Most days my job feels like any other job. I get up, chug coffee, and ride public transit across the city to face my 8 hour work day. I counsel patients before their abortions; we go over their medical history and discuss birth control, their feelings about the abortion, the facts about the abortion procedure, and aftercare -- medical and emotional. This work doesn't seem heroic to me. It's necessary. The days are hectic, intense, but they end, and I can go home and live my life without thinking about abortion.
Dr. Tiller, one of the few providers of late-term abortions in the US, never had that luxury. Because of his murder this morning, I realized that no abortion provider ever really does. It is a dangerous mistake for us to feel a false sense of security, even if we are, like my clinic, located on the seventh floor of a tall building in a large, mostly liberal city. But how can we provide quality healthcare to patients and simultaneously protect them and ourselves from anti-choice extremists?
I've worked with Dr. Tiller before, and despite whatever political or personal threats he was facing at the time, I know he provided professional, compassionate care to every woman who walked into his clinic. I called my boss in desperation after hearing about his murder, hoping to hear that we would hire a private security company to escort each of us to work and home each day.Of course, that's not what's happening, and I realized after talking to her that my job is more important now than ever. I am in shock and disbelief over the events of today, but we cannot be paralyzed by the acts of terrorists. The reality is that we need volunteer escorts to help patients get inside clinics safely. We need health educators to give women and girls accurate information about abortion. Instead of being afraid, instead of being angry, talk to your local abortion clinic and ask them what they need. I'm not going to be afraid on my ride to work tomorrow. I'm going in with my head held high, proud that I work in the same field as heroes like Dr. George Tiller. What are you going to do?
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Sometimes, it seems we get the wrong ideas of who the heroes in the social justice movement really are.
A famous e-mail that circulates the Internet highlights that the fact that it is "the Soldier, not the (insert profession here) that ensures freedom."
But in reality, the true heroes in America are people like you, and Dr. Tiller.
You don't get to shoot back, you don't get body armors, you don't get the appreciation that each society affords its women and men in the armed forces, and you could never be properly compensated for what you do. What's more - you don't come to the movement because of an economical need to do so, but because you truly feel like you are making a difference - and you are.
All you ever get for your troubles are protestors, harsh words, and in Dr. Tiller's case, death. If anyone truly sacrifice so that others could have their freedoms to choose, it's people like Dr. Tiller.
In all, you guys are the real heroes, and are doing something many people wish they could do, but do not have the intestinal fortitudes or convictions to do it. I applaud you all for that.
I'd never have the guts to do with you guys do. You guys deserve all the thanks and respect in the world for it.
I only wish there were a bumper sticker that says, "Support the Abortion Providers," abortion provider discounts, abortion provider appreciation nights and such. You deserve it.
Marc
Marc--Your idea about the bumper stickers is cool--I wonder if we could set up a CafePress store for this? I'm not artistically gifted in any way, but if someone on the Feministing Community is, we could team up to make a 'Support Abortion Providers' store and donate all the proceeds to Medical Students for Choice or NARAL or another organization.
Anyone?
Thanks for posting this. I also work for an aborion provider, and the murder of Dr. Tiller has only strengthened my beliefs and my dedication to my job.
I found out right after returning from my own church, a place where I had just enjoyed an inspiring service (and also signed up to march behind the church's banner in the gay pride parade!) I had a moment of fear, and then anger--but those were quickly replaced by a quiet resolve.
When I went back to work on Monday I was so thankful for my role in providing this important service to women. And I went there knowing more than ever before that the risks I may face are well worth it. I did not simply push the idea of violence out of my mind, as I had so many other days-- walking past our protesters, hearing them call me a whore, a baby-killer, a pervert. Instead I accepted the risk consciously and I felt strengthened by it.
For anyone else out there ivolved in this work: Doctors, nurses, medical assistants, counselors, clerical workers,volunteers....The lady that does the landscaping while protesters scream bible verses at her...Remember that we are NOT alone, we have the support of one another--we exhibit this just by showing up for work--and we have the support of like-minded people the world over. They may not be standing outside the clinic waving signs, like our opposition, but they are there. Stay strong!
In the wake of the murder of abortion provider Dr. George Tiller, it must be said:
"When it comes to abortion, there really is only one moral question: Will women be free to determine their own lives, including whether and when they will bear children, or will women be subjugated to patriarchal male authority and forced to breed against their will?"
Read the whole article, by Sunsara Taylor, "The Deadly Illusion of 'Common Ground' on Abortion - Response to Obama’s speech at Notre Dame on common ground and abortion" at http://revcom.us/a/166/ST_on_Obama-en.html
Beautiful. That's all I have to say.
Keep up the great work!
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Can someone please have the above bullshit troll comment removed?
Also, if you're an abortion provider, please visit http://www.iamdrtiller.com and share your story!!
If you're interested in marriage equality, how the Farm Bill can be used to support agribusiness/factory farming OR support organic/local CSAs, transportation/commute issues, or who you might want to vote for in 2010, I'd suggest you visit MOMocrats.com, because those are all things I'd guess the child-free would be interested in too. And that we've blogged about at our site. online Masters degree AND online associate degrees
I'm unwilling to give up on the emotional and political real estate that comes with the word "mom," as double-edged as it may seem. I'm unwilling to cede this signifier to the "Moral Majority/Family Values" people. FTS. Business management school AND online phd degree AND Law degree