Since the extreme anti-abortion laws were passed in Texas and the overturning of Roe v Wade happened, I have learned some very valuable and hard lessons after some of my experiences and short-term involvements. For those of you who live in red states, you come from conservative backgrounds, and anti-abortion conservative culture is ingrained in your mind, it’s immensely difficult to overcome, particularly for someone my age (53) from that background. It surely was for me. Those that live in red states, particularly Texas, you may be able to relate. There is no doubt that I should have broken away from this ingrained mindset years ago, but when Donald Trump came along, I started to question everything which was a good but definitely on the late side. When Donald Trump did come along, I was able to break free of the Republican party, but I couldn’t get past the abortion issue, so I became a prolife Democrat and got involved with some prolife Democrats who I thought would be more moderate. This was huge a mistake on my part because I never supported the overturning of Roe v Wade, and I really held a more moderate prochoice/prolife position all along like most Americans and most Catholics/Christians. This is when I knew that I couldn’t remain with the prolife label or any associated group because I later realized that it equated to anti-abortion extremism and really gave no room for pro-choice/pro-life moderates. Abortion is a complex issue and ultimately no one else’s business.
From my past involvement, I cannot tell you how harmful anti-abortion extremism is to both babies and mothers. There are too many unknowns and too many variations in each medical case. Our founding fathers established the Separation of Church and State for a reason. I believe that no one should interfere with anyone else’s medical care for any reason, and this includes abortion, gender-affirming care, or any other medical issue. Anti-abortion extremism is a threat to our democracy, women, newborn babies, and the Common Good. As Rev. Rapheal Warnock says, the exam room is too large for anyone but a mother/patient and a doctor. He is completely correct.
For those of you who had your conscience coerced and abused for years on the abortion issue, I would like to offer you some consolation. Any social issue, particularly abortion, one group cannot be harmed and even killed for the sake of trying to save another. In the case of anti-abortion extremism, it harms both newborn babies and their mothers in profound ways and increases the maternal and infant rate of both.
I will write more about this and give some detail from my past involvements and experiences.
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