Comments on: The morality of forced motherhood? http://www.bellytales.com/2006/02/26/the-morality-of-forced-motherhood/ The Diary of a Midwife Mon, 21 Nov 2011 13:33:05 +0000 hourly 1 By: heatherw http://www.bellytales.com/2006/02/26/the-morality-of-forced-motherhood/comment-page-1/#comment-405 heatherw Sat, 04 Mar 2006 19:50:54 +0000 http://www.studentmidwife.org/2006/02/26/the-morality-of-forced-motherhood/#comment-405 This is a bit poorly researched. At least the Catholic Church has the moral high ground. For as long as I can remember, on the federal level, they have been lobbying for more help for women, children, and disadvantaged families. A current major initiative is in expanding health care coverage for poor children. On the local level, they do a fantastic job of re-distributing used baby equipment, maternity clothes, and surplus diapers. I spent many a day as a Catholic youth at the regional donation center, inventorying and processing "pro-life" related donations. So did many others I knew. Yet I knew no one from my parish who was involved in anti-abortion related activism. This is far more fitting criticism for many of the pro-choice organizations, who seem to deny that the sad state of women who have surprise pregnancies could essentially be prevented by changes in our social policies. The last time I received propaganda from NARAL, I wanted to vomit. The letter drew heavily on statistics regarding poverty among teenage mothers, and for that reason, I should be defending our rights to abortions. Sure! That's the answer! Those poor mothers should all have had abortions! Never mind that they didn't want them. Childbearing should be a luxury for the rich and middle-aged. As if poverty is caused by motherhood, and is preventable by abortions, not better services. Whenever I do receive information in the mail from pro-choice organizations, I find the writing is often full of language that devalues families, children, and mothers. I can't relate, and I certainly can't stomach sending them money. But I will probably be giving all my baby things to Catholic Charities. This is a bit poorly researched. At least the Catholic Church has the moral high ground. For as long as I can remember, on the federal level, they have been lobbying for more help for women, children, and disadvantaged families. A current major initiative is in expanding health care coverage for poor children. On the local level, they do a fantastic job of re-distributing used baby equipment, maternity clothes, and surplus diapers. I spent many a day as a Catholic youth at the regional donation center, inventorying and processing “pro-life” related donations. So did many others I knew. Yet I knew no one from my parish who was involved in anti-abortion related activism.

This is far more fitting criticism for many of the pro-choice organizations, who seem to deny that the sad state of women who have surprise pregnancies could essentially be prevented by changes in our social policies. The last time I received propaganda from NARAL, I wanted to vomit. The letter drew heavily on statistics regarding poverty among teenage mothers, and for that reason, I should be defending our rights to abortions. Sure! That’s the answer! Those poor mothers should all have had abortions! Never mind that they didn’t want them. Childbearing should be a luxury for the rich and middle-aged. As if poverty is caused by motherhood, and is preventable by abortions, not better services. Whenever I do receive information in the mail from pro-choice organizations, I find the writing is often full of language that devalues families, children, and mothers. I can’t relate, and I certainly can’t stomach sending them money. But I will probably be giving all my baby things to Catholic Charities.

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