A girl who I knew in high school was staunchly anti-abortion. This was back in the days just after Roe vs. Wade when the lines were not as clearly drawn, before the two sides were so formalized. One day this girl was passing around something a flyer of sorts. It was written in first person as a sort of journal, from the point of view of an “unborn child”. Day 1 was conception. Day 2 was splitting into multiple cells. As the days went on the fetus wrote in great detail of the development taking place in the womb, the tiny fingers and toes and the appearance of major organs and such. Each day’s entry was longer and the excitement of the little fetus grew as well. Then at week 22 there was a short, blunt statement. “Today my mommy killed me.” Our narrator had been aborted.

My friend was moved to tears by the flyer, but all I could think was how ridiculous it was to pretend that a second trimester fetus could write! Heck, I would have been glad to protect the right of speech for anyone so eloquent, born or unborn. This flyer deeply affected my friend, and I guess it affected me too because I then realized that the anti-abortion rights side would be debating not on objective facts but instead would use fiction to stir up emotions. That tactic seemed wrong then and it still seems wrong today.

As a footnote, this friend became pregnant by her boyfriend before her senior year. She remained true to her principles and had the baby. She dropped out of school and they got married. I think they still are today. They have more children. Maybe she finished high school, I really don’t know. In any case, I am happy that she was able to make a choice that was right for her personally. Everyone in her situation should have that right.

And while on the subject of truth, this “great read” by columnist Jenkins accuses the NOW of advocating beer and sex advertisements. (Fact check, please?) Jenkins asserts false choices: You are either for the Tebow commercial or for exposing one’s rear in public. The Tebow commercial, or reckless promiscuity. There’s your pro-choice, suckers!

Jenkins praises Tim Tebow for his much ridiculed stance in favor of premarital chastity. I’m cool with that. Jenkins then expresses her strong support in favor of free speech for the Tebows, James Dobson, and CBS. I’m cool with that too, but at the same time can we extend the same right of free speech to the National Organization of Women, and allow them the opportunity to rebut what is clearly a message for restricting the rights of women? Are we permitted to grill the network about its inconsistency in allowing this advocacy ad for the religious right while denying airtime to liberal causes? According to Ms. Jenkins, apparently not.