I used to be pro-choice

6/29/2022, 10:53 am

I used to be pro-choice simply because everybody else was. When I was in 11th grade during the '77-'78 school year, we had two representatives from Planned Parenthood take over our biology class for a week. With pretended neutrality and repeated "I neither condemn nor condone..." the message was clear: if you're a normal teenager, you'll be sexually active and here are all the contraceptives that are available, and there's always abortion if they fail.

I used to unthinkingly swallow the usual arguments for abortion which some may be surprised to learn go back several decades. What if the child is handicapped? What if the parents are poor? What if the mother is single and struggling to make ends meet? What about rape? Do you want to force women to have back alley abortions? These and others all go back at least to the '70s.

But then something unexpected happened. I worked at a summer camp as a counselor for six summers which were some of the best summers of my life. Two of those summers were spent working in the camp for the mentally handicapped. This included a fair number of Down Syndrome people, some in their 30s. I got to know them, their sense of humor which was often riotous, and in some cases their utterly profound faith in God which to this day challenges me. In some cases I saw such a willingness to honor God in these simple minded people such as one man helping a blind camper find his way to the restroom and saying, "I think that's what Jesus would want me to do." One DS camper had a strong speech impediment, but he had a friend, also DS, who could interpret for him accurately and he enjoyed doing it. I'm not kidding when I tell you that some of the deepest lessons in practical theology I've ever had come from such people.

Now we're in the '80s and I was home watching the news. A local station aired a story about the new amniocentesis procedure which would give expecting parents a chance to know more about their child, "...and," said the newscaster, "if the child is found to have Down Syndrome, it can be aborted." It was said so casually. To this newscaster aborting a human with Down Syndrome was nothing more than burning off a wart. That comment shook me deeply and I remember exploding at the television set.

That comment also caused a reevaluation of what I had so unthinkingly accepted at face value. I saw the dehumanizing nature of labeling a human child with a beating heart as a disposable fetus. I got informed about common abortion procedures such as dilation and curettage, saline, and partial birth. I just cannot call these things good. I rethought the arguments for abortion and saw that there are some who are determined to find reasons to abort a baby rather than find reasons to save one. If life at its most vulnerable stage is denied its humanity, couldn't this lead to denying humanity at a later stage of life?

One way in which we have been shaped as a society became absurdly clear to me when my wife and I visited a state park while we were expecting our first child. The park had signs citing various laws warning of fines and punishments for tampering with the flora or fauna in the park. In other words, the weeds growing in a state park had legal protection that our unborn child did not.

The overturning of Roe v Wade is not in my mind the big issue. It's a temporary gain for the pro-life movement, but it could be reversed by a future Supreme Court. States with pro-life legislation today may become abortion hubs in another generation. The big issue is the overturning of human hearts to appreciate human life, to seek ways to save human life, to recognize the potential of what is good in humanity.

Think of a close friend or someone who has encouraged you in some way. Think of someone whose talent or ability has amazed you or inspired you. Think of someone whose work has conquered a disease or improved our standard of living. Think of someone who stared down evil and changed a neighborhood or saved a nation. Isn't it a good thing that person was born?

6/29/2022, 12:42 pm

Komissar al-Blogunov wrote: ↑
6/29/2022, 10:53 am

I used to be pro-choice because I was married to a feminist and wanted to be supportive, but all that eroded inexorably until our divorce.

Here's an example of the kind of logical fallacies the pro-abortion crowd embraces to guilt people into agreeing with their twisted cause:

Without proof, a broad, unverifiable accusation against pro-lifers tops the sign, followed by a list of all the "oppressed" and marginal grievance groups that liberals/feminists/leftists
1. claim solidarity with and
2. claim that conservatives, Christians and the "White privileged" hate.

If you're pro-abortion, the sign may make you feel morally superior, but it should make you feel ridiculous and ashamed.

The sign hinges on a false assertion that the pro-life movement is brimming with people who regret having children who became a member of any of the above-named groups, thus implying that pro-life is an indefensible and immoral stance because it harbors a (fake) regret that is "hateful," but it also implies that Pro-lifers wouldn't suffer this (fake) regret if it supported Pro-choice and—ironically—agreed to the abortion of babies potentially from all the above named groups.

That assertion is patently absurd and the implications are entirely hypocritical given that the pro-abortion crowd advocates infanticide, which has been historically recognized as among the most heinous forms of murder.

6/29/2022, 12:54 pm

Al-Blogunov,

'pelipsky concurs with your thinking. Maybe we should start a groupthinktank. The summer of '68 before the fall of Detroit really happened to 'pelipsky. To give Mombunny some rest before the big day of July 1, 1968, 'pelipsky and sibbunnies had an extended stay with cousins. It was so much fun. We learned about water balloon fights, dippity doo and big rollers, and found places to nest while the Big Boys set up rock n' roll band practice in the den. It was just Crimson and Clover and Beach Boys.

Then July 1, and something different came our way as the new baby bunny was born with genetic anomaly, Praeder-Willi Syndrome. The fall of Detroit hit hard as all hell was breaking out on the news just as the Jackalope family was learning about God's will and how it shapes our life in simple ways. It was not easy. Praeder-Willi children have zero appetite control. Locks on pantry, refrigerator, and freezer was the new abbynormal lifestyle as our little sisterbunny became mobile. Even the trash can, as well as the neighbor's trash can became it's own awareness ribbon.

But, the JOY of the innocent world we protected was worth it. Sisterbunny was a Stanford Benet IQ 68, but in real life was probably the smartest bunny of the litter. Sisterbunny decided she was going to train her dog, as well as 'pelipsky's, to jump through the hula-hoop when she blew her whistle. Brilliant, yes??

One day, Sisterbunny was in her own fenced backyard enjoying whistle blowing hula hoop dog jumping happiness. A couple of the neighborhood tuffs came to see what the hoopla was all about. Jeering and mockery was all they had to offer, because every civilized kid knows, making the simple screech is more fun than figuring out something useful to do with their lives. Daddy bunny heard the discord and stepped out onto patio to check. He tells the boys, "Hey, y'all get off the fence before you hurt yourselves." Nothing. "Hey, y'all need to move on." Nothing. So, he ups the ante, "Hey get off my fence or I'm going to bust your asses!" They caught a drift and slunk off to go break windows or something. In relaying this event to 'pelipsky, Daddybunny stopped to take a long drag on his Winston, and explained, "Sometimes, you just can't talk Vacation Bible School to folks."

Protecting Sisterbunny's little Vacation Bible School World was God's work, and we were His force to be reckoned with, or would be in need of explaining ourselves, later.

Everything out in the World went to G.W.O.N.T., but Sisterbunny's World was the best!! Getting to be a part of Sisterbunny's World was 'pelipsky's privilege. Nothing like what a nurse told Mommabunny, "Just put that bunny in an institution and forget you ever gave birth." Is that a better world than the one Sisterbunny made happen?

'pelipsky doesn't think so, either. Today the news is a repeat of the Fall of Detroit, 1968, and they're still hateful, selfish, people in the name of peace and love, or they'll burn your town down and catcall from the safety of the other side of the fence the kid with more sense of purpose in life than them.

6/29/2022, 1:36 pm

Amen, Komissar al-Blogunov - you should send that as a letter to the editor in every newspaper in the country. Very well written, plain, honest, and persuasive.

I of course have my own story to tell, our first son was born extremely early (one day earlier and the hospital policy would not have allowed them to save him because of the very low chance of success) and had / has a host of medical issues, including something called an Inter-ventricular Hemorrhage (IVH) which destroyed a fair amount of gray matter.

Having someone like that in your life has its challenges, but is not something I would have missed out on for anything - the goofball is always in a good mood and makes us and everyone around him laugh almost every day.

All the people in this world have a purpose and a reason to be alive - 'inconvenience' is a disgusting rational for murder.

6/29/2022, 6:56 pm

Colonel Obyezyana wrote: ↑
6/29/2022, 12:42 pm

Komissar al-Blogunov wrote: ↑
6/29/2022, 10:53 am
That sign includes the primary targets on the pro-choice hit list.

I used to be pro-choice because I was married to a feminist and wanted to be supportive, but all that eroded inexorably until our divorce.

Here's an example of the kind of logical fallacies the pro-abortion crowd embraces to guilt people into agreeing with their twisted cause:

Without proof, a broad, unverifiable accusation against pro-lifers tops the sign, followed by a list of all the "oppressed" and marginal grievance groups that liberals/feminists/leftists
1. claim solidarity with and
2. claim that conservatives, Christians and the "White privileged" hate.

If you're pro-abortion, the sign may make you feel morally superior, but it should make you feel ridiculous and ashamed.

The sign hinges on a false assertion that the pro-life movement is brimming with people who regret having children who became a member of any of the above-named groups, thus implying that pro-life is an indefensible and immoral stance because it harbors a (fake) regret that is "hateful," but it also implies that Pro-lifers wouldn't suffer this (fake) regret if it supported Pro-choice and—ironically—agreed to the abortion of babies potentially from all the above named groups.

That assertion is patently absurd and the implications are entirely hypocritical given that the pro-abortion crowd advocates infanticide, which has been historically recognized as among the most heinous forms of murder.

6/29/2022, 7:01 pm

Panem Et Circenses wrote: ↑
6/29/2022, 1:36 pm
Amen, Komissar al-Blogunov - you should send that as a letter to the editor in every newspaper in the country. Very well written, plain, honest, and persuasive.

I of course have my own story to tell, our first son was born extremely early (one day earlier and the hospital policy would not have allowed them to save him because of the very low chance of success) and had / has a host of medical issues, including something called an Inter-ventricular Hemorrhage (IVH) which destroyed a fair amount of gray matter.

Having someone like that in your life has its challenges, but is not something I would have missed out on for anything - the goofball is always in a good mood and makes us and everyone around him laugh almost every day.

All the people in this world have a purpose and a reason to be alive - 'inconvenience' is a disgusting rational for murder.

A very similar version got traction on my Facebook page. The overwhelming majority of likes came from female friends. Who knew women could be pro-life?

6/29/2022, 7:06 pm

jackalopelipsky wrote: ↑
6/29/2022, 12:54 pm
Al-Blogunov,

'pelipsky concurs with your thinking. Maybe we should start a groupthinktank. The summer of '68 before the fall of Detroit really happened to 'pelipsky. To give Mombunny some rest before the big day of July 1, 1968, 'pelipsky and sibbunnies had an extended stay with cousins. It was so much fun. We learned about water balloon fights, dippity doo and big rollers, and found places to nest while the Big Boys set up rock n' roll band practice in the den. It was just Crimson and Clover and Beach Boys.

Then July 1, and something different came our way as the new baby bunny was born with genetic anomaly, Praeder-Willi Syndrome. The fall of Detroit hit hard as all hell was breaking out on the news just as the Jackalope family was learning about God's will and how it shapes our life in simple ways. It was not easy. Praeder-Willi children have zero appetite control. Locks on pantry, refrigerator, and freezer was the new abbynormal lifestyle as our little sisterbunny became mobile. Even the trash can, as well as the neighbor's trash can became it's own awareness ribbon.

But, the JOY of the innocent world we protected was worth it. Sisterbunny was a Stanford Benet IQ 68, but in real life was probably the smartest bunny of the litter. Sisterbunny decided she was going to train her dog, as well as 'pelipsky's, to jump through the hula-hoop when she blew her whistle. Brilliant, yes??

One day, Sisterbunny was in her own fenced backyard enjoying whistle blowing hula hoop dog jumping happiness. A couple of the neighborhood tuffs came to see what the hoopla was all about. Jeering and mockery was all they had to offer, because every civilized kid knows, making the simple screech is more fun than figuring out something useful to do with their lives. Daddy bunny heard the discord and stepped out onto patio to check. He tells the boys, "Hey, y'all get off the fence before you hurt yourselves." Nothing. "Hey, y'all need to move on." Nothing. So, he ups the ante, "Hey get off my fence or I'm going to bust your asses!" They caught a drift and slunk off to go break windows or something. In relaying this event to 'pelipsky, Daddybunny stopped to take a long drag on his Winston, and explained, "Sometimes, you just can't talk Vacation Bible School to folks."

Protecting Sisterbunny's little Vacation Bible School World was God's work, and we were His force to be reckoned with, or would be in need of explaining ourselves, later.

Everything out in the World went to G.W.O.N.T., but Sisterbunny's World was the best!! Getting to be a part of Sisterbunny's World was 'pelipsky's privilege. Nothing like what a nurse told Mommabunny, "Just put that bunny in an institution and forget you ever gave birth." Is that a better world than the one Sisterbunny made happen?

'pelipsky doesn't think so, either. Today the news is a repeat of the Fall of Detroit, 1968, and they're still hateful, selfish, people in the name of peace and love, or they'll burn your town down and catcall from the safety of the other side of the fence the kid with more sense of purpose in life than them.

It's sad how some don't see the value in whom they deem as those lesser than they.

6/30/2022, 1:16 am

Most Equally Esteemed Komrads,

Komrad Colonel, the thing the Pro-Baby Killing ones don't understand is that while they are accusing the evil intolerant Pro-Life persons of neglect, their solution would be to murder all the classes of people they name. That is the implication. How very caring and compassionate of them.

Colonel Obyezyana wrote: ↑
6/29/2022, 12:42 pm

I guess I too have a revelation story. Komrad al-Blogunov, we got our Planned Parenthood in 8th Grade Biology class. Junior High. I was sent to the Principle's office for asking, "If the egg and sperm produce unique DNA at conception that will stick with that person all their lives, how can you say that it is a part of the Mother's body? Isn't it identifiable as a person?" This was just another step in my road to Juvenal Delinquency. I got to experience AUTHORITY a lot. Somehow I never learned my lesson.

Later on I learned about people who were "different" when a group of Soviet Jews were settled in my area of the city. The fast food place I worked at hired several of them. Many of my coworkers quit rather than work with them. I enjoyed working with them. They told me stories about what their lives in the Soviet Union were like and how glad they were to be in the US. They were big fans of Rush. The song Trees resonated with them. I helped them get tickets and made sure they went to the concert. It was a great show. I'm still in contact with several of them. I learned a lot about what we are up against from them, and it steeled my resolve to resist.

I learned about Down Syndrome folks during my time in The People's Air Force. My Squadron had several civilian employees in the Parachute and Airdrop Equipment Fabrication Shop. Some of them had DS. I really enjoyed being sent to work with them. Hard working. Fast and accurate with the sewing machines. Knew their job inside and out. No one gave them a hard time. I can say that knowing them improved my work ethic and made my life better. Thank God their parents loved them enough to bring them into the world.

I've blathered on long enough. Original point: Any time a Leftist makes an accusation, it speaks volumes about the Leftist.

A persistent resistor in the Current Truth,

Red Salmon

6/30/2022, 12:20 pm

Most Equally Esteemed Komrads,

I seem to be using an inordinate amount of the People's Pixels™ lately. Sorry.

This seemed important: Seaford DE Fetal Remains Ordinance Overturned

Thank Marx that the remains of those Lumps of Cells™ can be disposed of without dignity like the garbage they are. If we start treating those Lumps of Cells™ with respect, it could lead to a very slippery slope.

A bit sick in the Current Truth™,

Red Salmon

7/1/2022, 1:31 pm

RE: Red Salmon

Here's what our Attorney General here in the People's Republic of Bidenstan had to say about all that:

“This ruling firmly rejects a clearly illegal and harmful attempt to nullify state law,” said Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings. “It protects residents and visitors of Seaford from a cruel and frankly hateful policy. And it makes clear that Delaware remains a safe haven for choice and reproductive freedom.”

Contrast that with:

I believe the fetal remains deserve a dignified handling,” said Seaford Councilman Matthew McCoy before the December vote. “I believe this is the right thing to do, and I believe our community has vocalized that to us throughout this process.”

So now our State Government has officially declared that it's "cruel and hateful" to want to handle human remains in a decent and dignified manner. (BTW, the law was "on hold" and wasn't even in force due to the financial implications of Jennings' threats. AND, nowhere in there did it threaten anyone's "right" to have an abortion here in Bidenstan).

On a related note, I hear Norfolk Southern is buying a whole bunch of new "Forty and Eight" rail cars from someplace in Europe.........because when we start denying basic human dignity, that's where this ends.

7/1/2022, 1:57 pm

RE: Our Mythical Horned Lagomorph

".....Daddybunny stopped to take a long drag on his Winston, and explained, "Sometimes, you just can't talk Vacation Bible School to folks."

With your permission I'm gonna "appropriate" that........

7/2/2022, 8:27 pm

Red Zeppelin wrote: ↑
7/1/2022, 1:57 pm
RE: Our Mythical Horned Lagomorph

".....Daddybunny stopped to take a long drag on his Winston, and explained, "Sometimes, you just can't talk Vacation Bible School to folks."

With your permission I'm gonna "appropriate" that........

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