Comments on: Women’s Health Speak Out in Central Wisconsin http://belowthewaist.org/2009/01/womens-health-speak-out-in-central-wisconsin-2/ Your bi-weekly podcast that focuses on reproductive health care, and the public policy that affects it. Thu, 24 Feb 2011 17:58:11 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Lon Newman http://belowthewaist.org/2009/01/womens-health-speak-out-in-central-wisconsin-2/comment-page-1/#comment-1435 Lon Newman Sat, 07 Feb 2009 13:16:44 +0000 http://belowthewaist.org/2009/01/womens-health-speak-out-in-central-wisconsin-2/#comment-1435 Well, Mary, I said that many women expressed a fear of being 'shouted down' and here are your comments about people who expressed fear and who may have disagreed with you: "anti-life" "killing their babies" ""unwanted" pregnancies" "pro-death" Is it so hard to understand why many women felt they did not want to speak? 'Shouting' isn't just volume. As I said, everyone will have an opportunity to be heard and the last thing I'm going to say in response to comments like your is that name-calling is not likely to persuade anyone. --Lon-- Well, Mary, I said that many women expressed a fear of being ‘shouted down’ and here are your comments about people who expressed fear and who may have disagreed with you:

“anti-life”
“killing their babies”
“”unwanted” pregnancies”
“pro-death”

Is it so hard to understand why many women felt they did not want to speak? ‘Shouting’ isn’t just volume.

As I said, everyone will have an opportunity to be heard and the last thing I’m going to say in response to comments like your is that name-calling is not likely to persuade anyone.

–Lon–

]]> By: Mary http://belowthewaist.org/2009/01/womens-health-speak-out-in-central-wisconsin-2/comment-page-1/#comment-1398 Mary Thu, 05 Feb 2009 14:18:47 +0000 http://belowthewaist.org/2009/01/womens-health-speak-out-in-central-wisconsin-2/#comment-1398 Lon and Ann - I would hate to think that the anti-life people were afraid of being "shouted down". The pro-life people have every right to express their thoughts just as the anti-life people do. If I am comfortable with people killing their babies and avoiding "unwanted" pregnancies by using contraception, I should be proud enough to stand up and voice my opinion just as those who oppose that kind of killing were proud enough to stand up and speak. They too could have just sat down with the fear of being "shouted down". God bless all those who had the courage to speak up, the pro-life and the pro-death. -Mary- Lon and Ann – I would hate to think that the anti-life people were afraid of being “shouted down”. The pro-life people have every right to express their thoughts just as the anti-life people do. If I am comfortable with people killing their babies and avoiding “unwanted” pregnancies by using contraception, I should be proud enough to stand up and voice my opinion just as those who oppose that kind of killing were proud enough to stand up and speak. They too could have just sat down with the fear of being “shouted down”. God bless all those who had the courage to speak up, the pro-life and the pro-death.

-Mary-

]]> By: Rielee http://belowthewaist.org/2009/01/womens-health-speak-out-in-central-wisconsin-2/comment-page-1/#comment-1384 Rielee Thu, 05 Feb 2009 00:34:24 +0000 http://belowthewaist.org/2009/01/womens-health-speak-out-in-central-wisconsin-2/#comment-1384 It seems odd to me that there are posts on this subject that continue to disappear from this site. What are you afraid of? If you wanted to have a community forum that expressed women's opinions and experiences, and you in fact held a community forum that expressed women's opinions and experiences, then why are you disputing their opinions and ignoring their experiences? And, why are you deleting comments posted to this wall that were made by those who were there the night you asked to hear their opinions and experiences? It would seem to me that a professional person or organization that is truly out to help women would want to hear all sides so they could better serve the population they seek to "help". Physicians, nurses and other professional women who spoke at this event weren't "screaming" as you say, and I don't remember anybody using intimidation tactics to keep others from speaking. Not everybody has the same opinion. If this is a problem for you, then perhaps you should not have community forums? Something to think about next time. It seems odd to me that there are posts on this subject that continue to disappear from this site. What are you afraid of?

If you wanted to have a community forum that expressed women’s opinions and experiences, and you in fact held a community forum that expressed women’s opinions and experiences, then why are you disputing their opinions and ignoring their experiences? And, why are you deleting comments posted to this wall that were made by those who were there the night you asked to hear their opinions and experiences?

It would seem to me that a professional person or organization that is truly out to help women would want to hear all sides so they could better serve the population they seek to “help”. Physicians, nurses and other professional women who spoke at this event weren’t “screaming” as you say, and I don’t remember anybody using intimidation tactics to keep others from speaking.

Not everybody has the same opinion. If this is a problem for you, then perhaps you should not have community forums? Something to think about next time.

]]> By: Lon Newman http://belowthewaist.org/2009/01/womens-health-speak-out-in-central-wisconsin-2/comment-page-1/#comment-1352 Lon Newman Mon, 02 Feb 2009 18:28:49 +0000 http://belowthewaist.org/2009/01/womens-health-speak-out-in-central-wisconsin-2/#comment-1352 Thank you, Ann. I feel that we intended to focus broadly on women's health issues and that most voices were crowded out by well organized anti-abortion activists. We listened respectfully, but we share your disappointment that others felt they would not be welcome to speak. Please contact Dino directly so that you are able to tell your women's health story without fear of being shouted down. We will insure that everyone will have an opportunity to be heard. --Lon-- Thank you, Ann. I feel that we intended to focus broadly on women’s health issues and that most voices were crowded out by well organized anti-abortion activists. We listened respectfully, but we share your disappointment that others felt they would not be welcome to speak.

Please contact Dino directly so that you are able to tell your women’s health story without fear of being shouted down. We will insure that everyone will have an opportunity to be heard.

–Lon–

]]> By: inman http://belowthewaist.org/2009/01/womens-health-speak-out-in-central-wisconsin-2/comment-page-1/#comment-1302 inman Sat, 31 Jan 2009 14:27:49 +0000 http://belowthewaist.org/2009/01/womens-health-speak-out-in-central-wisconsin-2/#comment-1302 No comment. No comment.

]]> By: louise http://belowthewaist.org/2009/01/womens-health-speak-out-in-central-wisconsin-2/comment-page-1/#comment-1286 louise Sat, 31 Jan 2009 02:50:53 +0000 http://belowthewaist.org/2009/01/womens-health-speak-out-in-central-wisconsin-2/#comment-1286 Perhaps if "Speak Out" had been sponsored by a more neutral group, the attendees would not have felt the need to express their opposition to the abortions and the other dangerous birth control methods promoted by FPHS. The FPHS newsletter made one think that this forum was requested by the federal and state government. When in reality, FPHS and AAUW were looking for pro-death input to prove to the government that most women wanted their services. Actually what happened was that the prolife women were in the majority. I expect that none of the women's testimonies will be relayed to ANYONE! Perhaps if “Speak Out” had been sponsored by a more neutral group, the attendees would not have felt the need to express their opposition to the abortions and the other dangerous birth control methods promoted by FPHS.

The FPHS newsletter made one think that this forum was requested by the federal and state government. When in reality, FPHS and AAUW were looking for pro-death input to prove to the government that most women wanted their services. Actually what happened was that the prolife women were in the majority. I expect that none of the women’s testimonies will be relayed to ANYONE!

]]> By: Ann http://belowthewaist.org/2009/01/womens-health-speak-out-in-central-wisconsin-2/comment-page-1/#comment-1284 Ann Fri, 30 Jan 2009 21:40:20 +0000 http://belowthewaist.org/2009/01/womens-health-speak-out-in-central-wisconsin-2/#comment-1284 I attended the event last evening and was excited about the opporunity to discuss women's health issues. Unfortunately it turned into a rally for the anti-choice movement and the true meaning of the event was lost, in my opinion. I understand the individuals who spoke had a right to do so, but honestly how would anyone who felt differently actually get up and say anything to those who talk about killing babies. If the abortion topic could have been taken out by some miracle, the event would have been much more successful. I left disappointed. But thankful that we were given an opportunity to share experiences and stories anonymously. Thank you for FPHS and AAUW for planning the Speak Out. I attended the event last evening and was excited about the opporunity to discuss women’s health issues. Unfortunately it turned into a rally for the anti-choice movement and the true meaning of the event was lost, in my opinion. I understand the individuals who spoke had a right to do so, but honestly how would anyone who felt differently actually get up and say anything to those who talk about killing babies.

If the abortion topic could have been taken out by some miracle, the event would have been much more successful. I left disappointed. But thankful that we were given an opportunity to share experiences and stories anonymously.

Thank you for FPHS and AAUW for planning the Speak Out.

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