I realized it’s time again to leave the kitchen and get on my soapbox for a moment. Just a moment. If you’re pro-choice, go ahead and skip this post. It’s really just a way to share information and incite some action among people who are already supporters of life in the womb. I’m not trying to convince anyone of anything; I’m offering a tool to like-minded people who happen to read this blog.
Let me start by saying I don’t watch the news. Ever. I don’t read the newspapers. Aren’t I terrible? I just can’t stand all the sad news, and I know my in-laws will catch us up on anything that’s really important. I don’t buy packaged cookies, anyway, so when feces get into peanut butter next time, it won’t really apply to me.
I know that there are some dangerous issues for the pro-life movement happening right now in our government. I understand that people are pretty worked up over things. But I know more about polyunsaturated fats than HR 3200 (I had to look up that number). Here’s what I do know:
- Abortion is an abomination in the eyes of God. If you don’t believe in God, this isn’t a problem for you and you’re free to disagree. For me and my faith, this is a truth.
- I don’t want to pay for abortions.
- I don’t want Catholic or Christian doctors to be forced to perform abortions against their morals.
- It sounds like HR 3200 might cause both of the above problems, and a few more.
- I don’t need to know all the details.
- I believe in my voice being heard in this democracy.
- It doesn’t hurt to call my legislator and leave a record of my opinion, even if I don’t understand all the facts on the bill.
- This will take me 5 minutes. Maybe less. It took longer to cut the vegetables for my salad tonight than to do this tomorrow…
Here are some excerpts from the Right to Life of Michigan’s website, emphasis mine (if you’re not from MI, everything still applies because this is a national legislative issue):
Recently, three chairmen of the bishops committees working on health care reform urged the U.S. Congress to improve current health care reform legislation, expressing their disappointment that progress has not been made in key areas of concern. The October 8 letter from Bishop William Murphy, Cardinal Justin Rigali and Bishop John Wester reiterated one of the bishops main concerns: that no one should be forced to pay for or participate in an abortion.
What are the ramifications if abortion is not explicitly excluded from any health care/insurance reform?
- forced coverage of abortion by all health care plans
- nullification of state abortion laws and commonsense regulations protecting mothers and unborn children (this includes parental notification laws and laws that forbid minors to cross state lines to get abortions)
- your tax dollars paying for abortions
- mandated establishment of abortion clinics
- elimination of conscience clause protections for doctors and health care workers (whether you agree with abortion or not, it doesn’t seem fair to force people to compromise their own firm convictions and morals under penalty of law…in my opinion)
Please take a few minutes to TELEPHONE the offices of your two U.S. senators, give your name and address, and tell the senators’ staff persons that you wish to be recorded with the message, “Abortion and abortion funding must be explicitly excluded from any health care/insurance reform legislation.” The offices of any U.S. senator can be reached through 202-224-3121.
Please do the same for your U.S. Representative. You can reach any U.S. House member’s office through 202-225-3121.
Read this action alert for more.
If you’d rather say your piece via email, you can find your Senator’s contact information here, and the House of Representatives contact form here. (Hang onto these web addresses to utilize anytime you get your undies in a bunch about something and want to exercise your right to free speech.)
Last time I wrote something like this, I lost some readers. I hope that won’t happen again, but I’m willing to take the risk. The next Catholic controversial post stewing in my head is even more touchy, so look out…
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Just wanted to add this (hope you don’t mind that it’s from a reader who considers herself to be pro-choice):
The medical community often calls miscarriages, “missed abortions” or “spontaneous abortions.” A D&C procedure (used during elective abortions) is also used to terminate pregnancies where life is not possible (for example, in a molar pregnancy or sometimes in cases where there is only an empty sac).
When a miscarriage occurs and “products of conception” (as the doctors so inelegantly and insensitively call it) remain in the body, a D&C is often medically required for the health of the mother and her future ability to conceive.
Though this procedure is called an abortion, it does not stop a beating heart, does not stop life and in fact, saves lives.
The problem with generalities, in terms of prohibiting certain medical procedures, is that it does not make exceptions for these types of cases, where a life is not terminated.
Looking forward to your next post, political, recipe or otherwise.
Jendeis´s last blog ..First Day
[Reply to this comment]
Katie Reply:
October 26th, 2009 at 1:40 pm
Jendeis,
I am absolutely happy to have your comment and glad we can discuss hot topics like adults.
You make an incredibly important point. It gives me a paradigm shift in what is needed in the legislation: we need more appropriate terminology. “Live” abortions should be separated from D&Cs for miscarriage, which are a necessary procedure once the tragedy of a lost child occurs.
So instead of prohibiting abortions from being included in health care, we should ask for “live abortions” to be excluded from health care. Language needs to be exact in this cases (Roe v. Wade only allowed abortions “for the health of the mother” or something like that, but the wording was too ambiguous and has been interpreted to mean mental health (like “I can’t handle a child right now.”) as well as physical well-being.
Thanks for being a faithful reader, J! I’m sorry it took so long to respond to this comment; it got a bit buried in my list somehow.
Yours,
Katie
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Katie, I think what you said was really great–that even if you’re pro-choice, shouldn’t we all agree that no one should be forced to do something that goes against their conscience so strongly? I think this post was very well thought out and I appreciate you standing by your convictions, even in the blogosphere, where you can get slapped in the face by people who don’t even know you. Thank you for the encouragement, and the information!
April´s last blog ..A giveaway, and some bloggy love
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Blessings to you, Katie, for taking such a stand!
Lenetta @ Nettacow´s last blog ..Link Roundup, Anniversary Edition
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I’m not Catholic – but I totally agree with you – thanks for the post! It is an important issue and thanks for taking a stand on it!
Jen´s last blog ..Cream of Mushroom soup
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You rock, Katie! Thanks for having the courage to share your convictions — and so eloquently, to boot.
Elizabeth´s last blog ..Two Months Old
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