... is what reading the following blog post made me think. Click here.
4 comments:
Anonymous
said...
God, I just wanted to throw my arms around him. Still do.
I was raised Catholic -- most of you know that. I went to Catholic School, wore the whole prerequisite white blouse/plaid jumper combo, ardently said the rosary, attended Mass twice a week...
...and marched in pro-life demonstrations; many, many pro-life demonstrations. Picket signs and banners in our hands, my mom never missed the chance to parade us down Main Street for every organized rally...rallies that inevitably ended up on the courthouse lawn where grand, passionate speeches floated from mediocre sound systems out into the zealous crowd.
They handed out gold lapel pins at these rallies -- lapel pins in the shape of two positively tiny, but perfectly-formed feet. The idea behind them was, of course, that if a fetus possessed such beautiful ten-toed feet, it was obviously not just an odd collection of random cells, but a "real baby".
I must have had about 20 of those pins -- meticulously collected them, I think. Of course, I was expected to.
I was expected to do a lot of things by my mother and the Catholic faith. Remaining pro-life was one of them... but I have not lived up to that expectation.
Despite my upbringing (I hope you won't hate me, Liz, if you're reading this), I have for many years been very much pro-choice. I am not going to bore you with the age-old arguments as to why -- we've all heard them. I just know I'm right...
...because after reading this man's heart-wrenching blog, I know that if the man who loves me was faced with the same horrible scenario, as painful as it was, I would want him to be able to take that ominous clipboard in his hands and make a CHOICE. HIS choice, the man who loves me's choice...not the choice of nine men and women in dress robes, regardless of how Supreme they may be.
Well that was frustrating. I am at school and not signed into blogger. I signed in, and my post was published before I could proof read it. So... a few minor edits for clarity... and here is the post.
I admire your willingness to post regarding this subject, Tyson. Given the recent court decision I have considered posting, but decided against it. Abortion is such a difficult topic, and personal. I didn't want to risk ruffling any feathers. The truth is, as much as I thoroughly enjoy the wonderful banter we enjoy on our blogs, I don't know any of you very well. I am not intimate friends with any of you, and as such I can not rest assured that the amicable feelings I enjoy receiving from you all right now, will remain after a conversation over a controversial topic. Please don't take that to mean I think you are all a group of unreasonable hot heads... I don't. These are my insecurities. I may yet post on my blog about this topic. As medical person, I had lots of experience with this subject.
I feel for the man in this blog. I do. How horrible. How utterly terrible. Words truly fall short, don't they?
I am not sure why he is railing against the pro-lifers other than he is in such agony that he simply needs someone to rail against. Don't take that to mean I am a pro-lifer. I am not. Nor am I pro-choice. As always... I stand in the middle of the road (probably drive there too)pissing both sides off. Anyway, there is no current abortion law prohibiting abortion, of any kind at any time duringthe gestation of the pregnancy no matter what tri-mester, when the mother's life is at risk. No one would have stopped his right to make that decision. And, I faith that the reasonable people out number the unreasonable -- and always will... and such a law will never pass.
(Tyson's blog does not allow anonymous posts, and I have not bothered to become a registered blogger. (Gotta watch those black helicopters, man) I hope this can somehow reach his blog.)
As I would wager most people in this country are, I am torn on the abortion issue. Tammy and I have spoken many times about how the radicals on both sides of many arguments distort the essence of that argument. Abortion is no different than any other.
In my humble opinion, there is no doubt, medically, that abortion extinguishes a human life. However, there are many factors which must be considered to place a value on that human life, and its subsequent effect on another human life. In the case described on Tyson's blog, I see no question that the "value" of the mother's life far exceeded the "value" of the unborn child. The problem arises with the person making that determination.
Abortion for convenience or afterthought birth control...sorry, I don't agree.
Abortion to protect Mom, or in the case of rape...I have no business getting involved.
The one thing I feel very certain about is when the government becomes the decision maker, logic is gone. Terri Schiavo comes to mind.
I guess I really am pro-choice. I just pray those making the choice are doing it for the right reasons, and not because of a momentary lack of responsible thinking.
4 comments:
God, I just wanted to throw my arms around him. Still do.
I was raised Catholic -- most of you know that. I went to Catholic School, wore the whole prerequisite white blouse/plaid jumper combo, ardently said the rosary, attended Mass twice a week...
...and marched in pro-life demonstrations; many, many pro-life demonstrations. Picket signs and banners in our hands, my mom never missed the chance to parade us down Main Street for every organized rally...rallies that inevitably ended up on the courthouse lawn where grand, passionate speeches floated from mediocre sound systems out into the zealous crowd.
They handed out gold lapel pins at these rallies -- lapel pins in the shape of two positively tiny, but perfectly-formed feet. The idea behind them was, of course, that if a fetus possessed such beautiful ten-toed feet, it was obviously not just an odd collection of random cells, but a "real baby".
I must have had about 20 of those pins -- meticulously collected them, I think. Of course, I was expected to.
I was expected to do a lot of things by my mother and the Catholic faith. Remaining pro-life was one of them... but I have not lived up to that expectation.
Despite my upbringing (I hope you won't hate me, Liz, if you're reading this), I have for many years been very much pro-choice. I am not going to bore you with the age-old arguments as to why -- we've all heard them. I just know I'm right...
...because after reading this man's heart-wrenching blog, I know that if the man who loves me was faced with the same horrible scenario, as painful as it was, I would want him to be able to take that ominous clipboard in his hands and make a CHOICE. HIS choice, the man who loves me's choice...not the choice of nine men and women in dress robes, regardless of how Supreme they may be.
Well that was frustrating. I am at school and not signed into blogger. I signed in, and my post was published before I could proof read it. So... a few minor edits for clarity... and here is the post.
I admire your willingness to post regarding this subject, Tyson. Given the recent court decision I have considered posting, but decided against it. Abortion is such a difficult topic, and personal. I didn't want to risk ruffling any feathers. The truth is, as much as I thoroughly enjoy the wonderful banter we enjoy on our blogs, I don't know any of you very well. I am not intimate friends with any of you, and as such I can not rest assured that the amicable feelings I enjoy receiving from you all right now, will remain after a conversation over a controversial topic. Please don't take that to mean I think you are all a group of unreasonable hot heads... I don't. These are my insecurities. I may yet post on my blog about this topic. As medical person, I had lots of experience with this subject.
I feel for the man in this blog. I do. How horrible. How utterly terrible. Words truly fall short, don't they?
I am not sure why he is railing against the pro-lifers other than he is in such agony that he simply needs someone to rail against. Don't take that to mean I am a pro-lifer. I am not. Nor am I pro-choice. As always... I stand in the middle of the road (probably drive there too)pissing both sides off. Anyway, there is no current abortion law prohibiting abortion, of any kind at any time duringthe gestation of the pregnancy no matter what tri-mester, when the mother's life is at risk. No one would have stopped his right to make that decision. And, I faith that the reasonable people out number the unreasonable -- and always will... and such a law will never pass.
9:07 AM
Here is what Billyfish said on Tammy's blog...
(Tyson's blog does not allow anonymous posts, and I have not bothered to become a registered blogger. (Gotta watch those black helicopters, man) I hope this can somehow reach his blog.)
As I would wager most people in this country are, I am torn on the abortion issue. Tammy and I have spoken many times about how the radicals on both sides of many arguments distort the essence of that argument. Abortion is no different than any other.
In my humble opinion, there is no doubt, medically, that abortion extinguishes a human life. However, there are many factors which must be considered to place a value on that human life, and its subsequent effect on another human life. In the case described on Tyson's blog, I see no question that the "value" of the mother's life far exceeded the "value" of the unborn child. The problem arises with the person making that determination.
Abortion for convenience or afterthought birth control...sorry, I don't agree.
Abortion to protect Mom, or in the case of rape...I have no business getting involved.
The one thing I feel very certain about is when the government becomes the decision maker, logic is gone. Terri Schiavo comes to mind.
I guess I really am pro-choice. I just pray those making the choice are doing it for the right reasons, and not because of a momentary lack of responsible thinking.
April 25, 2007 8:10 PM
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