Feminism exposed: It’s ok to lie that one had an abortion for rape
Consider the abortion storyline. Claire Underwood, the wife of the vice president who is played by Robin Wright, sits down for an exclusive interview with Ashleigh Banfield (played by herself).
After Banfield annoyingly keeps asking Claire a bunch of questions about her childlessness, Claire finally admits one of the most forbidden things a woman in politics can admit: She’s had an abortion.
She then saves the potentially disastrous interview by attributing the abortion to a rape she endured in college by a man who has now become a general. This skillfully shifts the discussion to the problem of rapists running free in the military.
Granted, Claire’s story isn’t exactly true. Yes, she’s had an abortion (three, it turns out), and yes, she was raped by this man. It’s just that none of her pregnancies were caused by this rape, and one of Claire’s abortions happened because she and her husband chose together not to have a baby.
Claire is a character who is frequently portrayed as a scheming, immoral liar, but for once, her truth-fudging comes across as entirely sympathetic. The implication is that the American public will forgive aborting a rape-caused pregnancy but would never forgive someone who rebels against the expectation that she must have children with her husband. To protect herself from the intrusive condemnation of people she’s never met, she pretty much has to lie.
~ Abortion proponent Amanda Marcotte in Slate, February 18
[HT: LifeSiteNews.com]
Jill Stanek is a nurse turned speaker, columnist and blogger, a national figure in the effort to protect both preborn and postborn innocent human life.
Sounds like a fascinating drama. Despicable, conniving, master-manipulating and famous woman has three abortions, then deflects diverts attention by implicating a personal tragedy that had nothing to do with the abortions.
Amanda, of course, blames pro-lifers. It is our fault that women have to lie to cover up their choices.
What Amanda fails to realize is that bad choices carry their own shame. We have all made mistakes that we do not want to reveal to others. This is part of human nature.
Amanda desires a universe in which abortion is respected and celebrated as a good choice. That’s never going to happen.
If we look at other cultures — looking back to pagan Greece and Rome, for examples — prostitution and pedophilia and infanticide were commonly tolerated. But when we look at the drama and literature of those times, we find that these were never respectable. They were seen as the decadent habits of weak and depraved persons, disgusting practices of the rich and famous.
We may become a joyful culture of life again. Or we may sink further into a decadent culture of death. But we will never be the “joyful culture of death” that Amanda wants. Such a thing is not humanly possible.
What Marcotte fails to mention is that the character of Claire is struggling with her decisions. We meet Claire in the first season as she is in the early stages of menopause. As the season progresses, we learn that her husband “hates” children, while Claire secretly visits a fertility specialist. Her consultation with the specialist is where we learn she previously had three abortions. In season 2, Claire is trying to get pregnant–although she is hardly above playing with the life of a colleague’s unborn child.
Claire clearly has mixed feelings about fertility. We see in the first season various examples of the things she has given up to pursue power with her husband. And we know that she and her husband are not interested in removing murder from the list of possibilities when trying to achieve a goal. She is not a good example of anything. And she is certainly not a victim of society.
I like Robin Wright and this looks like it might be good. Eeeek being married to Sean Penn couldnt have been easy unless you are the female liberal version of him which she is. Oh sure Amanda….pro lifers make the choicers say rape. So much more sympathy.
Go back to lesson 1 Amanda…why is there any shame in abortion at all if its not a human being. Why not just tell the world youve had as many as you wish?
“We may become a joyful culture of life again. Or we may sink further into a decadent culture of death. But we will never be the “joyful culture of death” that Amanda wants. Such a thing is not humanly possible.”
Just wanted to see that ^ again.
Thanks, Del. So perfectly written.
Yes Del it was!
Pro-lifers didn’t invent the problems with abortion. Those existed from the outset. It’s time to stop looking for someone else to blame and recognize abortion’s issues and problems for what they are. Then we can work on a true and real solution.
From Wikipedia article on Claire Underwood:
Nancy deWolf Smith of The Wall Street Journal describes Claire as “a short-haired blonde who manages to be masculine and demasculinizing at the same time.”
Am I the only one who thinks that Robin Wight’s appearance and portrayal of Claire Underwood looks strikingly like Cecile Richards?
Del, you are not the only one. She could play Cecile Richards.
Wow, Del. I think you’re right.
Del when I first looked I thought that’s who she was!
Yes it is sad that anti woman “pro lifers” created a culture where women should be ashamed of demanding and using reproductive rights. That is one of many reasons why the 1 in 3 campaign is doing a great job, to stop stigmatisation of women who make a choice (forbidden word, I know) that is among the toughest possible. But sometimes necessary.
I know I’d be against abortion no matter how many women had them.
I had a polyp removed from my uterus because of non stop vaginal bleeding. I had to be put out with general and it only took about 20 minutes. I had my procedure the first week of February. I dont mind telling anyone about that because there is no reason for me to be ashamed.
Same procedure…a D and C except no baby removed.