The other day, while Brn and I were walking to get water from the artesian well, we were (rudely, to my mind) visually accosted by the anti-abortionist activists squatting outside of Planned Parenthood.
We often take a route to the well that does not go by PP, but when we go to the library on the way to the well (which we regularly, though not usually, do) our route takes us in front of the PP building downtown. On most days there are no protestors out front, but on weekends without rain, there may well be protestors.
The protestors have the usual things: signs, scriptural admonishments, and — more than I have ever seen before — grisly pictures.
I complained (not for the first time) about their methods: it's in-your-face, fearmongering antagonism. What good could it do? I pointed out that even people who also are against abortion would think it was awful. There was a picture of a fetus and the tag line about throwing it in a garbage. I gave an example of someone I know who miscarried and was deeply distraught over disposing of the fetus.
On our way home, Brn said that there is much in this world that is despicable and hidden. War, for example. Americans and war. We're a nation of destruction and violence, and this is hidden, and it would be better were it not. He would not want someone to object to someone posting pictures of war because they are offensive — war is offensive, and by hiding it America decays in denial.
If someone is dissuaded from war (or, in analog, abortion) because they are shown what it is like, is that bad?
So he came out in favor of the protestors' use of the horrible pictures. Maybe it offends everyone because it is offensive.
I must say, I feel different about the whole thing now.
(Adjunct: cf the photojournalism series "We're Still At War" at Mother Jones)
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