Keep Your Ignorance Off Your Shirt

The usual circus that surrounds anything to do with abortion in Australia (and every other Western nation it has to be said) was dragged to new lows this week when Kerry Nettle paraded in front of the cameras at Canberra's Parliament House wearing a shirt with the the idiotic slogan 'Keep Your Rosaries Off My Ovaries.'

Can't stand Kerry Nettle. She's an oaf, a classic reactionary leftie who isn't particularly interested in issues that interest most Australians. Granted, everyone has something to say about abortion and that is informed by a number of things - upbringing, religion, political leaning, whatever.

I support her right to say what she likes but it was offensive. Just because you're Catholic does not automatically place you in the same group as Tony Abbott. This constant ignorance by atheists such as Nettle (actually, I'm not sure what Nettle is, but atheist is probably pretty close) about the way Christians think is classic. Every Christian dresses badly, every Christian bible bashes, every Christian...and so on. She's being as judgemental as any cliched Christian.

Whether he likes it or not, Abbott's decision is informed by his religion. His stance on abortion is on the harder side and is not supportable or sustainable. He has no idea that some women have no choice but to abort, whether for health, social or economic reasons. He has no right to make the decision for anyone about a drug as important as RU486. This concept that Howard has been pushing stating that elected leaders are somehow able to make that choice anymore than a non-elected leader is mystifying to say the least.

Abbott is clearly part of the population who thinks that the only reason a woman aborts is because she couldn't be bothered wth contraception. I oppose that style of abortion - it seems like the long way around for a start and only puts the woman in more danger in the first place. But apart from that, every abortion is a tragedy because it just isn't an easy decision. I know. We had to make that decision very recently and it was absolutely no fun. If you doubt that, come back to me when we've shaken off the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Anyway.

Nettle should think before she prints her stupid shirts. It doesn't become a member of Parliament to be so spectacularly ignorant but it also makes her look as dumb as the people who stand out the front of abortion clinics harrassing people - she's making an assumption that just isn't true.