People seem to fear the unknown, or hate to be told what they are doing might be wrong.
What happened to America being the country that once declared freedom of speech and press. But it seems lately, that deems more a suggestion than a right. In case people have forgotten that first amendment in the Bill of Rights:
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
A big issue is going on in advertisements for the Super Bowl. Those coveted and expensive as hell commercials during the Super Bowl are like a sironic song to draw even those who don’t have a sports bone in their body to watch the world’s biggest game at the end of the NFL season.
This year, Focus on the Family Christian organization paid out big bucks (and by that I mean $2.8 million…just a small chump of change..) to make an ad against abortion. Why is this a big deal? Not only because it is during the Super Bowl, but the focus is on Pam Tebow.
Tebow…sound familiar? For even those who don’t watch college football know this name….the name of one of the most well-known college kids in America right now, with good reason. Tim Tebow is the four-year winning QB of Florida U, a Heisman trophy winner and notorious waiting-for-marriage-to-have-sex Christian. His story is more than meets the eye, however.
Pam Tebow, while pregnant with Tim, got an infection and was told by her doctors to have an abortion so she could take the drugs that could save her life. She refused…and her refusal led her to giving birth to a baby boy who would, 22-years later, become a face and name that most would know.
Focus on that choice will be the center of this controversial commercial. And the National Organization for Women is outraged and demanding it be taken off the rundown.
Abortion has been and still is one of the biggest debatable topics in our country. I won’t lie; I am extremely pro-life with reasons that are beyond my religious background.
I have always been the type of person that will stand up for someone else before I stand up for myself, especially those who don’t have the strength or confidence to stand up for themselves. The same way, that unborn fetus has no voice. No love. No one else to protect it but hopefully my or someone else’s voice asking to please save him or her. I also have seen and know the affects abortion has on the women who get them.
But–saying that angers people. Suggesting that not aborting a baby will be the best thing you could ever do to a pregnant woman, or a couple who were not planning on a child, is sometimes the very worst thing you can do. My opinion is that you will never regret keeping the baby, but you can’t get back that baby that never had a chance to live.
In the end, it is not my or anyone else’s decision except for those two people. I have a few friends who have gotten abortions and yes, it breaks my heart, but it is not my life or choice, and the only thing I can do is hope someone else who unexpectedly gets pregnant decides to keep theirs and see who that child becomes…
…because those children could become amazing more than anyone knows. That is what this whole issue is about, isn’t it? That N.O.W. is so ‘GIRL POWER!’ that they are afraid that women will stop using Planned Parenthood, or birth control, or God forbid, that ad spot might take up another ad of big chested girls prancing around in bikinis drinking beer.
Because that is the typical Super Bowl commercial, right? See BudLight, Coors Light, etc. But thanks N.O.W., those years of breaking through the glass ceiling to attempt to be equal to men–ha this organization by their actions currently are making it seem that equality means degrading themselves and using a woman’s body to get what they want.
Personally, I would rather be respected and be considered equal because I earned that status due to my cunning, wit and knowledge in a particular field. But hey, thanks to N.O.W., they basically are saying, by fighting only this particular ad, that really, I should sleep my way to the top if I want to become anything. Susan B. and Lucrietia Mott would be proud.
The freedom of speech is a RIGHT, not an option. I have become sick of all these people and organization’s that force the words ‘under God’ out of the pledge of allegiance (you won’t ever hear me omit it, though), or the school bus driver who was fired after leading her bus in prayer when the Twin Towers were attacked on 911.
Is it a fear of not knowing what these words mean? That in actuality, some of these words and actions have more meaning that are beyond our control? Are people that bored that they have nothing else to do with their time then to change traditions and speeches and pledges and rules that have been established for years?
This ad is not showing those pictures of unborn fetus’. It is not lecturing or telling people who have had abortions they are going to hell or anything that viewers might find offensive. No, from what I have heard, it is simply Pam Tebow telling her story and showing people what can happen if you take that chance of giving life to that baby, and the possibility that could become of your child.
If I have to sit in a college class and be told I will fail if I leave because I could not stand that bashing of my religion and beliefs during a class discussion (yes, I know people this has happened to), or listen to offensive women jokes (even though I will admit, I have made a few myself), or I have to hear jokes about priests and children but am not allowed to do anything about it, then I am sure N.O.W. and other pro-choice people can sit through 30-seconds of this commercial.
After all, being pro-CHOICE means having a choice to have the child too, right? So why not show all the options and possibilities?
And remember, to all you people who are still objective to seeing this ad, it takes 30-seconds to walk to the fridge and grab a beer. So while you’re up, grab me one.
Tags: football, SuperBowl, Tim Tebow, University of Florida
Charm City Sportaholic 
January 27, 2010 at 9:18 pm |
I agree—good writing and topic
January 27, 2010 at 9:57 pm |
great question why does pro-choice only mean choosing death and not life
February 3, 2010 at 10:19 am |
Interesting article with some great points and provocative questions – “choice” always means deciding between options so why not allow both sides to be explored…you are right! – Freedom of Speech means exactly that – freedom to express an opinion even if it differs from the so-called “mainstream” beliefs = hats off to Pam Tebow for telling her story!
February 4, 2010 at 2:35 pm |
Exactly. We are forced to abide by ‘seperation of church and state’ by giving up our beliefs, but we can’t complain or say we disagree. Why are other people so afraid of the words ‘under God’, or anything that has to do with organized religion? The Catholic Church has been around for thousands of years—we are not about to become the next Manson Family. On the contrary; I believe that having faith and belief in something will prevent colts like that from starting up and hurting others. Faith is believing when you have nothing else to do- I love that no matter what is going wrong in the world, I am still able to look forward and be happy because I have my faith
Thanks for the comment–look for more updates I appreciate all feedback!
February 8, 2010 at 6:13 pm |
Interesting that if it had not been for all the pre-game complaining about the ad, I most likely would not have noticed it. God bless the Tebow family and as Urban Myer put it, Tim Tebow is a role model for every kid in the world.
February 9, 2010 at 12:51 am |
A lot of people said the same thing. I missed the first half of the game because of work, so missed the commercial. I asked my roommate about it, and she thought about it and said what it was about and it was very nonchalant….until I told her about the big controversy about it. It was a simple, good message about choices. Why people have to blow up something is beyond me; especially when it only leads to more attention to something they didn’t want attention to be given to in the first place.