This week, against the backdrop of an enormous “Restore Roe” sign, President Biden urged his followers to get out the vote for fellow party members running in the November elections. He promised that if they were in the majority for the next session of Congress, he would immediately move to codify abortion access into federal law. We need to fight against this potential increase of the devastating impact of abortion by voting for pro-Life candidates and by persuading others to do the same.
It’s not always easy to cut through pro-abortion rhetoric as we work to persuade others to vote wisely, but we have some great resources to help us. Pro-life books (such as What to Say When: The Complete New Guide to Discussing Abortion by 40 Days for Life’s own Shawn Carney and Steve Karlen,) podcasts, and blogs are among the things that can assist us. Here’s an excerpt from an excellent blog post countering common arguments for legal abortion, along with a link to the full post.
The argument states: Women need abortion in order to be equal to men. If you take away abortion, you’re making women into second-class citizens again.
False (and, frankly, very insulting).
First, in an age where the male-female binary is under attack by trans activism, it’s fascinating that the pending end of Roe vs. Wade would inspire a sudden rediscovery of the fact that men and women are different.
The question isn’t really about abortion. It’s about how we respond as a society to the fact that men and women have sexual and reproductive differences that – try as we might – we just can’t make go away.
The feminism of the 1960s decided that through widespread contraception and unlimited abortion access, America could change that basic fact and eliminate those differences.
The theory goes: If we can separate baby-making from sex and if we can kill off the accidental babies that do pop up now and then, women could be just like men.
Have sex for fun, and walk away with no consequences.
The problem is that this kind of thinking puts all the burden back on the woman. Because sex still makes babies (the Guttmacher Institute reports that over half of the pregnancies in the U.S. this year will be unintended). And when she gets pregnant, the woman – not the man – has to commit an act of lethal violence in order to maintain her “equality.”
She has to make the decision to end her child’s life, inject herself with contraceptive hormones, and live with the aftermath of the dead child.
And that’s hardly an equality any woman should desire.
What if, instead, women turned around and demanded chastity from men? What if they demanded that biological fathers paid meaningful child support? What if public policies required both the man and the woman who had produced the child to act like parents?
The Left’s proposed “equality” is anything but – and the result is a whole mountain of dead babies and generations of hurt women.
Erika Ahern, 6 Common Pro-Roe Arguments (and how to refute them), https://catholicvote.org/6-common-pro-abortion-arguments-and-how-to-refute-them/
-Jen
SIDEWALK REPORTS
7-9 AM +++ Jeannie and Barbara
We started the day with a bang on a dark brisk sidewalk in front of Planned Parenthood. There was a couple walking by that engaged in some pretty negative banter but Barbara and Jeannie did their best to have a regular dialogue with them. The guard came out to make sure we were outside of the line and one time one of the workers felt we were not allowed to be in that circle — but since it was a Sidewalk Advocate in the circle, the guard could say nothing. It was great that Nikki and others pursued that case to allow Sidewalk Advocates to advocate within the yellow line. Regulars Jeannie, Barbara, Richard, and Marilyn were joined by Nadine who wonderfully took some time off to join us on her way to some medical appointments. We were relieved by Kathy and Mike and a couple lovely students from the Culture Project, which is an amazing outreach to try to infuse good morals into cities! God bless these young women!
9-11 AM +++ Kathy, Michael, and Mark
Students and leader of the Culture Project joined us on the sidewalk this morning for one hour. Erin, one of the students, shared with me that she’s from College Station/Bryan, TX…you know, the place where 40 Days started…and, she went to that particular PP with the 40 Days vigil once…before it closed! Perhaps her presence with us today will have the same outcome here as did the one in TX.
Also present today were Michael (PCUC), Nadine (from Elizabeth, PA), with several visits from Rocky, John, and a passerby in need of bus fare to get to NJ and supports our work.
Passed out precious feet pins and some green brochures to a client and passersby.
11 AM-1 PM +++ Elsie
I attempted to fill in for my usual shift manager, Katie, who was at home being a marvelous mom!! The sidewalk is never the same without her, but I was not alone. Michael and Kathy stayed on the sidewalk for a good while past their own shift, with Kathy eventually leaving to submit her ABSENTEE BALLOT at the County Building, as she’s going to be a poll watcher on actual Election Day and thus won’t be able to vote then. Kathy is the quintessential CITIZEN-PATRIOT: always responsible, thoughtful, hard-working and generous. There will be NO shenanigans at any polling place watched by her!!
Michael always brings such kindness to the sidewalk, that it was no surprise to learn that his professional work is in child psychology and special education! We were joined by Debbie from Holy Sepulcher, who managed to display TWO signs offering help while praying the Rosary!
We felt very sad as we saw victims go in and out of the death mill. Mea culpa, I failed to engage anyone in real conversation. Bright spots were passersby who seemed very pleased to accept literature from us — perhaps because they knew someone pregnant with whom they wanted to share it??
Donna and Elaine arrived for their shift, and so did more lovely, kindly parishioners from Holy Sepulcher.
1-3 PM +++ Elaine and Donna
Thank you so much to our faithful prayer warriors; Teresa, Kathleen & Bob, Mary Ann & Frank from St. Matthew’s Parish, Gretchen & Bob from Holy Sepulcher and Don from St. Killian’s. Elaine & I were blessed to have you with us today! We had many people crossing our path today. Some took information and some did not. The rosary was being said on both sides of the building today! May our prayers be a sweet incense to our Lord. There was a gentleman that came by asking for a rosary for him and his brother and we found one for them. Only a couple negative comments not really worth mentioning. Most people were pleasant today. It was a great presence on the sidewalk today! One woman came by asking to give a donation. She gave me a donation and thanked us for being there. She said, ” no matter what anyone says it is great that you are here and I am happy you are here. I have seen you here since I was 13 and my sister was involved.“ I’m guessing she was about 20 or so. What a blessing to talk with her today. Last week I gave Gospel Tracs to a woman who asked for another one. She came by this week and I gave her a brochure and she came back and asked for another one again. May God bless everyone that passed by us today!
3-5 PM +++ Val and Mike
Many thanks to parishioners from Christ the King Parish for praying with us today.
5-7 PM +++ Pat and Charlie
