Live*Love*Life 40 Days of Lent~Political Pawns

I still remember the day when I was faced with the unbelievable realization that people in politics would use the lives of the unborn as pawns in their race to gain votes and power. I remember some of the smallest details, like it being a warm and sunny spring day, with sweet smells of newly opened blossoms in the air.

It was 1974 and a man named Bob Packwood, US Senator-Oregon, was coming to our high school to speak. It was an election year, but I was not old enough to vote yet being 17.

I remember we, my friends and I, sat very close to the front in the auditorium.

He came in, stood in the center of the stage, and spoke about many topics concerning Oregon.

There were several people in the audience who began asking him questions. 

I recall a teacher asking him some very difficult questions and seemed hostile towards him. It was almost frightening watching the teacher as his emotions began to get the better of him.

Then, THE question was asked by someone else.

"What are your thoughts on abortion?"

His reply took my breath away. I couldn't move. I wanted to scream at him and everyone there.

He said,

and this is a quote,

"I THINK ABORTION IS A GOOD MEANS OF BIRTH CONTROL"

Everyone that I could see stood up and applauded those words!!!!!!!!!!

They cheered!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

They clapped their hands to a deafening roar!!!!!!!!!!!!

How I wish I had the courage at that moment to stand up and tell him my own thoughts.

Tell him the killing of innocent children is not the answer for birth control.

Prevention is.

That I have a right to be here just as everyone in that room does and every single child who had already been removed from the living did.

That I am an individual made in the image of GOD just as every human is.

Being an adopted person can make you feel more vulnerable because, not knowing the circumstances of our birth, we very well could also have ended with the same fate as every child aborted.

I felt so very alone at that moment with so many people applauding around me.

How can they not understand?

How can they not understand?

HOW CAN THEY NOT UNDERSTAND?

I still don't understand. I don't. I cannot wrap my head around the knowledge that so many think that destroying that small beautiful human is OK. 

Who are we to decide at what stage in our human lives that we are not worthy to live.

We are all in different stages of development, from the time we are conceived to the time we are elderly and saying our goodbyes. 

Every stage in our life cycle is precious.

And now treating these unborn children as pawns continues here and around the world. All so that our politicians can get re-elected. 

Disgraced is the only description I will use for them all.

Oh, I have many other descriptions for them, but like I said yesterday, I am working on keeping my temper in control.

I think to myself, how would Jesus reply to this.

Thanks for listening and see you tomorrow-Martha