As I sat at the red light I kept thinking how hard I’ve tried not to hate them.
I really have…hate isn’t all that productive, but…well, shit.
Right now?
At this moment?
I really, really, really hate those people protesting in front of Planned Parenthood.
Blink.
For the love of all that’s preventable, St. Louis tops the country in STD rates. Based on a CDC report, we lead the nation in sexually transmitted disease infections for gonorrhea, chlamydia and syphilis. And women of color are the fastest growing group for new HIV infections.
So, I’m not going to lie. I hate those protesters who may make someone seeking information and protection turn away.
I hate them because they don't want someone to get tested today, get treatment or get the sex education they are hell bent on denying the masses.
My city and my fellow St. Louisans are paying a heavy price for the beliefs of a few sanctimonious assholes who really don't give a shit about the lives of women or their children.
These new STD statistics are the diseased based result of the war on choice.
And I really don’t understand how people so willing to harm thousands of living human beings can claim to be pro-life.
But a bitch has long suspected that to be the goal and so I hate…and then I get angry...and I reject this sorry assed reality they call a culture of life.
As Marvin said, this ain’t livin’.
7 comments:
The protesters are all about one thing.
Abortion.
But you already know this. I can tell.
The fact that planned parenthood is NOT all about abortion but is in fact about PLANNED PARENTHOOD does not matter. The fact they offer STD testing does not matter. The fact they provide people (and yes even a lot of married people) with birth control options (that are not just abortion) so that people can plan families, and not have too many kids that they can not afford to have - is not important.
To the protesters, anyone who walks into a planned parenthood clinic is going to get an abortion. Even the men.
I dislike them too. I can understand being anti-abortion. Really. I am not exactly comfortable with the idea myself. I think there are better forms of birth control than that. But I can not send someone to hell for getting an abortion either.
I give what money I can to Planned Parenthood.
I am grateful for the local (Pittsburgh area) protesters. I belong to the Planned Parenthood of Western PA's "Pledge a Picketer" program (http://www.ppwp.org/pledgeapicketer.html). You pledge a set amount per picketer and then donate $$ according to the number of picketers.
I love that by showing up to protest, they actually raise more money for Planned Parenthood.
ABB, thanks for being you -- you do so much for your community. I wish we could clone you, or at least your sense of civic responsibility.
Ant Annie in Pittsburgh
I flip them off every time I drive by, and I have to restrain myself from dealing with them the same way that Julia Sugarbaker dealt with a certain pornographic magazine vendor in her neighborhood....
I don't flip them off like Jeff does, but I do have to fight the urge to roll down the window and ask why they aren't devoting their time to the needy.
Y'know, like Jesus told people to do.
I commute past there daily on Boyle, and the oddest thing I have seen there was a horse, with blinders on. I am not quite sure what the anti-legalized-abortion protester was trying to convey with said horse.
Protesters only show up on abortion days, and perhaps on counselling days. I confess I am glad when it is cold, rainy, exceedingly hot, or otherwise unpleasant on Sat. AM when most of the protesters show up. But I don't waste energy getting mad at them.
NancyP
This post tackles two very important issues. The statistics about the amount of people with STDs in St. Louis are alarming. What is being done? Is there not enough education out there for people? Do people not know that they need to take almost every precaution possible to protect themselves. Chlamydia is one thing but what about HIV, the stats on that are getting more than scary with each passing day. So, protesters are standing outside Planned Parenthood trying to prevent abortions, what about trying to educate those around us about what they can do to protect themselves. This post is loaded with so much that we need to look at. I can not get mad at anyone for exercising their right to peacefully protest, until it becomes not-so-peaceful, even if I don't like why they are doing it. BUT, I can be outraged with the amount of ignorance running rampant through this country when it comes to having sex. It's scary, and it's killing.
Crystal,
The folks outside of Planned Parenthood are from groups that have managed to pass state law which makes abstinence only education the only sex education in public schools. Beyond that they are seeking to close clinics that educate adults on safe sex practices and provide affordable screening and treatment.
I'm not a fan of words like ignorance because too many people assume that the "ignorant" are willfully fucking up their lives.
I have not found that to be the case.
Missouri conservitives have been at war with sex education and community based sex education...we lack funding and even if we had it we face legal prohibitions...but many of us are still working very hard in the community.
I just happen to think it is a damn shame that I have to fight my government to be able to provide preventitive education in the face of these std numbers and the undeniable need for preventitive education.
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