A Letter

Today, I went to church with my mother. Today I was reminded of one reason why I stopped going.

Dear Pro-Life "Abortion is Mean" T-Shirt wearing girl,

Though I am an advocate for DIY fashion, I have to say the tie-dye T-shirt you choose to wear when bringing the gifts up for communion was not only inappropriate for Mass but also a insult to both sides of the abortion debate.

By demoting abortion to a sentence that is so simplistic that the subject can be replaced with any of the following"spitting," "pinching," "stealing cookies," or "saying bad words," you make abortion into something silly. Like when I would kick my sister in the shin, Mama would always tell me "that's mean," because it was something that was simply mean. Its not something I pondered over. Its not something I seriously regretted. Its not something I even would worry about when a bruise arose on her.

When you dismiss abortion down to just a "mean" act, you dismiss both sides' fervent views on the issue. You deny the inherent hardships in people feel when having abortions in America (in other countries, abortions are viewed in very different ways and perhaps don't carry the same stigma). You insult my position because imply that abortions are performed in the same lackadaisical manner that those actions listed above are performed. You weaken your case because you only insist on the "meanness" to the fetus and and take no consideration for the woman the fetus is attached to. Though this is a routine flaw in your logic, and you are apt to compare pregnant women to breadboxes or temporary homes, regardless of her emotional, physical, financial status.

But regardless, I sure you don't want this Issue (with a capital I) to be degraded down to something as menial as slaps and pinches. So in future, if you feel that you must extol your beliefs on everyone around you using fuzzy glue-on lettering I, a vivid Pro-Choicer, would suggest perhaps "abortion is wrong" or "not good" or even (if you are feeling ballsy) "murder."

So dear girl, I would have to ask that in the future you don't wear a shirt that belittles such a wide concept. Speak your mind if you are going to speak it! And please remember fondly this time, these halcyon days, before you seriously have to consider what to do when two little lines appear on a stick you just peed on.


Love,

Ade