If you watched Meet the Press today, ( no I did not get up at that hour, I TIVO’ed it) you heard that a new Gallup poll said that, for the first time, the majority of US adults identify as pro-life. In fact it is now 52%. It is not lost on me that the President did not keep his campaign promise to pass the Freedom of Choice Act. Some may recall that NARAL endorsed Obama/Biden. I can’t help but wonder what they are thinking today.
I have to admit that I am really enjoying participating in the Marriage Equality movement. I am not used to working on a movement that is on a roll, that is national, that has reached its tipping point. It is thrilling; exhilarating. It is finding leaders and heroes. Have you heard of Lt. Dan Choi and his organization, Knights Outs? Join with them, donate to them and demand that Obama repeal DADT. Obama did write a note to 2nd Lt. Sandy Tsao; Thanks for your wonderful and thoughtful letter. It is because of outstanding Americans like you that I committed to changing our current policy. Although it will take some time to complete ( partly because it needs Congressional action ) I intend to fulfill my commitment! Get on board with this movement and push this wave. It is uplifting to feel momentum!
You need to establish some balance because the whole country is about to split and spit and kick and yell as the Supreme Court appointment is announced and debated. The wild protesters outside of Notre Dame today are just a small sample of the wicked ugly zeal the anti-choice people thrive on. I have stood many, many times, toe-to-toe with anti-choice people and they simply confound me. I cannot imagine standing on a corner holding a photo of a saline burned fetus ~ what would that feel like? Frankly if I was anti-choice, I would want posters that were easy to look at, radiant with prana, ~~ but oh, wait that vibration is pro-choice, pro-liberation, pro- freedom.
While circling the Circle of Orange at the 2008 Roe v. Wade Demonstration I had the most interesting experience. Usually I march in silence and occasionally I feel inspired to stop and say a decade of the rosary with a Catholic family. Obviously it is fun to demonstrate that love of the rosary is not the private property of the anti-choice people. As I was standing still, a woman walked up to me and asked if my name is Zoe. “Yes, it is.” I replied. She went on to explain that she had been in my NOW chapter in the 70’s. I asked her how she came to change her mind about abortion and she told me that it happened from watching a show on the Discovery Channel about fetal development. Seeing the formation of a hand, a heart, was what it took for her to become an advocate for the anti-choice movement. The entire time we talked, we held hands. Her teenage children were horrified that their mother was friendly with a pro-choice (baby-killer) person.
I love that moment. I am proud of that moment. She recognized me and felt she could speak with me. I must have been open that night; open to any and all. I am very much aware that I am often not open but this moment made it clear that I am capable of it; so much so it is perceivable by an opponent. What is on the horizon scares me a bit, concerns me a bit, the country is going to argue and claim ownership of god and goodness and trust and liberty. I need to be balanced, stand silently in the face of violence and hold my heart open.
This is an awesome bit of writing about compassion, acceptance and love. There are too few like you in this complicated arena of choice/life, Zoe - your loving approach is inspiring; something to behold.
Posted by: Wendy Werris | May 17, 2009 at 05:31 PM
As you know Zoe, I work in an abortion clinic in the heart of Austin, Texas. Yesterday we had 36 protesters. They had signs explaining the love of Jesus and displaying the cross and a priest under an umbrella and a 5th Level Knight of Columbus on the sidewalk outside our office. Thankfully they did not have any graphic signs and were generally peaceful, praying for the staff and our patients. And even thought I don't believe in god I think everyone could use a prayer. None of our patients seemed to be too alarmed by their presence and they never stay very long but yesterday was the most protesters we've had in a long time.
The one thing I always try to remind myself is that I feel just as passionately pro-choice as they do pro-life. And if I genuinely believed that life began at conception and that abortion was genocide/murder I would be protesting it too. Since I don't believe that life begins at conception and I fully support women's rights to control their own bodies I protest for the other side. But I never forget that it's passion that makes people stand up for what I believe in. Working in an abortion clinic has totally changed my outlook on reproduction, fertility, abortion and women's daily lives. I highly recommend it for anyone who believes that women should be allowed to make their own health decisions.
Posted by: Heather | May 17, 2009 at 07:37 PM
i didn't know you had a blog, zoe. this is great. i tried to subscribe to it but got a page full of code . . . you are magnificent.
sharron reed
Posted by: sharon | May 17, 2009 at 11:19 PM
subscribe is working for me now - I hope you try again. Maybe it was down when you tried it.
Posted by: Zoe | May 23, 2009 at 11:39 AM