Blue Denim

This morning before leaving my house, I happened upon a 1959 movie called "Blue Denim". It is a movie about a pregnant 15 year old girl and her 16 year old boyfriend seeking an abortion without either's parental consent. Being the avid pro-lifer that I am, I decided to watch and learn how Hollywood handled the subject of unwanted pregnancy 48 years ago. After Janet and Alfred "go all the way", she finds out she's pregnant. They wonder what they should do, then Alfred decides to talk to a friend of his who had secured the services of an abortionist. I was getting ready and watching at the same time so I didn't really understand this, but this friend is the one who kept telling him it was murder (they used that word) and that Janet would be hurt by the experience. Granted 48 years ago, it was illegal in most states (it WAS legal in certain states before Roe v. Wade) and many "doctors" who performed the abortions were just amateurs in the gynecological field. A pharmacist I worked for years ago knew a dentist who was an abortionist on the side before it was legalized in all 50 states. Sorry to jump around... back to the movie. In the end, Alfred told his parents at the last minute when Janet had already left for the abortion. They found her before she had gone through with it. Alfred stepped up and took responsibility for Janet and the baby and they rode off on a train together. It was time for me to leave by then, so I didn't see the last few minutes of the movie. I was intrigued by the difference in Hollywood's handling of the subject then and now. Then, the characters stopped and thought about how to handle the pregnancy and even agonized over the decision after it was made to have the abortion. Then, decided to make things right before it was too late. The father of the baby also took responsibility for his part in the pregnancy. I can think of a couple of examples of movies made in the last 20 years or so where abortion was the only option, there were no regrets after the abortion, and the baby's father slid off like a snake without any regard for the baby or the mother. It's sad to see the vast contrast between then and now.
On a different, but similar, subject is the story of the Maine middle school that is now authorized to give birth control pills to middle schoolers. That makes me sick. There are so many examples I could make about individuals who are going to do something anyway, so why don't we make it safer for them. Wrong behavior shouldn't be helped along at all and especially wrong behavior that involves kids. One more thing to think about. Think back to when you were 11, 12, or 13. Would you have even remembered to take the pill every day???? I know I wouldn't have. I think that they will just be looking at the same number or more pregnancies by the time these girls use the birth control as an excuse to have sex and then forget to take it. And if it can happen in that school, who's to say it won't happen in all schools???
I'm through ranting. It's just been on my mind.
Paula

Falling Inside the Black

"Falling in the black, slipping through the cracks, falling to the depths. Can I ever go back? Dreaming of the way it used to be. Can you hear me?" --Skillet
In the past month and a half, I have heard of at least 6 pregnancy announcements. I'm thinking that I've heard of more, but I can only recall 6 of them. I am usually OK with the announcements, though I can't say that any of them come with extreme excitement on my part. I just kind of accept them. Two of the announcements are from ladies who had babies around the time Mercy would have been born. This bothers me in particular because I was always the one making an announcement when my baby was 2. Also, their births were especially hard for me back then because I was grieving the loss of my 2 babies.
I was listening to the Skillet song on my daughter's ipod on Friday and the words struck me because I could relate to them so well. It's an awesome song anyway...
Rock on,
Paula