Sunday 21/10/07

Looking at the ultrasound pics of my sister's unborn child, I was of course amazed at the process of life. To see the photos of the foetus,(which is latin for unborn child, for the "pro-life" people who assume that its some cheap way of verbally degrading a child) wriggling around is impressive, but does not sway me in my pro-choice views. I really wish that the so called pro-life people, would be more interested in actual life, and the conditions that living people have to endure day in day out, as opposed to potential life. I read an interesting article, which stated that a woman's body spontaneously aborts embryos, so the question I read a person asking, was that knowing this, is your God a mass murderer.

Thankfully my sisters pregnancy is going fine, and the doctor said to her that if it was her unborn child, that she would be very happy. Also from what I know medically of FA, that both parents have to be carriers of the gene in order to have a child with FA. Through genetic testing we know that my brother-in-law is not a carrier, so all signs are good. You will never eliminate disability, as the saying goes shit happens, and when it does you have to make the most of any given situation, but for me the best thing about the medical break through concerning the FA gene, is that now we can more or less prevent another generation having to go through this ordeal.

As far as I'm concerned, it would be absolutely unforgiveable, given the medical knowlege available, for us to allow another generation to endure FA. If it was known that the child would have had FA I would hope that my sister would have aborted it. Life is hard enough, without knowingly having a child with hereditary illnesses. This is one of the things that makes me so mad about the pro-life movement, they put all their energies and focus into what goes on in the first nine months, when really life only begins to get tough when the baby is born. Where are the Jesus freaks then? You can be sure they are still on their mistaken crusade, trying to guilt others into giving up control over their own bodies, which in my opinion is a fundamental right. In many ways I am losing control over my physical body, but it just makes me all the more resolved and committed, to advocating that right for others. While I have two fingers and net access, that is exactly what I intend to do.

"If men could have babies, abortion would be a sacrament" is the old abortion right's slogan, which is so true also for different reasons. I believe absolutely in life, and in ensuring that life gives the best for each and every person, but I just do not believe in life at any cost. I remember years ago in UCD the people involved in the pro-life society, are the faces I still see when ever there is an abortion debate on tv. They seem to be so entrenched and steadfast in what they consider to be right, and yet we know there are so many grey areas in the abortion debate. Very little, if anything at all in life, is black and white. So for me it begs the question, are these people "pro-life", or would a better description for them be anti-choice?

When I think of the anger, directed at Dr.Kervorkian, and his help with assisted suicide,it does not surprise me that his opponents are from one and the same category. This life is the only one we can be sure of ,and I think that people should do everything in their power to make life as secure, fun and positive as they can. Also I think it is very galling that these so called pro-life people, who invest so much time and energy in the first unseen nine months, will still be more or less the same people who condemn and ostracise single mothers who keep their children. Indeed for me looking around my community it is ironic that a lot of these prayer group and bible bashers, are now the grand-parents of what they would have previously dismissed as bastard children.

As far as religion goes, I would describe myself in two ways, firstly as a former cult member. What is the difference between a cult and religion? It seems to me that a religion is simply a cult that has been around for a long time, and has been accepted wholeheartedly into the mainstream. The mormon religion was viewed as very much a cult, when it was founded in the mid nineteenth century. Now it is viewed as an esteemed religion, even fielding a candidate for the US presidential election. The second way I would describe myself when it comes to religion, is as a spititual whore, in that I am open to a lot but not committed to a single one.

A few years ago on a plane, I got talking to an English woman, who really opened my eyes. She said her father was in his eighties, physically and mentally as strong as ever, but yet just tired of living. His wife and everyone dear to him had died, and in a sense he had lost his passion for living. So there are a lot of ingredients for living. The way I view it is anyone can die, its living well that is the hard part! But what I believe for sure is that nobody has a right to impose on, or dictate their beliefs on somebody else, and thats what puts me and the Jesus freaks on a collision course.

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