RIP, Dr. Tiller
May. 31st, 2009 11:36 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mamagotchaNobody considers a late-term abortion lightly. When I was working with the perinatal hospice, I heard many stories from women who were being urged to consider aborting babies that were dying or would certainly die upon birth... and who were causing great physical pain and difficulty for their mothers. For instance, some congenital defects cause polyhydramnios... which means a LOT of amniotic fluid. Enough to potentially cause a uterine rupture.
The women the hospice worked with mostly decided to carry their babies until labor started (or a c-section was scheduled)... and some had pretty major price to pay regarding their health. But I know not all women given this dilemma will make that choice, and they should never be forced to.
I wish these hysterical right-to-lifers could sit down with these women and hear their stories, look at their faces, hold their hands. Dr. Tiller offered them one way to deal with their dilemma, but in no way was it an easy way out. Perhaps it brought the inevitable on a bit faster, but no... it was not easier.
My heart breaks for the Tiller family, and for his clients, and for his friends. Once again, the religious right has shown themselves to be the bastion of the violent, the vicious and the insane. Until they begin to rein in their rhetoric, and the reckless way they've goaded their followers, this kind of horror will only continue.
What a stupid waste. I hope Dr. Tiller's brave life, and his pointless death, serve to bring about a quicker resolution to this debate. The sooner religion is pulled out of the equation, the better. If your religion guides your behavior, dandy... but keep your theology off my body and out of my family's most private and difficult decisions.
ETA: A reminder for those who didn't get it the first time.
The women the hospice worked with mostly decided to carry their babies until labor started (or a c-section was scheduled)... and some had pretty major price to pay regarding their health. But I know not all women given this dilemma will make that choice, and they should never be forced to.
I wish these hysterical right-to-lifers could sit down with these women and hear their stories, look at their faces, hold their hands. Dr. Tiller offered them one way to deal with their dilemma, but in no way was it an easy way out. Perhaps it brought the inevitable on a bit faster, but no... it was not easier.
My heart breaks for the Tiller family, and for his clients, and for his friends. Once again, the religious right has shown themselves to be the bastion of the violent, the vicious and the insane. Until they begin to rein in their rhetoric, and the reckless way they've goaded their followers, this kind of horror will only continue.
What a stupid waste. I hope Dr. Tiller's brave life, and his pointless death, serve to bring about a quicker resolution to this debate. The sooner religion is pulled out of the equation, the better. If your religion guides your behavior, dandy... but keep your theology off my body and out of my family's most private and difficult decisions.
ETA: A reminder for those who didn't get it the first time.
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(no subject)
Date: 2009-06-01 06:50 pm (UTC)If your religion guides your behavior, dandy... but keep your theology off my body and out of my family's most private and difficult decisions.
YES.