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JaneRoe

Thursday, 5-2-2002

First Cheesehead

Dear Political Diary,

I'll miss the Republican Congressional convention tomorrow. My mother, sister, aunt and uncle scheduled an impromptu reunion in the old homestead of Topeka Kansas. I'm hoping to add to more stories to my Antecedent's page.

I got an anonymous letter today. It was a fundraising letter from Norma McCorvey of Roe vs Wade fame. Norma went over to the pro life side a number of years ago and is now a preacher for the pro life movement. Its always a little creepy to get an anonymous letter. It was obviously sent to someone else who trimmed all the identifying material off and then mailed it to me. I'm sure its in reaction to my Reader column a few weeks ago. Well, it goes to show that somebody reads the stuff.

I feel some compassion for Norma. She was an abused child, a lesbian and a drug addict. She was poor and pregnant when she became the anonymous poster girl for abortion. Ironically, she never had the abortion the Supreme Court found her entitled to but lshe gave birth and adopted out her chiild. She did work in abortion clinics for a number of years afterward. Eventually one of the most strident pro life advocates won her over to the pro life cause and she's completely changed her point of view. Like Justin Krych she views abortion as the greatest holocaust in human history.

Her letter did have one odd tidbit that got me thinking. She began by describing a terrifying shotgun blast that destroyed her sofa while she was in her apartment. She had to call in the FBI for protection. I couldn't tell for sure but it sounded like a pro life fanatic had tried to blow her away. I don't blame her for changing her mind and going from one of the most hated women in America to one of the most lionized, at least by the pro life movement. Besides it was safer that way and probably more remunerative, come to think of it.

I may know whoever mailed me the literature. I don't think it was meant to do anything other than to make me see the error of my ways. If they'd included their name and address I would have written them an honest and patient reply. This is too important a subject not to talk over. They are probably just as afraid of pro choice folk as pro choice folk are afraid of them.

I picked up a new scanner this evening and plugged it in. After confirming that it worked I headed over to Grant School for the last half of their culture and art show. I chatted with Mary Glass Leblanc who is a regular at school programs. One of the Reader's cartoonists Michael Lyon showed the cartoons he'd helped kids draw after school. He draws the Prairie Rose strip.