On October 3rd, I wrote about the abortion escorts who showed up at the clinic one week to escort clients into the clinic from the street. But I didn't know why they appeared on the scene until I attempted to get on my own blog and instead came upon a blog sponsored by a group called "40 Days for Choice." I did a double take since I know there is a group called "40 Days for Life" which, on Sept 23, 2009 began another period of intense prayer and fasting to end abortion. This group follows the model of Jesus, who fasted and prayed in the desert for 40 days before He began His public ministry. So, I decided to correspond with the group. Here's what happened.
On Tues, Oct 20, 2009 at 6:58 AM
To: Abortion Escorts
Without knowing about your blog, I started a blog recently entitled, "What I Saw at the Abortion Clinic this Week." I am pro-life and I participate in the "40 days for Life" so we are at opposite ends of the pole. I spotted escorts at the clinic where I pray, but didn't fully appreciate that they were from your organization (40 Days for Choice) until, trying to get on my own blog, I ended up at yours.
You are obviously very intent in your purpose. So, would you be interested in a little friendly conversation on this subject? Since you requested that no one mess up your blog, I assume you will extend the same courtesy to me and respond to me at this e-mail, if you choose.
God Bless, Jay J.
From: clinic escort [mailto:clinicescortblog@gmail.com
Sent: Tuesday, October 20, 2009 12:04 p.m.
To: Jay
Subject: Re
Thanks for writing a polite email. Because of that, I was inclined to say, sure, why not, you won't change my mind on anything and I most likely won't change yours, but let's talk.
And then I went and found your blog, read one single entry, and I'm no longer feeling charitable.
1) This is offtopic to be sure, but: I am aware that people on the right think that "racist" is an over-used word, yet it's the only one to describe the worldview of someone who thinks it is noteworthy that some man somewhere failed to be"apologetic" regarding the views or actions of another man simply because the two share a skin color. Your guy in the Special Forces Halloween costume doesn't speak for black humanity any more than you speak for (I'm guessing) white humanity.
2) I'd be more able to muster respect for your viewpoint if your heart had sank when you saw the gore posters, not when you saw they'd been defaced. Those things are harassment pure and simple. They do NOT change hearts and minds, they terrorize and intimidate. They are NOT a substitute for substantive discussion on morals or ethics or whatever word you use to justify your attempts to take reproductive decision-making out of the hands of autonomous women. ---you know, I had a benign lump taken out of my breast a couple of years back. I didn't get to see what was removed, but I bet it looked pretty nasty. Bloody and meaty and all. So OBVIOUSLY we should ban lumpectomies. They're ugly to look at, therefore obviously bad, therefore obviously wrong! (How's your sarcasm detector?)
3) Dressing up in quasi-military gear to lurk outside of clinics and shout at strangers is sick. What is the point of that besides to instill fear? What possible goal can be achieved other than intimidation? Admiring people who do it is equally sick. They should be ashamed and so should you. Making women afraid for their safety IS NEVER A DEFENSIBLE ACTION, EVER. It is not serving good and it is not serving God and if you think it IS, I really just don't have anything left to say to you.
On Tues, Oct 20, 2009 at 9:16 PM
Fellow blogger,
Thanks for taking up the invitation to correspond. I accept your criticism graciously and I will try to refine my writing in the future. The last think I - or any blogger wants to do is to put people off. To answer your remarks -
First, I do not condemn or judge people because I am not God. But I know God. I know He is truth. He cannot deceive or be deceived. God is the giver of all life. He is merciful and forgiving. That is my message as a Christian.
I have no hidden agenda. I do not intend to change your worldview - I wrote to that in one of my other blogs. Personally, I don't consider that I have a worldview. I just try to find the truth and speak the truth. Probably you do the same. That leads to a philosophical problem because both your point of view and my point of view are mutually exclusive. One must be true and the other false. Which is which? That is for each of us to uncover and to uncover the truth, we need intellectual honesty. Abortion is either murder and immoral, or it is not murder and it is not immoral. Would you agree on that statement of the problem?
I am not sure that you would agree on this statement of the problem because, if I understand correctly, you likened your benign breast tissue (I am happy for you that it was not malignant) to an embryo, which medically speaking is the pre-natal period from 2-8 weeks. At 21 days of life, just 3 wk, an embryo has a beating heart and at 10 weeks as a fetus, it has all its fingers and toes, legs, arms, head, neck, eyes, organs. etc. These are facts. I have had a malignant breast removed. My understanding, and I did lots of research, is that it takes about 8 years for cells to become cancerous and develop into a detectable tumor stage. So, a tumor, a breast and an embryo - are not anything alike. A tumor will never be anything but a mass of tissue with no life of it's own but an embryo, is already a developed human being. With this clear understanding, I am not repulsed by the sight of human organs or tissues with which I have worked. But because I have the clear understanding that an embryo and/or a fetus is a living human being, and not just tissue, a photo of a dismembered child is indeed disturbing and I am greatly repulsed to see it dismembered.
I think too many people, and I mean this respectfully, perhaps you yourself, do not comprehend this great difference. If the embryo or fetus (8wk-birth) were only tissue, it would not be murder to remove it. But the embryo or fetus is a human being and so, it is murder to remove it before its time, because that causes its death of an innocent human being and to intentionally cause the death of another human being is murder. Do you agree with that?
It seems to me that your issues are that you do not like the way 1) a black man made his statement against abortion 2) the way I wrote about it 3) the use of graphic pictures of aborted fetuses.
Personally, I do not do anything at the abortion clinic except stand outside and say the rosary with about 5-6 others across the street from the clinic. I, we have no pictures, signs, literature, interaction. Just rosaries. Pray and go home-that's it for us. But this one time, I did break ranks. No one else did.
There was another time when a young man came along with a young woman. At the sight of us praying across the street, he yelled some profanities. I yelled back, "If you choose adoption instead, the baby can live an you and your partner won't be murders for the rest of your life. Isn't that too high a price to pay for such a short time of inconvenience?"(meaning the 9 months of pregnancy) It was impulsive on my part for sure. But, I am a mother by adoption. Some young womEn gave me the joy of raising their children, gave me the joy of motherhood, when I could not have children biologically. I am forever in the debt of these women, these strangers. who choose me to raise their children. So, I have a prejudice for adoption. I know it is a joyous outcome.
As for the black anti-abortion protesters, I recognize as I am sure you do, that each person has their own voice. Some are radical, perhaps, some are soft spoken, some are eloquent, some are direct. As for the gentleman who dressed in military gear, he has his form of expression which in America, we allow. I wouldn't degrade him by saying he wore a Halloween costume any more than I would call your escorts, "deathscorts." Did you read that blog of mine? Let's not kill the messenger because we don't like the message. You will not deny that many people in your pro-abortion camp, have some pretty distasteful tactics of their own. Take for example Norma McCorvey - the Jane Roe of the Roe v. Wade case that made abortion legal in this country in 1973. Did you read her books?
She tells what she and others did as abortion activists in her book, I am Roe, My Life, Roe v. Wage, and Freedom of Choice. Her second book was Won by Love. I recommend them both because they represent a journey to intellectual honesty. If you don't already know, she repented of her lie. She admitted she lied when she said she was raped in order to secure sympathy for her desired abortion but she never had an abortion. She has 3 daughters, she became Christian and then Catholic. Most recently, she was jailed for showing up on the campus of Notre Dame when Obama was given an honorary doctorate of law. What a change of heart she experienced in her lifetime! What a response to truth! And, in her book she tells how those pictures of now familiar aborted Baby Malachi came to be. Yes, those photos are very disturbing because they are real. And they are heartbreaking.So, if you don't mind my asking, what is really at the bottom of your attitude? Why does it matter to you whether some other women- women who you don't eve know - have an abortion or not? Why does it matter so much that you escort them, blog about it and invite others to do the same? Generally speaking people are moved to action by emotional, financial or religious motive. I rule out religious and financial. That leaves emotional. Would you like to talk about that?
God bless,
Jay
From: clinic Escort [mailto:clinicescortblog@gmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, October 21, 2009 12:55 PM
To: Jay
Subject: Re
Perhaps I was not sufficiently clear. I will try again: I've said all I care to say to you. Bye now.
On Oct 21, 2009, at 3:23 PM
"I've said all I care to say to you" Yeah and I listened politely and responded politely but you did not afford me the same courtesy :(
You don't have to, of course. But it makes me wonder if you were sincere about having a conversation or if you just wanted a platform. Regrettably, I am left to conclude that you may be a person with no real thoughts on this subject, just strong prejudices and a lot of anger.
So here's my unsolicited advice.
CALM DOWN. If you have grounded convictions on this subject, study up and be prepared to speak to the issue, rather than just attack a person with a different point of view than yours. Those are the rules of civilized conversation, SPEAK TO THE ISSUE, DON'T ATTACK THE PERSON. And of course, allow the other an opportunity to speak. I'll be praying for you.
God bless you.
Your friend,
Jay
From: Clinic Escort [mailto: clinicescort@gmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, October 21, 2009, 5:03 PM
To: Jay
Subject: RE: a polite so-ling
Oh please. You cede your right to lecture me about uncivil discourse when you say that terrorizing women outside of clinics is A-OK because this country protects that form of expression. Yet I cross a line when I say, for the SECOND time, that there is nothing left to discuss? That's protected too. Well within my rights, I daresay. Further, you know what else is protected speech? This: Fuck you. Fuck you and all your Christian Taliban buddies. Fuck anyone who thinks your god or your government has a right to decide for me that I will give birth. You're scum: it's just that simple and you're absolutely right I'm angry: YOU WILL NEVER CONTROL MY LIFE.
Last word's your if you want it.
From: Jay
Sent: Wedneday, October 21, 2009 6:50 PM
To: "Clinic Escort"
Subject: RE: A polite so-ling
I don't want to one-up you. I'm not in a match with you.
But, heah, reality check!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO ABORTION and I can't take it away. So, why be so angry toward me?
Has this or any government - have I- has any religion - forced you to become pregnant? You control yourself - have relations or not. I control myself - have relations or not. Why blame me or anyone for any pregnancy? Why kill an innocent child when you can place it with someone who wants children? It's not a blameworthy situation, as I see it. It's a reality of human life and it is something to be dealt with humanly. End of story.
But you seem to want the children dead. Why?
But that's not really the issue, it is?
I am sorry that something(s) or someone(s) has hurt you so deeply to make you so angry. It must be very painful. I do not wish you harm or upset. If I knew how, I would extend some understanding, some compassion towards you because, as one human being to another, that is what I seek when I am hurt.
I actually have a few friends who are pro-abortion. We absolutely disagree. But we do not verbally abuse one another. Come on. No need for that.
Not afraid of a lot of noise,
Jay.
To: clinic escort
Neither you or I have the last word in this, you realize. God does. So consider this reality.
Jesus was an innocent, divine person who forgave his murders who crucified Him. So, any child can forgive the parents that murdered them. This is real - just like love and hate are real.
Jesus is Risen! By His Resurrection, He has destroyed the power of death, and therefore the power of abortion. The outcome of the battle for life has already been decided. Life is victorious! Pro-lifers spread this victory of every segment of our society.
The victory pro-lifers spread is this - every innocent child that is aborted is living with God in heaven right now. Every innocent child is praying that his/her parents will turn their hearts with love to him/her and claim them and desire a joyous reunion together in the next life. Every abortion an and will be made right by God, who heals us with love when we acknowledge our wrongdoing and ask for forgiveness. On this earth, we can have a new life - no matter what we have done.
That's the good news of the Christian gospel. Everyone can be healed who is sorry for their hurtful acts towards others. Everyone. But they must acknowledge they have been wrong and ask God for His mercy.
That's the answer to your anger and my anger and every one's anger. Christ heals us because he loves us.
Have a happy life, not an angry life.
Jay
A day or so after this correspondence, I caught up with my e-mail and learned a little more about the escorts.
From: 78974@priorityoneemail.com on behalf of David Bereit, 40 Days for Life [david@40daysforlife.com]
Sent: Tuesday, October 20, 2009 12:01 AM
To: Jay
Subject: DAY 28:Whom do you serve?
Dear Jay,
We're hearing a lot about service these days -- giving back to the community. What better way to give back something truly valuable than by taking part in this fall's 40 Days for Life campaign!
I have a particular reason for mentioning this.
This past Friday, President Obama spoke at a forum on volunteerism at Texas A&M University in College Station -- the same community where 40 Days for life began. His speech was delivered just over one mile away from the site of the first-ever 40 Days for Life campaign back in 2004.
During his remarks, President Obama promoted a government web site that identifies various volunteer opportunities for people.
While that web site does include information about some pro-life organizations, I was more than a bit miffed to learn that one of the posted "volunteer opportunities" comes from the Houston-based Planned Parenthood operation that runs the abortion facility in College Station.
The recruitment post asks young people to do "public service" work for their organization and pleads, "We need your help with a very simple but honorable job."
The so-called honorable job? Abortion escorts -- specifically to counter the effectiveness of 40 Days for Life.
Planned Parenthood describes 40 Days for Life vigil participants as people who "want to deceive our clients with misinformation and lies than prevent them from entering our health center for care." That in itself, of course, is an extreme example of misinformation.
But this shows why 40 Days for Life needs more faithful volunteers for the simple -- and TRULY honorable __ Task of praying for an end to abortion outside the very places where this evil is practiced. ....
More about "40 Days for Life" at: http://www.40daysforlife.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment