I Know! I know!
It as been a long time . . . a really long time since my last musing but, truth be told, either the muse has not prompted any worthwhile inspirations or maybe the current climate seems to be making any honest sharing of one's thoughts as dangerous. The air is, truly, toxic!
Anyhow, here I go again, back with another thought to share.
And I will begin with a clear warning.
Not everyone is going to like this. Some may well take offense and that, I would suggest, is your personal choice.
For some time now I have been inclined to set down in writing what has been going on in my mind. I have hesitated and that primarily because I really do not want to contribute to that already toxic climate that seems to be prevailing these days.
But today, well, I really feel the inspiration to set this thought before any readers with the hope that you will step back and reflect seriously (prayerfully?) on what I am trying to say.
And I know it may not be easy.
But here goes.
And with it I enter into one of the biggest storms engulfing our society today.
Oh, and backing up for a moment, I suspect that one strong motivator just may be the fact that very many years ago, my college major was Philosophy. And while we did review a number of prevalent philosophical systems, the emphasis in these studies was Scholastic Philosophy. I do, presently, suspect that the Scholastic Philosophical System these days is not exactly looked upon with great favor.
Too bad.
It is my background and it does impact the way I may view things. And one of its great contributions has been in the areas of logic and reason.
And that is strongly at play in what I have to say on this Hot Button Topic.
I suspect that something similar is occurring presently in many other places around our country, but here In Michigan it seems that we are being inundated with the message especially as Election Day draws nearer. It seems to be a mantra repeated with every other political ad, a mantra that has sickened me and, yes, is angering me.
It is the statement that this candidate or that opposes abortion "Even in cases of rape or incest."
That's the part - "Even in cases of rape or incest."
Horrible, heinous crimes are being dealt with here.
And with them, in this whole political climate another issue, critically important, is being raised as well. That is the matter of a woman's right to choose and her freedom and her dignity and her well being.
And, putting the ideas together, it sounds as if a woman can only be free and well adjusted if, after either of those horrid crimes, she is free to abort the result.
But my mind raises the question: such crime already scars the individual mentally and psychologically. That scar is not easily erased, if ever truly erased.
To that scar it sounds like we are suggesting a second scarring as some sort of "healing balm!"
Abort and then live with the knowledge that you have destroyed the life potential within you.
To me this sounds like a classic male chauvinistic approach to a woman.
You got scarred by some man and now we give you the freedom to heal that by giving yourself another scar!
And live with that for the rest of your life! Scarred once by a crime committed against you and scarred a second time by the "solution" offered to you,
That, in my mind, is not the kind of respect any person should be offered!
And still worse in this scenario?
The criminal, the perpetrator of this tragedy gets to walk relatively free!
Justice?
How about laws that truly give justice and dignity and freedom?
How about something like laws that allow judges to impose on any convicted of rape or incest that they have their bank accounts and financial holdings transferred to the victim, especially to provide a financial base for raising a child? And add to that garnishing the perpetrator's wages for a lifetime of child support?
Make the criminal pay.
Not the victim through a lifetime of scarring.
And not the potential life.
And having said my piece on this, I invite you to show me how my thinking just may be wrong.
(If, indeed, it is.)
Amen! Our thoughts exactly. And, it isn't the fault of that precious life.
ReplyDeleteAll the thoughts you posit in your blog are rational and legitimate and reasonable. (Thank your philosophy professor.) I heartily agree with every one of them. Yet . . .
ReplyDeleteFrom the victim’s POV, her repulsion is understandable that the seed from a rotten tree has been planted in her body and will continue to grow there for nearly a year and cause uncounted discomforts, pain, and complications to her life and future. Most women in a normally occurring pregnancy will endure those discomforts and pain with loving and eager anticipation of the result. For a victim of rape or incest, the resulting child is likely to endure hatred, maltreatment, and absence of love and respect and nurturing from that mother, potentially leading to a malformed emotional psyche in that child. The resulting adult version of said child is highly likely to continue all the behaviors learned from the mother toward his/her future progeny and/or mates. Will the pregnant mother do all the “right things” during pregnancy to ensure delivery of a healthy child? Likely not. (I, too, minored in philosophy; additionally, majored in psychology.)
Justification for destroying the human life that resulted?—absolutely not. Understandable emotions?--certainly. Solutions?—not easy.
What you suggest as punitive remunerations imposed upon the perpetrator are rationally sound and reasonable. However, unlike Harvey Weinstein or Bill Cosby, the vast majority of those committing rape and incest have neither monetary resources nor gainful employment from which to garnish wages.
Adoption--an option; however, with questionably deficient prenatal care, the child may suffer from multiple health issues, and not be the highly desirable healthy infant that adopting parents seek.
So . . .on to other Hot Buttons. Castration? Chip Implantation? Amputation?
Thank you for your input and insights into this obviously very complex issue. This illustrates how vital a healthy discussion among leadership and decision makers should be on this matter. Five second sound bites is not a healthy approach and, unfortunately, that is what we are getting at present.
ReplyDeleteAlso, the mention of possible penalties for offenders as mentioned in the above comment, while insightful, may not contribute in a healthy fashion to the needed dialogue. What we need to address properly is the healing of the victims. That is their right, their need and the gateway to their true freedom.
How? How will you "address properly the healing of the victims"? Easy to say in a soft, calm, soothing paternal voice. How about providing suggested solutions, instead of just stating needs.
DeleteI do not pretend to have any easy answers to what is clearly a very complex matter. My intention is to suggest that we need to engage in a civil, constructive dialogue in this regard to move in the direction of possibilities. At present it seems that the "easy" answer is to add violence and hurt to violence and hurt and that, maybe a easy way out, is not a true solution.
ReplyDeleteFr. Ron