Get 'em while they're young.
Corvallis Right to Life is holding a contest for the already-born kiddies of Corvallis. The theme this year is "Life, the Best Choice." Kids from kindergarten through high school can enter the drawing contest, hopefully steering clear of the standard pro-life fare involving bloody fetus parts. Fifth graders on up can enter an essay contest. High school juniors and seniors can give an oral presentation on one of the further delineated subcategories: abortion, euthanasia, infanticide and stem cell research. There will be cash prizes, a chance to move up to the state-level contest and, of course, the chance to go to heaven, unlike those pro-choice people.
I didn't even know we had our own Right to Life chapter! According to their website, they "seek to replace a culture which glories in death with one that upholds the sanctity of human life."
I didn't even know we had a culture that gloried in death! Abortion isn't even offered here in town. Today, I guess I should just be glad this isn't South Dakota.
The truly tragic part of this is that there are constructive ways to bring down the abortion rate. Nobody actually likes abortion. Despite the rampant death-glorifying going on all around us, the folks at Planned Parenthood really don't gather around a cauldron full of discarded embryos, cackling and stoking the fire. But the same people who claim a desire to abolish abortion are all too often the same people who refuse to give children the tools they need to actually not get pregnant in the first place.
When the essay contest is being held at St. Mary's in March, maybe one of the students should discuss the radical idea that pregnancy can be prevented through the use of birth control. Maybe instead of judging the cute little posters drawn by elementary school kids who are really too young to grasp the intricacies of the life/choice debate, the pro-life folks can raise money to pay for comprehensive sex education classes that cover abstinence plus the importance of contraception as a failsafe. Maybe at the annual Oregon Right to Life rally in Salem, someone could conduct a poll to see how many of the participants support raising taxes to pay for healthcare, childcare and education so women might be able to better afford continuing pregnancies that will instead likely lead to poverty and welfare.
But of course, none of this will happen, because these people do not want anyone to have sex at all. Not really. Sex is icky and wrong, unless you're married, in which case God says it's fine, so go make some babies.
I didn't even know we had our own Right to Life chapter! According to their website, they "seek to replace a culture which glories in death with one that upholds the sanctity of human life."
I didn't even know we had a culture that gloried in death! Abortion isn't even offered here in town. Today, I guess I should just be glad this isn't South Dakota.
The truly tragic part of this is that there are constructive ways to bring down the abortion rate. Nobody actually likes abortion. Despite the rampant death-glorifying going on all around us, the folks at Planned Parenthood really don't gather around a cauldron full of discarded embryos, cackling and stoking the fire. But the same people who claim a desire to abolish abortion are all too often the same people who refuse to give children the tools they need to actually not get pregnant in the first place.
When the essay contest is being held at St. Mary's in March, maybe one of the students should discuss the radical idea that pregnancy can be prevented through the use of birth control. Maybe instead of judging the cute little posters drawn by elementary school kids who are really too young to grasp the intricacies of the life/choice debate, the pro-life folks can raise money to pay for comprehensive sex education classes that cover abstinence plus the importance of contraception as a failsafe. Maybe at the annual Oregon Right to Life rally in Salem, someone could conduct a poll to see how many of the participants support raising taxes to pay for healthcare, childcare and education so women might be able to better afford continuing pregnancies that will instead likely lead to poverty and welfare.
But of course, none of this will happen, because these people do not want anyone to have sex at all. Not really. Sex is icky and wrong, unless you're married, in which case God says it's fine, so go make some babies.
posted by Corvallist at
1:29 AM
5 Comments:
Perhaps their contest theme, “Life, the Best Choice”, is the best argument to be applied. The strongest argument for abortion is when the life of the mother is threatened. In the case of ectopic (tubal) pregnancy it seems clear that abortion needs to be an available option. Maybe the kiddies can draw some pretty pictures of ruptured organs and septic abdomens.
I support the notion that abortion is a terrible “choice” as a birth control method or a lifestyle convenience. But as long as some people wish to see the country run on faith-based principles, the zealots who see contraception as a “sin” will also want to ban any and all abortion. They have a right to their beliefs, and thankfully the courts are doing a fairly good job of separating their church from everyone’s state.
Michael Smith
By
Anonymous, at 7:49 AM
Ugh, I'm fine with having a contest for older kids, but kindergartners? Don't drag them into it. They have no idea what it's all about.
By
Anonymous, at 2:56 PM
I wonder if the little religious kids ever spend time drawing pictures about how to help poor people, improve conditions worldwide, stop pollution, create happiness, or maybe help homeless animals.
I wonder why they are not directed to write little thoughtless, I mean thoughtful essays on human kindness, on how they, as Christians, should care for the gift God gave them of the Earth, instead of ripping it to shreads and crapping on it and blowing it to bits. You know, those sorts of things. Nice diversionary tactic however, to focus on abortion as evil and hatred of homosexuals.
Fetus rights are so popular. Too bad there's not such respect for the out and living population. It is very easy to cheer for fetuses, rather than, say, homosexuals, if you're a Christian, although I think they're actual living people too, but, unfortunately, no longer fetuses and as such would have rights and the support of the far right. Anyhow.
And boy is it easy to forget respect for life in regards to like overpopulating and polluting up the earth. American children born consume a helluva a lot more than a child born in another country. So the damage done is greater. And we Americans consuming and polluting doesn't seem to concern the far right even though these actions cause suffering and probably death. OUt of sight out of mind, I guess, except in the case of fetuses. It is such a strange a focus, well, I guess the insanity of this world is why I hang out with cats. I believe it is a focus designed in part to keep women subjucated. ND is now a religious state. All abortions have been banned, except when the mother's life is in danger. you get raped there, and you are forced by a court and a jail, if need be, to carry your rapists baby and either adopt that kid out or support him until he's 18. Meanwhile, Mr. Rapist gets out and goes on with his little penile life. Fair to women? No. Does a deluded Christian zealot governor care? No. Religion has absolutely zero place in creating American law and policy. What is happening to our land? We are becoming an Iran or an Iraq, ruled by religious sects. Man does this suck.
Also, I think some religions really love high numbers of babies to be born, especially to their own church members, thereby increasing their membership. Increased membership means more money and more clout. Clout. You know---politicing power.
Right wing republicans focus on tiny issues as moral and get elected that way, slipping by and into their adminstrations all sorts of horrendous immoral acts that are then overlooked by those who voted them in, because they are blinded in the worship of politicians who share a minor opinion bloated into all importance, like fetus rights.
I'm not in favor of man made religion. I'd like to go down, as "not in favor of man made religion". It's all quite twisted up.
By
Strayer, at 11:23 PM
Christians bother me and I suppose it's because they claim to be better morally than others and that bugs me.
They aren't morally any better, not the man made Christians, spouting this and that, and they're the only ones going to Heaven and each and every little different church and sect thinks they're the ones and no other. It's just funny, it's bloated self importance.
My daddy was a church deacon and he couldn't keep his hands off me and my brother, well off, supports him and call me nuts and lives in wealth and spouts anger and hate at so many it's hard to be around him so I just am not around him anymore. And it was a hospital run by that same church who beat me on their psyche ward nearly to death and discharged me into a snow and ice storm in the dark without shoes or coat. And these people dare to judge me. Unbelievable.
Jesus Christ if he exists would be hanging out with strays, human and animal. He would not be driving a fancy car. He would NOT have an assault rifle slung over one shoulder or an NRA bumper sticker. He would not go off to kill people in any war. He would turn the other cheek and sure that's hard, but sorry, that is what the Bible teaches. He would not be buying brand name clothes, lusting after the latest electronics or chasing after high paying jobs and the stuff of this world.
And yet, and yet, that is what the Christians I have known do. All of the above PLUS judge others as not morally fit. Ye flaming hypocrits! Boy am I being mouthy tonight.
By
Strayer, at 11:34 PM
Hmmmm. While your post is very intriguing, one part isn't quite accurate. Abortion IS available in Corvallis. While I don't know if a 'surgical abortion' is offered, 'medical abortion' is. Medical abortion is done with the abortion drug.
By
Anonymous, at 1:50 PM
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