Monday, March 19, 2012

Women as "State Property" Revisited


HAVEN'T WE BEEN HERE BEFORE?

1970 LETTER TO EDITOR STILL RELEVANT IN 2012

Submitted to Shelton Blog by Christine Armond
Mason County Progressive


While going through our home files recently, much to my surprise (and interest), I came across a letter I wrote to the Editors of The Boston Globe that was printed (an unanticipated gratification at that time) in March, 1970 with the header: "Women as State Property".

What appalling synchronicity! How can it be that the very same issues I was addressing as a young woman in 1970 continue to be of concern 42 years later in 2012? How long must women in this country find ourselves living the same days over and over again? ANSWER: As long as it takes!


___________________________________________

March 3, 1970

Women as "State Property"

Editors, The Boston Globe:

Re: Abortion Law


This country theoretically has the separation of church and state inherent in its foundation. It also proclaims in its Declaration of Independence, the equality of all mankind, although only relatively recently in its history has it extended this Elysian Field of equality, at least on a political if not yet social level, to encompass those who are black, and regrettably even still later, to those who are female.

If supposedly there exists a political freedom for those of any or no religion, for those of any race, or for those of either sex in this country, then what right has the state to claim the wombs of its female constituents as state property if it is not confusing the religious with the secular, or if it is not perpetuating the now unconstitutional myth of the patriarchy? The state in this country, if it does indeed adhere to the constitution, should be concerned with the collective welfare of its constituents, and not the individual and personal paths that its members may choose that in no way alter the common good.

Therefore, it is difficult to comprehend in what way a woman's personal decision to undergo the medically simple operation of the removal of a fertilized egg (in which only the potentiality for human life is present) from her uterus, a crime against society.

May I also suggest that perhaps those persons who in this era eclipsed by pollution and overpopulation, who prohibit or arbitrarily discriminate in the distribution of birth control information and methods, and who declare self-righteously that abortion is immoral and therefore illegal "in most cases" are the very persons who are committing a crime against society.

To anyone who denies the population explosion as a reality that must soon have a workable solution, I can only say that they need only to glance at our congested cities or perhaps ponder for a moment upon the countless numbers of people that we are already unable to feed. It is no longer, in terms of the continuing existence of human society, merely ignorant or inhumane to have children that are unwanted or to have more children than one can adequately provide for, but is equally ignorant to have an excessive number of children even if they are desired and can be provided for.

If a certain religious organization is so seemingly concerned with safeguarding human life, why did it not speak out against the Nazi atrocities? May I also question the methods in which that same organization dealt with human life throughout history, when it defined it as "heathen" or "infidel". That belief system which has discriminated so violently against those who were not among its constituents to the point of torture and death, now seems to be ridiculously protective of human life not yet born, and which would not be born into its membership. May all religions dictate only to their following, and not the masses existing outside of their dominion. The separation of church and state must be upheld. If one needs a church to tell one what to do, one may easily join such an organization.

Technology has indubitably tampered with the balance of nature, and if we do not soon make amends to restore that balance, our civilization is doomed for annihilation. The benefits derived from the extension of human life through the curing of disease will be undermined by creating a situation in which there will be too many people for this planet to provide a tolerable environment, if steps are not immediately initiated (not to mention the grave numbers of people who already exist today in intolerable circumstances).

We issue fertility pills for those who cannot have children so unaided. Why is it that we cannot, in such a small way, attempt to restore balance to a ravaged nature by making the option of birth control a national policy (if not international), and to legalize abortion so women can make their own choices about their own bodies instead of being dictated to by the state.

Christine Armond
Boston, MA
____________________________________________

Now 42 years later, If nothing else, I can look at myself in the mirror and tell that young woman of decades ago that I have never wavered from pursuing her yearning for justice...and I never will.


Graphic: zazzle.com

5 comments:

  1. WOW!
    Thank you, Christine, for digging up the past and shedding light on today.
    The War on Women will continue until Women have Won -- once and for all!
    Onward and forward.....

    ReplyDelete
  2. THANKS Jo!

    THIS post & THESE issues are very dear to my HEART!!!

    It was quite AMAZING to find the news clipping of THIS letter, particularly at THIS time...BUT, what is even MORE amazing is that these SAME issues have manifested their UGLY heads once again in 2012!!!

    Back in 1970 there was indeed a RAGING "War on Women" in Boston (a city dominated by a certain religious organization). Every day there was some sort of anti abortion and anti birth control conversation being printed in the newspapers.

    When I tapped out this letter on my typewriter & sent it into the Boston Globe 42 years ago, I had absolutely NO expectation that it would EVER get printed. On the contrary, I thought it didn't have a chance in hell :-)...it was just a little something I HAD to DO to make myself feel better.

    Imagine my SURPRISE when the letter not only got printed, but it got printed SIDE by SIDE with a letter from a Boston Archdiocese Monsignor whose letter had the header "State's Interest Is Crucial"!!!

    YES!!! ONWARD & FORWARD!!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. EXCERPT FROM SEN. BARBARA BOXER EMAIL:

    I'm stunned. On Monday night, the Idaho Senate passed legislation mandating that a woman exercising her constitutionally protected right to choose must undergo two ultrasounds, including an invasive transvaginal ultrasound, with no exception for rape, incest, or medical emergencies.

    The Republican Senator who wrote the bill even argued that rape victims should be subjected to this indignity by outrageously implying they don't tell the truth about rape and might just be having trouble with their marriages.

    We must fight back by electing strong, Democratic women to the Senate to stop these relentless attacks.

    House committees that hold hearings on contraception -- and don't invite any women to testify on the panel. State legislatures like Idaho, Virginia, and Texas trying to force women to undergo invasive procedures. Senators who want employers to be able to deny women life-saving health care because it violates their "moral convictions". Right-wing radio hosts who call young women who testify about contraception "sluts".

    The attacks against women just keep coming, and it is time to stop them -- now.

    It is time to elect the most women to the Senate in history -- women who will stand strong against these attacks.

    We can change the conversation. We can stop treating women's health like a political football. We can stop re-fighting battles we thought were settled decades ago.

    In short, we can WINWITHWOMEN2012 -- with your help.

    ReplyDelete
  4. SUBMITTED BY Jake Rufer

    Christine,

    You wrote a beautiful letter back in 1970. Agreed -- the issues are about the same.

    ReplyDelete
  5. There are so many things that I thought were resolved, that apparently are not.

    Electing a black president has forced me to see that racism is alive and well in America, and not only in the South.

    And this intrusion into women's health by politicians and pundits without medical degrees who don't even know what they are talking about... but who believe they have the right to have this conversation, and to exclude women from the conversation.

    It is hard to believe that this letter of yours is 42 years old, and that we women were wrong when we thought this matter was well-settled long ago.

    ReplyDelete