Pro-choice dilemma: Are we alienating the disabled?
It’s true that, for political reasons, we can’t afford for those on the other side to be the only ones talking about this issue. But I’ll go a step further: If we in the pro-choice movement don’t start paying serious attention to the ways in which our own practices contribute to the dehumanization of people with disabilities, we can’t claim to operate under a reproductive justice framework at all.
~ Lenzi Sheible, a pro-choice advocate who is honestly and truly concerned that people with disabilities will feel alienated by the pro-choice rhetoric, RH Reality Check, October 17
There’s some good self-awareness in this piece, but as usual, not quite enough.
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The pro-borts suffer from a paralyzing philosophy.
At its core, their philosophy demands that they must dehumanize the child in the womb. But they cannot stop the spread of dehumanization. They must also deny the maternity of the mother, depriving women of their womanhood. And the complete denial of manhood and fatherhood — denying any rights to supportive fathers while enabling the pressure from abusive deadbeats.
As to dehumanizing the disabled: The pro-borts have long celebrated the choice to kill a child for having malformed limbs, or risk of spina bifida, or cleft palate, or Down’s Syndrome, or whatever.
It is natural for those who survive and thrive with their disabilities to feel solidarity with those who were killed for having the same conditions. And they feel angry, too. As we all should.
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The Left was very much for the Americans for Disabilities Act, but now seems to be denouncing disability with extreme fervor, especially when it comes to abortion. Their utilitarian utopianism almost seems to treat disabled people (and everyone else) as pawns in their game of power.
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“Reproductive justice”? Really? They’re still using that nonsense term. I don’t know why, but that one irritates me far more than the rest of their euphemisms.
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Wow, the author seems to be arguing to tone down the rhetoric so “pregnant people”with disabilities will feel more included in destroying their children! I could drive a truck through that disconnect, it’s so wide!
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*don’t know why
Ugh, why do I always discover my typos after the editing period expires?
[np – Mod]
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That awkward photo of Wendy Davis surrounded by disabled folks would make a perfect illustration for the article and the quote.
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“Are we alienating the disabled?”
Only the ones you aren’t killing first.
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….and if they don’t live productive lives, it’s the fault of those who didn’t want them killed before they could live their unproductive lives? The second thing is: when people stop leading productive lives, through no fault of their own, should *they* be killed, too? Third: who says babies aren’t “productive?” They produce LOTS of good things. A desire to care for them, mainly, out of affection and love for the innocent and helpless. They love unconditionally (at least at first :) ). And “unproductive? Reaally? Go to the grocery store and look in the “Baby Aisle.” Does that look like babies are being unproductive?
http://www.lifenews.com/2013/10/20/abortionist-kills-disabled-babies-as-old-as-37-weeks-if-they-wont-have-productive-lives/
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“[np – Mod]”
Thanks, Mod!
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And what about those who are disabled BY abortion? Made sterile? Made fatherless? Abortion’s biggest selling point: “Get rid of the mistake.” You GET a whole bunch of “mistakes” as a consolation prize for having gotten an abortion. WHO pays for all those consolation prizes, all THOSE disabilities? Are the relativists blind to THOSE costs? Of course they are; everyone who ever got an abortion also ended up marrying her Prince Charming and works at a downtown law firm….head of the class….NOT….Not always, by a LONG shot!
And, by the way, why do we say “She got an abortion,” anyway? Shouldn’t it be “WE gave the baby an abortion?” And I mean WE, because WE still condone this, through our leaders. The left calls the right ignoramuses for following blindly. But, truth is, to some extent, we’re ALL following blindly as long as this “Charade of Choice” keeps parading around as law. “Choice?” Really? Choose to fly like a bird, or breathe underwater: you have to MAKE the choice to pursue those ends, deliberately and calmly, and then PURSUE those goals. You CAN’T pursue certain things if they’re against the law. Well, you can, but the Lawman will come for you if you do.
I’m ranting. Because I’m enraged. I can’t choose NOT to be. I’d be enraged if I couldn’t choose. Couldn’t choose anything.
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. . . that people with disabilities will feel alienated by the pro-choice rhetoric . . .
Uh, ya think? After all, abortion is always put forward as a means of preventing the “suffering” of the disabled.
I haven’t gone to many prolife events lately but I ALWAYS see differently abled people at them, including children and adults with Down Syndrome. I am going to hear Ryan Bomberger on November 23, so I will give a full report!
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“Promoting “compelling” stories only hurts our ability to fight for the “boring” ones, too: the people who need abortions because they just don’t want to carry a fetus, give birth to a baby, or raise a child.”
Oh please, please, please start fighting for the “boring” stories. The majority of the public (who still have somewhat operational consciences) will find those stories enraging, not boring. Let’s talk about what abortion is really about.
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“When he was younger I prayed to God that He would change Johnny,” Stallings said. “That he would make him right. But you know what God did? He changed me. That happens every once in a while. … I’m not really sure that Johnny wasn’t an angel. He never said a bad word, never had a bad thought, loved everybody that he came into contact with.”
Gene Stallings averaged, across several years, a record around 11-2. There are few jobs with as little job security as attempting to satisfy a fan base that accepts nothing less than a Bear Bryant level of performance. Gene did it.
All the while, loving his Down Syndrome son, who was also widely loved by the Tide fan base.
His Down Syndrome son, John Mark, died a few years ago in his 40s, at a ripe ol’ age, as far as people with DS fare.
I know from my personal life a similar story, but that person’s mental retardation/ingtellectual disability was caused by rubella exposure, not DS. That person also lived into his 40s, with a great life – always full of cheerful happiness to see me, happy with his sheltered-workshop job, and so on.
A common denominator between these two stories is a Christian family. Oh, those evil Christians. Put your Hope in Obama, not God, you fools.
This news story, link below, captures a bit of the impact of John Mark on Alabama, on football fans, and the world. I can’t read stuff like this without getting something in my eye, making it water.
http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2012/10/statue_of_gene_john_mark_stall.html
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“Life in not about waiting until the storm passes by, it’s about learning how to dance in the rain.” He added, “See, Johnny taught the girls and Ruth Ann and I really how to dance in the rain. Just do the best with what we’ve got.”
I’ve always believed that Jesus sends the folks like Johnny to the world to teach the rest of us what’s really important.
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His Down Syndrome son, John Mark, died a few years ago in his 40s, at a ripe ol’ age, as far as people with DS fare.
I thought that people with Down Syndrome could live into their sixties? I see a guy walking around with Down that looks to be in his fifties.
Of course, most will never even get a chance to live out their lives, since 92 percent of Down Syndrome pregnancies are terminated.
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I thought that people with Down Syndrome could live into their sixties?
The record is 83 years old, Phillymiss.
Go Iggles.
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