This, to me, is really big. I’ve known a few people who not just pro-choice but ardently so; they were also unrelentingly bitter and furious at pro-lifers. I just figured they couldn’t or wouldn’t change.
It seemed that Ashley was one of those. She is a young woman, in her 20’s, who has visited Jill Stanek’s pro-life blog a number of times over the past few months, spewing venom against pro-lifers. (She uses her full name on the site and it’s her real name; you can find to other online information about her, but I’ll use only her first name here). She was unrelenting in her ridicule of the pro-life position. She was also bitter because of what happened when a prolife ob-gyn had refused to do a D and C on her mother after learning that the baby she was carrying hadn’t survived. She told Ashley’s mother to wait to deliver her dead baby naturally but soon she was rushed to the hospital with serious complications that she barely survived. Ashley was convinced that pro-lifers do not care for women, and prefer the fetus, that we constantly put women’s lives at risk, and that we were all anti-woman — in spite of the fact that at least half and probably more of the pro-lifers regularly visiting the site are women!
Several pro-life nurses on the site pointed out that there was no difficulty in conscience for a pro-life ob-gyn in doing a D and C or other form of extraction on a dead baby, but that there is usually no good reason to do a D and C, which does have medical risk and could possibly puncture the uterus and leave scars, while medical complications like those her mother suffered are usually unforeseeable.
Ashley didn’t seem to be affected by all this. In fact, we hadn’t heard from her in a while, but evidently she still kept visiting the blog. She began to read other articles Jill had posted, including many news items about men who had murdered their pregnant girlfriends when they refused to get an abortion. Then there was a discussion about John Edwards, who had tried to get his pregnant mistress to abort. She has begun commenting in shock about this, realizing how much of the time abortion only serves men; wondering “where are feminists” when these things happen? Her tone is now reasonable rather than bitter. She has begun to understand that there are lies behind the pro-abortion position. She isn’t yet in the pro-life camp by any means, but she is much more of a joy to have around. She engages now in reasonable debate and is honestly seeking information. Here is the thread where we learned about her change of heart.
We can rejoice, but we can also pray for “Artemis,” who also regularly visits the site. She is the kind who is much less likely to change. You see, she is one of the first generation of feminists. She has told us that she is from the class of ‘66, making her roughly 62 years old. A dyed-in-the-wool radical who proudly tells us she left the Catholic Church after graduating from a Catholic girls’ academy, and regularly attacks religion in a mocking tone. She also tells us that her mother had an illegal abortion and never regretted it (she’s now in her 90’s), and that she herself had self-aborted with a turkey-baster sometime back in the late 60’s or early 70’s. She is hate-filled, but of course would never describe herself that way. She resists all attempts to tell her that post-abortive guilt may be responsible for her anger, which in the end is really directly against herself. . .
The same with a post-abortive young woman named “Megan,” who has no regrets, she says, — and constantly visits the site to tell us so, over and over again, while launching bitter tirades against us and our beliefs.
The young like Megan can change. In fact, I think it is this generation that will finally realize what is going on, and will rise up and change things. Artemis may be too ideologically set in her ways. But her kind is growing old and will die out.
In the end, they all need our help and prayers because this battle will only be won one heart at a time.
Well, here it is - five whole days after the march - and after a number of computer crashes (I seriously need more memory). I hope to have more of an account shortly.
Update: February 2. There isn’t really much to tell about the March itself. My trip to DC on January 21 went off well, and I got checked into my hotel at 4:00. I made the mistake of lying down for a while. I was desperately tired from getting up so early and wanted to rest before the Mass at the Basilica at 7:00. I should have left to go there at 4:00 instead of an hour later. I would have had to be there at 5:00 just to get seat from which I could see anything.
As it was, I had a number of delays from trying to figure out the D.C. Metro, or subway system, and by the time I arrived at the Basilica at 6:30, the place was packed to overflowing — people were standing five deep in the side aisles; only the central aisle through the nave was partly free - I literally could see nothing by peering in except the fresco on the dome, because everyone was already standing for the entrance procession, which took over half an hour! It included seven U. S. cardinals, 40 bishops and hundreds of priests, deacons and seminarians.
I managed to get the last seat left in the vestibule; many others who came sat on the floor or the choir loft steps. From there I was at least able to listen to the Mass and Cardinal DiNardo’s inspiring homily. But no opportunity to shoot any video. I decided to leave right after receiving Communion, so I could beat the crowd on the Metro. But because I couldn’t readily figure out which subway line I needed to take (that’s because the lines have different names coming and going!) it did me little good. By the time I figured things out, the Basilica crowd had caught up with me. It took me forever for me to find my way home, get something to eat and fall into bed.
Up at 7:00. I had to check out of the hotel, and take everything with me on the March (I had absolutely nothing with me but my video camera, clean top, nightgown, toothbrush and shampoo). At 7:30 I set out to get to the Blogs for Life Conference. It was easy, because the location was near the Mall, just 4 stops from where I was, on the route I’d taken the night before. To me, this was actually the most interesting and fun part of the trip. Many of today’s well-known pro-life faces were there, and there were a number of interesting short talks, as well as a refreshment break, which was very welcome, since I hadn’t stopped for breakfast. Two pro-life Congressmen, Todd Akin and Jim Jordan, took part. I’m only sorry I didn’t have room on the video for all the talks.
At 11:30, we walked right over to the Rally on the Mall, just six blocks away. The crowd was ENORMOUS! People handing out pro-life signs on every street corner. Outside the entrance to the Mall, I took video of people with interesting and diverse signs, including the “Thank you Bart Stupak” guy, and the Secularist for Life guy (who didn’t want to comment for the camera).
At the Rally, I was just on the outskirts (once again, I probably would have had to be there at 9 in the morning to be anywhere near the central action), and the people talking at the microphone came through only faintly on the loudspeakers, so I must have been quite a ways from them as well. Then, as last year, when the time came to start the March, we stood in position for over an hour while the marchers ahead of us proceeded.
To my amazement and delight, I found myself standing next to a group of Franciscans from the northeastern province of the U.S., including New York. They were accompany a group of students from upper New York State’s Franciscan school, St. Bonaventure University. The students (very largely female, Newsweek), told me off-camera about their pro-life efforts, which included making an internet video. They call themselves the “the Pro-Life Nerds.” I hope I got that right, because in addition to enthusiasm, the biggest thing in that crowd was noise!
At last we were off! But because of my back trouble, I had to drop out several times to find a bench or some steps along the route where I could rest, and of course, shoot video and do interviews. I also had to leave by 3:30, though I hadn’t even gotten past the Capitol, much less the Supreme Court. I did make it all the way up there last year. But now I had to find an ATM and a cab to get to the bus station on time. My cab driver was almost pop-eyed with frustration at trying to find an open street because of the March. “What a crazy day!” he said. “It’s crazy every year.” My cab driver the previous afternoon had told me that pro-life was “a very good cause to support”. Wonder what they and other D.C. residents think every year when they come home after dodging the marchers all day, and find hardly any acknowledgment on TV that the event even took place? My driver was a nice guy and got me to the station on time. But the bus was over an hour late — ha!
It seemed like a much longer trip coming back than going. And at last, I was able to watch the replay on EWTN and find out what the rally speakers had actually said. Well, I know now to be early for everything next year.
Enjoy the video, counter-cultural freedom fighters for life!
I’m starting out with that line — and this great picture — because the stupidity and bias of the mainstream secular news media is the reason we have blogs. This Newsweek article would have us believe that “young women were missing” from last year’s anniversary of the Roe v. Wade commemorations in D.C. (I was there and the majority of the march was composed of young people both male and female). The author, Krista Gesaman, took the words of one of the police coordinators of the event to the effect that the original organizers of the March for Life were getting old and twisted it to try and imply that the young weren’t attending, and that, in fact, the majority of the participants in the march were over 60. Indeed, Nellie Gray, one of the original organizers of the March, has been there every year since 1974, and she and the other founders are certainly up there in years. But that means nothing in regard to the rest of the participants. You only need to take a look at the picture to see that young women were out in full force at this year’s march. (Photo source)
The rest of the article centered around a supposed lack of activism among young women on both sides of the abortion issue. To be fair, the author predicted a “surge” of young women this year because of the Mass for Life and Youth Rally sponsored by the Washington Archdiocese — though the same Mass and Rally were held last year and if I’m not mistaken, in previous years as well.
This nonsense is very typical of the MSM reporting on the March for Life and it’s repeated every year. This year, I was marching, and once again there were some 250,000 to 300,000 people surging up Constitution Ave singing and praying for life. I never saw a single pro-choice sign. As usual there were undoubtedly a handful of pro-choice demonstrators up around the Supreme Court building at the end of the march, but I didn’t see any of them, either this year or last year.
As usual, the media tried to pretend the march didn’t exist, and whenever the news even bothered to mention it, there was little to no reporting of the actual numbers on either side. Most MSM sources either were silent, or implied there might have been equal numbers on both sides. CNN as usual, was particularly bad. Steven Greydanus takes down the media coverage here.
Catholic and other religious news services were out full force (I went right past the EWTN cameraman). C-SPAN covered the march in some detail. I’m also told that Fox News was there. Other than that, the only people getting the news out there are the new media. Most people would not be able to see how big the march was if it weren’t for blogs and YouTube videos.
I hope to publish my account and video very shortly. I had a hard trip back from D.C. Friday because the bus was delayed, and because the pressure of work marches on, I’m having to make up some lost work time yesterday and today. But I’ll have the full story very soon.
Update, same day: Here’s a commentary from the Washington Post, by someone who — gasp! — actually went out and did some reporting on the march and who shows who really attended and what they think.
Looking back over the posts I’ve done this year, I think I made some hits and misses in reporting on the biggest stories of the 2009 in regard to events in the Catholic Church. But I think I got the top six. In order:
5. Pope Benedict’s new social encyclicalCaritas in Veritate creates discussion about world events to secure social justice — and more ludicrous misunderstanding than you can imagine.
Other stories I covered: Pope Benedict’s trip to the Holy Land and the controversy over the film of Dan Brown’sAngels and Demons. And this may be “hometown” news for me, but it does have a great impact on the Church in the U.S. as a whole: New York got a New Archbishop, Timothy Dolan.
Others - controversy over the death of Ted Kennedy and this pro-abortion Catholic’s highly public funeral Mass, the new priestly sex abuse crisis in Ireland — I sort of missed. I certainly followed them while they were happening, but didn’t have time to blog about them.
Prolife leaders are urging everyone to make this year’s March for Life on January 22 in Washington D.C. the largest ever. Our presence is greatly needed as Congress gears up to pass a so-called “health” care bill that is really an enemy to the unborn, the elderly and the terminally ill. The date that commemorates the 37th anniversary of Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton will be a great day to make our opposition to this bill heard.
I will be there and video blogging again. I’ll be attending the Vigil Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the Blogs4Life Conference, and of course the rally on the Mall and the March to the Capitol and the Supreme Court. I’m sure I’ll have interesting footage, so be sure to check back here. I’ll have more updates and links at January 22 approaches.
Pausing to look at all the sights on our way to Jerusalem. . . Mainly about faith, the Church, film, writing, famous Christian authors, and anything else I'm interested in at the moment.
The photo above was taken at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome in March 2007.
Quote of the Month
"The history of the Catholic missions is by now a long road: at the beginning of that road is the Father of Mercy, who holds out his arms to all his children. All those who encounter the missionaries encounter the Father. And they also encounter the Son, the first missionary, who, obeying the Father, comes to earth, becomes flesh in human nature, is one of us, in solidarity with our misery (except for sin) and ends up dying for us in order to then return to heaven, carrying on his shoulders the human race his has won back.
Out of the same mold are the missionaries, who repeat, in some way, his journey. They too leave their fathers and families and depart to go among a foreign people. They too strip themselves of the refined culture they have acquired in their homelands; and of their native customs and habitat, of a hundred little comforts, in order to be in solidarity. With who? With a people who are on one hand naked and poor, and on the other rich in possibilities, which the missionaries intend to respect, value and elevate."
Albino Luciani (Pope John Paul I), to the people of his diocese of Vittorio Veneto, on his return from the diocesan missions in Africa in 1966
