I confess, I've been much too content blasting JT's newest on repeat to flip over to NPR—or any other news outlet—in my car as of late. So I was shocked today to learn via Twitter—millennial stereotype: 1; Meredith: 0—of Wednesday's horrific allegations against Houstonian Dr. Douglas Karpen's clinics.
Allegations of bloody, horrible, late-term abortions that neither respect the post-20-week fetuses who already have the capacity to feel pain, nor the women prematurely and dangerously induced—though probably willingly—through an hour-long "extraction process."
Allegations that have yet to be confirmed. And I acknowledge I'm coming into this late in the game, but I offer my admittedly naive syllogism:
1. Houston is an international hub for human trafficking.
2. Human trafficking could increase the chances of unwanted pregnancies.
3. Increased instances of unwanted pregnancies could directly affect abortion rate.
I don't want to take the liberty to suggest that late-term abortions like those alleged this week are always/ever the result of human trafficking. I don't pretend to know what happens to women in that situation. But I would like to humbly surmise that human trafficking and abortion are inherently symbiotic.
If we believe that human trafficking afflicts our city, well, Houston, I say we should care both about the lives of the vicitimized women and the post-20-week children they possibly carry. Post-20-week fetuses are known to feel pain, and if these allegations are true, I cannot begin to imagine the excruciating pain these at Karpen's mercy could have experienced. The reality is scary and painful, but I need to see my city for what it is. The good and the terribly gritty. I don't want to be burried alive in a shrine to our shiny strip malls. I want to be a living, breathing, active, contributing member of this mass of humanity we call Houston.
So first, I propose we all pray. Pray for Douglas Karpen, if these reports are true, for his heart to change toward the value of human life. Pray for his employees who leveled these allegations. Whether true or not, that took some guts. Pray for the Harris County District Attorney's Office. Not only do they fight crazy battles daily, but this week DA Mike Andersen revealed to his staff his current battle with cancer. Pray for his health and his leadership in the midst of the struggle. Pray for the Texas Medical Board that apparently ignored reports of this clinic in the past. Pray for the Texas Department of Health and Safety for discernment as they investigate.
Second, we should be investigating, too. Not that we can aid in Karpen's trial, but we can get informed about current and proposed legislation that would work in favor of the vulnerable. On next week's docket, AZ Rep. Trent Franks' expanded "D.C. Pain-Capable Abortion Act" will come before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice as the "Unborn Child Protection Act." From what I can tell, if passed, it would nationally criminalize post-20-week abortions.
I haven't read the proposed bill myself, so I hesitate to jump on a congressional-support bandwagon, but I encourage you to research it along with me before Thursday's hearing. And if you think the legislation ultimately supports God's heart for abundant life, reconciliation and justice, then I encourage you to quickly contact your Congressmen and ask them to co-sponsor the bill with a signature.
You can easily find your representative on house.gov's ZIP search. Once I did, the site directed me to a simple web-based contact form that will hopefully alert my rep of my support for his leadership on this legislation. Five minutes, tops.
Let this be my first step toward a deeper love of the city I call home.
If you have suggestions of other ways to edify our local, elected officials and promote social justice, I'd love to chat! Please, please let me know.
Thanks to my twitter friend Matt Moore for being social-justice conscious and tweeting the alert I noticed in my feed.
Allegations of bloody, horrible, late-term abortions that neither respect the post-20-week fetuses who already have the capacity to feel pain, nor the women prematurely and dangerously induced—though probably willingly—through an hour-long "extraction process."
Allegations that have yet to be confirmed. And I acknowledge I'm coming into this late in the game, but I offer my admittedly naive syllogism:
1. Houston is an international hub for human trafficking.
2. Human trafficking could increase the chances of unwanted pregnancies.
3. Increased instances of unwanted pregnancies could directly affect abortion rate.
I don't want to take the liberty to suggest that late-term abortions like those alleged this week are always/ever the result of human trafficking. I don't pretend to know what happens to women in that situation. But I would like to humbly surmise that human trafficking and abortion are inherently symbiotic.
If we believe that human trafficking afflicts our city, well, Houston, I say we should care both about the lives of the vicitimized women and the post-20-week children they possibly carry. Post-20-week fetuses are known to feel pain, and if these allegations are true, I cannot begin to imagine the excruciating pain these at Karpen's mercy could have experienced. The reality is scary and painful, but I need to see my city for what it is. The good and the terribly gritty. I don't want to be burried alive in a shrine to our shiny strip malls. I want to be a living, breathing, active, contributing member of this mass of humanity we call Houston.
So first, I propose we all pray. Pray for Douglas Karpen, if these reports are true, for his heart to change toward the value of human life. Pray for his employees who leveled these allegations. Whether true or not, that took some guts. Pray for the Harris County District Attorney's Office. Not only do they fight crazy battles daily, but this week DA Mike Andersen revealed to his staff his current battle with cancer. Pray for his health and his leadership in the midst of the struggle. Pray for the Texas Medical Board that apparently ignored reports of this clinic in the past. Pray for the Texas Department of Health and Safety for discernment as they investigate.
Second, we should be investigating, too. Not that we can aid in Karpen's trial, but we can get informed about current and proposed legislation that would work in favor of the vulnerable. On next week's docket, AZ Rep. Trent Franks' expanded "D.C. Pain-Capable Abortion Act" will come before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice as the "Unborn Child Protection Act." From what I can tell, if passed, it would nationally criminalize post-20-week abortions.
I haven't read the proposed bill myself, so I hesitate to jump on a congressional-support bandwagon, but I encourage you to research it along with me before Thursday's hearing. And if you think the legislation ultimately supports God's heart for abundant life, reconciliation and justice, then I encourage you to quickly contact your Congressmen and ask them to co-sponsor the bill with a signature.
You can easily find your representative on house.gov's ZIP search. Once I did, the site directed me to a simple web-based contact form that will hopefully alert my rep of my support for his leadership on this legislation. Five minutes, tops.
Let this be my first step toward a deeper love of the city I call home.
If you have suggestions of other ways to edify our local, elected officials and promote social justice, I'd love to chat! Please, please let me know.
Thanks to my twitter friend Matt Moore for being social-justice conscious and tweeting the alert I noticed in my feed.
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