Wednesday, October 05, 2016

Enough ...


I can't believe it's 2016 and I need to write this ...

So I'm friends with someone on Facebook that I used to date.  It was a lifetime ago ... we both moved on and have little contact with one another other than the occasional birthday greeting.  However, looking at us both today, I have no idea how we even had enough in common to speak to one another ... let alone meet each other's parents and look at houses together.

I am a Democrat ... a spiritual person ... but a non-practicing catholic ... a relaxed liberal.

He is a staunch republican ... a Catholic ... but a rabid, conservative-Christian, extreme Catholic ... a Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Fox News kind of conservative.  He likes Sarah Palin.  He likes Sarah Palin.   Seriously ... how did we ride in a car together?!

But you know ... whatever.  The world needs all kinds, right?   And whenever anyone talks about things I feel strongly about ... whether it's politics or religion or Chicago-style pizza ... I listen and move on.  I'm rarely, if ever, offended.  You are free to believe whatever you want to believe.  I honestly think that's what makes America great.  You like feta cheese ... I think feta cheese tastes like a combination of moldy sweat socks and the death of all hope and love ... but we should be able to respect each other's positions and get along.

And yet ... I'm about to unfollow this person. 

It is 2016 ... why do I need to say this?

I'm pro-choice.  Choice.  I believe women should have the right to choose.  Being able to make a choice does not mean I support a "culture of death" ... I'm not "pro-abortion" ... I don't love killing babies.

There have always been abortions.  Whether women were drinking dangerous tonics given to them by charlatans ... or seeking out those "special" doctors who would do it on the sly ... or, in the worst scenarios, risking their lives by doing it themselves ... abortion has always been here.  Being pro-choice means I want women to have safe options. 

Here is the Tao of ThirtyWhat.

I believe that women in the position of considering an abortion have to make the hardest decision of their lives.  Whether they feel they're too young ... whether they already have a large family ... whatever their situation is ... their reasons for needing this service are none of my business.  They don't need to justify to me, or anyone else, "Wait, I need this abortion because of ..." ... no.  They don't need my approval ... and they don't need yours.  They need non-judgemental support.  They need a clean, safe medical facility.

Have I had one?  No.  Would I personally have one?  Honestly, no ... I don't think I would.  But that right there ... that's the definition of choice.  Do I believe our taxes should pay for it?  No.  Do I believe late-term abortions are alright?  No ... I'll admit that I'm not alright with that.    

But here's the thing ...

I do not need you to educate me.  I most-definitely do not need you to pray for my soul.

As I said earlier, we don't talk.  So his posts are not directed at me ... and I don't think he would notice or care if I unfollowed him.  I think I've held off up until now because I want to believe I'm open minded and alright with everyone's opinions ...

But today vitriol might've been the cherry on top.  It may be time to push that button ...

She won't even miss me when she's gone
And that's okay with me I'll cry later on
Talk to ya later
Don't want to hear it again tonight
Talk to ya later
Just save it for another guy
Talk to ya later
Don't want to hear it again tonight
I'll just see you around

The Tubes - Talk To You Later

2 comments:

  1. Amen! The unfollow button is the best thing Facebook has ever come up with.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for the comment, Julie! (See, I DO respond to comments! haha)

    I have wrestled with this off and on for weeks. Maybe months. And this isn't about him ... or about what we ever were ... it's about me. I want to feel like I'm open minded enough to hear other people's opinions. You want to vote for someone I don't care for? That's your right ... AND I should be adult enough to be able to read someone's posts and separate my dislike for their political beliefs from my feelings about that person. If that makes sense?

    Sigh ... but this thing. If it were political, I could believe that this would eventually end with the election. But abortion? This debate will go on long after I'm in the cold, cold ground. So do I want to open my Facebook feed and see links to stories about murdering women who had abortions but found peace after accepting Jesus? No ... I don't. And it's getting harder and harder NOT to comment on his posts. And I would ... I would tell him ALL this ... but it would be like yelling into the wind.

    So that button ... that button is looking better and better ...

    ReplyDelete