note Revolutionary Vagina commented on this briefly a few weeks ago) Take for example, Roland S. Martin of CNN, who says
There is no rule anywhere in existence that says that the Super Bowl should be free of politics and social causes. None. So what's the big deal over Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow and his mother starring in a pro-life ad?
I agree with you, Mr. Martin. Whole heartedly. Expect that apparently there ARE rules, put in place by the Super Bowl, about what kinds of ads they air. In 2004 PETA wanted to run an anti-fur commercial and they were rejected. Moveon.org wanted to air a commercial about how much Bush is running up the deficit, and they were rejected. The United Church of Christ wanted to air a commercial letting the world know they don't discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation, and that EVERYONE was welcome at their church. They were rejected. Why? The Super Bowl peeps said they had to reject those ads because they were not going to “touch on and/or take a position on one side of a current controversial issue of public importance.” Even this year, a homosexual dating website wanted to air a commercial about the site and they were rejected as well. I am just confused how Pam Tebow's story is not a controversial issue? Abortion has been and seems like always will be a hot button issue in this country.
Oh wait! CBS has CHANGED THE RULES about what is "controversial" this year. So I guess a gay dating website is, but anti-abortion is not. Ohhhhhhhhhh okay I toadily get it. Thanks guys.
I guess what bothers me the most, besides CBS playing favorites on political issues, besides the story of Pam Tebow's pregnancy being riddled with inconsistencies that don't add up, is that everyone is forgetting, as Revolutionary Vagina pointed out, Pam Tebow did have a choice. If she was really in the Philippines were abortion was 100% illegal, then not really, but the point in all of this is that she CHOSE to keep the pregnancy despite the risks to the fetus and to her own life. I know we are not getting the full story here in terms of what actually happened, but either way, she chose to carry a pregnancy that was dangerous to both her and her fetus and she was aware of this and made that choice anyway. That is a brave choice and I give her props for that. I do not give her props for making it seem like it was NBD and that we should always choose life. Unfortunately, carrying a pregnancy to term is not always choosing life because sometimes both the mother and the fetus die. Sometimes the mother dies but the fetus lives. Sometimes the fetus dies. There are a lot of risks and complications involved with that kind of stuff and it appears as if they are sweeping all that under the rug. Just not cool, you know?
And this is from Upright Citizen's Brigade, so, you know it's gonna be hilarious:
What a funny notion. What if in order to reduce abortion people lobbied for more vasectomies? So I wrote these words after seeing a photo of this bumper. As I sat here trying to dig a blog post out of my skull, I looked at the photo again and decided to visit the website in small print at the bottom of the bumper sticker.
I did it, I visited a pro-life website just to see. I mean really it was more logical than any other pro-life mantra I’ve ever heard. I’m sure vasectomies inhibit a minute number of unintended pregnancies and in turn abortions. It also holds men accountable as a part of reproduction. The debate over choice is fought over women’s bodies, quite literally.
The idea that men who don’t want to have children should get vasectomies is sort of refreshing because it places some of the responsibility on men. I am not pretending to agree with the mission of this bumper sticker or organization. This organization claims to be both pro-choice and anti-abortion, which from my point of view is not possible. There is nothing pro-choice about being against abortion. However, I am intrigued by this organization for a few reasons. Their mission is to reduce abortion through the effective use of contraception, which is definitely a step ahead of those who believe contraception is just as bad as abortion. They also claim to take a moderate stand on abortion, so they at least recognize that there are circumstances when abortion is necessary -- still not in line with my personal beliefs, but not quite as asinine as many anti causes. Really, there is nothing moderate about accepting that women have the right to control their bodies and lives. Finally, they use the money from their bumper sticker to fund vasectomies -- sort of weird, but also sort of productive, right? Snip, snip.
Abortion will never be eliminated even if every single person in the world had access to contraception and used it 100% accurately. Contraception fails, conception can and will happen and sometimes an unwanted pregnancy will need to be terminated. Not to mention that the world is a long, long, long way from every single individual having access to contraceptive technology and information on how to use it properly.
I am not endorsing this cause, just presenting it as a really interesting spin on the pro-life movement. Know thy enemy.
So I was rocking out to some Lauryn Hill the other day, and a song came on, "To Zion," that I hadn't heard in a longggggggggggggggggggggggggg time. I mean LONG. I didn't have my period the last time I listened to it. Anyway, the lyrics sort of struck me because she was obviously talking about being torn on what to do when she became pregnant unexpectedly.
Here are the lyrics: Unsure of what the balance held I touched my belly overwhelmed By what I had been chosen to perform But then an angel came one day Told me to kneel down and pray For unto me a man child would be born Woe this crazy circumstance I knew his life deserved a chance But everybody told me to be smart Look at your career they said, "Lauryn, baby use your head" But instead I chose to use my heart
Now the joy of my world is in Zion Now the joy of my world is in Zion
How beautiful if nothing more Than to wait at Zion's door I've never been in love like this before Now let me pray to keep you from The perils that will surely come See life for you my prince has just begun And I thank you for choosing me To come through unto life to be A beautiful reflection of his grace For I know that a gift so great Is only one God could create And I'm reminded every time I see your face
That the joy of my world is in Zion Now the joy of my world is in Zion Now the joy of my world is in Zion Now the joy of my world is in Zion
Marching, marching, marching to Zion Marching, marching Marching, marching, marching to Zion Beautiful, beautiful Zion
(Note: her son is named Zion.)
So I was reading the lyrics on my go to lyric website, songmeanings.net. A really interesting debate was sparked in the comments if the song was pro-feminist, anti-abortion, if the song should be a new "pro-life anthemn" etc.
I tried googling Lauryn Hill and her views on abortion but I couldn't really find much reliable information about it. So I'm not sure what her personal views are -- if she is pro-choice or anti-choice.
Anyway, I found a couple of the lines really interesting "... everybody told me to be smart / Look at your career they said, 'Lauryn, baby use your head' / But instead I chose to use my heart." She says that she ignored her head, which seemed to be telling her to have an abortion, and listening to her heart and kept the pregnancy. It seems the underlying statement here is that having an abortion is not "using your heart" but using your head. Abortion is smart and keeping it is loving?
She also refers to her pregancy as a life so it seems like she defines life as beginning with conception.
All that aside, I think the most important part of the song is that she struggled with the CHOICE. She got to decide what was best for her. She had the option of ending her pregnancy and she had the option of keeping it if she wished. It sounds like she definitely made the best decision for her (The joy of her world is Zion) and I think that is awesome she was able to figure that out. One thing I feel like is misconstrued about Abortioneers is that we WANT people to have abortions. I want each woman to choose what is best for her. If someone decides she wants to keep her pregnancy, great! Here are some resources on pre-natal care. If someone decides she wants to have an abortion, that's great too. Here are some clinics I'd recommend. You know? I just want everyone to be happy and do what is right for her.
Anyway... everyone should check out the song, it's very pretty!
Are you a pro-choicer who kind of doesn't like the term "pro-abortion?" Seem a bit too extreme for you? Well, I'm not one of those pro-choicers. I actually strongly prefer the term "pro-abortion" and have for some time. I know some pro-choicers who say, "Well, no one is really pro abortion!" I am. Completely. Whole-heartedly. And absolutely unapologetically pro-abortion. For whatever reason. If a woman wants an abortion, then I'll be her whatever-she-needs-hand-holder-tear-wiper-cheerleader-pro-abortion-girl. If a woman says she wants to carry her pregnancy to term and become a mother (even if she's 15 and lives in a car), then I am pro-motherhood. I will be her referral-seeker-set-up-an-appointment-with-an-ob/gyn-get-on-prenatals-find-out-a-way-to-stay-in-school-cheerleader-pro-motherhood-girl. My point: I'm really pro-woman. All real Abortioneers are.
"Pro-life." Oh, how I hate that term. Really. It's such an asinine label. Seriously. Who isn't pro-life? Um. Besides the likes of crazy mass murderers? I've said it in another post before, Abortioneers, pro-abortioners, pro-choicers (whatever you want to call us!) are the most pro-life people I know! Why? Because we value the life of actual human persons, not just the embryos that have the potential of becoming human persons. (Let me just say that we will also get excited, becoming pro-motherhood girls, for those who want to love their potential human persons. FYI: lots of abortioneers happen to be mommies, too.) If you like where I'm going with this, don't get too excited: I'm not a fabulous philosopher; but Leonard Peikoff is.
Who? Leonard Peikoff. Don't worry, I only just learned about him, too. He's a philosopher of objectivism (termed for the philosophy of famous author, Ayn Rand). He wrote a fabulous essay called "Abortion Rights is Pro Life" and you can read it here. Read it! Well, and though I am a self-proclaimed feminist, I'm not a HUGE fan of Ayn Rand's books. (Gasp!) I am, however, a fan of this quote of hers:
I cannot project the degree of hatred required to make those women run around in crusades against abortion. Hatred is what they certainly project, not love for the embryos, which is a piece of nonsense no one could experience, but hatred, a virulent hatred for an unnamed object...Their hatred is directed against human beings as such, against the mind, against reason, against ambition, against success, against love, against any value that brings happiness to human life. In compliance with the dishonesty that dominates today's intellectual field, they call themselves 'pro-life.'
Yay Ayn Rand!
The term pro-choice? Well, I suppose that's just the default political label, but I don't really like it. It's a bit lame for my taste. Abortioneers are more than pro-choice. We're pro-abortion and pro-woman and pro-motherhood and pro-adoption and pro-whatever-the-hell-a-woman-believes-is-best-for-her-at-this-point-in-her-life type/label/people. We're out there doing the direct service work, day in and day out. We're the real experts in this field (not to toot our own horns) because we're the ones with our fingers on the pulse of women's lives. And really, we're not the experts. I was being coy. The women are the real experts. (Nearly one in four American women, to be exact!)
So we throw all these labels around like they actually mean something; and they don't really: I know people who call themselves pro-choice who are actually anti-abortion in certain circumstances and I know people who call themselves pro-life who are actually very pro-abortion in certain circumstances (like rape). We talk about all this abortion stuff like what we do is rare. Like abortion is rare; but it's SO not. It's very common. And I suppose that's the ONLY common ground all of us label wearers will ever have. And that's just fine with me.
Lately, when I run I feel as though I’m training for battle. As if the next time a plane strikes or a dirty bomb explodes, I’ll be whizzing out of town like a horse. A fish in a hurricane.A rock in a tornado. A bird if ever a fire.
I am training for battle.
I see the capacity to provide heath care resources and dignified abortion care to potential, eventual and actual mothers dwindling so ferociously that I have become ferocious. My heart feels broken. I have become sad and scared, wary/weary. Primal. I don’t sleep much for this and when I dream, I dream I’m in love again.
Once I was just a light fairy. I know I’m pro-life.
I’m also pro-abortion and believe there are not enough abortions occurring in this world. I know women who want to safely terminate their pregnancies who cannot obtain assistance. I know of women who die from clandestine abortions. I know women who try not to get pregnant, who don’t know how to not get pregnant, who get pregnant because they were raped, who wanted their dead still-gestating baby.
We have created a society that coerces women into roles that they are blatantly requesting from the depths of their guts not to fulfill. I'm pro-abortion because I listen. I’m pro-abortion because I am pro-life.
I believe that Abortion helps women.*
I believe the world can be beautiful for everyone and I don’t want to fight about it anymore. I want to run simply because when I run I catch the wind at a new frequency, because I see more trees.
* Note: Abortioneer is directly quoting footage of Dr. Jeannie Ludlow from The Coat Hanger Project but said abortioneer is one of hundreds of abortioneers both personally and initially inspired and guided by Dr. Ludlow in ways of abortioneering so this direct quote is also a timeless creed...
**Picture note: In addition to running, abortioneer also likes to lie in grass to see the trees
