This is why I fight.

There are those who would have you believe that the Morgentaler decision was the beginning of the end for civilized society in Canada. They are convinced that this was an immoral affront to good people everywhere that must be overturned by any means necessary. In the last 30 years, the following violent attacks have been perpetrated by extremist pro-life factions in the United States and Canada:

• 7 murders, including three doctors, two clinic employees, a security guard, and an escort;
• 17 attempted murders;
• 383 death threats;
• 153 incidents of assault and battery;
• 3 kidnappings;
• 41 bombings;
• 173 arsons;
• 91 attempted bombings or arsons;
• 619 bomb threats;
• 655 bioterror attacks (all hoaxes), 554 of which were committed by one man;
• 1630 incidents of trespassing;
• 1264 incidents of vandalism; and
• 100 attacks with butyric acid stink bombs.

Their complaints that they’ve been silenced are plastered across national newspapers and on cars covered with abortion porn and on street corners in front of clinics but still they play the victim. They lie. And this is why I fight.

These supposedly morally superior people consider themselves “pro-life” warriors on a mission from God and accuse those who disagree with them of being “pro-death”. They use terms like “pro-aborts” and “poor choicers” to describe anyone who believes that a woman has a fundamental right to choose what happens to her body, convinced that only they know best. They argue that it isn’t a matter of choice at all even as they seek to impose their views and their choices on everyone. They refer to the pro-choice movement as one that embraces a “culture of death”, while holding themselves up as defenders of the very sanctity of life. But this doesn’t seem to stop them from standing outside clinics and screaming accusations of “baby killer” at women struggling with a decision that is no one’s business but their own as they attempt to enter those very same clinics.

Their so-called “pro-life” movement is comprised of the worst sorts of hypocrites and they need to be called on it at every opportunity. Their ultimate goal is to ensure that women everywhere will be left with choices that only they approve of ... which would be no choice at all. They do not now, nor will they ever, speak for me. And this is why I will never stop fighting.

Some further musings. My son turned 18 in December and it got me thinking about a lot of things. I was barely older than he is now when I found out I was pregnant. After the initial “holy fuck” reaction, I explored my options and made my choice. Clueless know-it-all brat that I was, I chose to have him. Raising him on my own is the hardest thing that I have ever done and I have an incredible support structure in my parents, sisters and extended family and friends. I love him endlessly but how much of that love is predicated on the fact that his birth was a choice I made and not one that I was forced to make? Probably none. I’d like to think that my boundless love for him is instinctive but we’ll never know, will we? Because I had choices.

Essentially, that’s what this fight is all about. I wish every pregnancy was planned and eagerly anticipated, but that just isn’t reality. There’s always the possibility that some woman is staring at that little blue stick thinking “What do I do now?” She needs choices ... so it’s up to us to make sure that the misogynistic hypocrites in the pro-life movement are never allowed to speak for her.