The Audacity of Goodness

Charlotte Taft wrote this piece for RhRealityCheck.  We think it's worth reprinting here. Now is the time for women to speak up about their abortions and not let themselves be intimidated by the hatemongers!

Lu

The Audacity of Goodness

When abortion provider Renee Chelian created a video called “Every Day, Good Women Choose Abortion” for her Northland Family Planning Clinics, all she was thinking about was what would be good for her patients.

Chelian, a long time member of the Abortion Care Network,  is the Executive Director of three clinics in Detroit. She has spent the last 33 years offering the highest quality medical care, combined with compassionate attention to her patients’ emotional well-being.  On her website a letter to patients includes these words:

The discussion that centers on a woman’s right to an abortion is so much bigger than any debate OR any law. It’s about my heart, a woman’s heart, and both the right and responsibility of bringing a child into the world... women of all ages need to make these decisions with people who care for them, people they trust.

A sign in the clinic reads: “We do sacred work that honors women and the circle of life and death. When you come here bring only love.”

Since the Roe v. Wade decision in 1973,  over 45 million women have had legal abortions in the United States. It is estimated that one in three women will have an abortion during her lifetime.

And for 36 years the anti-choice forces have waged a well-financed and nearly unopposed war of words to shame and demean women. They don't even try to hide their hatred and disdain for us. Outside our clinics the ‘sidewalk counselors’  scream "The blood from your crotch will rise up against you, you whores" , “Satan will drink your baby’s blood and you will die”, and "Loose women burn in Hell."

We can see from the shame and silence of 45 million women that the propaganda has been effective.

So, for Chelian, it only made sense to remind women of their own basic goodness. Her video reflects the truth that abortion providers know:

"Every day,  good women choose abortion", and "To have an abortion is a normal experience."

It reminds us that goodness is:

Courage, honesty, wisdom, risking for what you believe is right for you, making choices that you believe are good for yourself. Goodness is not perfection, it is not obedience, and it is not martyrdom. 

If you have made the decision to have an abortion, and are having a hard time feeling good about yourself and remembering that you are a good person, let us remind you and help you see the goodness in yourself and your choice.

She put the video on her website. But she wanted to reach more women.

When Renee posted the video on Youtube the anti's went ballistic.
The XM Satellite radio station WILCOW-XM has been playing the recordings over and over and telling their listeners to call and complain, which of course is jamming the clinic's phone lines.

The antis have bombarded the clinic with vile, unprintable attacks over the phones directed at the staff.  Comments on Youtube included:

“If you are ripped to shreds...just like the unborn children you’ve murdered...it would be just” and “Bottom feeding serial killers of unborn children with no voice to protest their murder!” and  “This is a very shallow attempt at pandering to weak minded people who would rather kill their children when it is inconvenient so the clinic can make more money.”

LifeSite, an anti-abortion on-line newsletter, headed its article “Michigan Abortion Facility Advertizes Abortion as ‘Sacred Work’”. Of course their conclusion was that “The videos are just the latest attempts by Northland to make abortion seem as attractive as possible.”

The fear-based hatred has been overwhelming.  For now Chelian has taken the video off  YouTube, but the horrible calls continue.  She is seeking help from authorities. The video  is still on her website, and will also be shown to each patient in the clinic.

Abortion providers have known the kind of people who make these calls for years. The rest of the country has just been introduced to them as they stalk health care, vilify and threaten the President, spread their bile and display their hatred. It is very important not to abandon women and the men who care about them to the cruelty of the anti abortion forces.

Their arguments are based on their belief that women are stupid--that we don’t know that abortion is about life and death---and that we do not recognize that it is not just our right, but our responsibility to decide whether and when to bring new life into the world through our bodies. Theirs is a bankrupt movement of moral hypocrisy. They lost even the claim to their own name when they started shooting us.

Whether it is Rene Chelian's "Goodness" videos, a banner that says, "When You Come Here Bring Only Love", a poster that reads, "We Honor Your Dreams", putting our patients' words in hearts on the walls, making patient journals available in our waiting rooms, or our willingness to acknowledge that of course abortion is a complex emotional experience, the antis react by attacking us because there is nothing else they can think of.

But America needs to hear from us.  When the experience and voice of independent providers and the women we serve is truly part of the national conversation about abortion we will see a transformation.

In 1964 the poet Muriel Rukeyser wrote “If one woman told the truth about her life, the world would split open.” She may have been over-optimistic about the power of the voice of just one woman.

But how about 45 million?

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Comments

[Julie]

*ahem* Attention people who administer this comment section. Spambots are starting to take over, please look the section over and delete them.

[Ihateproliars]

"Or how about we prevent pregnancy in the first place?"

That'd be fine by me...IF pro-liars weren't also hellbent on restricting and taking away access to birth control as well! (See also: pro-liar pharmacists thinking they should get to decide who can and can't have certain types of medications based on garbage beliefs with NO evidence to back 'em up)

"If you don't want a child, don't have sex."

I'd love to see you tell that to married couples who have chosen not to have/postpone having children. Spoken like a true self-righteous pro-liar. By the way, how's that abstinence-only education workin' for ya?

"If you're incapable of that sort of self-control , use birth control. If that fails (or if you are assaulted), then look at adoption."

And for all the women who physically CANNOT have a child because of some dehibilitating health condition that would kill them or permanently disable them if they had to be pregnant? For the women raped who do NOT want (and do NOT deserve) another reminder of the rapist? The women who can't afford another child, or any at all, because they and/or their families may literally be just one paycheck away from homelessness? Why should they have to go through 9 months of misery just so YOU can feel good about yourself?

As always, pro-liars (wrongly) assume that all women are sluts who can't control themselves and don't use birth control. (funny how too, your kind never ever blames the men for their part in unwanted pregnancy, it's always the woman's fault: "SHE should have kept HER legs shut." "SHE should have used birth control." - says volumes about how you really view women) Your real motive is you want to punish women for enjoying the same kind of freedom, power and self-expression that men have jealously guarded for centuries. You can't handle the fact that the vast majority of women ARE responsible and DO use birth control.

You also don't seem capable of grasping the cold fact that adoption is nowhere near as simple or easy as you tout. Would that it were, but there's a reason why many adoptive parents go outside the US to bring home a child.

"I fully support a woman's right to choose...not to have sex and not to become pregnant. If a woman is pregnant and is not prepared to care for a child, then she has the right to choose adoption."

Wrong. She also has (and always should have) the right to choose abortion, if she has decided that it is the best choice for her situation - and for some women, it is. You cannot judge another person's situation because odds are, you have never been or will never be in that exact same situation. And you should thank your lucky stars for that, but instead, you're only too happy to condemn others. I do believe a certain religious figure had quite a bit to say about things like that.

[Jane]

"you and your pro-liar brethren don't get to control someone else's life."

Oh, brother. "Pro-liar"? How clever; and how very ironic coming from a pro-"choice" advocate. As much as the idea may...excite...you, we really don't care what other people do in their private lives, with their own bodies. However, when you try to take the life of another human being (born or unborn), that's when we have a problem.

"Till you pony up with some cold hard cash to pay for all those unwanted "babies" you claim to care so much about"

Or how about we prevent pregnancy in the first place? If you don't want a child, don't have sex. If you're incapable of that sort of self-control , use birth control. If that fails (or if you are assaulted), then look at adoption. Surely that's not so difficult to figure out?

"you don't get to force any female into carrying and having a child she doesn't want and may not be prepared to care for."

Hmmm....I don't think I quite have the right "equipment" to force another female to get pregnant, even if I wanted to, so the first part of your statement is invalid. I fully support a woman's right to choose...not to have sex and not to become pregnant. If a woman is pregnant and is not prepared to care for a child, then she has the right to choose adoption.

[Ihateproliars]

Hey Jane, you and your pro-liar brethren don't get to control someone else's life. Till you pony up with some cold hard cash to pay for all those unwanted "babies" you claim to care so much about - for the next 18 years - you don't get to force any female into carrying and having a child she doesn't want and may not be prepared to care for. End of story.

[whoknew]

Few on either side of this issue really "get it"

[Jane]

My God. This propaganda is unbelievable.
Yes, how dare the "cruel anti-abortion forces" oppose the murder of unborn children.

"And for 36 years the anti-choice forces have waged a well-financed and nearly unopposed war of words to shame and demean women. They don't even try to hide their hatred and disdain for us. Outside our clinics the ‘sidewalk counselors’ scream "The blood from your crotch will rise up against you, you whores" , “Satan will drink your baby’s blood and you will die”, and "Loose women burn in Hell." "

Hmmm...something smells a little fishy here. Getting a little desperate?

[Julie]

Here Pandora, just for you; a personalized pacifier and rattle set. Merry Christmas!

[Pandora]

It seems Mr Wilcow has gotten pro-aborts very upset.

His crime seems to have consisted of publicizing an already public phone number.

BTW, this clinic isn't going to save any woman's life. If they've botched an abortion the woman needs to go to a hospital.

[Pandora]

My prediction is at the end of 2010 all you whiny proaborts will still be pouting about the 45 million who won't step up and do as you demand. give it up already.

[Julie]

I see you haven't matured much since the first day you showed up to spew your ignorance, Pandora. My New Year's wish is that you FINALLY grow up in 2010.

[Pandora]

"To have an abortion is a normal experience."

No, I don't think so. I'd have thought you pro-aborts would have figured that out when you have to whine and cry for the 45 million to speak up about this so-called normal experience.

[saltyC]

How inspiring, except for the youtube part. I hope it goes back up, women need the truth.

[placenta sandwich]

This is fantastic - thank you for sharing it. I love NFP's efforts to help women accept themselves as good women.