Friday, July 31, 2015

ETHICS - Pro-Birth vs Pro-Life

"Catholic Nun Explains Pro-Life In A Way That Will Stun Many (Especially Republican Lawmakers)" by Leslie Salzillo, Daily KOS 7/30/2015

Excerpt

In one simple quote, Sister Joan Chittister, O.S.B. sums up the hypocrisy in the 'pro-life' movement:

I do not believe that just because you're opposed to abortion, that makes you pro-life.  In fact, I think in many cases, your morality is deeply lacking if all you want is a child born but not a child fed, not a child educated, not a child housed.  And why would I think that you don't?  Because you don't want any tax money to go there.  That's not pro-life.  That's pro-birth.  We need a much broader conversation on what the morality of pro-life is.

This quote applies well to many Republican lawmakers and anti-choice extremists who continue to introduce/pass misogynist laws restricting a woman's reproductive rights.  At the same time, the GOP works to shut down women's health clinics, with a special vengeance towards Planned Parenthood (#StandWithPP).  You don't hear of these Right Wing anti-choice extremists adopting children from unplanned pregnancies.  But you do hear of them cutting government programs like school lunches for children, cutting government financial and heath care aid to families who are homeless and/or in need, and blocking free college education.  No, the goals of these hypocrites seem to be more about controlling women's bodies and women's futures.  It's good to hear Sister Chittister, a Benedictine nun, define the GOP double talk so well.

An outspoken advocate for women, Sister Joan Chittister is an author of 50 books and a lecturer.  Holding a Ph.D. from Penn State University, she is also a research associate in a division of Cambridge University.  Other subjects of her writing includes women in the church and society, human rights, peace and justice, religious life and spirituality.  She has appeared in the media on numerous shows including Meet the Press, 60 Minutes, Bill Moyers, BBC, NPR, and Oprah Winfrey.  You can visit Joan Chittister's website (here).

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