More than lip-service

Ono Ekeh over on his Catholics for Kerry blog contends pro-lifers expend "96.83%" of their energy on anti-abortion efforts but little to nothing on children after they are born. I commented on his post and he responded with much of the same rhetoric. I wanted to share my latest comment.

I ask you again Ono, what evidence do you have to support the claim that pro-lifers do little or nothing for children after they are born? You offer no evidence. You have this blog and the Catholics for Kerry Yahoo! group to expound. Why not do that?

I will admit Catholics can and should do more to help women and children who are in tough situations. But there already is a considerable effort by them.

There are more pro-life help-giving centers then there are pro-life education and poliltical action centers. There are more abortion alternative centers then there are abortion clinics. These centers provide free pregnancy tests, free counseling, free material and resources to pregnant women. As well, these centers provide free prenatal care, free clothing, baby clothes, furnishings and other help to needy women and children. Many pro-life doctors offer no-cost medical help and pro-life lawyers donate legal aid to help with adoptions. There are single mother support groups and childcare is offered for those women who need it. And there are thousands of pro-life families on adoption waiting lists. My younger brother and his wife adopted a child two years ago. What a blessing he is to them and they are to him. I myself was an adopted child, born of a single teenager who courageously carried me in her womb and then gave me up at birth. Through Catholic Charities' adoption services I was adopted by two loving, faithful, incredible parents. They already had two children and twin boys showed up 18 months after they brought me home. They taught me the Faith and provided all my physical wants and needs. I ask what more needed to be done in my case? No government funding or service was needed. Beyond the decision of my birth mother, which was likely influenced by the fact abortion was illegal in the state I was born in (Hmmmm), most of the "effort" came from my adopted family.

As for your question about the state's role in the legality of abortion and not in the services, I would say the state made the laws which made abortion legal and it will take the state to change that. As for the role of government in the services, I would argue President's Bush faith-based initiatives are a means to better get the state involved in an already considerable effort by private organizations. The need for the state to be more involved is welcome but not necessarily required as you seem to believe.

Thanks again for allowing me to respond.