Amanda Marcotte is not the only one who knows my deepest darkest motives that I don't have a clue about, then won't engage when I try to offer my side of it. Ironically, she joins with some "antichoicers" in this.
Not quite the common ground that I personally would aspire to...
I tried sending out descriptions of the Nonviolent Choice Directory and invitations to visit and participate to some groups that describe themselves as prolife. The email bore the header "new prolife feminist, abortion-reducing website." The results mostly remain to be seen, but already they are as discouraging as Amanda Marcotte's evidently unyielding stereotypes.
One ultraconservative group just flatout deleted the announcement. Maybe they don't want to bothered with the fact that it doesn't fit into their particular box? Who knows? I'd like to ask why it was not worthy to be read, but they're not talking.
Another group immediately raged against me for advocating abortion (?) and calling it a nonviolent choice and a human right (?), then asked to be removed from any mailing list. Talk about jumping to conclusions, and then cutting out any possibility to reverse the jump...
Now, granted, this is a small sample size. But it's all too illustrative of what's happened many times before, and what, I'm afraid, is all too likely to happen again.
So, what is someone like me supposed to do? If I try to reduce abortion through nonviolent means, one camp claims it's in bad faith, by definition sexist, "antichoice," anti-women's pleasure. And the other claims that I am by definition "antilife." That is, if anyone expresses a reaction at all.
Meanwhile women suffer, and their children die, sometimes the women die with them. That's who matters most, that's who I should keep most at heart--not who I do or don't--mostly don't, it seems--please with the nonviolent choice approach to the problems of women and children, unborn and born.
On the other hand, I wouldn't spurn any offers of engagement or encouragement, especially right now...
Welcome & Thank You...
...for visiting the Blog of the Nonviolent Choice Directory.
These measures include post abortion healing; male responsibility; comprehensive sexual/reproductive health education; all voluntary pregnancy prevention methods, plus rape and incest prevention & treatment; and life-affirming ways to get through crisis pregnancy and beyond.
Along with responding to our current action alerts, and participating in our Blog, you are welcome to volunteer with us.
We feature commentary but most of all action alerts on the same positive, abortion-reducing measures we cover in the Directory.
These measures include post abortion healing; male responsibility; comprehensive sexual/reproductive health education; all voluntary pregnancy prevention methods, plus rape and incest prevention & treatment; and life-affirming ways to get through crisis pregnancy and beyond.
Along with responding to our current action alerts, and participating in our Blog, you are welcome to volunteer with us.
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3 comments:
Oh, Marysia, it is so rotten to be caught in the middle of stereotypes and hostility, isn't it?
Your work is so important and your voice so needed; thank you for putting yourself out there so consistently in spite of all the negativity. Know that you are in my heart and prayer and let me know if there is anything I can do to help on a concrete level.
(Besides the annotated post-abortion bibliography, of course, which this makes me recall I promised and want to get to when I get a minute to breathe....)
Laura, thank you for being a dear. And if there's anyone who would know what it's like to be faced with hostility and negativity and stereotyping, as one who dared to become a Catholic clergywoman!
I look forward to your bibliography, whenever you can take time in your busy and multi-facted life. Your ideas have already been helpful for the Post Abortion Care page.
Blessings to you.
You're welcome--and I'm glad to have helped a bit already with the post-abortion page.
And so glad for the positive review and example of coalition building and real dialogue in your most recent post.
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