How do you feel when you walk by a pro-life protest?

I don’t agree with their position. The ones I’ve seen are heavily laced with religion, so that doesn’t help change my mind. But I’m glad our first amendment is still in working order.

Do everyone a favor and replace “pro-life” with “anti-choice”.

I’m very bummed. What right do they have to tell someone else what they can or cannot do with their bodies. It’s a personal choice. Yeah, I love kids and yeah, I have a wonderful nephew whose mother had an appointment for an abortion but couldn’t go through with it. I still haven’t walked in the other persons shoes and I don’t know what’s best for them. Why should they be so arrogant to think they know what’s best for someone else? I guessing they’re perfect in everything else they do before they protest. Not.

Some of their graphic images are not suitable for viewing by children. I wish they would take that into account, but some in that movement seem to have more consideration for the zygote than they do the child. That is disturbing.

If you are anti-abortion? Don’t have one. Problem solved.

@GoldieAV16 Good point. I also hate when the protestors drag along their children and make them protest too. Really? Do you think a child understands the issues?

There is (or was – not sure if it’s still there) an abortion clinic not far from where I used to live. When we would drive by, I would yell out the window “Pro Choice!”

Tempted to join hoist a sign reading “abolish the death penalty” or “abolish meat eating”.
Because they are not pro life, they are anti abortion and anti choice.

It drives me nuts. Are these people doing anything for living, neglected kids? Why not?

I wish George Carlin was still around to sic on ‘em.

I think to myself that they’re the Christian analog to the Taliban. It’s what happens when you turn off your ability to reason and behave like a rational person, and become a mental slave to what religious leaders are telling you.

@GoldieAV16 That’s exactly how I feel. One day, I drove on my regular route and… there they were—had to explain a 5×10 banner of a graphic aborted fetus to my son when he was 8. I agree, it’s disturbing.

I wonder what would happen if all the Pro-Lifers were required to commit to adopting one, just one, of the babies they saved from abortions. What would happen to their ranks?

Probably the way they feel about me, disgust.

“Look at all those old conservatives. Don’t they know it’s 2012 and not 1950?”

Unpopular opinion in 3…2…1…GO!

While I disagree with them, whenever I see protesters of any kind, I’m quite happy to see a group of people using their rights as American citizens to the fullest. Sure, I disagree with them and I do feel sad, confused and conflicted when I see them, but it is within their rights that would be the right to assemble and the right to free speech, @Adirondackwannabe to protest whatsoever they choose.

Do I agree with them? Hell no! Do I think they are doing their duty as American citizens trying to change what they consider to be an unjust law? Yes, I do. I have participated in protests myself, most have been passive, I admit and a lot of people disagree with me. I think they have every right to protest and those of us who do not agree have every right to show our disapproval of their protest.

I’m with the constitutionalists on this one. I may not agree with their sentiments but folks are guaranteed a right to assemble and speak their minds.

I also think that I’m looking at a whole bunch of wound up, sexually repressed zealots, the majority of whom have no kids of their own.

nothin’ like havin’ a few of the little monsters runnin’ around the house to make you want to fire up the shop vac.

The fact that they justify their ‘pro life’ stance using a religion responsible for murdering millions of people in the name of god is absurd. Of course they cannot fathom the right of a woman to make her own choice, they had the concept of personal choice weaned out of them from childhood at the local church. Their brains no longer have the capacity to comprehend such a reality, lest they be blasphemous! They have been taught they are too lowly to make choices and of course, women are just lowlier than dirt anyway, so its up to the male to make those choices she is just too stupid and unworthy to make for herself.
The women who march with their nonsensical signs are even more clueless than the men. They have totally lost all touch with their own personal power and sense of equality to men, and have lost the will to protest their own imprisonment.

Its all well and good they have been given a choice to protest. Too bad they are protesting the rights of others and basing their stance upon pure, handed down hearsay designed specifically to strip the sheep of personal dignity.

malt.literature

I feel no different than when I walk past a pro-choice rally, a gay parade, or anything else. My opinions can be swayed.. but not by a bunch of people with signs. God bless them all for having a cause and going out to support it. What’s wrong with that?

And just to add fuel to this fire… I am pro-life.. but much more than that. I am pro “don’t get pregnant unless you really mean to”.

I wonder how many disadvantaged children and families they’ve helped recently.

It makes me a little sad.

I do not think religions should be mixed into it. Everyone has their right to choose.

I am not either really pro life or pro choice, I just believe people should do what THEY FEEL is right FOR THEM….. While they have freedom of speech and the right to voice their opinions, it makes me feel sad…...

They’re hypocrites. But they have the right to be a hypocrite.

Like becoming a clinic escort.

I remember in the early 90s having to go to planned parenthood for a routine pap smear (I had no health insurance, so that’s where I went for most of my medical needs) I remember when I tried to walk in the door, I had to step around these people who were sitting in front of the entry with their signs and their bibles.

When I tried to step around them to get inside, people started calling out to me “Don’t kill your baby! Don’t kill your baby!” I had (and still have) really bad claustrophobia. I don’t deal well with crowds at all. I kind of freaked out and almost screamed “There is NO BABY! Let me IN!”

The sad thing was that the clinic I went to didn’t even perform abortions. They gave pregnancy tests and would offer you contact info of clinics if you asked for it. Most of their clients were like me and got their birth control and exams at the clinic. It was highly unlikely that these protestors even “reached out to” a single pregnant woman that day.

I felt scared and threatened. I don’t think I’d feel that way today, but back then it was really scary. I didn’t know that they weren’t allowed to touch me or actually stop me from going inside. I didn’t know that yelling was all they could do. I thought someone was going to grab me. It was really scary. I still feel a little sick when I think about it.

Fortunately, I have not had the experience of being in the presence of a “Pro-life demonstration”. I say it is a good thing because I don’t think I could refrain from asking “how many babies have you adopted?” Or asking the guys “by what right do you feel you should tell a woman what she can do with her own body?”

I would also wonder, loudly, why do you stop caring for children once they are born. Other than dedicated Catholics, most “right to lifers” support the death penalty. I guess those “retroactive” abortions are o.k.

I’ve enjoyed reading all of these replies, although they’ve got me riled up a bit. These people disgust me. The points made about them caring for existing children adds to my anger. I despair at having to share the planet with such ignoramus’s

How do I feel? irked.

I’ll admit, I’m all for free speech.

I feel, however, that the grotesque photos go way over the line. Here in my locale, these protests often line busy streets. We’ve had to shout at our son to keep his eyes covered just to get to the grocery store.

If this “argument” is supposedly coming from the side of compassion then why isn’t their protest filled with compassion?

Be the change you want to see. <——I truly attempt to live by these words. Their argument is hypocritical and revolting.

@SpatzieLover Exactly. What compassionate human being could wave those kinds of pictures around for little kids to see? Worst of all, they’re probably photo shopped, then paraded around like that is the norm.

@stardust I’m a bit confused. You said “The points made about them caring for existing children adds to my anger.” Does that mean that Pro life (I like to use anti-abortion) people have no responsibility to the children that are born because they frightened women away from abortion or they made it impossible for clinics that offered abortion services to operate?

Personally, I hate the idea of abortion, proper birth control should be used and women that use abortions as birth control should be sterilized. Consider this though, what if the woman was forced to bear the child and raise it. She would at least resent the child and may even take her anger out on the child. Are you telling me that this child is better off alive than being aborted?

I see reports on child slavery, female circumcision, and child abuse. Most of this is because ignorant poor women got pregnant with no available birth control or abortion services. That is the real crime.

@Ron_C I really can’t think of any woman who uses ABORTION as a form of birth control. Do you have any idea of what a woman’s body goes through after an abortion? Why would any woman choose that over the pill or some other form? It’s a ridiculous claim.

Actually, I’ve met a couple when we lived in Virginia. They are not people that I really wanted to know but the two that I met had at least 4 abortions each.

I asked on why she did it and she said that she kept forgetting to get her pills. Can you imagine if they had become mothers?

@Ron_C That’s not using abortion as birth control. That’s using abortion as a backup plan.

I always wonder just how many of the people in those protests actually help out women/girls who are pregnant. I also wonder what percentage of them are also pro death penalty.

@Ron_C They were idiots, obviously on the state dole because abortions are expensive. And they screw your body up. I don’t think there is any woman out there that would say, “Hey. Forget birth control. I’ll just have an abortion if I happen to get pregnant.”

@Dutchess_III “They were idiots” that’s why I think they should be spayed after the 2ND abortion.

Lots of people should be spayed AND neutered.

I’ve never seen a Pro-Life protest. I suppose I’ve lived a sheltered life. I’ve lived all over the country too. Surprising how many of you have had the experience.

@bkcunningham You’ve never seen protests on the National Life Chain Day?

Geez, I live in a village and less than 2 miles from me in all directions, the chain is in full force (I’m about 15 mins from the city in a ‘burb) On that day, there are anti-abortionists and pro-choice people on the sides of the roads.

There is almost always someone outside of Planned Parenthood on the weekends, too.

I just wish they wouldn’t be there. And why do they always use people with birth defects and mental illness to picket for their causes?

I get aggravated when I see them picketing because I feel like they are interfering with people’s ability to remain intellectual about their decision.

They’re not the brightest.

On the plus side, the ones around here create jobs? A clinic near where I live has hired “escorts” (bouncers) to get women from the parking lot into the building unharmed.

@Ron_C No. What I meant by that comment is I find it interesting that these people aren’t focusing on assisting the countless number of existing children that are going to fall through the cracks of society. It’s an interesting one, eh?

It’s rather interesting how I am pro-choice, and yet I was adopted. I could easily have been an abortion. My birth mother was in high school when I was born. I don’t understand how people can be “pro-life” and yet against adoption and for the death penalty. Someone I know explained it to me with the comment “they are cancers to humanity and don’t deserve to live.” Go figure! I received birth control from planned parenthood while I was in college, but I never had to cross a picket line. I didn’t I ever even see any. The very position of the “pro-life” people whom seem to become “anti-life” once people are born disgusts me and I don’t understand their argument.

“If you’re pre-natal you’re ok, if you’re pre-school, you’re fucked.” – George Carlin

@GracieT ..I’ve never heard of any one who was against adoption..?

@Dutchess_III , The Crisis Pregnancy Center is an anti-abortion clinic that has chains and branches all over the country. If you ever see those signs that say “Free Pregnancy Test” or “Pregnant? We can help.”. You are seeing their signs.

They are anti-adoption. They want the mothers they council to take responsibility of their own babies. I know this because I dated a guy who’s mother was on a local board of directors for the clinics in her region.

Basically, they find young and scared pregnant women and show them tons of films with pictures of aborted fetuses and put in baby cries in the background. Then they give her lots of scary pamphlets of all the horrible things that can happen with abortion. Then they sit and pray with the girl so that God will help her make the right choice.

Then they help her out during the pregnancy. Mostly praying for forgiveness of sexual sins and praying for the strength to live up to their responsibilities of being a parent. Adoption is considered trying to pawn off your responsibility to someone else and not following God’s will.

These centers do offer some post-natal help with food and diapers. But their main mission is to get girls to not have abortions OR adoptions.

Oh, that just sucks @keobooks. That’s awful.

preying on the weak and psychological terrorism. absolutely disgusting.

@Dutchess_III @keobooks Susie Cagle did a really great comic on what happens at CPCs. (And just one teeny nitpick; CPCs are technically a type of clinic, not the name of them. They’re mostly independent, not chains.)

It should always be the women’s decision. I’ve seen a good side and a bad side. So mathematically they cancel out. Plus in my opinion as a struggling Christian myself, it’s not my duty to shout on the corner streets while calling myself a Christian. It’s not my duty to judge another.
In one case a 9th grader was pregnant with a 12th grader. You can imagine the manipulation the 9th grader went through. The relationship turned sour but she was pregnant and being abused. She missed her period and found out she was pregnant. Thank God for pro choice because I’m pretty sure pro choice was the miracle here.
On the other hand I’ve seen abortion ruin a girls psyche during college. The emotional trauma and stress I’ve seen on this particular girl was like she was possessed and lost her happy go lucky vibe. She became uneasy and seemed angry and feisty there after. She was in a stable relationship with her dude, she just felt she wasn’t going to be liked by her family.
So to answer the question I would feel uneasy to be around the protestors. Protestors by nature are trying to prove a point and their stance is pretty firm. When you’re united around others with the same belief you have their back and anything can go down, I would never argue against a mob that wasn’t escorted with policemen. Mob syndrome can erupt at anytime.

(A ninth grader was pregnant WITH a 12th grader? Sounds painful!)