A is for Apathy

Last week the Doonesbury comic strip covered the recent political furor over abortion. One of the frames featured a clipboard with a large red letter A, a touch from Hawthorne’s classic tale. Perhaps the scarlet letter in Trudeau’s strip was A for Adulteress as in the original book. Perhaps it was A for Abortion. The scarlet A was intended as a mark of shame. As such, maybe A is for Apathy: the apathy of the many who feel sure that the hard fought rights of women for reproductive freedom in this country are secure; the apathy of the many who grew up honoring the social rule to not discuss religion or politics; the apathy of the many who don’t want to risk offending their friends, who they know to be Christians.

The ground is fertile for emotional zealots right now. Our economy suffered a devastating blow in late 2008. We came frighteningly close to an economic depression. It has been a long hard road of recovery and many are still out of work. Troubles in the European economies keep the worry fresh. People are looking for assurances, looking for someone to blame, something to be confident about, and something to be superior about. Those preying on our psyches at this time are not religious zealots, they are manipulators and misogynists. They call themselves Christians…Christian - a follower of Christ. I may not be able to quote chapter and verse from the Bible, but I grew up going to Sunday school and church regularly. I learned about Jesus of Nazareth who walked the land as a remarkable example of peace, forgiveness and tolerance. The grandstanding politicians today are hypocrites, not Christians. Anyone can call themselves a Christian, drawing on the cloak of righteousness like wolves in sheep’s clothing. True Christians will not be offended by your open support of women’s rights.

The fact that this reactionary movement against women’s rights has gained social acceptance is evidenced by the number of politicians in a public competition to be the most adamant in opposition to birth control. We cannot afford be silenced by social niceties. There is legislation being proposed to allow employers to deny birth control coverage to employees. There is legislation being proposed to force a woman to carry a dying fetus until her body initiates labor, despite the risk to the woman. Wake up people. This is not religious freedom. This is religious tyranny, and women are the victims.

The wolves are at the door. It is time to speak up. Speaking your belief in the rights of women is neither rude nor disrespectful. Speaking your belief in the rights of women is a declaration of esteem for your mother, your daughter, your sister, yourself. Speaking your belief in the rights of women gives voice to your support for women of every faith, color, and economic status. Think about it. Marie Curie, Rosa Parks, Amelia Earhart, Margaret Mead, Florence Nightingale, the list goes on for pages. Intelligent, creative, courageous and strong, women have cured diseases, governed nations, led armies, created music that touches the soul, written books that touch our hearts. Women have quietly led by example, and marched boldly before their opponents. Women have the power to give life, the strength to raise children, and the sensibility to make their own reproductive decisions. We are remarkable. We are not mindless and soulless reproductive tools to be controlled and abused by men.