It's Impossible for Forced Birth to see Itself


I wish the U.S. experiment with the temperance and beer-is-sin period of our history and its similarity with the Forced Birth religious movement was discussed more. There are so many parallels. The beer-is-sin period was also known as Prohibition. A recent story in The Forum reviewed the history of a series of six fires in Alexandria, MN. The year was 1901. They were all taverns. The arson was never caught. The fires stopped when community outrage appeared. 

While we don't know the motive of the arson we do know what anti saloon public figures said about drinking alcohol in the years leading up the Prohibition. Alcohol was evil. God wanted it eliminated. Just as evil abortion is OK in cases of rape and the life of the woman, some places evil alcohol was OK and not evil. Catholic communion required wine and was exempt from Prohibition. It is said many bottles of wine disappeared from church basements. It seems to me some in the country were feeling the same level of passion against alcohol consumption as some experience today against abortions.

The newspaper in Alexandria, MN, treated the first fire as almost a humorous event. One less den of sin, who cares?

Everyone knows the similarities of beer and abortions. They are both easy to move from one location to another and easy to hide. They also share the most important force, a market willing to find them even it they are hidden. The word "Speakeasy" could apply to a place that provide abortion services. Before there secret abortions performed from coast to coast. 

Today those with Forced Birth passions cannot see themselves as identical to those they would now see as foolish, alcohol prohibitionists. Yet the similarities are right before their eyes.   


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