For three years, unbeknownst to even my best friends, I was a protestor at an abortion clinic. The experience opened my eyes to the reality behind abortion statistics: 61 million babies have been terminated since Roe V. Wade in 1973. What I learned may surprise some who support abortion.
My crusade began when I volunteered at the San Antonio Coalition for Life, a non-denominational organization dedicated to ending abortion and offering women alternatives to the procedure. Volunteers are required to sign a statement of peace, agreeing to be respectful and nonbelligerent.
On Saturday mornings, I stood on a sidewalk outside of a Planned Parenthood facility silently praying and holding a sign, "End Abortion." Usually a clump of 12 to 20 people huddled together. These Pro-Life warriors ranged in age from seniors to college-age women and young parents who brought their children.
Saturday's were the busiest days at the clinics. The parking lot was jammed with cars. Some had rosaries or crosses dangling from the rearview mirror inside the vehicle. Many women were there for pregnancy tests. Others were scheduled for abortions, Planned Parenthood's main source of income.
Despite the sheen of "women's healthcare" here is data from Planned Parenthood's 2019 annual report. The organization, partially funded by American taxpayers, performed 213,042 "well women" tests, a euphemism for healthcare. Abortions totaled 345,672 last year. Abortions cost from $75 to $2,500,
Notwithstanding what you read in the media, our protests were amicable. No one shouted at the women entering the clinic. We were coached to be cordial, never condemning the women. Trained counselors would try to engage the women, often without success. But ever so often, there would be a moment.
Like the time a young woman heeded a counselor's polite invitation. Her boyfriend, stood angrily near the clinic door, his fists clenched. The frightened woman tentatively walked to the sidewalk. A conversation ensued. In hushed tones, she admitted her boyfriend had coerced her into seeking an abortion.
Halfway through the encounter, the boyfriend rushed toward her and grabbed her arm, jerking her away from the counselor. As he practically dragged the female to the clinic, he shouted obscenities at the counselor. He then raced to the sidewalk and confronted me and others, threatening to punch us.
The teary eyed girl disappeared into the clinic. She emerged an hour later and approached the counselor as her boyfriend steamed alone in the car. "After I heard about the process, I couldn't go through with it," she said, dabbing her eyes with a Kleenex. She thanked the counselor and haltingly walked away.
Over the three years, I repeatedly witnessed similar scenes. Young men coaxing, cajoling and bullying their female partners into getting an abortion. This wasn't about a woman's choice. Although I am certain, there were women who made their own decision. They usually arrived accompanied by a female.
Perhaps, the incident that sticks out most in my mind involved an obviously wealthy client. A blonde female, who looked no more than 16, alighted from a shiny Cadillac. An older man opened the door for her and then returned to the comfort of the front seat. Minutes passed and then he sauntered toward us.
He looked haggard. After some chit-chat, he admitted the teenager was the daughter of his boss. The father, obviously embarrassed, ordered his employee to drive the teenager to the clinic. He admitted he personally opposed abortion and was conflicted about his role in the episode.
The employee paced back and forth as he waited more than an hour for the teenager. She finally appeared, a grimace on her face, her hands covering her abdomen. He gently helped her in the car. Once settled, she burst into tears. It was heart-wrenching. Women who have abortions endure pain and lifelong guilt.
I never observed a woman departing the clinic, smiling and appearing relieved. The opposite was true. Most looked numbed, distressed, barely able to walk. Often the boyfriends or partners were the ones who appeared satisfied. My observations may be challenged as atypical. Data backs up my account.
The statistics show that 99.31% of all abortions are for social and economic reasons. Forget the propaganda about incest and rape. Only .09% of abortions are for those two reasons combined. Among social reasons, nearly half (48%) abortions are triggered by "relationship problems" with the baby's father.
More than eight in ten (85%) of women who seek abortions are unmarried. Although many cite poverty as the rationale for abortion, the data shows it is perverse logic. Aborting a baby does not lift a woman out of her economic circumstances. The overwhelming majority continue to exist below poverty level.
Some of those statistics are from the Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive-health think tank that supports abortion rights. Their data also shows most abortions (90%) occur at 10 weeks into the pregnancy. At that time, the fully formed baby has a heartbeat, a brain, fingernails, eyes and developing ears.
Planned Parenthood cynically targets communities of color. Studies show 79% of their facilities are located within walking distance of neighborhoods with proportionately higher populations of black and Hispanic women. Since 1973, an estimated 20 million African-American babies have been aborted.
That is why I volunteered to stand for life. However, my chief motivation was the loss of my twin brother Dean who died after three days of life. I have often wondered what his life would have been like? How would it had changed my own life? I will never know. Life is precious, something to be valued.
In this presidential election, abortion has erupted again on the political scene with the vacancy on the Supreme Court. Democrats have ratcheted up the rhetoric about the court overturning Roe vs. Wade. It is a classic Democrat election argument. Americans should not be fooled by the grandstanding.
State legislatures, Congress and even the Supreme Court will never overturn abortion. It is entrenched in American law and and the laws of many states. The battle for America's soul will never be decided by laws or courts. Only a change on our hearts and beliefs will end the practice.
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