About that battle For-Life…

Here’s a stream of consciousness that I have in regards to pro life and pro choice as a 44 1/2 year-old Christian woman who has never carried a child in pregnancy, and who has been fortunate enough to have safe (enough) relationships and interactions with men to count herself privileged in this way. 

The first thing that I want to make clear is, I was raised in a conservative, nondenominational, white, upper middle class culture. I went to private schools and I was heavily involved in my childhood church until I left it at age 21. I’ve now lived half of my life outside of a church community. I am a liberal. The people from the culture I grew up in are MIGHTILY pro life! The people in my culture now are largely pro-choice, and I want to talk about what I have witnessed between those two worlds and opinions. 

I don’t know a single person who wants someone to need an abortion. 

I don’t know a single person who considers abortion in a flippant way. 

I know that I sure don’t. 

The difference I see between the two sides - with the exception of a small percentage - is, pro lifers want to control the problem by force, with laws. Pro-choice individuals… And - generally speaking - Democratic administrations & legislators, seem to have had much more success in removing the *need* for abortion because they are focused on the CAUSES of the need. They recognize that there are things in play that need to be addressed. They look for the real problems BEHIND the issue of abortion. They seek ways to support those people and bring awareness to the problems that leave abortion as an only option. They want to stop the *need* for abortion… Not *access* to abortion. THOSE reasons are what they are looking at when they look for ways to channel resources & our country’s financial support away from the top & into the communities that are struggling. For them, abortion is one of the MANY issues that they ARE fighting as they do that. I believe that right-wing constituents are being lied to about that by the people who want their support.

So, over the years I have developed the feeling that if you are a pro Lifer, and you are electing officials based solely on that platform, and/or standing in front of clinics shaming people and being outraged; I want to ask you how many hours a month (or even YEAR!) do you dedicate to understanding the issues behind the problem (from a VARIETY of sources… not just the ones that are focused on YOU)?

How much of your money do you spend helping solve those other BASE problems? How do you address elections in regards to poverty, incarceration, health care, maternal leave, child support… The list is so long! Where are you attacking those issues? 

I believe very solidly that the pro-life movement was drummed up by politicians who needed your money, because they wanted you to put them in a position to CONTINUE to get paid by YOU… for years or even life! They want to live off of your money! So they needed to come up with a problem that they said they could solve in the judicial system. I believe they did that knowing that it wasn’t a solution at all, except that it would continue to be a platform that would easily hold you captive … in fact, the reality that it wouldn’t fix abortion would only insure the longevity of their game. They sold you a problem and said that they could fix it because convincing you would give them a successful career… Not because they had a solution that did any good for anyone. 

I’m asking you to allow yourself to consider these things in the coming weeks as the story of roe versus wade continues to unfold. Please open your eyes and pay attention to who says what about it. Set down pro life vs pro choice banners and try to recognize that outside of your PRIVILEGED vision are real people who would never consider an abortion unless they were in dire need for it. Yes… There *are* people who don’t take responsibility, and who have abortions when they could have prevented the pregnancy. But in 2022, if you cannot take the time to consider all of the information available surrounding the challenges of pregnancy, single motherhood, foster care/adoption systems, health care ($$$), sexual predators, poverty, affordable & safe child care, the growing number of homeless families & hungry children ….

You are taking a narrow-minded and naïve approach to a problem that you could give yourself more power to change.

The things that you have been told are going to fix this problem are only making it worse. I need more people from the pro life end of things to understand this. This is not a “pro life versus pro choice” and “which side do you stand on?” battle. This is about opening your eyes to what the real problems are, and approaching it with compassion and a desire to understand. Throwing your money at elected officials who say they will fix the problem for you by changing the law has not worked. You may have hired more of them, they may be passing those laws, but do not be deceived! That’s just more rich white people who are using your money to pay for their extravagant lifestyle, instead of you channeling your money towards the people and programs and systems that would better support the people who are desperate for help, so that they don’t NEED abortions. Get smart and quit wasting your energy and financial resources on a dangerous con. Do a better job of fighting abortion by helping people and getting involved in the problems that they actually face. 

Please, please consider this as you choose to support candidates and as you contact elected officials to let them know what is important to you. Now is the time to look at this issue seriously and from every angle that you can. Do not give your power to someone who only wants your money. Use your power to impact real change and do it THIS year. Now is the time to take responsibility for your role in your community instead of “hiring the tough shit out” to the people who only want their campaign sign in your yard. 

Please. Wake up. 

Emily Gaiser

5/3/22