I am Not Pro-Birth

January is often marked by the number of opinion pieces floating around about the topic of pro-life, pro-choice, etc. While mine is one among many, I feel there needs to be a response to those who accuse the pro-life movement of being pro-birth, and not pro-life.

Womb to tomb. Support the life of the person from beginning of conception to natural death. Support the dignity of the person always. Support the fight for life, support them in achieving their best quality of life, support them in their fight for dignity, at all stages. This is what pro-life MEANS! All people at all ages, stages, disabilities, races, genders, and sexual orientation deserve to be treated as equals with dignity because we all have worth simply because we are children of God.

I will be the first to admit that this is not everyone in the pro-life movement's definition, but I know I can safely say it is the majority, and we know this by looking at the organizations  the pro-life movement and many other organizations have created and supported as a response to Roe v. Wade, the existence of Planned Parenthood, and the general assault on the dignity of persons.

So you find yourself single and pregnant: what are your options, where can you go for help? You need prenatal care, post natal care, everything to care for the baby when it comes. You will need financial assistance, because you will miss work as a result of the pregnancy, both before and after the birth. These are daunting questions that plague every mother, no matter their circumstances.

Here is what you can do and who will help. By the way, these organizations help without federal subsidy, these organizations are people helping people, though they do refer to state and federal programs. People speaking for their PRO-LIFE beliefs with their time, money, and leadership skills.  

Birthright International

Birthright.org

Birthright Services include:

• Love, hope, and encouragement
• Friendship and emotional support
• Non-judgmental, confidential help
• Free pregnancy tests
• Maternity and baby clothes
• Referrals to:
• Medical supports
• Financial and/or employment resources
• Housing
• Legal referrals
• Education assistance
• Social assistance
• Professional counseling
• Information on:
• Pregnancy and childbirth
• Prenatal development and care
• Parenting skills, child care, and child safety
• Career development and/or continuing education
• Community programs and/or social assistance
• Adoption

For the same services you can visit your local women's choice center. The majority of these centers have an OB/GYN and/or Midwife that donates their time for free pre-natal care, birthing, and support as well.

Another helpful place to turn is the Christ Child Society. 

The Christ Child Society strives to support the child through out its life by fulfilling its mission and supporting its programs below:

Society Chapters challenge poverty one child at a time providing services to:

Newborns and their families

• Providing infant layettes for new mothers and their babies
• Offering support to families who have lost a child at birth with bereavement layettes
• Partnering with agencies to teach parenting skills

Pre-school age children

• Mentoring and emotional support for parents and children
• Providing educational tools and tutoring activities for disadvantaged children
• Programs for special needs children

School age children

• Reading, tutoring and mentoring programs
• Providing support and education and counseling to parents and children in crises
• Supplying clothing, shoes and school uniforms
• Programs for building leadership and self esteem

Community

• Operate a facility for the care and treatment of emotionally disturbed and abused children
• Partnering with community agencies for a variety of programs
• Sponsoring clubs, activities and camps
• Operating centers for free and low cost apparel (nationalchristchild.org)

Some of these organizations refer you to an existing social service for help. Which YES, for all my fiscally conservative friends out there, that means funding social programs! But funding of social programs does not need to happen at a federal level. Each community and state knows its social climate best. A federal defunding of planned parenthood or social programs does not have to mean women go with out support, it simply means that support comes from somewhere else, local and state levels. So pay your taxes people, or support a tax code that gives you more money in your pocket to give to those around you (and then actually do it, don't buy the big screen tv!) I personally don't care which you choose!

These places listed above have been given millions of dollars by people who put their money where their mouth is. They want a baby to be born, and have that baby live a full life with dignity. They are willing to pay money, open their homes, and their hearts as each person allows. If you look at the number of people that attend the annual pro-life march every year, there are hundreds of thousands in this country that would do just that, or so they say. 

True pro-lifers DO support the mother and the child, from womb to tomb, pro-choice only supports the mother in a single choice, reproductive health decisions. I have not heard of a pro-choice clinic that provides baby clothes or tutoring for children. Or a pro-choice organization that takes the mother to her local social services organization to shows her how to apply for housing and/or food stamps. Show me a Planned Parenthood that provides referrals to job training, so a woman can support herself and her children without the help of a man.

 Most people detest hypocrisy where ever they see it, and it is always most difficult to see it within ourselves. Both sides of the abortion debate accuse the other of being hypocritical and short-sighted, and there are those in the debate that are. But to those that accuse the pro-life marchers of being hypocrites and pro-birthers, take the stick out of your own eye. By demonizing the pro-life movement and the organizations they support, you are NOT helping anyone, most of all women.