My friend had an abortion yesterday. At that statement, leave all your personal ethics, biases, and presuppositions aside and read the story.
While she was walking into the clinic, she was harassed and heckled by the protesters outside. They called her a sinner and a murderer, and as she pushed to get past them her cell phone dropped out of her pocket. She didn't notice it.
She went inside, did what she did, and was once again met by hackles and accusations as she left. When she got home she realized her cell phone was missing.
Turns out the protesters took it and called everyone on her contact list, including her parents and grandparents, to let them know that she had an abortion. I had a voicemail from them when I got out of work. Let's just say their words weren't kind.
Is this theft and invasion of privacy something we can all say is wrong? Or do any of you think that is justifiable?
2007-08-01 03:27:10 · 56 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
More tea vicar?:
Maybe you should read the question and stop making assumptions about where I stand on the issue. I'm all for personal choice.
And as her friend I know the circumstances under which she made her decision, and that makes what these "Christians" did so much worse.
2007-08-01 03:32:53 · update #1
Tab H: Sidewalks are fair game. I used to be one of those protesters (I admit it, I used to be quite a fundamentalist) and I know all too well that these things happen.
2007-08-01 03:34:25 · update #2
Absolutely unjustifiable. What they did was unethical and just plain cruel.
2007-08-01 03:30:37 · answer #1 · answered by N 6 · 32⤊ 1⤋
I'm sorry to hear your friend was in the situation that led her to an abortion in the first place. I'm certain she wasn't looking forward to having it done, nor was that her intent. I hope you are able to spend much time with her in the next few days and weeks as she deals with the emotional fallout from her family, as well as the embarrassment she must feel.
Taking the cell phone should constitute theft. It is a disgraceful action.
I believe the protestors had the right to be there, although I wish they would keep their cool. The most effective ministry I've seen to stop abortions is through places like Our Lady's Inn in North St. Louis. Pregnant women are offered every assistance if they decide to carry the pregnancy to term - that includes help with parenting skills, budgeting, and even legal aid to get them out of an abusive relationship and set them up in new surroundings, if that is what is compelling them towards abortion.
Again, please be with your friend. The loss of a human life is devastating, but the additional fallout that she may experience (I've known women who have attempted suicide after an abortion) may be even more destructive.
I think we can all agree on one thing that would be right: if those things that impelled women to have abortions - failed or abusive relationships, budget crises, rape and incest, among others - were ameliorated so that women would no longer need to seek abortions, and the clinics would close for lack of business.
2007-08-01 06:07:32 · answer #2 · answered by Veritatum17 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I believe that it was very wrong and in no way justifiable. It is her choice - whatever the reason. A person can decide what they would or wouldn't do, but what gives them the right to make others do that too? Additionally, they have no right at all to try to ruin a woman's life simply because she did something they didn't agree with. They live here in this country trying to take a woman's choice away from her, all the while bragging about the great freedoms we have here. What do they think will happen when a woman's choice is taken away? What will be next? These people never think that.
2007-08-01 05:20:38 · answer #3 · answered by Heathen Mage 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
They crossed the line. If they were good Christians they would have returned her phone to her untouched. I'm pretty sure the same people stand out there all the time, may be she should talk to a lawyer? You know I just re-read your question and what I said about being a good Christian, but they crossed the line by heckling her anyway, doesn't the Bible preach not to judge other people. And according to their belief system all she has to do is accept Jesus as her Lord and Savior and she is forgiven of all her sins etc... So why should they be out there in the first place? I am sorry that happened to your friend. Her privacy was violated. She should talk to a lawyer, they may be removed from that site permanently.
2007-08-01 03:39:53 · answer #4 · answered by Miss 6 7 · 9⤊ 0⤋
Although not an attorney or expert in law, I am certain that is both a violation of privacy and law. If I were you, I would save the voicemail that this person left in case the voice pattern itself is useful in any future litigation or prosecution.
No, I don't think that's justifiable. Our society allows for protests against what one considers to be ills within it. However, what that person did in my opinion violates your friend's privacy, the privacy of all that they called and borders on harassment.
Did your friend get the cellphone back? If not, triangulation can likely be used by the police to locate the phone and possibly the people involved. That is, unless your friend has already deactivated the phone or the phone has been destroyed. Even if the phone has been deactivated I believe it can be reactivated and located but it is unlikely the heckler still possesses it.
Edit: Also, I would recommend reposting this on the legal category on Y!A (not sure what that is, specifically) to get better answers from that perspective.
2nd Edit: As an aside, I wonder what these people would think if a pro-choice advocate stole their phone and called all their friends and family spouting their viewpoint. Something about a shoe and another foot, I think...
3rd Edit: Just talked with a friend who is an attorney, though not a specialist in communications law. She believes that various federal telecommunications acts make unauthorized use of a cellphone with malicious intent a federal crime and a violation of federal law, too. Just an FYI.
2007-08-01 03:33:25 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 17⤊ 0⤋
If I were her, I would get myself a lawyer, and sue the people that used her cell phone and called her contact list. No question about it. There are ways she can find out who was there protesting, and all she needs is a recording of the voices.
**She should contact the clinic ASAP, there's a pretty good chance they have surveillance video of the outside of the clinic. They usually have it precisely because of people like that. That can also help to ID the people there. She should *not* let this go.
2007-08-01 10:22:21 · answer #6 · answered by Jess H 7 · 6⤊ 0⤋
I would take that up with the police. That is very wrong- not only an invasion of privacy and theft, but I do believe a form of phone fraud could probably be pressed. She should probably hire a lawyer and go after the church.
This is just one reason that not only non-Christians, but other Christians (who don't want their names soiled by someone else's disgusting behavior) need to speak out.
This behavior was illegal, and should be addressed that way. They have a right to assemble- they don't have a right to steal things or give out personal information about people.
I personally, would not only put each of those protestors in jail for no less than 2 years (no huber) but I would shut their church down permanently for such an act- they've taken their rights and used them to take someone else's away. That is the least patriotic behavior imaginable and should be treated as such.
2007-08-01 03:36:03 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 9⤊ 0⤋
That is just AWFUL.
People ASSUME that this is an easy decision for some one to make and its NOT. There is a lot of emotional turmoil with decided to have an abortion. It's not something that people do lightly.
I don't like abortion but I support the right to choose. What I REALLY wish pro life would do is sink time and money into planned parenthood, sex education and prevention including but NOT LIMITED to abstinence. If there was more prevention the natural following is less abortions. But I digress.
NO ONE has the right to hurt someone that viciously, maliciously and down right HATEFULLY. That is despicable to highest order and they will answer to it. To their own God if nothing else.
2007-08-01 04:18:47 · answer #8 · answered by ~Heathen Princess~ 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
It was so wrong in so many ways!!! Making the decision to have an abortion is not an easy one. Unless you plan on adopting all the children that might be aborted then you must let women make up their own minds as to what is best for them. How many times have you read about physically and mentally abused children... and babies thrown in the garbage. What is worse...torturing a child or aborting a fetus. To steal a phone and call everyone on the phonelist should be a crime! I hope they are caught and thrown in jail. I am so sorry this had to happen to her. Best of luck to her.
PS...when I say "you" I am not talking about you specifically. It's a general "you".
2007-08-01 03:43:05 · answer #9 · answered by kat 2 · 7⤊ 0⤋
what those people did is WRONG. Your friend legally had every right to get an abortion. I personally don't think abortion is ever right and I can't imagine how hard of a choice it is for anyone. However,Those people acted like terrorists and bullies. they are the worst kind of fundamentalists and acted in a way that would make our Savior weep. They had NO RIGHT to invade her privacy in such a heinous way. Here's my take on being pro-life: Instead of terrorizing people who choose to get an abortion, why not do something constructive for your cause, such as volunteer at a crisis pregnancy center that helps with abortion alternatives? Why can't these people understand that abortion is never an easy choice and not everyone thinks like they do. Ahhhh, my blood is boiling just invisioning the scene your friend had to endure.
All that being said, I am staunchly pro-life, but I don't think there is ever a need to behave as those idiots did. It reeks of hypocrisy.
2007-08-01 04:46:13 · answer #10 · answered by 4 Shades of Blue 4 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Absolutely, it is wrong. It's a misdemeanor theft, I think, and conversion. She should report the phone stolen to the police, collect all the messages and phone numbers that were dialed, and have the police investigate who made those calls (when and wear).
She can also sue the organization that was protesting and its members individually for intentional infliction of emotional distress, invasion of privacy and conspiracy to commit that wrong against her, among other things. She should see a psychiatrist or psychologist now to examine how she has been psychologically harmed by these actions, and have her go to a litigation attorney immediately. She may be able to get assistance from Planned Parenthood, NOW or some other women's rights advocacy group.
2007-08-01 03:34:55 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 9⤊ 1⤋