Showing posts with label Babies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Babies. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Response to Elise Cooper About her article, The Rape Exception ~by Darlene Pawlik



American Thinker published an article by Elise Cooper. Her title, The Rape Exception, got attention. The message was that Republicans should leave the exceptions in laws. It is this thinking that has brought us abortion on demand.

I will take this apart paragraph by paragraph. Elise’s first assertion, in paragraph 1, is that rape conception is extremely rare. Rape is grossly underreported. Even so, the reported number of rape conception is significant. About 32,000 pregnancies per year are a result of rape.


Elise interviewed experts who have dealt with victims. That needs to be qualified. Were they first responders, investigators, or long-term healthcare workers? Dealing with rape is a process, not an event. Rape is a traumatic, core violation.

A first responder cannot have the same knowledge as a person who engages her over time. Trauma skews everything. Perspective, emotions, logic, attitude, perception of time, decision-making, and concentration are negatively affected.

In paragraph 2, Elise tells us that many Republicans are in agreement with the majority of Americans that exceptions should be made. The majority of the Early American South were said to approve of slavery. Does that make it right? Just because others believe something, doesn’t make it right.

It is objectively wrong to kill another human being. You would say it is wrong to kill you, right now. Why?

In paragraph 3, Elise talked to an unnamed psychologist. The title of psychologist is supposed to convey authority, but there are three completely disjointed sentences there. What does the death penalty and Second Amendment have to do with taking an innocent life in the womb on moral grounds? Guns are the great equalizer. Loss of life can occur? Victims of rape are not afforded the same parameters?  Wait what?

Is our psychologist suggesting the child deserves the death penalty for the crime of his or her father? Even those who rape do not deserve the death penalty, according to the Supreme Court. Only the most violent criminals are sentenced to death, but not without due process and among a jury of their peers. Is our psychologist suggesting the mother should be above the law? Should she be allowed to decide execution on her own?

What exactly is the psychologist saying here anyway?

Paragraph 4 emphasizes the trauma of rape, but concludes by suggesting that forcing children to carry their children to term is bad. The point is that she is already pregnant. She is already a mom. She knows there is a baby. It’s her baby. The police officer is quoted to say, “Would you force her to have the child of a horrible person?”

I know children of horrible people. I don’t think we should kill them because their parents are horrible.

She has been traumatized by rape. If you have seen what happens during abortion, you would agree that is another trauma. When she regains her ability to cope and she begins to heal from the rape, then the abortion, she will again be traumatized. She needs support and help to get through after rape. She does not need to be further victimized.

The police officer insists that choice is the key. What is the choice? Let’s be perfectly clear. The choice referred to is chopping up a baby and pulling that child from his mother’s womb. This leaves a mother of a dead baby. She is no less the victim of rape, but has compounded the impact to include the death of her child.

Elise tells us the officer has a good point. Then tells us that a UN report says that ISIS is torturing, raping and killing. Among those injured, was a nine year old, pregnant by rape. Why force her to relive nine months of torture? But, did she know immediately? One doesn’t usually know their pregnant for four to six weeks or more. So, it’s not nine months. That is disingenuous at best and a lie designed to cause confused compassion at worst.

She can be managed through her pregnancy with loving care and medical intervention that protects both patients, mom and baby. Caring for both, instead of intentionally killing.

Paragraph 6 is the only one that makes sense to me. I was conceived by violent rape, sexually abused as a child, sold into sex trafficking, and I conceived a child as a result. I have experienced this. If you have not, you cannot fully understand. That is why Elise should have interviewed people from this demographic.

Paragraph 7 takes us back to ‘her choice’. We must always define “choice”. This prosecutor deals with victims during their trauma. That is a temporary situation. Pregnancy is also always temporary. We must never make permanent decisions based on temporary situations.

In paragraph 8,9, 10 and 11 we are told the choice to kill the child is based on paternity. There are hundreds of thousands of men in prison. Should their children be killed? They are a reminder to their moms. Is the two-year-old child of a rapist on the table? They are more expensive. They need more resources. They aren’t as easily adopted as a newborn. Should she kill her?

If it is the mom’s choice, without anyone else intervening, why couldn’t she kill her teenage son, if his father rapes her or someone else for that matter?

In paragraph 12, we are reminded that laws preventing rapists from getting custody need to spread across the country. A woman, who carried to term and raised her baby, was notified that he now wanted access to the child. This is a horrifying scenario on many levels. Even if he an adult-only rapist, mom would be terrified every moment her little one is with him. If not, the child would be subjected to incestuous sexual abuse.

Sexual abuse is a core violation. It has a lifelong impact.

Ms. Cooper concludes her article stating that all interviewed said that the exception should be based on a woman’s choice. She should have interviewed us at Savethe1.

She says that women who become pregnant by rape should decide if they want to continue or prevent it.

Sorry, Elise, if she’s pregnant, she has a baby. The choice was already taken away from her. Her choice now, is to be the mother of a live baby or a dead one.


Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Pregnant by Rape, I Heard God Tell Me Her Blood Was Innocent by Crystal Blount

I am a birthmother from rape. I know what many people think about abortion in cases of rape, and I'm sharing my story to give an alternate point of view to consider.
I can understand how this issue might tug on your heart, and how it may seem really hard to consider it realistic to expect a woman to carry a pregnancy to term in the case of rape -- that it seems impossible to fathom.  I used to think I was the only one in the world it happened to.  I’m not alone though, and now I have many friends who’ve been through the same thing and we’ve all come out stronger.
I was that young girl.  As a 14 yr old freshman, virgin, church-going, smart, young girl, I was raped on my high school campus by an upper class guy I barely knew.  I met him in an upper level math class and he convinced me to join him in the music department one day, took me into a dark room, and raped me.  I told no one for almost three months until I could no longer deny I was pregnant.  I was my daddy's little girl and I was devastated I’d lost my virginity which I’d hoped to save for marriage. I couldn't bear the thought of disappointing my dad. 
Long story short, I had two abortion appointments -- one to cover up so I didn't have to tell my Daddy, and the second of which my Dad insisted upon because he felt ashamed of his failure to protect me, and the family name. I felt ashamed and very sad for disappointing him and afraid to destroy my family. 
Here's where it gets good:  on the way to the second appointment, I heard God tell me that her blood was innocent, and to take his hand.  I asked my Dad to stop the car and said I didn't know what I would do (keep the baby or adoption), but that I would accept the task of carrying the child until she was born -- to choose LIFE for her.  I felt overcome with a duty to protect this helpless life growing inside me.  I had seen her heartbeat.  I knew instantly in that car, that it wasn't her fault, no matter who fathered her; even if he had just been a deadbeat dad.  I knew then it was my duty and God would somehow give me the strength to bring her into the world. 
I did just that, and with the help of counselors, I chose open adoption for my daughter.  I picked her parents -- a couple married many years who tried for seven years to have a family.  She's an honors student now, and graduating high school in three weeks -- one entire year early at the age of 16.  She has been accepted to four colleges, and wants to become an ER trauma surgeon one day.
At 17, I graduated high school also.  I went on to spend two years at my dream school, Berklee College of Music in Boston, studying music business and voice.  I eventually moved to California, and completed my Bachelor's degree while working full time in the entertainment Industry.  Currently, I have worked for a major entertainment company for nearly five years, got my degree in Marketing, and got married in 2011. I earn an upper middle income, go to church, and have been recently been working on losing some weight (I've lost 30 lbs. so far) and writing my second book. Yes, I published my first book in 2011! (Prayers & Pillow Talk: A Rape Survivors Journey to Self-Worth.) I’m currently featured in a billboard campaign in California through Tulare-Kings Right to Life, with Save The 1 speakers in each ad, so good things are happening and I definitely feel blessed and a sense of purpose!
My immediately family is great and we became stronger after that trial. In fact, my parents have now been married 32 years, despite that really trying time for our family.  My dad has since apologized to me, and said he is so very grateful I chose to trust God instead of trying to please him, because he loves his grand-daughter so much!
My daughter knows she is a gift from God. I tell her every chance she gets. She looks just like ME, and when I see her smile, I see how good God is and how he took this bad experience and made it beautiful!
Although she doesn't know her biological father, and probably won’t ever know him, she has an adoptive Dad who loves her dearly and would die for her, a biological Grandpa (my dad) who is now crazy about her and so proud (he finally overcame his shame and we are stronger than ever too), and many uncles, aunts, and cousins on my side, and her adoptive side, who get to see just how wonderful and amazing God is and how He is able to do some really incredible and miraculous things when we give our problems to Him.  She is a really happy teen who is discovering herself more everyday – she loves dance, photography, and singing.
How did I heal?  Mainly, it’s been knowing that my situation was used by God. Sharing my story to help others helps me heal too, because shame can’t live when we refuse to be silent.  Over time, and with the help of my counselors, family, and support of friends, I was able to overcome a lot of struggles. With the help of counselors and prayer, I was able to forgive the man who raped me. Why?  Because, after all, he is human too.  Someone probably hurt him once if he thinks that behavior was okay. 
 
I know that is a crazy idea to most, because I had a huge burden to carry because of what he did, I endured a lot of grief, and I gave up my only child for adoption after carrying her for nine months.  It was surely hard.  I almost didn't make it and wanted to hurt myself many times because I felt ashamed.  For many years, I hated him, blamed him, felt the world owed me one, and I was mad at God. The world told me I was weak, crazy, dirty, and that my daughter didn't deserve to live.  But, now that I have peace with this journey of mine, it gave me an incredible testimony which I am blessed to see impacts people every day.  I hope my story is an encouragement to you.
So, when people ask why I'm pro-life, it's mainly for two reasons.  First of all, because I feel a passion to stand up for those tiny beating hearts who God felt we'd protect, provide for and be strong enough to bring them into this world because every life matters. Secondly, I’m pro-life for the women and girls who are so often left alone, abandoned, dirty, and feeling like they just can't do it. They have been told throughout life in our society that rape makes them dirty, and that pregnancy is unthinkable.  But the sins of the father, aren't the sins of the child -- not any more than my sins belong to you, or vice versa. If rapists aren't even given the death penalty (it's been deemed too harsh), why should unborn human babies be sentenced to death for the rapists’ crimes?
We each have our own lives to live -- each of us who have been given the chance at life that is. I want all unborn babies to have a chance at life, no matter what any of us has done -- no matter what mistakes I made, or whatever mistakes the man who raped me made. 
I want us all to have our own shot at being love, life, and an inspiration to this world. I want us to be willing to protect each other, and to be there for the girls who have been taken advantage of -- not make them feel dirty, ashamed, and then have to have their own flesh and blood literally sucked from them. 
It's my goal now to tell every girl she is precious, to tell every woman she is strong enough to make it through anything, and that there are people who want to help her get through it, despite what society says.  I want to tell them to choose life because there are people who will love that baby to the ends of the earth if she feels she can't be an adequate parent.  And that is totally okay. I was so blessed, and my daughter is amazing!  God loves when we bring our messes to him so He can turn them into a Message.
I hope if you run into a girl or woman one day who might be struggling with the decision to choose life for her baby (regardless of the circumstances), that you will think of me, and encourage her that she can and will succeed at anything.  Let her know that she isn't alone, that there are people who make it their mission to help, that she IS strong enough to handle anything in life which comes her way, and that she can do it in a way which gives life and is beautiful.  Even if getting pregnant wasn't her fault, and especially if it wasn't her fault, she shouldn't be punished by having to go through another trauma, and her baby isn't guilty either. 
BIO:  Crystal Blount is a pro-life speaker and blogger for Save The 1.  Her own website is www.CrystalBlount.com.
Sunday, April 26, 2015

Should Babies From Rape Be Allowed To Live? by Marcella Franseen

Should Babies From Rape Be Allowed To Live?


Many people who are uncomfortable with abortion being used as birth control will make an exception to their generally pro-life world view in the case of rape. We are told, and many are convinced, one must make this exception to be a caring person.
As was expressed to me by a man considering himself to be pro-life, but making a rape exception, “I could never make someone carry their rapist’s baby.” He felt this was the merciful position.
The rape exception is one of the more powerful arguments for the continued legality of abortion. Any discussion on the reversal of Roe V. Wade will be met with the issue of pregnancy due to rape.
Rape is a horrible violence against women. It is wrong! The perpetrator of the violence should be punished and the victim protected and helped, but when a child is conceived through rape, there is no longer one innocent victim. There are two.
It is no surprise the pro-choice community denies unborn children conceived in rape the unalienable right to life. They deny all unborn children their unalienable right to life. It is curious, though, that people who would otherwise consider themselves pro-life would make this exception.
When we make an exception to the right to life we devalue not only the lives of those people we are exempting, but the lives of the women carrying them, plus the lives of our neighbors, our children, and even our own lives. Either all human beings are created equal with the unalienable right to life or no human being is, for if we can make one exception we can make every exception.  


Bio: Marcella has served as a Center Director, client advocate, and abortion recovery facilitator for a pro-life medical pregnancy center. She is currently the Director of AbortionRecoveryAssistance in South Carolina where she resides with her husband and three children. She is passionate about the inherent value and dignity of all people from conception and is equally passionate about the grace of God, through Jesus Christ, for those who have chosen abortion or are involved in the industry. She is a blogger at rickthomas.net and savethe1.com