Discrimination

[pieces o nine]

My niece was scheduled to write a speech on cancer in her Middle School years. She was upset by the topic due to a then-recent cancer-related death in the family, so her teacher very kindly allowed her to choose another topic. She chose...abortion. Why? She was in Middle School, for cripes sake, and it being a *Catholic* Middle School was not a determining factor, IMHO.

So, I kept my mouth firmly shut and listened to her speech. It was very enlightening to learn that lazy and immoral women get abortions without a care in the world, because they are lazy and immoral. Nothing about medical concerns for the mother or diagnoses of serious mental or physical birth concerns. (I recall a heavy emphasis being put on the rights of the father, as well.) She is a bright child and is encouraged to use her mind, but she toed the worst parts of the party line on this one without batting an eye.

Her parents beamed with approval and pride and I bit my tongue. I hope that when she gets to college (and I hope it is delayed that long!) she will develop some compassion and maturity when encountering crisis pregnancies, regardless of whether the women involved are "lazy" or "immoral".

sigh... 

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

My niece was scheduled to write a speech on cancer in her Middle School years. She was upset by the topic due to a then-recent cancer-related death in the family, so her teacher very kindly allowed her to choose another topic. She chose...abortion. Why? She was in Middle School, for cripes sake, and it being a *Catholic* Middle School was not a determining factor, IMHO.

So, I kept my mouth firmly shut and listened to her speech. It was very enlightening to learn that lazy and immoral women get abortions without a care in the world, because they are lazy and immoral. Nothing about medical concerns for the mother or diagnoses of serious mental or physical birth concerns. (I recall a heavy emphasis being put on the rights of the father, as well.) She is a bright child and is encouraged to use her mind, but she toed the worst parts of the party line on this one without batting an eye.

Her parents beamed with approval and pride and I bit my tongue. I hope that when she gets to college (and I hope it is delayed that long!) she will develop some compassion and maturity when encountering crisis pregnancies, regardless of whether the women involved are "lazy" or "immoral".

sigh... 

She is young.  She is blessed to have YOU as an alternate viewpoint, even if you do bite your tongue.  Your attitude will become apparent as she matures.  Or not-- in which case she's lost anyway...