January 22nd was the 42nd Anniversary of Roe v Wade decision of 1973, when women won the right to safe, legal abortions. How that is up for debate again 4 decades later is another story and suspicious if you ask me but, nonetheless, it is up for debate again.
I never thought I’d would be all that interested in this subject since it doesn’t effect me personally but, after being asked to film the demonstration in DC and ride down with a group of Pro Choice activists from Stop Patriarchy, connections were made that I’d forgotten about.
On the ride down people, men & women, shared why they supported Pro Choice. What their personal stories about abortion were. I didn’t think I’d share but, I actually have tried to tell many people during my life that I grew up under the cloud of “Be glad you weren’t aborted”. I found out later in life by my mother that it was “against the Catholic church to have an abortion”. The oppression and lack of care was evident and unmistakable when I was a kid but, it wasn’t actually admitted until years later. The feel of it was unmistakable, however. There was no doubt about it in my gut that I was not really loved and wanted. I used to hear things like, “No body ever gave me nothing”, and “you gotta roof over your head don’t cha?” “Family” was clearly diluted and the standard of quality was barely existent. “Parents” could do what ever they wanted, treat you how ever they wanted and not be “charged” or even have to acknowledge or apologize. It was well known that children had No rights & didn’t have to be respected or valued. It was an accepted fact that no one disputed. Not where I grew up anyway. I did though. Strongly, as I got older my natural Spirit came forth with a fury. Of course, I had NO backing.
I shared briefly to the group on the bus. I didn’t, however, get into any detail of how my life was effected growing up heavily oppressed. What it does to your emotional/physical health and prevents you from being healthy and successful.
The point I’m trying to make is that things don’t have to be so literal. Abortion does not have to be and IS not Literal! It’s metaphorical, figurative. I WAS “aborted”. Not necessarily in the get-rid-of-you physically but, in the physical, emotional And Spiritual sense of being reduced, diminished and shrunken down so you’re easy to control. That is as much of an Abortion as any other. Along with the Millions of others on the planet who’s lives have been aborted AFTER being born. Its actually safe to say at this point in history, with the common knowledge, by some, that a very few control most of the nations wealth and are enslaving and criminalizing the masses by Design! That GLOBAL Abortion is happening! If not Nationally. Too many peoples lives have been aborted and many people will never reach their full expression.
The signs held by the Anti- Abortionists saying, Pro-Life with Tens of thousands of, mostly religious, Catholic people chanting things like, “we are the pro life generation. As if every single person walking the face of the earth, who had a physical birth, is living a life worth speaking about?? As if physical birth = a life?? So, that means that any starving, depressed, un or underemployed person, any homeless person, or prisoner being abused should be so grateful for their “life”. The Palestinians in Gaza should be happy for their “life”. The skeleton kids and adults in Somalia have a “life”. People in Yemen, Afghanistan, Iraq, the Ukraine, have a “life”. People working as slaves in sweatshops in deplorable conditions who work ridiculous hours and who don’t even get paid at ALL have a “Life”. The men in Guantanamo who’ve been held for over a decade without charge or trial, who are being tortured daily, who were deemed the worst of the worst when the fact is many were at the wrong place at the wrong time and never set foot on a battlefield, have a “life”.
I don’t get it! Its Clear that there are Millions of people who were born physically are still struggling to have a Life! To have rights, to have the respect and dignity they deserve. That’s all anyone needs. It’s blatantly obvious that being here physically does not = Life.
Pro-life means pro LIFE. Anyone and Everyone’s life! If all these people cared so much about “life” why don’t they protest against the illegit wars? Why don’t all of these tens of thousands pro “lifers” come out and protest against what Israel with the support of the U.S. Is doing to the people of Gaza? To the inhumane treatment of the Millions being held for non crimes in our Nations for-profit prisons?? The Solitary confinement. There are many, many examples of people who need a life Much more than a 6, 12 week old fetus.
I am not an advocate for abortion and don’t think its something that should be abused and used as birth control but, even in those cases, what else is there to do? Bring More people in this world who need a life? Abortion might not be the ideal solution but, in this society, where morals and humanity barely exist for those who already Are here and where the mental “Climate” has clearly shifted so far to the side of INHUMANE, “profit” anyway you can get it, abortion IS a dignified thing to do.
The fact is, people also see things from their OWN perspectives, Not the perspectives of others. What they see abortion as is NOT what other people experience it as. Privileged people or people who’s lives have a certain position who, if they or someone they’re with was pregnant, might be in a position to see it as a blessing, but, for others, who are living in a completely different world and are dealt hands some people will never understand, having the option of abortion is a necessity. Its actually SMART to admit the truth, that in many circumstances, people are not able to see and treat a child with the attitude of, “this is a blessing”. It many cases it is Not a blessing and there’s nothing wrong with admitting that when that’s the case.
So, I could sum it up that way: one persons luxury is another persons necessity. Its not a $$ issue either. Plenty of wealthy people have abortions.
A One-Prescription-Fits everyone mindset does not work. If a certain # of the population doesn’t believe in or agree with abortion then, don’t have one. No one has the right to tell others what is or isn’t right for them when one knows nothing about what other people go through. People need to pay attention and live in the Present Moment more instead of living in a predetermined Program so one can check out and not be present. Natural Law DEMANDS presence. Every moment is NEW.
I interviewed a woman on Thurs who spoke at the Stop Patriarchy rally about having been raped at the age of 14 and having no where to turn. She spoke about her parents telling her that if she ever got pregnant they would throw her out or, something to that effect. The interview is on the World Can’t Wait youtube channel. She said she miscarried in the bathtub and nearly bled to death.
What I found to be unfortunate was the fact that a 14 year old can’t turn to parents after getting pregnant from a rape. What kind of family is that? At 14 you can’t turn to the very people you should be able to turn to after you’re raped?? That is also a Huge part of the problem. No real Families. Young people have no where to turn for help. But, that’s what Capitalism is all about after all.
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