“Angry Father” Stands Up to Abortion Protestors

When I ran across this video, I was both inspired and saddened. The fact that this man stood up to a couple of protesting women—who can be pretty intimidating; even when I marched in the 2004 March for Women’s Lives with thousands of other advocates, the protestors were scary people and I did worry about possibly being blown to smithereens—while his wife received an abortion on what was considered the worst day of her life was a pretty inspiring act. I’d like to think that if the situation were occurring and it was me in her shoes, my husband would do the same thing.

But it was also sad, because I always find it sad to see women protesting other women entering a damn health clinic! Men protesting abortion and other reproductive services is just ridiculous as it is, but for some reason when women do it, it seems to add insult to injury. I always say that people against abortion should practice that old bumper sticker adage: “Against abortion? Don’t have one.” It really should be that simple.

I have plenty of people in my life who’ve had their own lives dependent on such life-saving procedures—which isn’t surprising, since statistically 1 in 3 women, I believe, will require such services in her lifetime—and to know that they were yelled at, called murderers, and verbally harassed because they were undergoing a medical procedure makes me sick. To know that their fellow women judged them without even knowing their situations, condemned them based on a single day of their lives (often, as I noted, the worst day, or one of them), is just unfathomable.

Male or female, I would highly encourage everyone to both read and share the  story and video found in the link above. This is a woman’s life—no, hers and her whole family’s—impacted on this day, which protestors don’t seem to consider. These are real people facing real, difficult decisions, health complications, and life in general. This single example serves as just one reminder that there is a name and face to every case; that every woman walking into a Planned Parenthood or similar clinic isn’t just some opportunity for you to raise visibility for your “cause.” She has a life, a family, and quite possibly a health condition that you don’t know a damn thing about. She’s not standing outside the hospital during one of your medical procedures protesting you and your life; you should show her the same courtesy.