Terror, abortion, bumper stickers
Someone in my neighborhood--I don't know who she is, but I see her car around regularly--has a couple of anti abortion bumper stickers on her car. I'm not impressed by political and/or moral opinions expressed via bumper sticker, nor am I opposed to abortion. Whatever though, if that's how she wants the world to know she's a woman who thinks other women should not have the freedom to make their own decisions about their reproductive health, fine.
The one on the right side of her bumper says CHOOSE LIFE. Of all the anti abortion stickers, I find this the least offensive to my own sensibilities. In fact, I don't really have a problem with someone using this particular slogan to express their opinion on the matter because CHOICE is implied. I'll let this bumper sticker slide.
The one on the left side of her bumper sticker is the one that bothers me. It reads, "ABORTION IS THE ULTIMATE TERRORISM!" Um...is it really? The ultimate? See, I can't figure out how abortion is terrorism at all. Who is terrorized? Embryos? And ultimate? I don't think I'm in any position to determine what is really the ultimate act of terrorism. I'm guessing that people involved in planning or committing acts of terrorism are in a better position to say, "You guys, THIS is going to be the ULTIMATE! Just watch!" I'd also guess that people who have been the victims of terrorist acts are in a better position to say what is or isn't the ultimate act of terrorism. LIkewise, rescue workers and other officials involved in the aftermath of a terrorist act might be able to make that call. Fetuses and gynecologists don't seem to fit into any of those groups of people who could rightly define an act as THE ULTIMATE ACT OF TERRORISM.
Were the terrorist attacks eight years ago the ultimate act of terrorism? I don't know. Maybe we think they were the ultimate acts of terrorism, but someone else in the world is planning something even more extreme. In any case, what happened that day was an act of terrorism. People felt terror when they witnessed it in person or on television. People felt terror as they searched for a safe way out of their office building. I imagine they felt terror when they gave up on finding a safe way out, held hands with a coworker or complete stranger and just jumped from the windows.
That's the image of the WTC attack that made the biggest impression on me. Seeing people standing on window sills or ledges or whatever and just jumping, sometimes holding hands with someone else. Like they knew there was no chance they'd survive the day and they might as well get it over with quickly, but still looked for a small piece of comfort from another person who they may or may not even know.
Has that woman in my neighborhood ever seen that image? Has she seen the pile of rubble or the corpse-sniffing dogs? Has she been in a plane that was hijacked? Has she made or even listened to a recording of a 911 call or final hurried, tearful voice message to a loved one?
Does she dare drive her car around today with that sticker claiming that abortion is the ultimate terrorism?
The one on the right side of her bumper says CHOOSE LIFE. Of all the anti abortion stickers, I find this the least offensive to my own sensibilities. In fact, I don't really have a problem with someone using this particular slogan to express their opinion on the matter because CHOICE is implied. I'll let this bumper sticker slide.
The one on the left side of her bumper sticker is the one that bothers me. It reads, "ABORTION IS THE ULTIMATE TERRORISM!" Um...is it really? The ultimate? See, I can't figure out how abortion is terrorism at all. Who is terrorized? Embryos? And ultimate? I don't think I'm in any position to determine what is really the ultimate act of terrorism. I'm guessing that people involved in planning or committing acts of terrorism are in a better position to say, "You guys, THIS is going to be the ULTIMATE! Just watch!" I'd also guess that people who have been the victims of terrorist acts are in a better position to say what is or isn't the ultimate act of terrorism. LIkewise, rescue workers and other officials involved in the aftermath of a terrorist act might be able to make that call. Fetuses and gynecologists don't seem to fit into any of those groups of people who could rightly define an act as THE ULTIMATE ACT OF TERRORISM.
Were the terrorist attacks eight years ago the ultimate act of terrorism? I don't know. Maybe we think they were the ultimate acts of terrorism, but someone else in the world is planning something even more extreme. In any case, what happened that day was an act of terrorism. People felt terror when they witnessed it in person or on television. People felt terror as they searched for a safe way out of their office building. I imagine they felt terror when they gave up on finding a safe way out, held hands with a coworker or complete stranger and just jumped from the windows.
That's the image of the WTC attack that made the biggest impression on me. Seeing people standing on window sills or ledges or whatever and just jumping, sometimes holding hands with someone else. Like they knew there was no chance they'd survive the day and they might as well get it over with quickly, but still looked for a small piece of comfort from another person who they may or may not even know.
Has that woman in my neighborhood ever seen that image? Has she seen the pile of rubble or the corpse-sniffing dogs? Has she been in a plane that was hijacked? Has she made or even listened to a recording of a 911 call or final hurried, tearful voice message to a loved one?
Does she dare drive her car around today with that sticker claiming that abortion is the ultimate terrorism?