This story has been making its way around St. Blog’s for a little bit now. Many people have blogged about how distressing it is to see a Catholic (apparently only nominally so) university provide a speaking platform for an abortion provider, which by-the-by happens to be prohibited by the U. S. Catholic Bishops. If you haven’t noticed by now (and from the stats counters, not many have noticed much) I like to look for something other than what everyone else is talking about right away; not that I think the issue of a Catholic college providing help to an abortionist is not important, but others have covered that issue very thoroughly.
What really struck me though were the words this woman used. I was at once encouraged and mortified – a strange combination to come from a speech given by one person. First, as to how her group got started:
‘Our’ abortionist liked us, thought we were cool (which we were!), and we liked him, so it was a good arrangement all around. He eventually taught one of us, and then let others watch.
Eventually, the one he had taught then taught others.
Yes, abortionists, cool. Right. Who would ever have thought an abortionist, let alone one acting illegally, would have groupies. And then the fact that they taught each other. Have you ever played the “phone” game, where you whisper a message one person to another until you get to the end of the chain? The message is almost never accurate by the time it reaches the end.
Then there is the almost-heartening portion:
I performed abortions, I have had an abortion and I am in favor of women having abortions when we choose to do so. But we should never disregard the fact that being pregnant means there is a baby growing inside of a woman, a baby whose life is ended. We ought not to pretend this is not happening.
This is framed by one student:
Dr. Arcana believes that abortion can and should be done with grace, compassion and care. She said that giving life can be just as compassionate as taking life away. She accepted that abortion is the taking of a human life, and justified it by means of compassion.
Compassion and killing all in one bunch. You want to feel like there is a chance at redemption here, as she recognizes and admits that abortion involves taking a human life. But then she blissfully whistles right past that graveyard and calls it “compassion”. Why do I get the feeling this woman is also a strong proponent of euthanasia? Compassionate, don’t you know.
Heartbreaking is more the word I would use…
Bill Clinton once said that abortions should be available , safe and RARE. He is a very wise man.
I’d like to see an ultrasound in every clinnic to provide a more informed choice, before going through with something they may regret.
I’d also like to see effective birth control made available to all who can’t afford it.
Have you seen ( HOT OFF THE SHOW! Throw-away babies )
a blog by Sharon Hughes?
I see my implementation of Haloscan didn’t quite get all of the Blogger comments cleaned up. Whoops.
I hesitate to call Bill Clinton a “very wise man” except for as a politician. Many of his policies and positions are at best questionable. I personally find his line that “abortions should be available, safe and rare” to be a very shrewd political stance because it suggests a dislike for abortion which is otherwise not borne out by his other stances.
As for making “effective” birth control available, aside from the fact there is only one totally effective method, I find that suggestion treading close to doing evil that good might come of it. That certainly is not a good thing.