If I do something horrible, and then end up having some sort of accident afterwards, my lapsed Catholic Scottish mother will wag her finger at me and say, "God was watching YOU!"
Perhaps they have no money because their funds were transferred to allies to render OR judgment-proof. Just in case Dr. Tiller's family files a civil suit against OR.
I was at a local fair over the weekend, helping to staff a booth for the group from which I adopted my dog, and I realized that the young girl petting my dog was holding a pamphlet with a picture of a fetus on it. And I thought, "What?!" I looked around and saw that there was an anti-choice booth set up next to us, complete with plastic fetuses and pictures of aborted tissue (or miscarriages, as the case might be). Later on I saw a baby wearing a sticker that said, "My mom chose life." I was creeped the hell out.
Maybe if Operation Rescue goes away, we can focus on talking to people about what it means to be pro-choice instead of having to call out massive douchebags for promoting terrorism. If they go away, I truly believe that the lives of abortion provides will be safer. But, I've never been sure how much influence on individual opinions they have, since they're so extreme and off-putting. Like the Peta of pro-lifers, if that makes any sense. The people who sit quietly at booths, looking and acting normal, strike me as far more formidable forces in terms of actually convincing people that abortion should be illegal. I'll take it over vandalism and violence though.
@theKP: Those "My mom chose life" stickers piss me off so bad. They're so hypocritical. Organizations like operation Rescue distribute stickers that speak of choice, yet all of their work effectively seeks the goal of denying women to have that opportunity to choose in the first place. I'm all for groups that support choosing life, as long as they also respect our right to having that choice in the first place.
@saya: I really hate it when they turn it back around on us, like "Aren't you glad YOUR MOM chose LIFE?" or "Aren't you glad YOUR MOM IS PRO-LIFE?" My mom is pro-choice, thanks, and if I had been unwanted, she would have aborted me. I exist because I was a wanted child, like every child should be.
@Erda: Ha, I know... the logic is astounding. Um, like I'd even be here to give a shit if I'd been aborted? And for the record my mom's pro-choice, thanks...
@theKP: Just FWIW, I volunteered for Planned Parenthood at the Alaska State Fair a couple years ago, not so far outside of Wasilla. We had a bowl of condoms for the teens/adults and candy for the kids, and both seemed to be pretty popular... we didn't get harassed despite the presence of an anti-choice group not far away. It was heartening. (Although the AK PP did have its fair share of protesters at the clinic, so I'm not saying it's all kumbaya up there.)
@saya: i am totally pro choice, and i'd like it if this becomes part of the pro choice agenda: women who choose abortion because they want a child but cannot afford to support one and themselves have no choice at all
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@gabrielsong: Great. Start lobbying for comprehensive sex ed, free, accessible birth control and Plan B, enforced, paid maternity leave and universal health care.
@cnphair: Any time you start to suspect groups like this of empathy, just remember that if they don't have money and are forced to make a difficult choice, it's everyone else's fault. Whereas that poor, isolated pregnant girl... Well, that's all on her.
Good to see the government is paying at least a *little* attention to the abuse of tax exempt status, and I can't help but admit I held back a "mua ha ha" at the state they are in.
Frankly, they handled Dr. Tiller's murder in the most bungling way possible. Any consolations they made rang so false it was a joke. It almost would have been better if they'd stayed silent rather than use this double-talk "he was shot in cold blood but the term 'murder' is only used for what he did to the precious fetuses" bullshit.
Let it crash and burn. No pity for murder-apologists
Why why WHY Anna, did the OR news have to go with "Abortions may pose risk to future babies" quackery? Seeing the financial demise of these asshats and then BS research that they can use to fatten their coffers all at once? I don't love these being in the same post, I hafta admit...
I'm generally a clever gal but wtf am I missing here? pleh, pleh!
@jezebelacious: Simple: the death of Operation Rescue is not the death of the anti-choice movement. I'm not sure this can even be considered a blip, as they've been fading for years now. People who are still anti-choice are still out there, and are going to have to go somewhere else to organize.
@jezebelacious: Everyone involved in this research has been quick to say it SHOULDN'T be used to try to guilt or scare women away from having abortions. It might, however, be used in this way (esp if anti-abortion groups are floundering), so I think it's good to be informed about the actual content of the research. Forewarned is forearmed.
@Anna N.: Thanks, ladies! A segue sentence would've helped me in getting to your point, Anna, and I admit it comes on the tails of editing my brother's SE Asian studies grad school papers. Urghs.
@jezebelacious: What makes you call this research bullshit or quackery? I don't like it, but its isn't the research's fault that some people will try to use it poorly.
I suppose "throw for a loop" is a lot like "cause to celebrate and grave-dance." So yes, I suppose Tiller's murder may have thrown you for a loop, sir. When you put it that way.
09/16/09
*wags finger at OR* God was watching YOU!
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Edit, by which I mean terrible thought, but astute
09/16/09
Maybe if Operation Rescue goes away, we can focus on talking to people about what it means to be pro-choice instead of having to call out massive douchebags for promoting terrorism. If they go away, I truly believe that the lives of abortion provides will be safer. But, I've never been sure how much influence on individual opinions they have, since they're so extreme and off-putting. Like the Peta of pro-lifers, if that makes any sense. The people who sit quietly at booths, looking and acting normal, strike me as far more formidable forces in terms of actually convincing people that abortion should be illegal. I'll take it over vandalism and violence though.
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I mean, you can keep trying; it's sort of amusing. But it's probably futile.
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Maybe not.
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Frankly, they handled Dr. Tiller's murder in the most bungling way possible. Any consolations they made rang so false it was a joke. It almost would have been better if they'd stayed silent rather than use this double-talk "he was shot in cold blood but the term 'murder' is only used for what he did to the precious fetuses" bullshit.
Let it crash and burn. No pity for murder-apologists
09/16/09
I'm generally a clever gal but wtf am I missing here? pleh, pleh!
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