An argument between anti-abortion protesters and a man asking the group to leave the London sidewalk where they were stationed was quickly ended with an impromptu argument by a pregnant woman who happened to be walking by. The exchange of words was captured by journalist
Sunny Hundal, who uploaded the footage to YouTube.
The YouTube clip begins with the anti-abortion protesters claiming that they were not filming women walking into the abortion clinic adjacent to where they set up their protest, which featured a large, grotesque image of an aborted 10-week-old fetus. Hundal accuses the protesters of wanting to expose the women arriving at the clinic for treatment. A protester responds that they're actually recording to document when "people make false accusations that we're harassing people." The protesters are part of the group Abort67.
A pregnant passerby who happened to overhear the argument can be seen shaking her head before launching into a
well-said rant about how the anti-abortion protesters are spreading an unnecessary, negative argument without understanding the things women go through. "It's wrong what you're doing," the woman starts, before listing the many reasons why women should not be harassed for the decision to undergo an abortion procedure. The
protesters are essentially silenced, failing to respond to her points with anything besides a look of annoyance and frustration. The woman even calls out one of the protesters after overhearing that she had undergone an abortion procedure herself. "You're a big hypocrite, but because you're not happy with what you're doing, you're standing out here making other people feel guilty," the woman says.
The woman also
blames the protesters for displaying grotesque images across from the charity with which she works, Kids Company, which provides support to inner-city children in London and Bristol. The organization also works with women who have been molested or abused, which she cites as valid reasons for abortion. As a result of the video going viral, Kids Company has received more than ยฃ52,000 pounds on
a CrowdFunder campaign to "give a vulnerable child the gift of Christmas." The woman from the video even left a personal thank you to everyone who has listened to her argument and responded by supporting Kids Company.
Comment: Kudos to this woman for having the courage to speak back to these protestors. One wonders how many anti-abortion protestors actually spend any time trying to understand the complexity of the situations that lead women to seek abortions, and the difficulties that women with young children undergo who have little to no resources to raise children in an era when
global poverty is epidemic and social safety nets are disappearing.
Abortion, Psychopaths and Mother Love
Are there women who use abortion as an after-the-fact contraceptive? Yes, but the majority of them have legitimate reasons. They should be allowed to choose without threats, harassment and guilt. Get rid of this hot button debate and the others like it that further divide people and pit them against each other.