March for Life
During the annual “March for Life” on Friday, I happened upon a “pro-choice” rally. Listening to the speeches of various leaders of the movement, I suddenly realized why we may be losing the battle.
Throughout the hour that I was there, no one with a microphone in their hands said “abortion.” It was all about “choice” this and “choice” that. Protect our “freedom to choose.” The A word was conspicuous by its absence.
I understand that we want to preserve the right of women to have a choice in their reproductive decisions, but let’s face it, folks, everyone with half a brain understands that one of those “choices” is, dare I say it, ABORTION. When we say we want to give women that option it implies that we approve of that option, just like we all approve of adoption or childbirth.
When we do not talk about the abortion option, we contribute to the stigma of abortion. Why can’t we just say we support legal abortion, that legal abortion has saved hundreds and thousands of lives over the years, that it can be a good decision? Even when the word is mentioned, it is in the context of an apology. “Abortion is the most difficult, emotional decision a woman will ever make.” Perhaps true for some people, but can we actually make such a broad, sweeping declaration? Poppycock. For many women, it was not a difficult decision. Indeed, it was a relief when they decided and when they had the procedure.
Let’s start talking about the benefits of legal abortion. Over one million women a year get one. Why the heck are we hiding behind the mantle of “choice?” Why not face the issue head on?
By not talking about abortion, we cede that very important part of the debate to the anti-abortion movement. They get to define what abortion is, they get to stigmatize those courageous doctors and their staff who help women every day. They get to prohibit the so-called “partial birth abortion” which was just another option for women and their doctors.
I don’t know when that public relations consultant came out with the word “choice.” It was certainly decades ago. And now we are one vote away from having “choice” eliminated by the Supreme Court. What does that tell you about that strategy?
We need to be honest with the public. We need to stand up for LEGAL ABORTION and toss out the buzz words that mean nothing to a younger generation. Abortion is a benefit to the health of women. Abortion is okay. Just say it.
Abortion - Abortion Clinics, Abortion Pill, Abortion Information 
January 26, 2010 at 12:58 pm
Ms. Carly, I know yiou mean well, but, wrong, wrong, wrong! Google aborticentrism to understand why the very word “abortion” is such a powerful tool in the hands of so-called “pro-lifers.” They have conditioned the public to regard “abortion” as a terrible evil, one which must be vanquished at all costs.
With the public thus conditioned, the “pro-lifer” can then step forward to be seen as the hero fighting it, thereby earning the praise and everlasting memory he deseperately seeks in his misguided attempt at self-therapy to deal with his death and oblivion.
The proper way to deal with aborticentrics is to avoid combat on their terms, which they have successfully defined as “abortion” vs. “pro-choice.” As long as you operate from either of these terms, YOU LOSE!
SO, here’s how you do it: point out that what they say and what they do are disconnected: They don’t care for human life any more than the rest of us (in fact, even less than parents who are raising a child they didn’t want to have). They only care ABOUT life– because they so fear death, their fight for fetal life is actually a pseudo-therapeutic struggle for their own survival beyond death. Their Christian faith is so weak they cannot believe that they can spend eternity in a Heaven; their psychological state is so weak they cannot risk destroying themselves in a struggle against any real danger.
As a result, what they seek– millions of unwanted children, ignored by them, and a focus on abortion so great as to endanger women who come under their care– makes them dangerous to society, not only to women but also children and taxpayers.
As long as we fight from the grounds of “choice,” we lose. When we start writing theses and books about the dangers of aborticentrism (did you know there’s a patron saint of aborticentrics?), they will continue to be a major force for ill. Start doing some research, and spread the word!
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January 27, 2010 at 1:03 am
Cgregor,
Your basic conclusion that “we” lose because of this form of of focus is wrong be definition.
We won already.
Nomenclature is important. However, we did it.
Roe V Wade will stand.
We will never stop educating, however the precedent is there and it will not be lost.
I think you miss the nomenclature entirely. Choice is liberty, and the freedom to have control one’s own body and not be subjugated to others. In that regard, mission accomplished already. More work to do, but we got the big one.
May I ask, what your background is to support your opinion is? As it is very peculiar.
Abortion is here, and women will forever have the right to choose how they control their bodies.
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February 9, 2014 at 9:07 am
lucky you , now I would take that as a sign , because I adore deers and they are aaywls sneaking into my drawings 🙂 isnt it beautiful , amazing how they keep growing new ones !
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January 27, 2010 at 9:04 am
The majority of people have accepted modern embryological definition that what is there at the moment of conception is a unique individual of the species homo sapiens. Therefore, most people know that abortion ends the life of a unique individual of the species homo sapiens, and is thus murder. Denying science is the pro-abortion side’s ONLY argument. One simple question: Why shouldn’t your mother have aborted you?
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October 4, 2015 at 5:53 pm
Exactly.
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January 27, 2010 at 10:54 am
What happened to, “To Each His Own”?
What you do with your body shouldn’t be a discussion. It is your choice, not anybody else’s. I agree that the world would be a better place if we were not faced with those kind of decisions, but like everybody knows life is not a fairy tale, things happen and not always is as planned. Are all the pro lifers out there going to raise the lives they think they are saving? I don’t think so. RESPECT the next person’s choice, it shouldn’t be your concern what other people do with their lives.
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January 27, 2010 at 3:09 pm
I do not see how anyone could say that the abortion rights movement has “won.” We are one vote away on the Supreme Court of having Roe overturned. The stigma of abortion is worse than ever. Women continue to travel across state to go to a clinic where they may not be recognized. Women dont talk about how their abortion saved their lives or put it on the right track. The public generally does not acknowledge the benefits of legal abortion. And our friends run from the word. Yes, we now have Obama in the White House, but you can’t say we’ve won when the antis overwhelmed the health care debate and basically got any coverage of abortion services kicked out of the bill. Every person knows the issue is abortion. The pro-choice movement better get off the dime and acknowledge it. If our pro-choice leaders are not comfortable with abortion, what do you expect from the general public?
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February 8, 2014 at 7:19 am
Thank you for updating on the house rloideemng! I know it can be frustrating because it took the contractors 11 months to do our kitchen, bathroom, room addition & deck 3 years ago. I was ready to go into an asylum!I had a dream that Pat got up and walked!! I guess it must be hope magnified in a dream. Let us know about the open house party. I can help with food or something,
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January 29, 2010 at 7:40 am
The erudition is phenomenal.
Obama will replace a justice, probably two.
Roe v Wade will stand.
Down here in Kentucky, I don’t really give a hoot now whether someone gets pregnant or not.
And I am church going folk.
But as my daddy used to say . . .
well never mind that.
Even in tucky, and Grand Old Mississippi.
We get it.
You women are half of us. We need you. You are your own person.
You do fabulous things in society.
We are moving toward the Omega point. On that path, all barriers are broken down.
You must have the right to control your bodies, by God!!!!
Some are literally insane, but just a few of you, just like of us.
As Pink Floyd said,
“Us and Them”
Lets Remember, divisiveness, shall not be in our favor as a society.
We dominate the world in part because we treat women well.
In fact, I suspect shortly Women will finally have all the rights as men.
The glass on the ceiling will be broken. The election of our new president, shattered glass that could be heard around the world.
They heard it, and it happened in AMERICA.
Oh yes dear intelligent people who have slight differences of opinion.
Roe v Wade shall stay. As even in Kentucky we get it now.
I took 230 years, but we will get it more and more and it is just right, as the little bear said. That is the way our constitution is written.
The grey hairs will pass on. And so will their idiocy pass with them.
The precedent becomes stronger and stronger every day.
Even those who do not believe cannot ignore this as it is woven into the fabric of society. It is part of the tapestry of a glorious free America. We are the only hope the world has.
Not to project power, although for peace we must be ready for the most heinous out there.
We must project our Strong, Young, Proud, and tenacious pursuit of The RIghts of People. We get better an average year by year. Set back here or there. It has taken time, like a few centuries, but what the heck, you can’t grab two many kernels from the cob and make popcorn and expect to plow the fields.
To Anonymous, you get it. But it is a slice of the gigantic story.
And now I am too tired to tell it. But just as a bagel can remain fresh in the morning,
The Rights of Women, and Men are indistinguishable.
We shall all protect them, by musket, and blade if we must.
The Rights of ALL Americans. Even our proud immigrants.
Our statue, our Liberty in Statue, Welcoming the Huddled Masses from around the World. To be free, and protected by our example. You are AMERICANS, as we were all immigrants.
The indians were not too happy about it.
Now they own they Hard Rock Casino chain of hotels, Casinos, restaurants.
Not really a fair deal.
Lets all work together, rejoice, hallelujah,
We are all equal, and deserve the pursuit (not given right) but pursuit of happiness. Come on, we can’t make everybody happy. But our laws must allow that pursuit. All children of this nation should never fear for their health. They are children in the bosom of America. Them most glorious nation that ever existed. We most protect them at all costs. They will build, the next round of America. A freer more reasonable one. We are not so far from that point.
When colors, creeds, ethnicities are invisible to our minds eye, we shall show the world what it means to be America.
We still will stand as that tall beacon. It takes time. Nothing is fast.
Shine on Crazy Diamond,
Roe V Wade Stands.
Pat you are right, we must internally be sentinels, as some of us are stupid. We will get it right one day.
As my fields grow, in Amber waves,
I have no fear as I walk among the shadows of the low grey light of dawn.
We will prevail. There is no other option.
Human rights shall be an American Mantra. And we shall perfect that vision, and the world will know.
I gotta tend now to my chores, I like this bellog, this is interesting, thank you all.
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March 4, 2010 at 1:27 pm
Larry Joe,
I choose to tend to the Human rights of the unborn American child.
Abortion has altered the face of America by the horrific number of children that have been murdered under the law of their own land, in the name of FREEDOM. That’s not freedom and it should not be the American way, and sure is nothing to be proud about.
You are full of foolish pride.
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February 8, 2014 at 5:11 am
After research a nmeubr of of the blog posts on your website now, and I actually like your way of blogging. I bookmarked it to my bookmark website record and can be checking back soon. Pls take a look at my web site as nicely and let me know what you think.
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March 4, 2010 at 7:04 pm
Lena:
I assume that since you are against abortion, you support birth control and have adopted at least one child?
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March 9, 2010 at 9:23 pm
Elena~~ I’m finally getting the hang of dealing with this site systematically, and I just ran across your question above as to my bona fides about my position on so-called “pro-lifers.”
I spent fifteen years as a paraprofessional working with low-income families, guiding them in use of resources to get what they wanted and needed for themselves and their children. I had to learn to understand the dynamics of family life, and even today I can get a sense of the mental health of a family by simply being with them for ten or fifteen minutes.
As a truly single parent (no live-in, no money most years, no circle of friends and no prospects) for the last 14 years of my son’s childhood, I learned just how much sacrifice it takes to make a life human, and when he left for college, I got serious– because then I understood everything I had failed at in fathering– about giving children a sense of possibility by being a volunteer in big brothering, juvenile offender rehabilitation, parenting education and other such programs. I was into expiation for my sins of his youth.
During this time, the local so-called ‘pro-lifers’ were gathering strength, and I realized that none of them were in any of the activities I was in– neither were they adopting! Then I started looking more broadly and deeply into it and realized that nationally they were all hat and no cattle– for them, the responsibility for human life ended at the delivery room door. I thought this hypocritical and despised them for it, but then I made the connection with their work and its psychopathology when I discovered Ernest Becker’s book, Denial of Death, which I have referred to in other posts.
Given my BA in philosophy and my practical education in family dynamics, I feel I am qualified to propose that there is a rich vein of study to be done in the psychopathology of the so-called “pro-life” movement.
I will admit that I am not sufficiently professional to be impartial about them. As one of Scots ancestry, I live very much by the national slogan, “Never forgive; never forget.” What they have done to women, mothers, children and families in this country is unforgivable in my judgment, and I will treat them the way they treat women.
Nevertheless, I have developed a considerable body of fairly solid work which can be found if you google “aborticentrism.” It is documented, it is sometimes scary, and it is true. I regret that I have been unable to keep my feelings from being so close to the surface while writing it, but it’s my equivalent of being a clinic anti-blockader.
Finally, I feel my approach is one which will work to reduce this latest descendant of the WCTU to the sorry and sorrowful thing that it is.
So, thanks for letting me explain, and I’ll be surprised if you actually encounter this, but here it is. If you ever really read the RRTL site, I seriously would appreciate feedbacl
chuck gregory
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March 10, 2010 at 8:22 am
It’s good to finally see a real name to your posts, Chuck!!
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March 10, 2010 at 5:51 pm
Pat, do you see any value in asking your acquaintances to evaluate the Responsible Right to Life site? I would appreciate input as to its utility in the struggle.
chuck
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March 10, 2010 at 6:36 pm
Chuck, what is the “Responsible Right to Life site?”
I gotta say, Chuck, that I always appreciate your postings but, for the life of me, half the time I have no idea what you are talking about!!! 🙂
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March 10, 2010 at 9:21 pm
Pat, do you know anybody in Women’s Studies or a Department of Anthropology, Social Sciences or Psychology? If so, tell them this:
1. Pro-lifers care much more for fetal life than they do for human life.
2. There is a blog that maintains this cognitive dissonance between what they say and what they do indicates a grave underlying condition.
3. If the condition exists, this blog explains how they deal with it in a way that soothes their fears and re-buries them: they engage in an allegorical struggle for proof that they will escape the oblivion of death.
4. If indeed the whole movement is a dysfunctional attempt at self-therapy, it’s something society ought to know about.
5. Here’s the address of the site [give address]. What do you think of it? What might your students write about it?
I don’t know what your background is, so I can’t figure out how to write to your level, but I’m hoping someone with at least as much of a grounding in clinical psychology, social work and public administration as I have could relate to it. I suppose I need the left-wing equivalent of Rush Limbaugh.
So, please send it along. Thanks. if you want to reach me off-line, it’s rrtl at sover.net. I leave it to you to figure out what the rrtl stands for….
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March 11, 2010 at 10:53 am
Thanks, Chuck. I do know a lot of folks in those areas. I’ll see what I can do…
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March 11, 2010 at 5:31 pm
Much appreciated, Pat. It will be interesting to get some feedback on it.
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October 4, 2015 at 6:01 pm
If the pro choicers admit that they think abortion for any reason is okay or even desirable then they will automatically lose credibility. After all, many people are “pro life and pro choice”. Meaning that they think abortion is immoral but nonetheless support a women’s right to choose it. If the pro choice movement starts implying that anyone who has any qualms about abortion is simply irrational instead of the ” I respect your beliefs just don’t force them on all women” then many people who identify as pro choice will not be very comfortable with that label. But then again, if the pro choice movement becomes that foolish, it will be a win for pro lifers like me. The facade of “choice” will be exposed.
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October 5, 2015 at 3:25 pm
Well, I for one respect the beliefs of women and I honestly don’t care one way or the other whether the woman has an abortion or not. But I am pro-choice, meaning I think women should have the abortion option. Geez, who in their right minds hold it against a woman if they did NOT have an abortion. That’s pretty sick.
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October 5, 2015 at 4:29 pm
so-called “pro-life”catholic: Why can your people not consider the needs of real children? I was one of eleven forced on my mother and father by a stiff-necked Christianity, and I would even today choose death if it meant my siblings would have a better chance at a good life.
So-called “pro-lifers” cannot deal with the fact that Ted Bundy, an unwanted and insufficiently nurtured child (read the book by his lawyer, Defending the Devil, to see how his ignored needs created a monster) was saved from abortion but grew up to kill from three to five dozen women. Why can your ilk not put abortion into perspective? So-called “pro-lifers” have this fantasy about a fetus being fully formed humans, but it is no more fully formed than a bottle of milk is an ice cream sundae.
If you read the very first post in this thread, you can see just how perverted their view is: They need abortion to be viewed as evil in order to meet their own needs, not to do anything for real children, real families or pregnant women.
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