It takes me back to the time when that ignorant shrunken old hag "Mother" Teresa was alive and channeling money into her vile medieval dark age schemes in Ireland.
However flawed the Government at home might be, I am really glad they didn't let that loathsome shriveled monster take over health policies and reproductive rights in the country.
This issue strikes a very very raw nerve in me. How can you possibly know what it is like to look ahead at 9 months of unexpected depression and self-torture when you are so far removed from such scenarios?
It speaks volumes about your insularity when all you can think of is being aggressive about allowing continued division of a bunch of cells under the facade of being "pro-life" while completely ignoring a human whose life and future might be at stake.
Buffalo need to re-evaluate its scarce programs for safe and medically aided abortions. Is this all we have?
1. Sweet Home Medical
Phone: 716-691-1414
2. Buffalo Women Services
Phone Toll-Free: 1-800-598-3783
3. Planned Parenthood, Niagara Falls
Phone: 716-282-1221
(e:bridgette), thanks for sharing your experience here. I agree that the problem is far more complex than what is suggested by the "activist" tone of my post.
For instance, your discomfort with what the abortion clinic staff told you over phone is a result of insensitive and untrained communication. I would say that this is true of many medical establishments - not just abortion clinics.
In the past, I have frequently been on ward rounds where consultants and residents have had "intellectual" discussions about complications and survival chances right in the front of the patient - whose life they discussed in a detached way.
Examples such as the one you wrote about and this one are a symptom of a loss of empathy in the medical field. Quite unfortunately, this "insentization" process is almost inevitable - and to insiders in the field, it is actually a sign of just how much experience they have doing what they do. But for patients it is terrifying and disturbing or both.
The lady from the pro-life camp had what the abortion clinic staff didn't have - determination to win you over. The abortion clinic staff were probably just doing their jobs and didn't view this as some kind of a personal mission.
A parallel establishment that does better at counseling and privacy issues is the HIV clinic. The disease has so much (totally unnecessary, in my opinion) social stigma attached to it that many patients who contact the clinic are invited over for personal counselling.
One other issue that I wanted to address after reading your comment is that of dragging a whole body of religion into this. Personally, I don't associate the concept of Christianity with lunacy and backwardness. I think every religion has a bunch of nut-job extremists who misinterpret their "religion" to the extent of generating hate towards the entire religion. In this sense, "Mother" The evil crone Teresa and Osama Bin Laden are on the same dinky little raft.
and then again, what about the women who choose not to have an abortion but carry the babies only to deliver, (with no medical attention) and dump them in garbage cans? This happened in S.Buffalo about a year ago. This is a much deeper issue than whether or not to have a baby, These are real people, and if their lives were perfect they wouldn't even be considering abortion. The heart needs to be dealt with, and healed, or at least be given some kind of hope
the thing that gets me the most is that these people claim Christian values and they make us look horrible because people think we are all like that! The fact of the matter is that Jesus himself would not be standing outside yelling and making these women feel horrible. Jesus himself said "let whoever is among you without sin cast the first stone"- which was not one of them! God Himself never DEMANDS us to choose one or the other, he simply offers the choice, and if we make the one not suitable for us, he freely forgives.
This is personal for me because My ex wanted me to have an abortion when I became pregnant, yet when I called the abortion clinic and asked the woman the effect of an abortion would have on my body, she said, "oh it's fine, we have repeat customers all the time.." It made me sick to my stomach. Yet it was a catholic woman who came into my life and did not judge me for my consideration, what she did was offer help! Not judgement, but help. Of course, she gave me the pro-life pamphlets, not the gross murder your baby ones, but she also took the time to learn my name, my situation, my fears, and then she gave me a whole bunch of huge boxes of donations that took me 3 hours to sort through- clothes, blankets, toys, bottles- everything! The4 day I met that woman was the day I got a glimpse of who Jesus was and what he would have done if he had met me.
God doesn't see women at an abortion clinic as women who are about to commit murder. God sees them as women who have a name, and a specific need to be met, whether it be financial, emotional, physical....as Christians we should be doing our best to figure out what that need is and mee it, not just saying these women are sinners and then walking away without even learning their names.
The ACLU considers it a win because the notion of protected, protester-free buffer zones was upheld. (See also Madsen v. Women's Health Center, 1993). The court could have overturned Madsen and it didn't. Yes, the floating zones notion lost.
I read both the articles you linked. According to the NYT article, the fixed zone was upheld but the floating zone was struck down. The second more technical article seems to say the same.
In the light of that, the last sentence is confusing:
"V. A WIN OR LOSS FOR THE ACLU?
The ACLU, as amicus curiae, urged affirmance of the judgment of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit; the Supreme Court affirmed in part and reversed in part in a 9-0 vote, giving the ACLU an apparent win."
What does that mean? Wasn't the ACLU arguing FOR the floating zone - which was struck down? So they lost, no?
Wow, law is tough! I think you would easily understand molecular biology but I couldn't say the same for legal proceedings from your classes!
One of my profs, Lucinda Findley, argued the relevant Supreme Court case, Schenck v. Pro-Choice Network of WNY, regarding protester-free buffer zones around abortion clinics. :::link::: and :::link:::
I have seem them chanting at/approaching other women who have walked past when I was on the other side of the road. That gives me an impression that they are not altogether non-interfering.
They have a city/police designated buffer area around the clinic. They can be arrested if they violate this buffer zone.
Unfortunately, yes. I have had two interactions with that group on different occasions - the first time, I was asked if I was headed to the clinic - I thought they were referring to the Buffalo General/Roswell area, and might have nodded because they handed me a pamphlet. The second time (around a year later), as I walked past, they chanted some biblical verses at me.
On the surface, they do seem calm but their 'calm tactics' towards targeted passers-by are unsolicited. I think my demographic might have something to do with it. That in itself is quite disturbing.
If I had really been headed for the clinic, there is a possibility that I might have felt some guilt (which I believe is the motive of the group). I resent any such behaviour (however peaceful) that tinges an already traumatic experience with even more guilt.
When I drive Main St. during the week day I see protesters across the street and a few blocks down from the Planned Parenthood on Main.
I never see them directly outside of the Planned Parenthood and they usually seem pretty calm.
You've seen otherwise, (e:tinypliny)?
no woman should be harassed for taking care of her physical and mental health.
You are right. I checked out their website when I linked it. I am not sure about the volume of services at the clinic. I should search for some statistics and edit my post.
Maybe we don't really need more abortion clinics, but we definitely need a harassment-free experience for the women who seek their services. Almost everyday, there is this virulent bunch of people in front of the main street office shouting slogans and spitting at women who make it past them to the clinic. These women don't deserve this kind of a nasty environment when seeking medical help.
I think the objective of the poster was to raise awareness about why women in Buffalo usually don't prefer to get their abortions here and cross over to Canada instead. The constant harassment is very disgraceful.
According to this poster in your journal it appears that the only place to get an abortion in the city of Buffalo is at Buffalo Women Services, but Planned Parenthood has a Buffalo office on Main Street that performs abortions as well. The poster is kind of deceptive to just list the Niagara Falls office. You can put in your zip code to find the nearest Planned Parenthood and find that they really are all over. Do we really need more than two abortion clinics? I really wouldn't know. Are women being turned away because these offices can't handle the demand? If so, then I would agree that there is a problem.