Having an endless stream of photos to edit these days, I often plop my pre-schooler in front of a Disney movie for a stead. (I know; I’m a horrible mother.) Colour adjusting away in my basement office-slash-playroom (see, not such a horrible mother), I get to enjoy those easy-to-follow story lines.
We’re on Pocahontas right now (and renting a different one every week). We just got through a Mulan phase, which was preceded by The Hunchback of Notre Dame. At the risk of being told I too am reminded of the pro-life, pro-choice dialogue everywhere (and I’d be in great company), well, they all remind me of the pro-life, pro-choice dialogue.
Mulan conceals her female identity to fight in the Imperial Chinese army and heads the defeat of the Huns, saving China. When it is discovered that she is infact not a man, she goes from hero to zero. Regardless of her accomplishments, the stigma of being a woman is her greatest obstacle. Just as ‘unwanted’ fetuses are stigmatized simply for what they can’t help being.
In The Hunchback, Quasimodo is a malformed man persuaded from infancy that he was among the unwanted of society. For his sake and that of others, he was better off secluded in a bell tower where no one would have to gaze upon his hideousness. Sounds like those who preach that an ‘unwanted’ child is better off never being born.
In Pocahontas, the English refer to the natives as savages, chanting that they are “barely even human,” and asking “do they even breathe?” No need to connect the dots there.
Across the board in this magical world of Disney, the underdog prevails and a valuable lesson is learned by all. You know; happily ever after.
So are we really that blind? Not that I think we should make an animated film about the plight of the unborn child, but is our society not simply allowing the most basic of human lessons to go unlearned? Or is it that, the more civilized we become, the more helpless our victims have to be? You see, these victims now, they can’t even speak up for themselves.
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That is so true. Often I think, the issue of protecting the unborn is silenced because of the undercurrent. That people need to take individual responsibility for their actions. This is a hard fact for many to face, and people aren’t willing to say, this is what is right, what needs to be done, what you have to be strong enough for. It’s tragic this comes at the cost of human life. So yes, I think we can be really that blind. There’s a strange disconnect in society there.
Wow. Its neat to hear about the random pro-life, pro-choices messages people see places. May I share a story about a little thing that reminded me of pro-life / pro-choice questions?
A few weeks ago I ended up eating at a Burger King. My son had a kids meal and I was reading the paper bag it came in. On the side it says: “Be Good to Mother Earth! Everything on earth we eat, wear and do uses precious resources. So don’t gobble up more than your fair share! Here are some easy ways to save energy:” (and then it continues with some simple environmental tips). After reflecting for a few minutes about how that message really makes it sound like everything a person does is bad, and thus by extension, all people are destructive, I turned to the back of the bag where big letters proclaim that “Choice Rules” and then go on to describe
the choices the kids have of side dishes and drinks. It was just a Burger King kids meal bag, yet it left me strangely uncomfortable.
The side panel reminded me of discussions with a cousin who argued that having more than two children was unethical because it was using up too more than “our fair share.” It reminded me of a vegan I once knew who argued that humans are inherently destructive and that the earth would be better off without them. Of course it was just a kids meal bag and kids wouldn’t necessarily connect the ideas to the bigger issues of humanity’s role on earth, but it felt creepy to me.
Even ignoring the way in which the word “choice” becomes a euphemism for abortion, I had to wonder what it means that our society celebrates choice so much. What does it matter to be able to choose a side dish? Why are we so obsessed with choice?
Anyway, that’s the random kids-item that reminded me of the pro-life pro-choice discussion.