pro life, pro choice, and the war on drugs
I'm not "pro-life" in the typical sense of the word. I could get behind a "pro-life" movement that was actually pro-life. For example, we know that women in poverty are more likely to chose abortion... so we could advocate and adopt national policies that reduce poverty. We could make adoption a more reasonable option for people who don't typically adopt (but would consider it if it were at all feasible for their situation) ... like, gays, lesbians, people with more modest incomes or single parents. By and large the people who are vehemently pro-life are also the same people who are vehemently anti-poor and anti-welfare. This seems ridiculously illogical to me. If someone could explain the logic behind this, I would listen and appreciate it. We also know that for a long time, back alley unregulated abortions were a leading cause of death for women of child bearing age... how on earth is legislating abortion back to back alley clinics pro-life???
So, I went to a planned parenthood rally a few weekends ago. Not because I love abortion. But because I love affordable and accessible birth control and checkups. I want them to exist when my daughter is broke and in college. The organizers of the rally were with the ISO (19 year old socialists from the liberal arts college in the hippest part of the metroplex) and they're kind of obnoxious. They were chanting things about "free abortion on demand" which I think is kind of damaging to the case we should be making. Sure, the idealogical cause behind the legislative assaults on planned parenthood maybe an attack on abortion. But the result of those attacks is only going to increase abortions... If you take away access to affordable birth control for the most at-risk portion of the population, and take away a well known and visible place to get well-woman exams, STD tests and education.. then you're only going to eventually increase the rate of abortions. I feel this is the argument that should be made. And I feel the outrage of the movement to defend PP is not making that case successfully. But you can't tell a 19 year old socialist anything.
I also feel like a pro-life movement must be against the death penalty, vehemently pro education and social services for societies most vulnerable and for an affordable and accessible health care system and fiercely pro-kindness. The absence of those qualities makes your cause seem hollow and hypocritical and ignorant and anti-woman.
I also have issues with some who are loudly pro-choice. The statement that I often hear is how it's ok to have an abortion if you find your child is going to be born with some disability. So, of course this is the choice of the parents and I wouldn't seek to take away their right to choose. But this statement is flippant, and ignorant and probably damaging and probably eugenics. The idea behind it is that people who happen to have disabilities have no worth, are nothing but burdens on their families and society, and have no reason or right to exist. This bullshit needs to be challenged with education and a strong disabilities rights movement.
Oh, I've also decided that many recreational drugs (not all of course, but many) are human rights issue. And need to be combated as such. I did a fuck ton of drugs in my youth and the anti-drug PSA's and 1980s DARE classes did nothing to prevent it. And left me feeling very unmoved. But knowing the kind of kid I was, PSA's about the gross human rights violations that take place inside the drug trade would have made a much greater impact on my psyche. I demand PSA's that show us how cocaine is made, who it's made by, what it does to beautiful cultures and maybe someone should do something to figure up how many murders per gram of coke on average or something like that.
So, I went to a planned parenthood rally a few weekends ago. Not because I love abortion. But because I love affordable and accessible birth control and checkups. I want them to exist when my daughter is broke and in college. The organizers of the rally were with the ISO (19 year old socialists from the liberal arts college in the hippest part of the metroplex) and they're kind of obnoxious. They were chanting things about "free abortion on demand" which I think is kind of damaging to the case we should be making. Sure, the idealogical cause behind the legislative assaults on planned parenthood maybe an attack on abortion. But the result of those attacks is only going to increase abortions... If you take away access to affordable birth control for the most at-risk portion of the population, and take away a well known and visible place to get well-woman exams, STD tests and education.. then you're only going to eventually increase the rate of abortions. I feel this is the argument that should be made. And I feel the outrage of the movement to defend PP is not making that case successfully. But you can't tell a 19 year old socialist anything.
I also feel like a pro-life movement must be against the death penalty, vehemently pro education and social services for societies most vulnerable and for an affordable and accessible health care system and fiercely pro-kindness. The absence of those qualities makes your cause seem hollow and hypocritical and ignorant and anti-woman.
I also have issues with some who are loudly pro-choice. The statement that I often hear is how it's ok to have an abortion if you find your child is going to be born with some disability. So, of course this is the choice of the parents and I wouldn't seek to take away their right to choose. But this statement is flippant, and ignorant and probably damaging and probably eugenics. The idea behind it is that people who happen to have disabilities have no worth, are nothing but burdens on their families and society, and have no reason or right to exist. This bullshit needs to be challenged with education and a strong disabilities rights movement.
Oh, I've also decided that many recreational drugs (not all of course, but many) are human rights issue. And need to be combated as such. I did a fuck ton of drugs in my youth and the anti-drug PSA's and 1980s DARE classes did nothing to prevent it. And left me feeling very unmoved. But knowing the kind of kid I was, PSA's about the gross human rights violations that take place inside the drug trade would have made a much greater impact on my psyche. I demand PSA's that show us how cocaine is made, who it's made by, what it does to beautiful cultures and maybe someone should do something to figure up how many murders per gram of coke on average or something like that.
7 Comments
dystopianfuturetodayI get the feeling that the pro life movement is more anti sex than anti abortion. I can't tell you how many times I've discussed the issue and heard pro lifers characterize young sexually active women as sluts and whores. They talk about motherhood as more of a punishment for promiscuity than a joyous and profound part of the human experience. Usually the slut talk comes out when you get them a little angry.
It's interesting that these beliefs are held by a patriarchal segment of society whom are usually pretty OK with violence, poverty, torture, the death penalty, war, shock and awe, etc. I'm convinced that this seeming conradiction isn't a contradiction at all, because this issue isn't about life, it's about power. More specifically, male power over female sexuality.
Sometimes I ask pro lifers (both genders) if they would be willing to carry a woman's unwanted unborn child for her in order to save its life, assuming technology advanced to a point where it was possible. "No, it's not my responsibility" is the common answer, which supports my gut feeling that this issue is not actually about life. Another argument I use is "would you be willing to financially support a poor pregnant mother?", which also ilicits some telling (read: ugly) responses ("I wouldn't want to give financial incentive to unwed motherhood.") Shifting the responsibility from the mother to the pro-lifer is a good way to get to the subconscious core of these belief systems.
If the pro life movement was a bit more pragmatic, I think they could find some compromise with the pro choice movement, because people on all sides of the issue find abortion tragic and traumatic. I think more restrictive abortion regulation might be accepted in trade for more honest, more effective, more present sex education, counseling and free and easy access to birth control. Abortion is a symptom of unwanted pregnancies. Child abuse and neglect are also symptoms of unwanted pregnancy. What if we combined movements and focused on the root cause? Then again, if I'm correct in my hunch that this issue has more to do with sex and power than life, sex ed and free rubbers would be more offensive than abortion itself.
Good stuff, bea.
gwiz665Eugenics gets a bad rap because of Nazis.
Ornthoron"But you can't tell a 19 year old socialist anything."
Truth. It is the great paradox of many a good cause that the people who have the most time and energy to spend on it are not necessarily the most rational and level-headed.
*quality
siftbotAwarding peggedbea with one star point for this contribution to VideoSift - declared quality by Ornthoron.
peggedbeai think there is an overall underlying psychology to the movement as a whole that is about power and control. but i think on an individual level, individual people actually think it is about life and death......... which is the problem with religion, and possibly even political structures and capitalism (thought i haven't thought those two through in depth yet). the over all structure is about maintaining power and control and on the micro level.. people just want to live and love and be good and take care of their families and feel something passionately.
the last rally i went to was about 500 people with 20 or so pro life counter protesters... a few hours into it this mad woman showed up and started screaming at the top of her lungs "ABORTION IS MURDER!!ITS MURDER!!" and then some other insanely gruesome things. which, of course, started a shouting match. so we left. because 1. i didnt want my kids hearing the horrific things she was yelling. and 2. i make it a rule not to argue with the mentally ill... but that woman certainly believed it was about life and death. and i do very much believe she would do what she could to financially support a young a pregnant woman and the child.
i think i love the psychology of societies.
ps. my 5 year old son is sitting on the couch across from me babbling various facts about arthropods. and my daughter was just in the backyard making a daisy chain sort of thing out of lavender, clovers and cucumbers.. chasing our dog through the garden......she just ran inside, locked the front door and said she had to lock it because she saw a snake and got scared. i said "... snakes cant open doors. and you're not afraid of them" and her reply ..."oooh.. i meant a velocipator then"
>> ^dystopianfuturetoday:
I get the feeling that the pro life movement is more anti sex than anti abortion. I can't tell you how many times I've discussed the issue and heard pro lifers characterize young sexually active women as sluts and whores. They talk about motherhood as more of a punishment for promiscuity than a joyous and profound part of the human experience. Usually the slut talk comes out when you get them a little angry.
It's interesting that these beliefs are held by a patriarchal segment of society whom are usually pretty OK with violence, poverty, torture, the death penalty, war, shock and awe, etc. I'm convinced that this seeming conradiction isn't a contradiction at all, because this issue isn't about life, it's about power. More specifically, male power over female sexuality.
Sometimes I ask pro lifers (both genders) if they would be willing to carry a woman's unwanted unborn child for her in order to save its life, assuming technology advanced to a point where it was possible. "No, it's not my responsibility" is the common answer, which supports my gut feeling that this issue is not actually about life. Another argument I use is "would you be willing to financially support a poor pregnant mother?", which also ilicits some telling (read: ugly) responses ("I wouldn't want to give financial incentive to unwed motherhood.") Shifting the responsibility from the mother to the pro-lifer is a good way to get to the subconscious core of these belief systems.
If the pro life movement was a bit more pragmatic, I think they could find some compromise with the pro choice movement, because people on all sides of the issue find abortion tragic and traumatic. I think more restrictive abortion regulation might be accepted in trade for more honest, more effective, more present sex education, counseling and free and easy access to birth control. Abortion is a symptom of unwanted pregnancies. Child abuse and neglect are also symptoms of unwanted pregnancy. What if we combined movements and focused on the root cause? Then again, if I'm correct in my hunch that this issue has more to do with sex and power than life, sex ed and free rubbers would be more offensive than abortion itself.
Good stuff, bea.
dystopianfuturetodayNever underestimate velocipaptors, they are crafty.
MorganthAnd they can open doors!
>> ^dystopianfuturetoday:
Never underestimate velocipaptors, they are crafty.
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