Jivin J’s Life Links 3-3-11
by JivinJ, host of the blog, JivinJehoshaphat
- The New York City Council has passed legislation (by a vote of 39-9) requiring pregnancy resource centers to disclose that they don’t perform abortions:
Opponents cited a federal judge’s ruling in Maryland that struck down a similar bill in Baltimore as proof that this type of legislation violates the centers’ constitutional rights. The opponents of the bill pledged to file a lawsuit.The legislation would require all pregnancy services centers to disclose whether they provide abortions, emergency contraception and prenatal care, or make referrals to organizations that do.
The information would have to be posted in English and Spanish at the centers and in advertisements.
- Anthony Bradley wonders why some missional evangelical churches don’t consider abortion to be a top issue in light of recent abortion news from NYC:I’ve been browsing the mercy and justice websites of several of New York’s well-known churches and Christian non-profit groups for discussion of NY’s abortion crisis. Outside of the crisis pregnancy centers themselves, I have not found much of anything. What one will find are very good discussions on subjects like fighting homelessness, improving inner-city education, opening women’s shelters, and dealing with sex trafficking and juvenile delinquency. I raise this issue because I am concerned that perhaps the missional pendulum has swung too far in one direction.
- Planned Parenthood isn’t as popular as they think. On a survey which PP is touting as evidence that the public is “overwhelming[ly]” opposed to cutting their funding, Politico writes:The survey, conducted by the Democratic firm Public Policy Polling and worded to begin by informing respondents of PP’s most popular services, found “overwhelming” opposition to the cuts, pollster Tom Jensen wrote in a memo.
The survey — which doesn’t use the word “abortion” — found that 57% of voters opposed barring federal funding for PP, while only 36% supported the move. Support varied across the states, rising only as high as 43% in Missouri and Arkansas and falling as low as 27% in Massachusetts
- The Fort Worth Star-Telegram is covering Operation Rescue’s most recent abortion clinic findings. Some of the clinics were members of the National Abortion Federation:Operation Rescue reported that its members found evidence that a dozen clinics illegally dumped hazardous and infectious waste or violated patient privacy laws and didn’t adhere to consent laws….Much of the evidence was discovered by searching trash receptacles around clinics, he said. The organization has “hundreds of patient records that clinics disposed of illegally.”
They also found that abortionist William West fails to follow state law with regards to informed consent. This isn’t surprising because West (using the pseudonym Beket) has shared the text of his conference calls with women seeking abortions at Daily Kos.
[Image via grist.org]
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.
What do you expect of the big wormy apple — if anyone knows where I can send a donation to help fund the legal battle, please advise.
MST,
http://www.SaveTheLifeCenters.org
http://emcfrontline.org/page.php?id=2/
So, even in Massachusetts, bastion of pro-abortion stalwarts, slightly over 1 in 4 people support stripping PP of their funding.
That’s huge.
What’s wrong with disclosing that you don’t perform abortions? It shouldn’t be a problem unless you want the option to mislead people. (Girl thinks it’s an abortion clinic; you won’t tell her that it isn’t until she figures that out on her own). I just found out I’m pregnant, and I called 2 CPCs and said I was being pressured for an abortion. They both immediately disclosed that they don’t do them, but offered to a test and an ultrasound. (It’s actually too early, but I am getting one at a CPC next week.)
It doesn’t seem like that big a deal for CPCs to have to do that.
Also, I hate Operation Rescue. I went to a general family planning clinic at the beginning of this pregnancy (I had already made up my mind, but someone I won’t name wanted me to “explore my options,” so I humored them. They also do ultrasounds, though not for free, so I figured I might get that done right away). A bunch of middle-aged men from a local OR chapter were out there. They had their bloody fetus pictures and their giant cross, of course, and started screaming abuse at us as soon as I got out of the car. They didn’t even address me, just my support person, and said “Don’t let her kill her baby!” I wasn’t planning on it, but thanks for not acknowledging I exist while you chase us around with your cross. Why would they assume I’m a Christian? I am, but they don’t know that. Since they don’t know me, they also didn’t even know what I was there for.
…the CPCs have been great, though, even though I don’t like protestors. I guess I’d oppose this bill if it financially burdened them or something, but it doesn’t seem to.
“This bill is a truth in advertising measure,” Lappin said in a statement.
“What those centers are doing is not only dishonest, it is incredibly dangerous.”
Next week, reporting live, from New York: ”What really happens at dermatology clinics. (Hint: You can’t get a referral for a nanny, or even buy diapers!!!)
~ ~ ~
So, maybe the PRC’s could start with a large sign with a running total of how many “lives saved” (along the lines of the old McDonald’s Restaurant signs.)
I put a brief report on the NYC rally, which I attended, on my blog, along with a couple of photos:
http://subcreators.com/blog/2011/03/01/save-the-life-centers-nyc-council-votes-tomorrow/
I sent a lot of e-mails to the council in the days before the vote. Council Speaker Christine Quinn, who is one of the sponsors of the bill, apparently got mixed up, or her staff did, and put my e-mail address on a list of her supporters! She then sent me a mass e-mail the night before, inviting me to the pro-bill rally. I wrote back to say that I was going to the opposing rally and gave a long list of reasons why the bill was a bad idea. I got an embarrassed e-mail from her in return, saying something like “Well, I guess we have a difference of opinion, but thanks for your input.” Lame.
All New Yorkers should contact Mayor Bloomberg at once and ask him to veto the bill.
http://www.nyc.gov/html/mail/html/mayor.html
By the way, I think this bill could actually benefit women who want to find a pro-life center. For me, trying to find one was confusing, because both the CPCs and the abortion clinics in Columbus were using vague language on their sites. (The only name I recognized was Birthright.) I WANTED to find a center that advertised itself as pro-life, rather than ending up at an abortion clinic. And when they all have similar names, it’s hard to tell. Just a thought.
“What those centers are doing is not only dishonest, it is incredibly dangerous.”
Yeah, and they are also claimed that failure to report what services they don’t perform is creating a “delay” in providing life-saving care – like not offering a pregnant woman birth control. That’s a really dangerous delay! Pregnant women have to have birth control NOW!
Ms. Lappin was a clinic escort, so why is anyone surprised?
I have already filed suit against Burger King saying that have to disclose that they don’t serve Big Macs there or make referrels to eat at McDonalds.
The text of my email to the Mayor of New York reads:
It seems an abortion rate of 40% among New Yorkers in general and 60% among African American New Yorkers isn’t shocking enough. Crisis Pregnancy Centers provide women with an alternative to ending the life of their pre-born child. Please veto the bill that was just passed that is an attack on Crisis Pregnancy Centers. It would be a shame for New York to be known as the Abortion Capitol of the Western Hemisphere. It’s a shame that the city council members see babies as a blight in your city. I used to work in New York and have in the past spent a fair amount of my money in New York when I travel there. Not a penny more unless this unfair bill is vetoed.
oh Jasper – you got me laughing out loud at that one!
I am not sure why something so basic and honest is getting beat to the ground – it makes no sense to have this law unless evil is behind it. And we know it is.
Keep fighting the good fight. we do win in the end!
Ninek, nice email.
Those of us who are Christian: Jesus has already triumphed. We work FROM victory not FOR it. Press on! Press on!
I don’t have a problem with CPCs that don’t use deceptive tactics. It’s fine if you want to hand out car seats and baby formula, but it’s false advertising to design a place to look like a medical facility when noone on staff is a trained medical professional. It isn’t right to lie to women about how far along they are in their pregnancies, often pushing women into the second trimester when the procedure is more difficult to access if they still want to abort. And at this point, if they can’t get an abortion, they will have missed out on important prenatal care. Also, looking at MY local crisis pregnancy center website, it’s alarming to see the statement “you might not even need to worry because you could have a miscarriage.” Um, excuse me? How is that woman-centered care?
Megan – you will have to modify your statement regarding medical staff – any CPC that has ultrasound do have medical staff available to do the ultrasounds. They have to comply with state laws regarding ultrasounds and have certified staff to man them.
But we HAVE seen PP lie about gestational age so THEY can perform an abortion instead of referring patients on to another facility. We have also seen them turn people away if they were really farther along than their normal window also.
And Megan – abortion is available in the US up to the day of birth. No woman is not able to have an abortion if she really wants one.
Sad, but true.
I think it’s a good idea to force CPCs to put up a great big sign that reads “WE DON’T DO ABORTIONS HERE”, as long as the Planned Parenthoods are also required to put up a great big sign that reads “WE KILL BABIES HERE”.
So what’s the big deal? The only way this could adversely effect the mission of “crisis pregnancy centers” is if they do, in fact, get a substantial amount of traffic from women who are under the mistaken impression that they perform abortions. That’s not the case, right?
Another example of how aborts are not pro-choice but pro-abortion, period. They are opposed to choices of folks in regards to what services they can run. They are opposed to choices of us not to pay for their abortions. They are opposed to choices of folks who want to help the community but don’t want to do abortions. They are opposed to choices of doctors and nurses not to do abortions against their consciences.
I think PP should have signs at their facilities too.
“no mammograms performed here”
“No pre-natal care here”
“no chastity education here”
“no natural hormones here”
“no adoptions done here”
“no free clothes here”
“no baby items for free here”
“our doctor is brought from another state”
“no follow up from your abortions here”
“no help for you if you have complications from your abortions done elsewhere”
“no transportation for you here’
“no safety net for under-age girls here”
“no asthma, heart-disease, high blood pressure, mental disorder treatments, diabetes, cancer, neuromuscular, breathing, migraine headache, or any other such treatments here”
“No sanitary or inspection-passing treatments here”…
get it? Yep.
signs
Personally, I think this could actually help CPCs in the long run rather than hurt them.
That being said, this is clearly an infringement on free speech rights of groups with certain perceived religious and/or political affiliations.
Exactly, Joy. If you’re going to make one group do it because you disagree with the services they provide, fair is fair. Make the other group post the services *they* do not provide, as well.
“Sorry, we do not sell Adidas at this Nike store.”
Well, duh.
joyfromillinois:
I would add:
“no love of Christ here”
Oops! This is not PC. Sorry.
“no love of Christ here”
That’s because not all women seeking abortion are Christians. But thanks for undersoring the fact that the anti-choice movement is based on Christ-o-centric beliefs.
“WE DON’T DO ABORTIONS HERE” – Fact
“WE KILL BABIES HERE” – Statement based on a philosophical/theological view (fetuses not “babies”) of “life” not universally held – specially in that liberal (read secular Jewish and largely religiously indifferent) NY City. Kudos to that great multicultural city that respects people and doesn’t engage in fetus worship.
But the anti-choice movement and the NY Archdiocese has big bucks and they’ll mount a spirited appeal.
And
“no chastity education here” – Thankfully. It doesn’t work! I know firsthand. I attended Catholic school back in the 60’s when we were hot trotting our tuckuses down to Planned Parenthood as fast as we could.
Mayor Bloomberg will sign this with nary a second thought.
I hate when the abortionists, who are the most dangerous people on Earth, call anyone or anything else “dangerous”.
The City Council members who voted for this dreadful “legislation” should be held fully accountable for every single human being who loses his/her life as a result of their cruel, vicious and inhuman action.
Lappin, of course, is already responsible for all the human lives she helped to destroy as a “deathscort”.
They are opposed to choices of doctors and nurses not to do abortions against their consciences.
Yup, we are opposed to doctors and nurses who would let a woman bleed to death rather than perform an emergency abortion. But then, that’s nature’s and “god’s” way so it’s all good.
The City Council members who voted for this dreadful “legislation” should be held fully accountable…
Hey Scott Roeder, is that you?
Personally, I think this could actually help CPCs in the long run rather than hurt them.
That being said, this is clearly an infringement on free speech rights of groups with certain perceived religious and/or political affiliations.
My thoughts exactly. For CPCs to be legally mandated to say that they don’t do abortions suggests that they lie about this all the time and can only be “kept in check” by legal regulations, which isn’t true.
CC, when you come to this website, is your goal to make us to pro-choice? What are you here for?
And those of you who support mandatory sonograms because women need to be “informed,” should feel the same way about CPC’s. Right?
And Marauder - my “goal” is to show you that there are other views out there. In other words, your view isn’t universal inasmuch as you want it to be. My heathen views allow you to validate your own world views so I’m actually helping you ;)
Ashley (is this the same Ashley who posted here before?) Congratulations on your pregnancy!
This bill isn’t designed as a public service to weed out deceptions. There has been no proof of any kind of deception at any NYC pregnancy center. No complaints about deception or false advertising from any of their clients. NARAL claimed they did an undercover investigation, and made up a “report” about it, but no proof was provided of what they said (unlike Lila Rose, they forgot to bring along a hidden video camera).
The bill isn’t based on a neutral or unbiased consideration of facts. The bill’s main sponsor has served as an abortion-clinic escort, for heaven’s sake!
The real purpose of the bill, in my opinion, is to influence pulic opinion about CPC’s — as in “OOoooh, they’re these scary places run by Christian crazies, who pratice deception on pregnant women and will lie to you, unless severe regulation by the state keeps them from doing it.” They want women not to go there.
Plus, the way the bill originally worked – they changed the language somewhat, so I don’t know if it’s still there – there were extremely heavy fines for the smallest violatons and the CPC could even be shut down. Also it didn’t have to be a client who makes a complaint that they don’t properly advertise their services. It can be anyone. Perfect way for NARAL to keep “inspecting” CPCs, see something they want to represent as a violation, turn the CPC and watch them fine or close down the place. Believe me, it could happen. And since no proof of false advertising was needed to pass the law, do you think it will be necessary to have any proof for them to be fined? Not the way government works here in New York, it won’t.
The amount of signage and “disclosures” that the centers will be forced to carry will prevent them from putting important information about the services they DO offer on their signs.
Oddly enough, the bill, as far as I know, doesn’t address any really harmful claims that have been alleged (also without proof) against CPCs, such as lying about fetal development (no, that’s PP’s schtick), or making false claims about a link between abortion and breast cancer (though many studies have established such a link). Nope, it’s purely ideological. Pro-aborts don’t want alternatives out there, that’s the bottom line.
CC, if we didn’t know there were other views out there, we wouldn’t be on this website in the first place because abortion wouldn’t even be an issue. I ask this sincerely – do you really think we’ve never heard opinions like yours before?
CC, congratulations! The Archdiocese of New York’s pro-life fund has just grown richer by $2 since you signed on. Whether you like it or not, you are helping to defeat this bill by your anti-Catholic comments here. Way to go! $32.
The NARAL report was very detailed and comprehensive.
http://www.prochoiceny.org/assets/files/cpcreport2010.pdf
And BTW, do the CPC’s provide pre-natal care including and all the things that Planned Parenthood doesn’t provide?
The Archdiocese of New York’s pro-life fund has just grown richer by $2 since you signed on
OH, wow. $2.00.
And Marauder, the comments here are very, very instructive and worth sourcing when the opportunity provides.
BTW, Lori, when is your St. Elizabeth film debuting at Sundance?
You didn’t answer my question, CC.
I ask this sincerely – do you really think we’ve never heard opinions like yours before?
You allow me to express my opinions and for that I am deeply grateful. You won’t be converted and neither will I; but the intellectual exchange is just so stimulating. Right?
You still haven’t answered my question.
CC,
The report is detailed and comprehensive is it? But is it true?
Yes, many CPC’s in New York do provide pre-natal care.
No, my film isn’t premiering at Sundance, because I haven’t submitted it. but thanks for asking.
So I’m only donating $32 (not $2) to the pro-life campaign? Just keep going the way you have been and you’ll push it up to $50. The centers are going to challenge the bill in court and will need every penny. I’m sure the archdiocese will be behind them all the way. Just think how much you’re helping the pro-cause!
Yes, it’s the same Ashley.
And I haven’t found my local CPCs to be run by “Christian crazies.” They probably have their own beliefs, but they’ve never pushed any religious dogma on me. Nor did they do any of the other scary things pro-choicers always claim they do, like try to force me to sign adoption papers or tell me I was a whore. I’ve only dealt with 2 CPCs, but most of the negative claims seem to be the stuff of pro-choice mythology, not fact.
Add to PRC’s signs:
PP received over $363,000,000.00 in support this year!
Your donations here are appreciated!
Lori,
You are quick! I may send a donation myself.
I think everyone should read the link that CC provided. This report is not detailed or comprehensive. It objects to CPC because they tell their clients that their unborn child is alive; that abortions can lead to breast cancer; and that many women deeply regret their abortions. Well, DUH! Seriously, what do they think a CPC is supposed to do – talk about how great abortions are? Also, the fact that the pro-aborts want to pick and choose their own research does not make the research the pro-life side uses invalid. In fact our research is more valid using pure science as a guideline (unbiased samples, for example).
However, the best part of the “comprehensive” study is the appendix. One of my favorite questions, the “investigator” had to answer was:
Appendix 3
01 1a Did it feel like a clinic? [How scientific!]
I also liked this question:
Appendix 2
Q3 Will I be meeting with a doctor? Nurse? Physician’s Assistant? [You will not see any of them at a PP until they have you on the table for your abortion!]
Sorry this is so long. I think the best thing for the pro-life side is to expose the “facts” the Pro-abort side uses in its arguments. Really, I think they are so used to not being questioned about their position, they have no idea how easy it is to expose the gaping gaps of logic in their arguments.
Sorry this is so long. Again – here is CC’s link for those that may have missed it.
http://www.prochoiceny.org/assets/files/cpcreport2010.pdf
Hey CC:
“The City Council members who voted for this dreadful “legislation” should be held fully accountable…
Hey Scott Roeder, is that you?”
Project much?
Isn’t it amazing how pro-pre-natal homicide advocates can’t wrap their brains around peaceful accountability? Like, wow, people could actually not vote for them in the next elections. Democracy must be one of those kooky concepts our flying spaghetti monster told us to embrace. Lol!!
CC, tell me, are your daughters also pro-abortion??
I’ve only dealt with 2 CPCs, but most of the negative claims seem to be the stuff of pro-choice mythology, not fact.
That’s great to hear – if we can only convince Megan and CC of that.
So happy to hear you’re pregnant – I know how much you wanted to be.
By the way, “choosing life” is way easier said than done. When I told my mom I wanted to keep the baby, and by the way, it’s my body and my choice, she said she couldn’t believe I was even considering having it. When I said I am against abortion (and she knows I had a previous one that really messed up my life), she called me “bizarre” and told me I was trashy. I imagine some girls (especially teenage girls in abusive homes and/or with abusive boyfriends) get that, along with a beatdown for not submitting to an abortion.
Also, despite knowing I made my choice, my mom told me the father and I WILL break up, and she called around some abortion clinics and booked me an appointment for next week, just in case I wanted it. She’s hard-selling an abortion. While most of my family hasn’t pressured me as much as she has, they’re not happy for me, either.
By the way, I want to get together a group of women at March for Life who either had babies depsite intense pressure to have an abortion and/or were coerced to have an abortion so we can yell “my body my choice!” I’m sure the feminists will love it…
Oh Ashley, I had no idea that your mom had gone so far as to make an appointment. That’s horrifically manipulative.
I’d totally stand with you against those who’ve tried to push us into abortion.
““WE KILL BABIES HERE” – Statement based on a philosophical/theological view (fetuses not “babies”) of “life” not universally held”
Actually, it’s science. I know, science is a foreign concept to most pro-aborts, but I think our laws should be based on it, even if you don’t.
“specially in that liberal (read secular Jewish and largely religiously indifferent) NY City.”
And yet they base their views on abortion law on 4000 year old Jewish theology instead of science.
By the way, “choosing life” is way easier said than done. When I told my mom I wanted to keep the baby, and by the way, it’s my body and my choice, she said she couldn’t believe I was even considering having it.
Ashley, I’m so sorry your mother feels that way. I’m sure she’ll change her mind when the little grandbaby comes into the open and smiles at her, though.
By the way, are you getting married? I know you had hopes of that too.
By the way, I want to get together a group of women at March for Life who either had babies depsite intense pressure to have an abortion and/or were coerced to have an abortion so we can yell “my body my choice!” I’m sure the feminists will love it…
Bravo! Yell as loud as you can!
Lori,
No, not all CPCs are the same, and I’m sure some use perfectly honest means to draw in their clientele. Still doesn’t excuse those organizations that would lie and manipulate to get women not to abort. “You might have a miscarriage anyway”–how is that sound medical advice? It’s just giving a woman the false impression that she has plenty of time to make her decision, when in fact (hi Joy) second trimester abortions are expensive and very much restricted. That’s not ok. So if a woman WANTS an abortion, and suddenly finds it very difficult to do so because she believed she was earlier along in her pregnancy than she is, then she will have quite the rude awakening.
If most CPCs had staff trained to offer prenatal care, I’d be astounded. Oh, and food for thought: how many CPCs report to the police cases of illicit sex? Joy, girls under 17 in Illinois who come in to CPCs pregnant–are they not walking evidence of transgression/malfeasance?
Ashley,
I hope it works out for you (no snark). From reading your column you seem so thoughtful and articulate…your kid will have a bright future, no doubt. And by the way, any true feminist believes that choice works both ways. Being pressured into anything–pregnancy OR abortion–is not ok.
There’s already a wedding in the works.
At first we worried about having a “nice” wedding and how we can’t really afford one right now, but decided being married when the baby comes is very important to us. If we have a handful of friends there and my dress costs $100, we’ll work with it.
Maureen,
Great post.
CC,
Thanks for posting a link to the pro-abort fluff. The truth will prevail in the end.
~~~~
Megan, you might be shocked to know that Planned Parenthood does not require its counselors to have anything more than a highschool diploma or GED.
@Ashley: I know this is your mother we’re talking about, which may make what I’m about to say difficult to read, but I feel that someone should at least bring it up.
That your mother booked an appointment for an abortion for you, over your express disapproval, raises major red flags to me. It is my hope that you are not worried about this, but if you are concerned that she may use force to get you to comply, are there steps you can take to protect yourself? And do you have the help you need, if you need to take them?
Maybe I’m more concerned than I should be. I probably am. But I really feel strongly, in case I am not, that looking at possible scenarios in advance may help you protect yourself against the worst ones.
Megan,
I’m sure that your careful attention to ethical principle in dealing with pregnant women no doubt takes into consideration that abortion “clinics” uniformly neglect the standard of care (SOC) in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
I’m sure that you are aware of the fact that SOC requires testing for STD’s and other infections prior to any surgical procedure, and that patients testing positive are to be treated with antibiotics and retested until they test negative. No doubt that you are aware of the fact that chlamydia is a silent infection in over 50% of women who have it, and that 23% of untreated chlamydia patients go on to develop Pelvic Inflammatory Disease within three weeks of having had an abortion.
The truth is that women have abortions the very same day that they present at the abortion centers.
I’m waiting to see your concern for women over this, as I am for the fact that most abortionists are not OB/Gyn’s.
I believe that if you are genuinely concerned for women’s health that you will throw yourself into cleaning up the abortion industry rather that sit and blog over imagined infractions at CPC’s.
Oh, I’ve already planned to call my apartment complex’s security if she shows up here pushing for the abortion and won’t leave. Luckily I don’t live with her. I wouldn’t call the cops (I still feel wrong having my mom arrested), but I don’t mind having her escorted out of my building.
Ashley,
Get an order of protection against your mother. This will prevent her from calling or showing up. If she violates it, have her arrested.
Congratulations, Ashley! Great news about your baby! A lot of us and a lot of our parents had to endure parental scorn, but many grandparents come around eventually.
Please join me in praying for Ashley and her baby. Pray a hedge of protection around them and that NOTHING and NO ONE will keep her from giving this child life! Pray for a supportive and caring network of folks from the CPC’s near her that are well aware of the pressure she is under to kill her child. Let no weapon stand against her!! Give her strength she never knew she had.
Love you, Ashley. You know where to find me.
“The truth is that women have abortions the very same day that they present at the abortion centers.”
Given the general shortage of physicians trained to perform abortions, a woman presenting for one without making a prior appointment generally has a 1/7 shot of finding an abortionist in-house. That fact right there belies your claim that abortion is a “touch and go” procedure. But I doubt you have substantive evidence anyway to back up that claim. Oh, and for what it’s worth: was tested for everything in advance of my procedure. Right before the mandatory counseling. :)
I join you in those prayers, Carla. Ashley, I’ve been there except it was my military command trying to strong arm me into aborting my daughter (her father, too). I was stationed overseas and my only support was a friend over 3,000 miles away. You focus on taking the best care of you and your little one as you can and take it a day and a time. The same family members who were ashamed of me came around (babies will do that to people!) and my now 16 y/o is a well-informed pro-lifer, too. Enjoy your pregnancy and don’t allow anyone to rob you of this miracle.
Congrats on your pregnancy, Ashley! I’m happy for you :)
Back on topic: here’s how I’d like to see the now mandated disclaimer CPC signs to look:
This facility does not provide abortion services, referrals for abortion, or birth control
BUT Does Provide:
FREE Pregnancy Tests, Options Counseling, and Information on Abortion
Prenatal Care and Ultrasounds
Parenting Support Services and Adoption Information
Sorry you don’t have support from everyone in your life at this time, especially your mom. Babies are always a positive in spite of difficult circumstances. So many here will be praying for you, your boyfriend and your little one.
There’s already a wedding in the works.
At first we worried about having a “nice” wedding and how we can’t really afford one right now, but decided being married when the baby comes is very important to us. If we have a handful of friends there and my dress costs $100, we’ll work with it.
Super idea – I really think the simplest weddings are the best ones! Much happiness to you.
“You might have a miscarriage anyway”–how is that sound medical advice?
If they really did say it, it’s ridiculous advice, yes. But how much information about how many CPCS did you have to scour before finding that detail? Have you ever visited one for yourself or talked to a counselor at one?
Oh, and food for thought: how many CPCs report to the police cases of illicit sex? Joy, girls under 17 in Illinois who come in to CPCs pregnant–are they not walking evidence of transgression/malfeasance?
If the girl is under a certain age, and there is suspected abuse or statutory rape, the center is REQUIRED to report this to the police in most states. Planned Parenthood apparently has a hard time remembering this. I believe CPCs do a better job.
Ashley,
If you’re a size 16, I’d be happy to send you my wedding dress. :)
“If we have a handful of friends there and my dress costs $100, we’ll work with it.”
I actually got my dress at goodwill and my mother in law adjusted it for me. The type of dress I wanted wasn’t really available at traditional wedding stores and I didn’t have the ridiculous amount of money it would cost to have one made. I decided to go to some thrift stores to see if they had anything that could be altered quickly.
I found a lace dress that was very near what I wanted for like 20 dollars. My mother in law adjusted the bodice and the arms and the dress was perfect.
All this to say…you might get lucky and find something where you least expect it.
Congratulations on your pregnancy, Ashley. I hope it won’t come to escorting your mother away. I’ll pray for you and for your mother to relent and realize she’s going to be a grandma and that a baby is nothing to fear/hate. Good luck in planning your wedding, too. Small and simple sounds good.
Megan,
You don’t need a physician to STD testing. Swing and a miss.
Nice try though.
Ashley – our prayers go with you. Please surround yourself with positive people in your life.
I want to tell you about my friend Tracy – she was pregnant in high school and her father pressured her like mad to get an abortion. Thank goodness she was stubborn. She had her baby, raised it with the help of her boyfriend, graduated high school and went off to college and graduated there too.
She is married to that father of her baby, and that baby went on to go to school, graduate from the same university the mom did and is not studying to become a lawyer.
It took 5 years for Tracy’s Dad to come around, and finally say that she was correct in having her baby daughter. Tracy now has several children and adopted a baby boy a few years ago. She is still going strong, and is an advocate for Life and Adoption.
Ashley – you can do this and protect yourself from your Mom. Please pray for her. she will come around, hopefully, and in the mean time, you have a life to care for, and a life to build for your young family. Godspeed! we are in your corner and praying for you! ;)
Congratulations Ashley! Praying for you, your child and your future husband. Persevere and grow deep in love. My wife and I have been married 23 years and had a similar start.
Our son was conceived out of wedlock, but we married a week before he was born – so he was present at our wedding. He’s now a wonderful adult and we can’t imagine our lives without him.
There may well be trying times ahead, considering your mother’s reactions. Just remember anything truly worthwhile takes serious work and much grace.
My suggestion for the mandated sign:
Abortion has and does cause the following complications in women:
Death
Infection
Punctured uterus
Severe bleeding requiring blood transfusion
Damage to surrounding organs including ovaries, and intestines.
Scarred uterus
Damaged cervix
Anesthetic complications
Sterility
Vomiting
Rh Sensitization
Endotoxic shock
Convulsions
Embolism
and in future pregnancies…
Ectopic Pregnancy
Incompetent cervix
Placenta previa
Extreme premature delivery resulting in cerebral palsy
Miscarriage
As well as psychological problems including:
Increased rates of suicide, depression, substance abuse, promiscuity, with exacerbations occurring around the anniversary of the abortion.
Additionally, the increased future risk of breast cancer.
For these, and many more reasons, we do not provide abortions.
Come in and take advantage of the many services and resources we have for you and your baby FREE OF CHARGE.
Gerard:
On the list: did I miss the ABC link?
“Yup, we are opposed to doctors and nurses who would let a woman bleed to death rather than perform an emergency abortion. But then, that’s nature’s and “god’s” way so it’s all good.”
The usual pro-abort dishonesty. Your side is opposed to freedom of conscience for doctors and nurses on abortion even when there is no danger to the mother’s life.
Mindful,
You are not nearly as clever or shocking as you think yourself to be. As innovative as you seem to believe your ideas to be, trust me, we’ve heard them all before.
We’re not anti-life, we’re pro-choice!-Heard it.
Pro-lifers aren’t really pro-life because they support X action-Heard it.
Planned Parenthood prevents abortion!-Heard it.
ReThuglicans don’t care about poor people!-Heard it.
If you really cared you’d adopt all the babies in the world-Heard it.
“Shocking” domain name aside, there’s nothing new here. It’s the same old abortion bumperstickers dressed up with “edgy” fonts.
Let me ask you a question. If we assume everything you’ve said is true and pro-lifers are really a bunch of heartless thugs, do any of these things change the fact that a new, unique human being is killed during abortion?
Thanks, everyone. You honestly wouldn’t believe the intense pressure to have an abortion. I wanted to get pregnant last summer when I was on the first anniversary of my due date from the OTHER abortion. (Baby would have been due in July 2009; I had started wanting to get pregnant by April 2010.) But this one was actually a huge surprise. I’m actually surprised by how many people are acting extremely cold and telling me to abort again and not tell anyone. You know, just get it over with. Someone even used the “at this point, it’s just a ball of cells” line on me and obviously assumed I hadn’t done my research. Sorry, nice try, you’re a frigging idiot.
I don’t need a fancy wedding, either. I always thought the huge weddings were more work than they’re worth. I’ll find a dress somewhere, and my Catholic church in Cleveland is letting us do it there for free. The CPC is getting me some free care, like free ultrasounds (to make sure everything is going okay), vitamins, and parenting classes. One of the moderator’s from this site’s wives sent me her baby books. We’re Facebook friends, and she wanted to help! :) I don’t like taking stuff for free, but this support from lifers has already helped.
I forgot to mention that my sister got married when she was somewhere between 3 and 4 months pregnant. She was worried about showing – yes, it was early, but she is very thin and fine-boned, and the tiniest bump would have been noticed. She hand-made her wedding gown – copied after the high-waisted one in The Princess Bride. She looked absolutely lovely and it cost hardly anything. I was a bridesmaid, and it was a very beautiful wedding.
Also, I like someone on this site (I forget who) suggesting the slogan “pro-choice is a lie, you don’t care if women cry” in reference to coerced abortion. When I did go to the “family planning” clinic, I was extremely upset, to the point that some of the other people in the waiting room looked disturbed. The staff ignored it and seemed mostly concerned with checking me in. They also asked me and my “support person” to give them our driver’s licenses. Um, why? I went back a few minutes later and demanded mine back, and told my support person I was leaving and would take a cab home if needed. (He kept suggesting I get the ultrasound and “give it a try.” Sorry, not in this hellhole!) The clinic protesters were wrong, too, but I was surprised by how callous the clinic staff was.
lauren:
I appreciate your personal insults however saying you “heard” something does not dispute it. Also, judging by your misrepresentation of my points you either did not read the post, did not understand it, or enjoy preventing a real discussion from taking place. What I would like to hear are constructive ideas about preventing unwanted pregnancy and how you would like your government to deal with the repercussions of illegal abortions.
My site is black and white and uses the most common font. Don’t make yourself look foolish with childish commentary.
Ashley, Congrats! I wish you the best, and I’ll keep you and your family in my prayers.
I still do not understand why the pro-abortion-choicers are doing this, as no other business has to post signs of what they do not do, only what they actually do. Therefore, this would be a precedent-setting case. Tit-for-tat, I think that abortion “clinics” that masquerade as “woman’s clinics” should be mandated to post what they do not provide, as well. They should be mandated to post that they do not do prenatal care or abortion alternatives, and that they only refer for cancer screenings.
Oh, and to the comment from CC that chastity education doesn’t work, it does. Plenty of women and men hold off until they are ready, or until they are married. Yes, some do slip, but then again, those who have received “comprehensive” sexual education do not use contraception like they are told to. That is not proof that the type of education received has failed. It just means the student disregarded it, or felt that they were ready. Therefore, the idea that chastity education does not work is propaganda from your side.
What you may have seen in the 60s were girls that, while they were in Catholic school, were not strong in their Catholic faith, and did not have very strong families or stable lives, and, for that reason, did not listen to the teaching on chastity. I should know, I saw the same thing in the 90s. Those of us who were devoutly Catholic, and had strong families and at least somewhat stable lives, actually listened and did stay abstinent.
For more information on the subject, you can check out the studies on this page: http://www.physiciansforlife.org/content/category/6/149/27/
Mindfull,
For preventing “unwanted” pregnancies, people should learn the health reasons why they should stay chaste until marriage, and then learn Natural Family Planning (NFP) if they do intend on having sex and do not want to get pregnant. NFP is more than just the rhythm method now, they also use temperature, mucus measurements, etc. Therefore, it is much more accurate, and women who have irregular cycles can use it. You can find more info on it here: http://www.usccb.org/prolife/issues/nfp/index.shtml
The answer to dealing with illegal abortion would be: incarcerate the abortionists and anyone who pushed, or tried to push, the woman into abortion. The woman would not be guilty.
Ashley, that was me who wrote: “Pro-choice? That’s a lie! You don’t care if women cry!” in reference to abortion coercion, in the Chicago: Pro-life flash mob surprises “Walk for Choice” thread. It seems all too often I hear from women who’ve had an abortion at this site, that abortion clinic staff rushed them through the mandated counseling (if there even was any) & the process up through the abortion itself even when there were clear signs of distress and/or coercion.
To answer your question, I think the reason they wanted both of your driver’s licenses were for security reasons.
Amy:
The mother who kills or attempts to kill her unborn child IS very definitely responsible for her actions and IS very definitely guilty of a crime. She should be arrested, along with the father, the criminal abortionist and anyone else who is involved with the commission or attempted commission of the very serious crime of prenatal homicide.
This crime of prenatal homicide must be treated the same way as all other crimes in which everyone involved is held accountable for their actions and punished for their violation of the law.
If we do not hold everyone, including the mother, accountable when they kill or attempt to kill a child, large numbers of children will lose their lives who otherwise could have been saved. We must NOT allow innocent children to die so that guilty parents can escape responsibility for their actions.
If we do not hold parents responsible for killing their unborn, we will provide these children with only partial protection of their lives and rights, rather than the full legal and physical protection to which they are entitled and which ALL of the rest of us enjoy. Would we want to apply this same “logic” to those people who would try to kill us born humans? Of course not. So why should we apply the same unsound “logic” to our unborn children? They deserve better than this.
Finally, not only would we be failing the unborn (as we always have) by refusing to give them full legal protection, but allowing mothers (and fathers) to kill their unborn children alone and to contract with criminal abortionists to do the killing means we would be be supporting “legal” abortion, which is a preposterous position for anyone who kills him/herself “pro-life”.
The unborn deserve the same FULL and complete legal protection that we born humans enjoy. Nothing less than that will do.
Ashley,
I found my wedding dress at a dry cleaners for $75. Many brides don’t or won’t pick up their dresses!! Think about it!
Joe,
Of course you are talking about after abortion is illegal which will significantly cut the rate of abortion. Oh, and after the mother has seen the ultrasound, had fetal development explained to her and the risks of abortion right? 70-80% of women choose life after seeing their babies on ultrasound. As it stands women are lied to by omission, coerced and forced into abortions they don’t want.
INFORMED CONSENT will also cut the rate of abortion.
Something about the way you write I don’t like, dude.
I have not read this entire thread. Just saw Carla’s last comment. I can offer my old wedding dress that’s a size 10 and in excellent shape. Sweeheart neckline, long sleeves with a pretty crown of flowers and veil. Should Ashley want to borrow them, I would be happy to do so. Contact me at my email address if interested. Going to work now. :)
Is that you Megan??
Megan!!! Megan!!! Megan!!!
::waves::
Jerry,
YIKES!! I neglected to add the ABC link! Thanks! Fixing it now.
Mindful, it’s rich that you come on here and cry that I hurt your pretty little feelings when your entire site is predicated on the notion of using abusive and “shocking” language.
If you want to engage, don’t title your post “pro-life=BS!”
I will give you one thing though, at least you seem to understand that abortion is not something that should be celebrated. That’s more than I can say for 95% of abortion supporting people who post here.
However, you seem to be of the mindset that practical considerations are of more import than logical ethical debate. Using your logic, before we could outlaw the murder of born people we’d have to explain what we think the government should be doing to prevent murder and “stop the repercussions of illegal murders.”
Specious argument aside, if these are truly your concerns, legalized abortion has been going backwards to addressing your goals. Unwanted pergnancies have skyrocketed due to illegal abortions, and more women today will suffer the negative physical consequences of abortion than ever before.
Before legalization, abortion was a fringe activity. Perhaps you are still unaware that Bernard Nathanson, founder of NARAL admitted to completely making up the numbers of women who died during an abortion and the numbers of women who underwent an abortion.’
The truth of the matter is that more women died after an abortion in the year following Roe than in the year proceeding. Prior to legalization, deaths from abortion were already falling due to better antiseptic. Of course, they were falling from numbers like 800 to numbers like 300. There was never a time in our history when “tens of thousands” of women were dropping dead after an abortion.
In fact, prior to legalization there were barely “tens of thousands” of women who were even having abortions. Contrast that with today when over a million American women will have an abortion every year.
If your gal is to reduce unwanted pregnancies, legalized abortion fails miserably on that count. Finally, one need look no further than Gosnelll’s clinic in Philadelphia to see that legalization has not proven to be an improvement over the pre-Roe days.
Ashley: I have a truly ridiculous amount of craft/sewing stuff sitting around my house and I actually really, really need to get rid of a lot of it. Seriously, I think I’m a hoarder or something. It’s beyond organizing capacity and it’s just interfering with my life. Tell me anything you want or need for decorations and I’ll see what I have.
Just wanted to point out that Ashley is getting pressured on ALL sides to abort her baby!
Her parents, his parents! How does a woman stand up to that kind of pressure when she has no other advocate??!!
Thanking God for you today, Ashley and for making your stand in the face of those that want you to kill.
You and I both know how abortion never solved anything for us.
Look around at all the people that are here congratulating you and offering help. We will be here for you and your baby!
Lauren:
One again you have missed the point. WHO WILL TAKE CARE OF THE BABIES?
“However, you seem to be of the mindset that practical considerations are of more import than logical ethical debate. ”
YES! There are actual fact and logistics that prevent abortion from being outlawed. If you do not confront them how can we take your cause serious?
“I will give you one thing though, at least you seem to understand that abortion is not something that should be celebrated. That’s more than I can say for 95% of abortion supporting people who post here.”
You believe there are people celebrating abortion?
Bernard Nathanson is as relevant as dr. Kevorkian .
“If your gal is to reduce unwanted pregnancies, legalized abortion fails miserably on that count.”
??????? You have cause and effect mixed up.
Please don’t hurt my feelings again, I’m sensitive.
Carla’s right, I am extraordinarily lucky to have met pro-life friends online. Most people don’t have that; the most generous response they get is an offer to pay for the abortion. I know I posted crazy, crazy stuff on here when I was defending my own abortion. (It was usually when I was drunk. I was drinking at least half a bottle of vodka or an entire bottle of diluted vodka every day last year, even at work.) If I’d never started reading this site, I bet I would be having a second abortion.
And you’d be shocked by the number of people who claim they’re “pro-life” and aren’t. Oh sure, they vote Republican and sit in church every week. But when it’s their daughter/girlfriend/friend/etc, they think you should just get an abortion and move on. I bet half the people in Congress voting to de-fund Planned Parenthood would support their own daughters getting an abortion. One thing that REALLY pisses me off is that I know my mom wishes this would all go away because it’s embarassing for her. She hangs out in an ultra-competitive social circle where they’re constantly bragging about their kids going to law school, marry doctors, etc. She told me “everyone feels like they fail if their kid gets pregnant.” So she thinks this is all about her, not me.
This is a website about abortion, which is an adult issue. I can’t use adult language? Even when its not directed at any one? Freedom of speech? I have not offended anyone here. Or do you just not like reasonable dissenting opinion?
Ashley,
Don’t worry about taking help right now. We’ll all be over for dinner when the baby is born :-)
Seriously, this is exactly what Jesus intended the Church to be, a family. You have a large, extended family here who have always loved you and prayed you along.
Love and Hope never leave us disappointed, and all you need to do is hang tough for a few more weeks. You’ll spend the rest of your life rejoicing that you did.
Don’t worry about dinner. We’ll all bring a covered dish.
Mindfull – when you change the website you’ve chosen to link to (to something appropriate and not profane), your comments will be allowed.
Thank you.
Mindless,
I’ll address that as a moderator here. You don’t have absolute freedom of speech on Jill’s blog.
Jill’s house, Jill’s rules, Jill’s standards. Links published here must be to sites that comport with the standards of posting here.
As for your assertion that abortion is an adult issue, that’s semi-true. For a great many, it’s an immature cop-out meant to preserve one’s level of functioning at a puerile level of juvenile behavior (all sex and no responsibility). The language you defend as “adult” is just as juvenile.
While you won’t be using Jill’s blog to increase traffic at the junior high school site, you are free to engage in authentic adult language and content here.
Big people words.
Use big people words.
Ashley,
Count me in as one who is praying for you. your story was so inspiring. its stories like that which keep me going to the clinic every week.
i do hope that you have, or will, seek out post-abortive healing to deal with the after-effects of your abortion, to learn how to grieve, to learn how to forgive yourself. especially since you raise the issue that you were depending on alcohol… and that you had a desire to get pregnant so quickly. both of these are common things that happen to post-abortive women.
Glory to God for all things. Glory to God for the Church. Glory to god for the new life growing in Ashley’s womb!
Mindful, this site has certain posting guidelines. When posting here, you agree to follow those guidelines. Part of that is not cussing.
Surely you can make your “reasonable dissenting opinion” without cussing, no?
Hi, Ashley,
I’m definitely offering my own prayers for you, and for your baby!
Terribly sorry for the random aside, but: you’re not the “Ashley” who was posting on the following article, are you?
https://www.jillstanek.com/2010/08/duggar-kids-free-indeed/
I didn’t think so (the styles and content were radically different), but I just wanted to be sure. There seems to have been at least 2–possibly 3–“Ashleys” on this blog, in the past year or two…
God bless & protect you (and open the eyes of your mother)!
Paladin,
Heraclitus said that no man steps into the same river twice.
New waters flowing past make the river a different body of water. The same may be said of our friend Ashley.
Ashley, I am so happy you are turning your life around. I often thought about you even after you were banned. When you were posting those crazy things, I threw quite a few angry words at you, but I still prayed for you (I also kind of suspected that you were drinking, which seemed to be the only explanation for your double personality). But it’s clear the prayers had much more effect than any words. We are praying for your you and your baby and hope to hear frequent updates.
And now if we disagree with can do it in a friendly way :-)
I have not cursed. I have linked to a website that does. The only post that has been blocked is the one that refutes Lauren’s points. This is selective censorship, where it is convenient for your opinions. If anyone wishes to continue the discussion you may do so on my website where there is no censorship. I will not post here any longer.
Thanks! Yeah, my mom tried to convince me I don’t want the baby, and that the dad must be pressuring me to keep it. (False; when his parents started pushing abortion too, he temporarily broke down and said he wanted an abortion. He changed his mind as soon as I kicked them out of my apartment.) Then she said I must just “feel guilty.”
She honestly thinks keeping a pregnancy in imperfect circumstances is stupid. She has no qualms whatsoever about abortion, and she scoffed when I said “it’s a life” and said “oh please, not that bull****.” But then she accused me of drinking while pregnant. (I did before I found out, which thankfully was at 2 weeks post-conception, and quit.) If it’s not a life, why does she care if I drink?
Mindfull, all of your posts which link to that particular website will be deleted. Tell you what? I’m going to un-link the site to your posts and then you may continue to post, as long as you do not link to that website. I haven’t even read your posts, so you’re not being censored. How’s that? :D
Just this morning we had 2 saves – Praise God! PP DID take an ultrasound – but did not allow the woman to see her baby on the screen (like normal).
So much for medical care.
oh BTW, they were charged for their ultrasound. Nice treatment.
This is a website about abortion, which is an adult issue. I can’t use adult language? Even when its not directed at any one? Freedom of speech? I have not offended anyone here. Or do you just not like reasonable dissenting opinion?
Perhaps if you would read the rules before commenting, everyone would benefit.
PP charges for everything. I didn’t go to PP, but it was somewhere similar. They wanted $100 upfront for a “consultation.” They never explained what that was, but they wanted me to pay for it.
And thank God I didn’t pay before I decided to leave. I doubt I’d ever see that money again.
Gerard wrote:
Paladin, Heraclitus said that no man steps into the same river twice. New waters flowing past make the river a different body of water. The same may be said of our friend Ashley.
:) Understood, on all counts. (Believe me, I know the truth of that maxim from personal experience! When I used to frequent the old .usenet groups, I was as bad as some of the worst trolls on this site; redemption is not something to which I’d like to slam the door!)
God bless your continuing journey, Ashley! Welcome!
(Silly me: I should’ve typed “welcome back!” Where the blinkety-blank is the edit function?)
CC,
Chastity education might not have worked on you or your peers back in the 1960’s, but it’s had a make over since that time and there are many Catholics who are returning to their Catholic roots.
I worked with teens for several years in the realm of chastity. There are many heartfelt truly wanting to live pure lives out there. Some even asked me how to talk to their friends about chastity. Many of the people who were NOT chaste in high school are now telling me they wish they had been–including men.
May not be your experience, but chastity isn’t taught the same way it was taught in the 1960’s–if it was even really taught in a comprehensive, frank way back then–I get the impression it wasn’t–but I could be wrong.
Nowadays it’s not just religiously taught, it’s taught in the sense of health, how certain hormones work and in light of people’s experiences and not just taught by nuns or priests or ministers, but also “lay” people.
Mother in Texas:
I appreciate your charity in reaching out to CC who posts here for two reasons: One is that CC knows abortion is wrong and is attracted to the message, and secondly what CC cannot grasp intellectually must be denigrated.
We all know the troll CC is a troubled soul that is not only supportive of killing babies but is Christo-phobic and full of every type of confusion as are so many in our troubled world today.
Hello Ashley, I have been praying for you and will continue to do so. I will pray that you have a healthy, strong baby and that he/she will be protected from any effects of your alcohol abuse. God is able to protect you and your baby from physical, emotional and spiritual harm. I will say a short prayer right now.
Dear Heavenly Father, I ask that you protect, guard and keep Ashley in peace and her body and her unborn baby’s body healthy, strong and developing perfectly. I pray that you will keep her strong to protect the life of her unborn baby. I pray that her upcoming wedding will come together beautifully but most of all that their marriage will be strong, loving and blessed by you. I pray that she and her fiance will make a life-long committment to you, to each other and to this precious baby. Amen.
My situation has taken a major turn for the worse. The dad and I made one more try with my parents. They were extremely unfriendly to him, would not listen to anything he said, and said they want an abortion, period. This morning, the father called me and said “we NEED to terminate this pregnancy. There’s no way this can work. We’ve been living in a fantasy.” Then his mom–so both sides are pressuring me to abort–called and went on and on about how we can’t have a nice wedding or a nice honeymoon, and I won’t even have a nice dress. She obviously assumed I give a (you know what), rather than realizing my baby is more important than any of that.
Then my mom accused me of “ruining the family” and being “manipulative,” and that I don’t “care about our feelings, what about us?” So if I don’t have an abortion, I’m hurting their feelings. This is truly all about them.
By the way, I am 100% sure these claims about how America is more pro-life than ever is total BS. Everyone–even very conservative friends, including one who regularly blogs against abortion–have either outright pushed for it, or gave me the old “do what’s best for you, I support you either way.” Not one pro-life response, except for the people on this site. And almost all of them are Republicans. If asked in one of those surveys, I’m positive my baby’s father, his parents, and my dad would say they’re “pro-life.” But this is why abortion bans keep being voted down. (55% to 45% in South Dakota, 77% to 23% in Colorado.) People claim they’re pro-life because it sounds better, but then they think: “uh oh, what if it’s my teenage daughter and the neighbors gossip?” Then they want the option of taking her for abortion and using a little force to get her there.
You think the pro-life side is winning? I don’t. I’m more discouraged now than ever. Researchers keep saying Americans are getting more and more narcissistic, so I expect even fewer people to put a baby ahead of their image, their financial situation, or even the big wedding. It’s all me, me, me and to hell with everyone else.
I should do a “Top 10 abortion-pusher quotes,” just based on my experience alone.
Ashley,
PLEASE cut the ties for now. Shut off the of lines of communication with these people!!
All they have for you is killing.
Continue on the path as a mom and look ahead to the ultrasound when you will see your baby!!!
Yes. I want to read your TOP TEN LIST!! :)
Top 10 Abortion-Pusher Quotes:
Ashley, A couple I remember:
“You trapped him.”
“How do I know it’s even mine?”
“Nobody will even know.”
“Get it taken care of!”
“I’m too young to be a grandma!” (she was 46 but acted 16).
“Your a damn gold-digger.”
(I had more assets and a job that paid more. I was 22 and he was 26. He had a run-down trailer house, a Harley and a fridge full of beer. Nothing was close to being paid for and even the beer was on a tab!) (:
Remember how much all of us here care about you and your beautiful little one! You are a tough cookie and this baby will bring our world more joy and love than you can ever imagine.
I agree with Carla that you should shut down communication with these folks for at least for awhile. Praying for you all.
Ashley, I have to agree with Carla. The support here is great, but in addition, perhaps via a PRC/CPC you could be put in touch with some other expectant mothers group? I don’t know what part of Ohio you’re in, but there’s a place called Hannah’s Home that might be worth an email or phone call to, they’d know better what local resources are available to you. Be strong! Those who say the situation is too difficult or only have dire predictions for you are underestimating you and your capacities.
I don’t know what your faith background is, but words that have always reassured me come from Jeremiah 29:11 “I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” Having weathered my own storm of pressure to abort, I promise you that one smile from your baby makes all the thoughtless statements leveled at you now fade into oblivion. It is so worth it and you are able to get through this!
Haha oh wow. You have some good ones. Here are some of mine.
-If you loved me, you’d have an abortion.
-Why can’t you think of anyone else but yourself?
-Me: “I think this is taking a life.” Mom: “You need help because you have serious issues.”
-You won’t even have a nice wedding dress.
-I’ll take you on vacation afterward
-but it’s just a BALL OF CELLS!
Also Ashley – the Catholic Church where you are having your wedding – get in touch with the Pro-Life group there and the St. Vincent de Paul group – who will help with food and other items. Find the good parishioners who want to help. Are you working with a priest there? Can you talk to him privately? If he is a good pro-life priest, he will help in getting you in touch with people who will help. Also your local crisis pregnancy line may be able to get you in touch with someone.
Project Gabriel is good too – helping women with needed help with their situation.
Please surround yourself with a few really good people with connections. Even Catholic Charities can help. If you need to move out (are you at home now?) please do – even to a friend’s home.
Your parents are concerned and are not helping you make the right decision (for life). Get yourself prayed for on the church prayer chain. I also just talked with some Sisters of Life from New York. If you are near them, maybe you could find out if they can give you good cheer and help.
Keep you head high. You have much to do, and you can do it. With God, all things are possible.
“I’ll take you on vacation afterward.”
Seriously? You’re in your mid-twenties, right? Still young, but if you can’t own your decisions now, then when will you be able to?
Ashley,
I’m going to organize a baby shower for you by all interested parties here at Jill’s and from my blog.
Let’s plan on it, and turn all of our attention now to the delivery of your baby.
Gerard,
GREAT IDEA!!!! Let me know how I can help!! :)
The guy: Still wants an abortion, now threatening a possible breakup. His mom told me she’s “sad” we won’t have a nice wedding. Boo hoo. I wonder what other tactics they’ll use by the end of the week.
The CPC is giving me an ultrasound this week.
And does the father believe that if you do abort, the relationship will somehow magically work out and be a healthy one, after everyone has coerced you into killing your child? I just don’t get this.
I’m praying for you. Hang tough. You are more than capable of being a good mom to this baby – with or without their approval.
I told him I’d never stay with a guy who pressured me into an abortion. It’s degrading. I did it with the first guy, and it won’t happen again. (He said there’s “no reason we can’t have an abortion and continue this relationship,” and I made it clear that was his belief, not mine.)
Correction–my ultrasound is TODAY at 1:30 at Pregnancy Decision Help Center. Hoping everything looks okay.
Ashley,
Hope the ultrasound goes well–let us know!
The guy sounds scared. We’ll have to pray for him.
You’re one brave Mama (Mama as in mother and as in woman).
God bless you and you keep saying no to those who are trying to coerce you into an abortion. We’re all here backing you up! *HUGS*