Seattle #womenbetrayed rally speech

The mic wasn't working so imagine me holding a ridiculous big bullhorn in one hand and my phone in the other. That's right, a bullhorn. No bras were burned during this rally but it felt like it could have easily gone that way...

This is the first time I've addressed such a rally as this- so I'm going to use my phone for notes- let me get it situated on the right page so I don't start accidentally reading my safeway shopping list.


My name is Elizabeth Arendale -
I have 8 children ---that I got to keep. And one that I had to say goodbye to too early. I've been on the crisis pregnancy side of things twice in my life.

Once with my first child - as an unmarried scholarship soccer player in college.

And once when carrying my 7th child who was called at one ultrasound- "incompatible with life". He proved them all wrong when he was very compatible with life for 13 love filled days.

I now work with the Be Not Afraid- a peer outreach that helps women who have been given a poor prenatal diagnosis carry their pregnancy to term.


Watching the video- my initial response was shock, disgust, anger, then sadness

My immediate thought was "now planned parenthood can't hide behind their 'we care about women' mantra.

Now their true colors are shown.
Now instead of pink- they should wear green.

Why are we shocked? This is planned parenthood after all?
They can go from tearing a baby limb from limb- to stepping out into the hall to add their order for jimmy johns for their lunch break.
It's but a small baby step to selling the "byproduct" of the "procedure"

You know- I think what disgusted me the most was the casualness- the drinking wine- the talking around a mouthful of food- the mention of "presenting the clients with a 'menu' of body parts".

I'm angry with planned parenthood for cheapening life. In cheapening and destroying life, they have *weakened* the fabric of humanity. We are all a little weak because of this.
But our humanity is made in the image and likeness of God.
God gave us LIFE and he *is* LOVE
For HE so LOVED the world that he put down his LIFE.
There is no greater LOVE than to put down your LIFE for a friend.

LIfe EQUALS Love
And if planned parenthood is going to be the killers of LIFE and LOVE
We need to be the defenders of LIFE and LOVE.

So planned parenthood weakens the fabric of humanity. How can we strengthen it again?
By lining our response up more closely with God- our response needs not to be one of anger- but one of love.

And since God's fatherly love is equal parts justice and mercy we should follow suit.

We can renew the fabric of humanity
by being merciful- praying for all the executives and employees of planned parenthood. Asking God to help us to see them as He sees them. - with his fatherly eyes, they are His children.
He sees them with both mercy and justice.

And We can show justice by demanding they be held accountable. By asking the state of Washington to launch a full investigation of planned parenthood practices and to defund planned parenthood immediately.

Because as long as planned parenthood is open, women- at a very scary and vulnerable time in their lives- are in danger of being pushed into something they will regret.

This will take work- and dedication. It's going to require some sacrifice. Most of you look equal to the task. Some of you probably wished I had read out my shopping list instead.
But we need to keep at it because WE are the defenders of LIFE and LOVE.

Jedi Master: a poem

this is a poem written by one of my sister's colleagues- Eddie Mulholland.  I nearly forgot about it until she reminded me of it today.

Jedi Master



I don't aspire to use The Force

Blindfolded, a light saber

Wielding, while I lift some rocks

Through grueling mental labor.

That notwithstanding, I would love

To fly from earth, and yet I

Have higher aspirations still:

To be another Jedi.



Though not the type like Qui-gon

Like Mace Windu or like Obi-wan

My master is a baby boy

And I his bumbling padawan.

Young Jedidiah Arendale

In thirteen earthly days

Learned all he ever needed

To face his Maker's gaze.



He brandished his new baptized grace

He parried sin's rebellions

He triumphed through Christ's victory

and vanquished fiendish hellions.

His body wracked with illness,

Abnormalities trisomic,

Did not impede his inner strength

Which went beyond atomic.



When I was young I wished Yoda

Had taught me all his skills

But now one insignificant

in worldly eyes who thrills

from having entered heaven's gates

like lightning, even faster,

has schooled me in the ways of light,

Well done, my Jedi Master!

--
Peace,
Elizabeth