Wednesday, October 31, 2012

A Hard Life



This morning I arrived at the Emily's abortion mill at 7:30.  I started saying my Rosary and within two hours 8 girls had walked through the doors leading to the death of their baby.  I handed out pamphlets, many of which were rejected, and tried to talk to the girls, most of which efforts were ignored.   I was able to talk with a girl and her boyfriend for a while but in the end they also passed through Emily's cold glass doors.   Another girl stopped to talk with me though her boyfriend hurried to get past me to the "security" the closed doors of Emily's could offer his culpable conscious from my presence.   She, in turn, also passed through the doors.  At 9:30 a camera crew arrived to do a news report on the story of Christine Quinn, a New York city counsel woman running for Mayer, who is organizing deathscorts aka escorts to be trained and come out in large numbers to "combat" the presence of Pro-Lifers. "Volunteers are being recruited via the city’s Web site, www.nyc.gov, and through e-mails. They’ll be trained by Planned Parenthood and the NYCLU at City Hall on Oct. 28 and 29."   Chris Slattery talked with the News caster and while this was going on a woman came up and asked me why the camera was there.  I explained and as soon as she understood what I was doing there I was immediately cut off and bombarded with a torrent of heated words and anger.  She, as most New Yorkers I have noticed, do not realize the existence of personal space.  She leaned in abrasive and loud, spittle spewing from her mouth as she asked me how I expect a girl who is a dedicated bar hopper and clubber, who conceives from a drunk, one night stand, stranger to keep that baby?  Barely being able to slip in "Is that the baby's fault?" She charges ahead asking me where she and the baby are supposed to live.  I answer we have expectant mother homes we can connect the mother with where she can stay while she is pregnant till the baby is a year old. 18 months.  Indignant, she demands whats supposed to happen to them after that.  I replied that we try to give them that time in the homes to help them get their feet under them so that hopefully by that time they will have a job and be ready to start living on their own.  Her words pour out fast and angry.  She asked questions not waiting for answers and she told me to "wait till I am done"  when I tried to answer them.  Finally I took a step forward, raised my voice, and said forcibly "Its my turn!!"    Her voice changed a little bit as she took a step back and said "OK".   I tried to address as many of her charges I could remember, particularly  adoption because she had said she would never give a child away because that child would hate her for it.  She tried to interrupt a few times but I held my ground and said solidly "No! Its still my turn!"  which I think, as oddly as it is, she respected me for.  In the end, when I gave her back the floor, she continued spewing words of anger obviously caused by hurt.  "I was raped.  I am gay.  I hate men which is why all my friends are men because I am afraid of them."  She ranted on to me about all her family members and their messed up lives.  Her nieces and nephews that were abused by her sister-in-law.  Her relatives in the foster care system who were abused.  On and on.   Such hurt.  I stood there and listened praying silently for her. She went on, no break in her words, for at least 8 minutes. Then she abruptly turned and walked away.  "I am so sorry for your pain." I called to her.  "I am so sorry."  
    

      How tragic the pain fellow human beings suffer.  The hurt that is inflicted on them and the hurt they inflict upon themselves by closing themselves off from any human comfort or help so as to not be so vulnerable again.  What can I say to a woman so wronged besides "I am sorry" which seems so minuscule in the face of such injury?  I am so sorry.


"Why are you downcast, my soul? Why do you groan within me?  Wait for God, for I shall again praise him, my savior and my God."   - Psalm 43:5

 

No comments: