[NOTE: I wrote this before the news broke of the GOP’s proposed national abortion ban. Which makes this all the more relevant.]
While driving home from Illinois, I saw a billboard that looked pretty much like this:
Which, on some level, I don’t have a problem with on principle. I am, after all, on record as being both pro-choice and pro-life.
But the reality of the situation is that life is much more messy and complicated that that. There is a long record of "pro-life" people ignoring things that actually reduce the number of abortions and unwanted pregnancies, instead wanting to legislate their religious views onto those who do not share their faith. And far worse than that, there’s the fundamental hypocrisy exhibited by anti-abortion zealots conveniently ignoring that, regardless of when you think life begins, they sure seem to think it stops being important at the time of birth.
So I challenge anyone calling themselves "pro-life", anyone who nodded in agreement at the first image, to realize that if you accept that first image as being valid…then the rest of these are just as valid.
Image of a fetus with the word "ME", and an image of a man wearing a Mr. Gay Pride banner with the words "STILL ME".
Image of a fetus with the word "ME", and an image of a Black woman wearing a shirt saying Black Lives Matter with the words "STILL ME".
Image of a fetus with the word "ME", and an image of an immigrant family crossing the border with the words "STILL ME".
Image of a fetus with the word "ME", and an image of a Black person holding a rainbow flag during Pride with the words "STILL ME".
Like I said, life is more messy and complicated than a soundbyte.
So I challenge you to realize that you are called to not just publicly proclaiming your faith.
You are called to the messy, complicated business of valuing and supporting human life.
Even if the way they live looks very different than yours.
Featured Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash