To view the witness, start @ 22:48-30:20.
Call to Action on SCOTUS overturning Roe v. Wade
My name is Pat Garrigues. I strongly disagree with the position the U. S. Supreme Court stated in striking down the landmark ruling in Roe vs. Wade. 50 years ago the Supreme Court settled the right to an abortion.
I would like to express my personal view on this matter, which affects the health of over half of the country’s population.
What happens in the privacy of a home should remain private, to be decided by each individual man or woman, with advice from their doctor, as long as no one is being abused. No politician or public official should have the right to judge or interfere. Choosing abortion is never a decision to made lightly.
I agree with Pastor Kelly, who with other faith leaders, signed a document protesting this decision of the U. S. Supreme Court. I quote one paragraph from this document: “People of Faith believe many different things about the beginning of human life. No one religious viewpoint should decide American law, especially as personal a decision as this. The difficult decision to terminate a pregnancy is for many, the result of consulting one’s own conscience and closest advisors, and especially because such a decision relates to personal bodily autonomy, should not be subject to someone else’s restrictive religious or philosophical viewpoint.”
Passing the responsibility to regulate abortions to the states will create inequities throughout the country. State laws will differ. Some states would criminalize a doctor who aids in an abortion or treats a woman after an abortion. What happens if a woman has a miscarriage spontaneously?
I come from a family where miscarriages have occurred in at least 4 generations. When I am grieving the loss of a wanted child, should I also have to fear I would endanger my doctor if I seek medical help? Why should a male politician, believing I intentionally caused the miscarriage, call it an abortion? He then could blame the doctor who gave me care necessary for me to heal after the miscarriage, perhaps sending the doctor to prison.
A mother, exhausted with caring for a large family, should be able to obtain contraceptives so she can care for the family she already has. Her choice should not be curtailed either by a man who wants more heirs, or a politician who forbids the contraceptive choices based on one rigid set of religious values.
Those who believe in the right to life need to apply this right not only to a tiny embryo, but equally to the care and nurturing of the woman or child who would bear that baby. Should a 9 or 10-year-old, abused by a family member, have to carry a baby in a body too young to safely do so? Who will pay for this young person’s medical bills? Who will provide enough nurses for the neonatal care for the premature baby? Who will comfort this child-mother whose body may be so gravely injured she can never bear another child?
The unwanted child may be resented and mistreated by their mother, or by multiple foster parents. They may turn for comfort to drugs or act out their anger in antisocial behavior or attempt suicide. Who is providing them counseling and support?
In these complicated times we each must follow our conscience. If we stand together we can ensure that reproductive justice and health care access is available and affordable to everyone in every state.
How can we Take Action?
Remember Leslie’s favorite saying, God is Love so Do Everything in Love. Talk to your neighbors out of love for them.
1. Contact your local representatives and demand they vote yes on the Women's Health Protection Act: https://actforwomen.org/take-action/
2. Donate to local abortion funds and providers
3. Participate in local events and protests in your community:
map.wewontgoback.com/?source=ppfa
4. Register to Vote and/or help others to register to vote:
https://vote.gov
5. Vote in the upcoming Midterm Elections
Thank you for reading
I would like to express my personal view on this matter, which affects the health of over half of the country’s population.
What happens in the privacy of a home should remain private, to be decided by each individual man or woman, with advice from their doctor, as long as no one is being abused. No politician or public official should have the right to judge or interfere. Choosing abortion is never a decision to made lightly.
I agree with Pastor Kelly, who with other faith leaders, signed a document protesting this decision of the U. S. Supreme Court. I quote one paragraph from this document: “People of Faith believe many different things about the beginning of human life. No one religious viewpoint should decide American law, especially as personal a decision as this. The difficult decision to terminate a pregnancy is for many, the result of consulting one’s own conscience and closest advisors, and especially because such a decision relates to personal bodily autonomy, should not be subject to someone else’s restrictive religious or philosophical viewpoint.”
Passing the responsibility to regulate abortions to the states will create inequities throughout the country. State laws will differ. Some states would criminalize a doctor who aids in an abortion or treats a woman after an abortion. What happens if a woman has a miscarriage spontaneously?
I come from a family where miscarriages have occurred in at least 4 generations. When I am grieving the loss of a wanted child, should I also have to fear I would endanger my doctor if I seek medical help? Why should a male politician, believing I intentionally caused the miscarriage, call it an abortion? He then could blame the doctor who gave me care necessary for me to heal after the miscarriage, perhaps sending the doctor to prison.
A mother, exhausted with caring for a large family, should be able to obtain contraceptives so she can care for the family she already has. Her choice should not be curtailed either by a man who wants more heirs, or a politician who forbids the contraceptive choices based on one rigid set of religious values.
Those who believe in the right to life need to apply this right not only to a tiny embryo, but equally to the care and nurturing of the woman or child who would bear that baby. Should a 9 or 10-year-old, abused by a family member, have to carry a baby in a body too young to safely do so? Who will pay for this young person’s medical bills? Who will provide enough nurses for the neonatal care for the premature baby? Who will comfort this child-mother whose body may be so gravely injured she can never bear another child?
The unwanted child may be resented and mistreated by their mother, or by multiple foster parents. They may turn for comfort to drugs or act out their anger in antisocial behavior or attempt suicide. Who is providing them counseling and support?
In these complicated times we each must follow our conscience. If we stand together we can ensure that reproductive justice and health care access is available and affordable to everyone in every state.
How can we Take Action?
Remember Leslie’s favorite saying, God is Love so Do Everything in Love. Talk to your neighbors out of love for them.
1. Contact your local representatives and demand they vote yes on the Women's Health Protection Act: https://actforwomen.org/take-action/
2. Donate to local abortion funds and providers
3. Participate in local events and protests in your community:
map.wewontgoback.com/?source=ppfa
4. Register to Vote and/or help others to register to vote:
https://vote.gov
5. Vote in the upcoming Midterm Elections
Thank you for reading
The Cathedral Center at St. John’s Cathedral in downtown Milwaukee provides shelter on an ongoing basis for about 55 homeless women and children. About once a month, a group of volunteers from Our Lord’s meet at church at 6:00 p.m. to drive downtown and return to church by 8:30 p.m. The volunteers serve a meal to the women and children and prepare lunches for the next day. If you can help by donating a main dish, salad, dessert, and beverages, please contact Church office for volunteer sign-up.
The Gathering The Gathering is in need of volunteers to help prepare and package meals for the homeless and hungry. It is a very safe volunteer opportunity as masks are required and social distancing is observed. The volunteers do not interact with the guests as they pick up their to-go meals at the door, given out by The Gathering Coordinator. The Ascension Lutheran Church meal site at 1236 S. Layton Blvd. has available shifts on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:30-6:00 p.m., and Saturday lunch shifts from 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. We can go as a group or anyone can sign up at their website to volunteer individually.
Jail Ministry
This ministry volunteers at the Milwaukee County Jail downtown. We help deliver paperback books and magazines to the inmate units (pods). If you would like to donate books and magazines, please contact the church office at (414)425-7030
The Gathering The Gathering is in need of volunteers to help prepare and package meals for the homeless and hungry. It is a very safe volunteer opportunity as masks are required and social distancing is observed. The volunteers do not interact with the guests as they pick up their to-go meals at the door, given out by The Gathering Coordinator. The Ascension Lutheran Church meal site at 1236 S. Layton Blvd. has available shifts on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:30-6:00 p.m., and Saturday lunch shifts from 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. We can go as a group or anyone can sign up at their website to volunteer individually.
Jail Ministry
This ministry volunteers at the Milwaukee County Jail downtown. We help deliver paperback books and magazines to the inmate units (pods). If you would like to donate books and magazines, please contact the church office at (414)425-7030