Mommy Life

June 2, 2009 1:05 PM

Claire Howorth's "Terror in the Heartlands" - a challenge from a pro-life "terrorist"

I am corresponding behind the scenes with Claire Howorth, who wrote the expected guilt-by-association indictment of pro-lifers at Vanity Fair today: Terror in the Heartland.

I did not initiate the contact, but received an "anonymous" email which Howorth now claims was from a friend of hers.

So for a moment I have had her ear, and have challenged her to be more open-minded and to learn more about the pro-life movement. I've even invited her to come visit my home. Maybe you all would like to invite her to visit yours. Just so she can see that we are not monsters, but intelligent, compassionate human beings who have a right to hold our views without being subjected to her "fear-mongering, fostering intolerance, malicious intent" - the very things she accuses pro-lifers of.

Here is the correspondence so far:

from prochoice person
to prochoiceperson@gmail.com
date Tue, Jun 2, 2009 at 11:31 AM
subject Operation Rescue is Al Qaeda-like Terrorism

Thought you'd all be interested to see this post on Vanity Fair's website. Does the Pro-Life movement compare to Al Qaeda's jihad?

http://www.vanityfair.com/online/politics/2009/06/terror-in-the-heartland.html#comments

Tue, Jun 2, 2009 at 12:05 PM,
Barbara Curtis wrote:

Oh, yeah, isn't she the discredited journalist who was caught in a phony story?

Not interested at all.

As a former radical leftist/pro-abortion fanatic, I've been there, done that. Whatever she wrote, I could write myself by just putting on my old identity before I understood the value of life.

barbara

"prochoiceperson" then wrote something short and sweet about hoping my interest would be piqued,

rom Barbara Curtis
to prochoice person
date Tue, Jun 2, 2009 at 12:42 PM
subject Re: Operation Rescue is Al Qaeda-like Terrorism

As a 100% public person, my interest is NEVER piqued by someone who doesn't have the guts to use their own name :)

This address goes on my spam list now

Next I hear from Claire Howorth herself:

from Claire Howorth
to megamommy12@gmail.com
date Tue, Jun 2, 2009 at 12:45 PM
subject

Must've been piqued somewhat...

On 6/2/09 1:01 PM, "Barbara Curtis" wrote:

wow. what a professional!

from Claire Howorth
to Barbara Curtis
date Tue, Jun 2, 2009 at 1:14 PM
subject Re:

Actually, a dear friend sent my link around, which is what you responded to, and he sent to me, but I am here, and public, and while I was being sarcastic about piquing your interest below, I did read your writing, and I do appreciate every perspective & every voice.

I guess that means she looked me up and found out I wasn't a Neanderthal. So I proceeded with a challenge:

from Barbara Curtis
to Claire Howorth
date Tue, Jun 2, 2009 at 1:33 PM
subject Re:

You might also be interested to know that I have 4 kids with Down syndrome - 1 by birth and 3 by adoption. One rescued from a hospital, 1 saved from abortion because we agreed to adopt him, and 1 born in the US to Taiwanese parents who could see how much he would be respected and loved in the US and wanted him to grow up here:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/08/AR2008110802462.html

I haven't read your article because I can guess where it was going. It sickens me that people like you continue to stereotype pro-lifers as stupid and hateful and try to use guilt by association with one deranged individual to invalidate our well-reasoned and deeply held beliefs. That is not good journalism.

Interestingly, since Tillers' murder (which EVERY pro-life organization has had the respect and dignity to denounce) there was a drive-by shooting of two military personnel at a recruiting station. The suspect recently visited Yemen and assumed a Muslim name. NYT still beating the drum on Tiller, buries this story on A16.

If you want to be a REAL journalist, why not come here to my home and visit me? Why not get some exposure to the millions of people you are using propaganda techniques to denounce - turning up the flames of hatred toward us? Why not meet my sons and consider whether the belief of some that they deserve a chance at life (there is a waiting list for children with Down syndrome) might not be worthy of respect - whether you agree with it or not?

Why not keep an open mind?

Guilt by association is a TERRIBLE tool to use - as those who denounce McCarthyism have never ceased reminding us. I think you ought to consider that you have done a terrible wrong to people like me.

To see the real face of the prolife movement, please check out my photo albums from the past few years ProLife marches - at the bottom left of my sidebar

Barbara Curtis
www.mommylife.net
former radical leftist/feminist/pro-abortion activist - now mother of 12, author of 9 books and 900 published print articles, 4000 blog entries

from Barbara Curtis to Claire Howorth date Tue, Jun 2, 2009 at 2:03 PM subject Re:

Has it occurred to you that you're using your gifts and talents to foment hatred towards an entire group of people made up of innocent individuals who then have to deal with the blowback in our daily lives? Do you know what obscene hate mail I receive simply for expressing my beliefs in a rational way?

Does it make any sense to you that you are doing exactly what you are accusing pro-lifers of doing? Only most of that is lies. I have covered praying and appeals outside abortion clinics - and followed the recent court case in Oakland, CA of a black pastor who was accused of stuff that videos proved were never true. The abortion clinic director perjured herself on the stand and yet he went to jail.

You are so wrong on this, Claire.

I really appeal to you to give our side some equal face time. Please come visit. I live in northern Virginia.

Barbara

Love,

Posted in Media Bias, Pro-Life Issues | Permalink

Comments

She's welcome at my home! I'm in the heartland.

Posted by: Debra | June 2, 2009 2:46 PM

Well, I might have to dig deeply into my Christian heart to find the impetus to invite Ms. Howorth to my home.

Although she is a 100% certified "compassionate liberal", she comes across as a close-minded bully to me.

I really hope Ms. Howorth takes you up on your offer. Smart people usually take the chance to learn more, and I'm sure Ms. Howorth considers herself to be a smart lady.

Posted by: kelly | June 2, 2009 3:52 PM

I'm in the Chicago suburbs, just email me.

Posted by: Monica | June 2, 2009 4:03 PM

CT - come meet my family and hear my thoughts - with an open mind.

Posted by: Reen | June 2, 2009 4:46 PM

I would welcome a visit to my home & meet our pro life family - who just adopted a sweet black baby girl whose mother thankfully went to a crisis pregnancy center & chose to place her baby in our home rather than abort her. She is breathtaking & a miracle. This is hopefully just the first of our adoptions. (We have 7 bio's)

Our door is wide open! I'll have coffee & cookies ready for Claire.

Posted by: Beth Lambdin | June 3, 2009 1:33 AM

I'm interested to see if she takes you up on your offer. I have my doubts.

I have former friends who cut me off because in casual conversation they learned I do not lionize Margaret Sangar. They don't *want* to know me or my family, because then they would have to admit that not all conservative pro-lifers are hateful jerks. That would totally mess with their world view. ;)

Posted by: Margaret | June 3, 2009 3:26 AM

She's welcome to come on down to Texas. I'll even buy her a cowboy hat.

Interestingly enough, I've seen sublte differences is my pro-choice mother since she's spent time around me, her very pro-life daughter.

While she used to follow lock step with anything NARAL or PP said, she is no much more accepting of the pro-life view and thinks that it has some validity. She also realizes that most pro-lifers are normal, friendly people who have no desire to control anyone.

Perhaps Ms. Howorth could also benefit.

Posted by: Lauren | June 3, 2009 9:17 AM

I would be willing to host her. We are a military family in NE.

Posted by: beccy | June 3, 2009 1:18 PM

Ms. Howorth is welcome in my home outside Baltimore.

Posted by: Holly | June 3, 2009 3:34 PM

Ms Howorth might find some of her assumptions about pro-lifers challenged in our home.
We are a bi-racial family which pays for the education of my husband's siblings in El Salvador as well as their transitions when they emigrate here.
We have three girls, the youngest of whom has Down syndrome. I am a writer, an ESL teacher and a pro-life activist who was a Social Worker.
Come on over, Ms Howorth, we'll make some pupusas and break some stereotypes.

Posted by: Leticia Velasquez | June 3, 2009 8:29 PM

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