New Year resolutions for pro-choice advocates

Over the course of 2017, I have been paying close attention to pro-choice arguments to get an understanding of where they are coming from.  I paid attention to arguments in the regressive liberal media.  I went along to pro-choice and repeal rallies to see what arguments pro-choice and repeal activists were putting across. I noted that the media and the activists have some interesting strategies for getting their points across and trying to win arguments.

So from what I have learnt, here would be my new year resolutions for 2018 if I was a pro-choice advocate:

Facts and figures are only reliable, valid or important if they support the pro-choice argument. Promote any experts who agree with our side. If facts and figures that support the pro-life argument look convincing, please remember these facts and figures are generated as a result of oppressive, patriarchal, ‘establishment’ forces that have manipulated and dictated what counts as reliable information or truth so these facts and figures can not be trusted. (See reference 1 and 2)

If you can’t win an argument through logic, reason or evidence resort to calling the pro-life person you are having a discussion with, ‘arrogant’, ‘fundamentalist’, ‘uncompassionate’, ‘lacking empathy’, ‘sexist’ (if they are a man), ‘traitor’ (if they are a woman), ‘misogynistic’, ‘bigoted’, a ‘liar’, ‘unscientific’ or ‘stupid’.  If you can think of anymore insults or slurs to put on people, do so. Try to do so as subtly as possible to begin with but if necessary just start shouting these at people. That’ll shut them up! (See reference 3)

If you see or hear a colleague of yours debating somebody that is ‘pro-life’ back them up.  If you can throw in random unrelated questions to try to confuse the person who is stating arguments for being pro-life, even better. (See reference 4, 5 and 6)

Don’t ever change your mind in relation to being pro-choice no matter what argument you hear.  – If asked if you would change your mind if you heard a convincing enough argument from the pro-life side, reply, ‘No’, and then deny that you are ‘fundamentalist’ while claiming that the other side is.  Be ‘militant, ‘hands on’ and ‘shrill’ in your campaigning (See reference 7)

Remember this fight is about more than abortion. It’s about challenging sexism, racism, capitalism and inequality and tearing down the oppressive patriarchy in the West.  It’s about a move towards creating the socialist/Marxist utopia.  This is a noble fight and you are a noble warrior in it. (See reference 8)

Focus on exceptional cases for abortion, i.e. after rape, incest or because of life limiting conditions.  If a person dares to point out these are tragic but rare cases and says that the vast majority of abortions are due to reasons apart from these, such as, not wanting another child due to how this would affect their current lifestyle, call this person sexist or uncompassionate and their evidence unreliable. (See reference 9)

Continuously link Savita’s death to Ireland having the 8th amendment even though it was ‘medical misadventure’ rather than abortion not being available in Ireland that ended her life.  Never mind the facts, just get the narrative out (See reference 10)

Associate being pro-life with being dogmatically religious, unenlightened, backward and anti-scientific. Ignore the fact that many non-religious people are pro-life (See reference 11)

Lambast any public figures that are hold pro-life positions. Look to the example of the Dublin South TD, Kate O’Connell, who does this really well by saying that her colleagues are lying and spreading untruths, even when what they are saying is scientifically reliable. Speak about how the likes of Ronan Mullen, Mattie McGrath and Peter Fitzpatrick are ‘religious fundamentalists’, sexist and elitist by saying how they are out of touch with ‘the lives of women and ordinary people and how Mattie McGrath ‘couldn’t face the truth that people with uteri are human beings’ – the organisation, ROSA, are particularly good at these punch lines.  Get your pro-choice abortion story in the media and then follow this up with a published letter into the Irish Times, ‘Are men (indicating Ronan Mullen and Peter Fitzgerald) really fit for public office’? (See references 12, 13 and 14)

Use your unusual and illogical personal story to push for abortion.  Remember it’s feelings that count, not reason, evidence or logic.  Again that shining example, Kate O’Connell, is the person to follow (See reference 15)

Don’t treat the people that you are debating with with respect and dignity as due to how barbaric, cruel and sneaky they are they are unworthy of it.  See the worst in these people’s intentions but see the best of intentions in your own.  Also, if a person who holds a pro-life position says something offensive to you make sure you tell everyone you know and contact your friends in the media to drag their name through the mud – fair is fair (See reference 16)

Treat abortion as nothing more than an unfortunate but straightforward medical procedure.  Comparing it to a heart or kidney operation is a good start (See reference 17)

Get illegal funding for your abortion campaign and refuse to give the money back when you are told it was illegal to have taken this funding (See reference 18)

Say people are worse than Trump for holding pro-life views (See reference 19)

And finally, remember, when talking about someone who is pregnant, use the politically correct term, ‘pregnant person’. This will show our supporters and those ignorant pro-life bigots who believe only women can become pregnant (how archaic!) how enlightened, compassionate and cultured we are (See reference 20)

Overall, don’t let the bastards win this one and continue their oppression of our women. Women will finally be emancipated once we win this noble endeavour.  Let us make our parents, nation and liberal neighbours (including Uncle Georgey Soros) proud. Let’s fight for the right to kill a life that is defensiveless and completely dependent on us.

    

REFERENCES:

1.)   After a talk by People Before Profit (PBP) I had a discussion with a representative for PBP from the local area.  I pointed out how only a small percentage of women had abortions due to rape, incest or life limiting conditions according to research conducted both in the USA and UK.  She told me that it didn’t matter if it was .1% or 1’000’000%.

2.)   At a Solidarity Party rally, we were reminded that the Catholic Church ‘forced’ us to include the eighth amendment in our constitution in 1983 as 66.9% of the population were all oppressed sheep.  The people who proposed this referendum in 1983 were also lambasted as ‘cowardly opportunists’ by Ruth Coppinger, TD.

3.)   These are some of the accusations that you are likely to hear. You will be continuously reminded how ‘barbaric’ and ‘backward’ current legislation is and how you and people like you are cold hearted people who want women to be put back in their place. Cork city councillor of the Solidarity party, Fiona Ryan, described Mattie McGrath and Ronan Mullen as ‘viciously backward’ and showing an ‘absence of empathy for victims of rape’.

4.)   See point one: While talking to this woman, another woman who held a pro-choice position, heard our conversation, came up and asked me, ‘Why the law stated that a woman could get 15 years for abortion while a convicted rapist only gets 10 years?’.  This was pretty unrelated to the conversation I was having with the other woman so it can throw you a bit.

5.)   While attending a repeal rally organised by the Labour party, I was speaking to a young man and we were having a reasonable conversation about how the government could tax me and take my money to pay for something, i.e. abortion, that I fundamentally don’t agree with. An older woman jumped in to our conversation and began to tell me about I lacked compassion and understanding and how I could never understand this issue as I was a man.

6.)   I spoke to a member of ROSA while she was handing out leaflets on the street.  Not long into our conversation another member of ROSA came into our conversation as well. It seems that backup is always at hand for the pro-choice crew.

7.)   While speaking to the two members of ROSA (see point 6) I told them that if I heard convincing enough arguments for the pro-choice position that I would be willing to change my stance. I asked them if they would be willing to change their stance if they heard a convincing argument for the pro-life position.  They both replied, ‘No’.  Remind me again,, who are the ‘fundamentalists’? Though, maybe this shouldn’t surprise me so much as on a ROSA leaflet entitled, ‘Repeal and Pro-Choice – Nothing Less’, which was handed to me by a ROSA activist on the street, it has the caption ‘Repeal the 8th, Not up for Debate’.  Obviously ROSA do not want to engage in dialogue or critically analyse their position and are encouraging their members, which are mainly young women, to do so as well.   Councillor Fiona Ryan also encourages campaigners to be ‘militant’, ‘hands on’ and ‘shrill’ and she says that the ‘other side should be afraid’ as she sees these tactics as effective.

8.)   At a Labour party rally, a People Before Profit meeting, a Solidarity Party/Socialist party event and ROSA campaigns, there are always reminders about how this repeal campaign is part of a bigger campaign against sexism, racism, capitalism and the Western patriarchal oppressive system.  There is a rallying call to higher goals and a push towards creating the ultimate socialist utopia, while failing to mention the destruction and millions of dead bodies these efforts have left behind them.

9.)   At a People Before Profit meeting I went to a Dutch woman argued that Ireland ‘should trust its women’ and not question their decisions.  I had a discussion with a member of ROSA about how laws are designed to try to prevent us from allowing the worst of our human nature to come to the fore.  It seems that she just saw laws as forceful and wanted people to be free to do whatever they wanted.  Some women and couples do use abortion as a form of birth control (See: http://www.lifenews.com/2016/05/18/abortion-as-birth-control-report-shows-half-of-women-having-abortions-are-already-mothers/)  but saying this to anybody who is pro-choice is likely to bring about further accusations of ‘sexist’, ‘misogynist’ and that you lack of compassion or empathy.

10.) Again at most of these events the ‘Savita would have lived if doctors were able to perform an abortion’ narrative is continuously reinforced.  They use selective reports from ‘leading national and international health experts’ while ignoring the inquest that cited ‘medical misadventure’ including poor monitoring and lack of communication (See: https://www.nationalrighttolifenews.org/news/2013/04/savita-halappanavar-medical-misadventure-verdict-does-not-justify-changing-irelands-abortion-law/#.WlJx26hl_IU)

11.) Every rally and meeting makes some reference to the Catholic Church. This is usually in reference to the Magdalene laundries or the sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic Church or how much influence the Church had in Ireland up until recently.  This seems to be an attempt to highlight how hip, liberal and progressive people who are pro-choice are and show how conservative people who hold pro-life positions are.  It also serves their purposes of undermining the Judeo-Christian foundations of Western civilization as Lenin and his ilk also did.

12.) Kate O’Connell TD has accused her Fine Gael colleague, Peter Fitzgerald TD, of ‘putting out lies’ and ‘untruths’, according to The Irish Times.  Peter stated that abortion was being used as a form of ‘contraception’ (This is true) and that an unborn baby can feel pain in its early stages (This is also true).  Kate should do more research before trying to shame her colleagues into silence.

13.) This was displayed on a ROSA leaflet, which I picked up at a ROSA repeal rally where Ruth Coppinger TD and Mick Barry TD both spoke.  Ruth also described Mattie’s and Ronan’s  behaviour as ‘antics’ and claimed that they ‘can no longer find anyone in authority to back up their positions’, in relation to medical and scientific experts who supported their pro-life position, even though there are many medical and scientific experts who are pro-life.  The comments by ROSA are from their leaflets entitled, ‘Do you trust the conservative Dail?’ and ‘Repeal and Pro-Choice  – Nothing Less’.

14.) Claire Woods, who has contributed pro-choice articles for the Irish Times and repealeight.ie, has also contributed a letter to the Irish Times, asking the question, ‘Are men really fit for public office?’  which lambasts Ronan Mullen and Peter Fitzgerald.  The Irish Times loves giving space for this sort of propaganda.

15.) Kate O’Connell has told her story about how her son, who is now a healthy 5 year old, had a 10 per cent chance of being born alive, surviving surgery and living a normal, unaffected life, while she was pregnant. She is now determined to push for repealing the eighth amendment based on this experience as the lack of choices caused her some stress.  See: https://www.independent.ie/lif... I’m not denying how she feels but I’m just trying to understand why she feels how she feels.  Does she not consider that if abortion were available more readily or was seen as more acceptable when she was pregnant that she may have taken this option and never seen her son develop as he has.  Strange but I don’t expect much different from the ultraliberal political elite.  Their logic often baffles me.

16.) The narrative that people who are pro-life are cruel and uncompassionate is constantly being pushed. At a People Before Profit promotional meeting, they emphasised how ‘barbaric’ the current laws on abortion are in Ireland and how noble the push for repeal is.  At a Solidarity repeal rally they emphasised how ‘viciously backward’ people who hold pro-life views are and how the fight for repeal is a glorious battle and how according to Cork city councillor/Solidarity Party member, Fiona Ryan, Ruth Coppinger TD ‘deserves an early retirement’ for her repeal campaigning. If you hear this rhetoric for long enough, you will probably begin to believe it.  This is immediately apparent when you try to engage with people who attend these types of rallies and consume these types of ideas.

17.) At a Solidarity/ROSA/Socialist party joint repeal meeting, a member from a pro-choice organisation in New Zealand, spoke about how in ultraliberal Canada, getting an abortion was as easy and accessible as heart or kidney operation and how this was how he would like to see it develop in Ireland.  This disgusted me.

18.) I think most of us have all heard about how Amnesty International and Colm O’Gorman are refusing to return the money they received from George Soros and thus undermining Irish law and costing the taxpayer money. See here for a reminder – https://www.nationalrighttolif...

19.) That fountain of regressive liberal wisdom, journalist, Fintan O’Toole, really wants to stoke up guilt in people who hold a pro-life position by highlighting how ‘Our current abortion laws are too excessive, too cruel and too irrational even for Donald Trump’ in The Irish Times on the 19th December 2017. I don’t think that Fintan understands that if the whole anti-Trump and liberal regressive media brigade couldn’t make people feel guilty enough to prevent them voting for Trump, stop him for being elected and couldn’t stop Brexit by calling people who wanted Britain to exit the EU ‘racist’ then I don’t believe that they will succeed in their guilt tripping of people with pro-life views either.

20.) At a joint Socialist party/ROSA/Solidarity repeal rally, I almost burst out laughing when a presenter started talking about a ‘pregnant person’.  Then the next speaker started using this terminology.  I realised then that this was not a joke and it seems, along with pushing the pro-choice, feminist, anti-capitalist and anti-religion analogy, that these groups are pushing the ‘transgender is the new norm’ agenda as well thus undermining traditional family dynamics even more.

   

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Martin McManus, counsellor and community worker