My opinion column as published in today's newspaper.
CELEBRATE ABORTION?
In 1956 pro-abortion activist and feminist Gloria Steinem had an abortion. It was a decision she celebrated at the time and continues to celebrate. On April 19, 2012, T-shirts were on sale at the University of North Carolina Wilmington with a picture of a smiling Steinem wearing a shirt with the words “I had an abortion. Do you really need to inconvenience yourself for the next 18 years?”
Several years ago in Humboldt County, California, Planned Parenthood held a 40 day prayer vigil for abortion. They used a prayer guide found on Planned Parenthood.org which encourages pro-abortion supporters to offer prayers of thanks for abortion providers and the “sacred care” they provide.
Each day, Planned Parenthood suggested a prayer, for example: “We give thanks for the doctors who provide quality abortion care. We pray for a cloud of gentleness to surround every abortion facility. We pray for all the staff at abortion clinics around the nation, may they be daily confirmed in the sacred care that they offer women.”
Some of the prayers are for the abortionists. Others are for all women to be able to access abortion, and one is to give thanks and celebrate that abortion is still safe and legal.
Abortionists also celebrate a National Day of Appreciation for Abortion Providers on March 10 of each year. Some pro-abortion journalists show their appreciation by recognizing and interviewing abortion providers about the” joy” they have in their work.
Abortion supporters have started their own Celebrate Abortion campaign through Twitter and other social media this summer in efforts to push back against pro-life efforts to de-fund Planned Parenthood.
One day after the House of Representatives voted this week to defund the organization, three abortion activists launched a Twitter account where they could celebrate their abortions. Lindy West wrote “ I set up the account because I am not sorry and I will not whisper.”
Amelia Bonow wrote in a column published in Salon magazine that she remembers her abortion experience “with gratitude” and that “I have had visits to the bank that were much more unpleasant than that particular morning at Planned Parenthood. The only thing that happens at the Madison Avenue Planned Parenthood on Saturdays is abortion. Every person you see in the clinic is having an abortion, or helping someone have an abortion. The moment I entered the clinic that morning, I felt myself lift and become stronger because of the women around me. I felt connected to every woman I saw, and I tried to make them know this with my eyes. … “
She continues to describe her abortion in this way, “The procedure I had is commonly referred to as a Vacuum Aspiration, which tickles me because vacuuming is a thing you do in order to remove unwanted detritus from your life…”
Another woman tweeted on September 22 : “I've had 2 abortions. I don't have to justify or explain them to anybody. My life is more valuable than a potential life.”
The House of Representatives voted last week 241 to 187 for legislation that would temporarily de-fund Planned Parenthood while an investigation continues into the sale of aborted babies and their body parts. The bill would freeze Planned Parenthood funding for one year while Congress conducts such an investigation.
A new Congressional report finds that de-funding the Planned Parenthood abortion business — even for one year — would save the lives of several thousand unborn babies and would also save the federal government about $235 million.
Republicans didn’t have enough support in the Senate to follow through on de-funding Planned Parenthood due to the threat of a government shutdown. The legislation was blocked in a vote of 47-52. Senator Roy Blunt supported the measure, but Senator Betty McCaskill did not. Even if it had somehow passed, President Obama's veto would have been the final nail in the coffin.
Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) had a backup plan which he said would have avoided a government shut down. But other conservatives have insisted they would rather see the government shut down than allow another federal dollar to go to Planned Parenthood.
So once again, we are at a stalemate. Those of us who are pro-life had hoped that the Pope’s visit and speech to the Congress would have had an impact on their actions and would have served to bolster the strong opposition throughout the country to funding Planned Parenthood that has been generated over the past several weeks with the revelations of the videos exposing Planned Parenthood’s money making scheme through the sale of unborn infants’ body parts.
CELEBRATE ABORTION?
In 1956 pro-abortion activist and feminist Gloria Steinem had an abortion. It was a decision she celebrated at the time and continues to celebrate. On April 19, 2012, T-shirts were on sale at the University of North Carolina Wilmington with a picture of a smiling Steinem wearing a shirt with the words “I had an abortion. Do you really need to inconvenience yourself for the next 18 years?”
Several years ago in Humboldt County, California, Planned Parenthood held a 40 day prayer vigil for abortion. They used a prayer guide found on Planned Parenthood.org which encourages pro-abortion supporters to offer prayers of thanks for abortion providers and the “sacred care” they provide.
Each day, Planned Parenthood suggested a prayer, for example: “We give thanks for the doctors who provide quality abortion care. We pray for a cloud of gentleness to surround every abortion facility. We pray for all the staff at abortion clinics around the nation, may they be daily confirmed in the sacred care that they offer women.”
Some of the prayers are for the abortionists. Others are for all women to be able to access abortion, and one is to give thanks and celebrate that abortion is still safe and legal.
Abortionists also celebrate a National Day of Appreciation for Abortion Providers on March 10 of each year. Some pro-abortion journalists show their appreciation by recognizing and interviewing abortion providers about the” joy” they have in their work.
Abortion supporters have started their own Celebrate Abortion campaign through Twitter and other social media this summer in efforts to push back against pro-life efforts to de-fund Planned Parenthood.
One day after the House of Representatives voted this week to defund the organization, three abortion activists launched a Twitter account where they could celebrate their abortions. Lindy West wrote “ I set up the account because I am not sorry and I will not whisper.”
Amelia Bonow wrote in a column published in Salon magazine that she remembers her abortion experience “with gratitude” and that “I have had visits to the bank that were much more unpleasant than that particular morning at Planned Parenthood. The only thing that happens at the Madison Avenue Planned Parenthood on Saturdays is abortion. Every person you see in the clinic is having an abortion, or helping someone have an abortion. The moment I entered the clinic that morning, I felt myself lift and become stronger because of the women around me. I felt connected to every woman I saw, and I tried to make them know this with my eyes. … “
She continues to describe her abortion in this way, “The procedure I had is commonly referred to as a Vacuum Aspiration, which tickles me because vacuuming is a thing you do in order to remove unwanted detritus from your life…”
Another woman tweeted on September 22 : “I've had 2 abortions. I don't have to justify or explain them to anybody. My life is more valuable than a potential life.”
The House of Representatives voted last week 241 to 187 for legislation that would temporarily de-fund Planned Parenthood while an investigation continues into the sale of aborted babies and their body parts. The bill would freeze Planned Parenthood funding for one year while Congress conducts such an investigation.
A new Congressional report finds that de-funding the Planned Parenthood abortion business — even for one year — would save the lives of several thousand unborn babies and would also save the federal government about $235 million.
Republicans didn’t have enough support in the Senate to follow through on de-funding Planned Parenthood due to the threat of a government shutdown. The legislation was blocked in a vote of 47-52. Senator Roy Blunt supported the measure, but Senator Betty McCaskill did not. Even if it had somehow passed, President Obama's veto would have been the final nail in the coffin.
Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) had a backup plan which he said would have avoided a government shut down. But other conservatives have insisted they would rather see the government shut down than allow another federal dollar to go to Planned Parenthood.
So once again, we are at a stalemate. Those of us who are pro-life had hoped that the Pope’s visit and speech to the Congress would have had an impact on their actions and would have served to bolster the strong opposition throughout the country to funding Planned Parenthood that has been generated over the past several weeks with the revelations of the videos exposing Planned Parenthood’s money making scheme through the sale of unborn infants’ body parts.
Comments