Let me get this out of the way: I don’t agree with the pro-life position on abortion for two reasons. The first is if abortion is criminalized, all women of child-bearing years legally become public incubators. The ability to bear children will mean being subjected to special scrutiny by the government.
If you believe women are more than just transportation systems for wombs, abortion — love it or hate it — has to be legal. Family planning, privacy and the right to keep personal decisions personal are at the core of what we know as choice.
Second is that the pro-life movement is strangely also anti-birth control—conflating very effective means of preventing pregnancy, like IUDs and Plan B, with abortion. These are not abortions, and declaring them as such smacks not only of anti-science, but anti-sex. Specifically, anti-sex-without-consequences.
It strikes me this isn’t just pro-life, it’s pro-dictating others’ lives. This week, former governor of Arkansas, presidential candidate and admitted statutory rapist Ted Nugent-apologist Mike Huckabee said he wouldn’t rule out using federal troops to stop women from exercising their constitutionally protected right to terminate their own pregnancies.
Because nothing says freedom more than a martial-forced birth.
But let’s just say I’m cynical. I grew up in the foster care system, so I’m very skeptical when people profess they care about the welfare of children, but not actual welfare. Pro-lifers seem to revel in lamenting the fates of unwanted children, but are not holding marches at the steps of the Supreme Court to humanize foster care, reform adoption laws or give public assistance to families in crisis. They’re not holding vigils and prayer circles to increase funding to house abused or neglected children. Remember all those child refugees at the Mexican border? They’re children, too. When I see a dead fetus placard I see time not spent fundraising for scholarships for kids in the system.
Where’s the heavily edited video exposing how macabre and horrible it is to grow up in this country as a ward of the state? I’m still waiting.
But let’s say I’ve misjudged the pro-life movement. Let’s say they’re not currently using an activist’s hoax in hopes of sparking a moral panic alleging Planned Parenthood sells body parts. Let’s pretend abortion clinics haven’t been under constant “pro-life” terrorist attacks or threats. Ignore all the bombings and harassment, and forget that Dr. George Tiller wasn’t shot in the head while attending church. Let’s just take them at their word — that they really believe every life is sacred and they really care about children.
Then I welcome pro-lifers to join the anti-gun movement. There’s not as much raucous slut-shaming — but there are a lot of actual children dying. Pro-lifers can be more than just pro-birth. If it really is a moral conviction that life is sacred, then get out of women’s birth canals and grow up.
The U.S. has more guns and more gun deaths than any other country. Those who say guns make us safer have disregarded all data and common sense to make that claim. Just in 2013 we lost 11,000 Americans to gun homicides, 21,000 to gun suicides and 500 to accidents involving guns. We, as Americans, have decided kindergarteners getting blown away in Sandy Hook is just the price of freedom, yet just under half the country say they’re pro-life?!
How is this possible?
It’s time to branch out. Time to stop using junk science to scare women and time to start rallying against the real death industry in this country: Gun manufacturers. If pro-lifers are incensed and galvanized by the falsehood that Planned Parenthood profits off death as a non-profit organization, why aren’t they furious arms dealers are legally immune to lawsuits thanks to an act of Congress? Gun makers and dealers have no liability, all profit and don’t screen for cancer.
So in case no one has offered it before now, pro-lifers, you’re invited to champion for stricter guns laws. You’d be a welcome addition to those who know the Second Amendment states the militia is well-regulated and not wholly deregulated.
Tina Dupuy is a nationally syndicated op-ed columnist, investigative journalist, award-winning writer, stand-up comic, on-air commentator and wedge issue fan. Tina can be reached at tinadupuy@yahoo.com.
