Well, I've got about 55 drafts in my Blogger, and I am experiencing a mean case of writer's block. So, I thought I'd go to something in my past that might be as compelling to you as it was (and still is) to me.
Fifteen years ago, my friend Kim Manning and I wrote a regular editorial column for The Arizona Republic. We were youngsters then, in our twenties, and how we landed the column is a great story in itself, which I hope to tell another day.
Kim and I had written a piece or two about abortion, representing the pro-life position. We also included the following bullet point in our column wrapping up our first year:
The pro-abortion crowd has one standard but illogical trump card that it pulls out whenever a pro-lifer calls for less government. The rhetorical "gotcha" line goes something like this: "Aha! You stand for individual freedom over the authority of the state, yet you want the government to have authority over a woman's most private right to her own body!" Here's the logical answer: Pro-life folks believe that an unborn child is an individual human being with an unalienable right to life. The government is legitimately called to defend that right. Nothing inconsistent here. Can we please put that old, tired argument to rest?Apparently, that fairly mild pro-life statement caused great offense to a certain someone. We didn't have internet or email yet, and a few days later a letter arrived in the mail with a "Metro Phoenix Women's Center" letterhead and a postage meter bearing the slogan "THERE IS NO LIBERTY WITHOUT CHOICE." I felt a bit creeped-out opening the envelope. Inside was a letter from a notorious local abortionist, Brian Finkel, as typed by his secretary. Here is the unedited body of the letter (addressed to Kim with a cc to me), dated August 28, 1995:
Dear Ms. Manning,
Your editorial in the 27 August 1995, "The Arizona Republic", demands a response. I have been interacting with so-called "Pro-Life" women for years. The ones that interact with the press, or are members of the press share the following same characteristics: They immediately claim the moral high ground because of their position, and arrogantly abuse anyone or any organization that does not share their myopic view point. Their rhetoric is as vituperate, arrogant, and inflammatory as the rhetoric of any self serving bigot. Every phrase that passes through their greasy lips is but the petty mimicry of a proficient parrot. Few, if any, of these women use original thought processes in their diatribe.
You and Ms. Miller hold yourselves out to the public as members of Generation X. It is unfortunate to see that two young women such as yourselves have chosen to be spokespersons for a Pro-Life religious cult. I have been trying to reason with women of your ilk for over 13 years. You cannot objectively argue with a person with a closed mind. It is far easier for me to have an objective secular conversation with a fence post. A mind truly is a terrible thing to waste.
No woman wants an abortion, but circumstances demand it. And women will do it. Every day I provide abortion services to Pro-Life women such as yourself. Militant Pro-Life harpies who find themselves with an unplanned pregnancy all of a sudden change their tune when they are the woman that needs an abortion. All of a sudden the care that they would deny other women must be provided to them, because their circumstances are special.
Ms. Manning, I want you to know that I will always be here for you, should you ever require an abortion because of rape, incest, a failed interpersonal relationship, drug abuse problems on your part, when your financial circumstances deteriorate to the point that you will not be able to care for the children you already have, and for when you decide you are just too old to have more children. I would also like to invite you to come down to my office, and visit with me at your convenience. Leave your blinders in the parking lot and come into my office with an objective eye, and I will let you see why women so desperately want, need, and seek out abortion services.
With best personal regards.
I remain very truly yours,
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Brian L. Finkel, D.O., F.A.C.O.G.
cc: Ms. Leila Miller
My next post will be our response to Dr. Finkel.
To be continued....
