In my last entry, “The Family May Be Offended,” I will tell what I was going to share with the world. I think I was stuck on the fact of what I did. It was pretty out of my nature, so I took back.
Like I was saying. On Friday, my friend Taryn and I were coming back from our chemistry class when we saw these coupon books just lying around. (they were for students to take and use). I took one and started flipping through to see what kind of coupons I was going to get. On coupon #72, I found the company Planned Parenthood. It turns out there was a free coupon for 1 dozen condoms. Because I have never seen a condom before, and neither has Taryn, we decided to go redeem our coupon, except we got 31 books (the left over). I’m no mathematician, but I know that 12*31= A LOT OF CONDOMS. So, we went into our car, and drove to Planned Parenthood. It was SOOO freaky. We walked in, and there were signs on the door everywhere saying that you couldn’t bring your backpack in or a cell phone. It was so dark that it took my eyes a while to adjust. And we even had to push a red button to leave. It scared me. So, we redeemed our coupons, but they jipped us about 100. But we already had too many, so it didn’t really matter. Taryn and I went back to our room with a bag full of condoms. We gave some out, but we were just laughing so hard because of what we just did. All and all it was a memorable experience both fun and educating. It reminded me what I was so pro-life. In fact, I’m going there today, but instead of going in and getting condoms, I will be praying outside the builidng.
Posted by Courtney at January 27, 2004 08:58 AMOh good! I can think of lots of prayers that need to be said there. Although, come to think of it, most of them are probably not the same ones you will be praying. Hopefully compassion and empathy--rather than judgment--will be among them, though.
Posted by: Cousin Elizabeth on January 27, 2004 03:33 PMIt is possible that the reasons there were signs everywhere about backpacks and you had to push a red button to leave (presumably security) was that numerous Planned Parenthood facilities and personnel throughout the US have been bombed, attacked, wounded and killed.
Posted by: Cynthia on January 28, 2004 07:39 AMCourtney, how come you'd never seen a condom before? Didn't you take health or "have the talk" when you were growing up? You might want to educate yourself on PP's Birth Control section -- and yes, they do say that total abstinence is 100% effective.
BTW, I applaud you for handing out the condoms. This, IMO, is a constructive approach to helping reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies. I totally respect that.
Providing comprehensive education and improving access to birth control decreases the number of abortions way more effectively than protesting (or bombing) women's clinics.
Posted by: stepan on January 28, 2004 09:29 AMI have always wondered why it is that the pro-life crowd somehow loses its pro-life stance when it comes to the execution of criminals, which most civilized countries have eliminated from their armamentarium of punishments. Why is life so vital at its beginning and so unimportant at the other end?
Yeah, yeah, I know I'm using a broad brush here, but there does to be a strong correlation between the two beliefs. IMHO
Posted by: Uncle Patrick on January 28, 2004 09:29 AMI don't belive in contraceptives, Stepan. The only one to use is abstinence, but we had 150 condoms to give out, and people would have unsafe sex, so it would just be a joke...kinda. I don't support it at all, but that's just a different belief. I know everything there is to know about birth control, from condoms, diaphragms, RU 6894 (or a similar number), spermicides. Just because I've never seen a condom before, doesn't mean that I'm uneducated on the subject matter.
Posted by: Courtney on January 28, 2004 09:48 AMI didn't think knew nothing about birth control, I was just surprised that you had never having seen a condom, is all. To be honest, though, I don't really remember what was being tought when I took health in highschool and in what detail. And I think that first time I ever used a condom was in a water balloon fight... :-)
I think it's great that you have chosen abstinence. It's a healthy and safe approach and it works well for many people. But as you said yourself, there are people who do have (unsafe) sex and in those situations contraception, even if not perfect, is a lot better than no contraception at all.
Posted by: Stepan Riha on January 28, 2004 02:41 PMI don't think I saw a condom until after I was married, myself. I guarantee no one showed me one in health class!
And speaking of judgment--abstinence is, as Stepan says, a healthy and safe approach. You just have to keep in mind that while it is *your* choice, it is not the *only* valid choice, just as your personal stance on contraception is not the only valid choice. Others who do not share your religious and personal beliefs may come to different conclusions, and that is a reasonable and acceptable thing for them to do. Just because others make different choices doesn't invalidate your own choice.
Posted by: Cousin Elizabeth on January 29, 2004 10:02 AMI like Stepan and Courtney have also had my share of fun with condoms.
But really, I am a little bit shocked that all of you who claim abstinence is 100% effective are unfamiliar with her story.
And Uncle Pat, I personally can see how someone could be for babies and against murderers. I think it is just the label "Pro-Life" which is a misnomer. Perhaps Pro-Babies or Pro-Embryos or Pro-Zygotes would be more appropriate. Myself? I like Pro-Chance. I dont believe all life is precious - maybe it has some value, but it really depends on the life. I will touch on this again Im sure.
I, unlike Courtney am not contra-contraceptives. If it werent for this specific area of technology the world would quickly become crowded. And for every one of our lives there are many more lives lost. Just today I share responsibilty for the deaths of a cow, a chicken, and a pig and that was before lunch! And, lets not forget the natural habitats which are destroyed so that I have a place to work, to drive, to shop, to sleep, to learn, to watch a movie. Yes they must all die, so that we may live the lives we live. Life brings Joy but suffering also- you cant have the yin without the yang.
And I applaud your choices Courtney, I do. It is a stance that requires a healthy amount of courage, faith, and honor - 3 of the finest qualites we humans possess. It is a difficult road to walk, but with the right amount of will it could be a stroll in the park. And it is also good that you apply your standard to only yourself and not on those who surrendered to their desires. We are, after all is said and done, God's children(and some of us behave as such).
Posted by: Cousin Danny on January 29, 2004 11:24 AMCoupla thoughts:
I can pretty much guarantee mom never saw a condom until after she was married too. :-)
I get my annual exam at PP and all I can say is I am thankful so thankful for the organization. I am a sole proprietor who can't afford the extortion of Health insurance. Without them, my annual exams would most likely be bi-decade.
I am a big fan of the abstinence route as an option, especially at the Court's age. But I am also a big fan of people having the freedom to make their own mistakes, their own good choices and to learn from both. Call me crazy, or hey, call me an American.
In the end I think Dan's right. There is a difference between killing zygotes and killing killers. It's called Marketing baby. One is potentially cuddly, not threatening to you personally at least not in the short term and the other is mean, ugly, threatening and not at all cuddly. Principles are only principles when it's difficult to keep them. It's easy to kill a killer; easy to fight for a baby you don't have to be responsible for, or carry. Likewise, it's hard to fight for a someone who most assuredly deserves to die and, oh so difficult, to snuff out the life of the one who doesn't.
Posted by: Mermu on February 2, 2004 12:26 PMPro-life means innocent human life, unborn, ill or aged. Pro-choice means everyone gets to choose, the unborn, especially, when they are able. Choice is about living; I am very pro-choice.
The Blessed Virgin Mary, conceived without sin (Gen 3:15) was and is a Virgin (Lk 1:34-37, Ez 44:2), was offered a choice and she agreed, Lk 1:38. She practiced what all should, Chastity, perfectly. We, those who claim Catholicism, will be abstaining from meat on Fridays this Lent, Fasting on 2/25/ & 4/09/04 and feasting on 4/11/04. Folks on diets abstain from much more.
Very nice website with a lot of informative response from members
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