|
Financial Assistance requested
Emerges In Pop Music By BRITNEY GLASER WASHINGTON, D.C. - Musicians are singing about the negative impacts of abortion. Music artists spanning the past 30 years in more than 20 genres of music have been singing a common song that may quietly be influencing society. From rap to country, heavy metal to folk, musicians confront a prevalent and personal issue: the emotional and physical turmoil of abortion.
The song Speculum, by the heavy metal band Adema, is written by a band member whose girlfriend had an abortion. He sings to the aborted baby, "Know that I think of you, it's killing me. The guilt has lasted years, I still cry." Ben Folds, from the rock band Ben Folds Five, describes the day that his girlfriend had an abortion. Folds' song, Brick, says, "Can't you see, it's not me you're dying for. Now she's feeling more alone, than she ever has before. She's alone, and I'm alone, now I know it." Women's songs come to the heart of the pain that they or friends have undergone through this procedure. Country/folk singer Julie Miller expresses the lingering voice of the unborn in her song Dangerous Place. She sings, "Little ones to Him belong, you are weak and we were wrong. Tell ourselves you don't exist but your silent screams persist." Punk folk singer Ani DeFranco describes the emotional and physical feelings of the abortion procedure in Lost Woman Song: "Through the pinch, pull, wincing/ my smile unconvincing/on that sterile battlefield that sees/only casualties/never heroes/my heart hit absolute zero. Your voice still sounds in me." Christian heavy metal band Holy Soldier songs from the perspective of the aborted baby:
From rock musician Graham Parker: "Did they tear it out, with talons of steel, and give you a shot, so that you wouldn't feel? And wash it away as if it wasn't real?" From Barren Cross, a Christian heavy metal band: "The operation is over. I'm now in pieces in a garbage bag. Guilt will now take over, 'cause where is the relief you thought you had?" What does this all mean? Why are these musicians singing songs about abortion? David Reardon, author of Aborted Women: Silent No More, concluded in his fact sheet After Effects: "Studies within the first few weeks after the abortion have found that between 40% and 60% of women questioned report negative reactions. Within eight weeks after their abortions, 55% expressed guilt, 44% complained of nervous disorders, 36% had experienced sleep disturbances, 31 % had regrets about their decision, and 11% had been prescribed psychotropic medicine by their family doctor." DCTalk, a Christian alternative band, perfectly summed up what should be society's response to abortion in Children Can Live (Without It):
"If music truly reflects the soul of a society, these songs reveal the intensity and violence of abortion," said Wendy Wright, senior policy director for Concerned Women for America. Still, despite this evidence, both scientific and cultural, Planned Parenthood's web site says, "Research studies indicate that emotional responses to legally induced abortions are largely positive." Note to Planned Parenthood: Turn on your radio. of Concerned Women for America. See its web site at cwfa.org.
sobbing and loud lamentation; Rachel weeping for her children, and she would not be consoled, since they were no more." [Mt. 2:18]
Entry Page HOME Site Map E-MAIL: Copyright © 1993-2003 by Father David C. Trosch - All Rights Reserved Permissions granted for non-profit purposes. http://www.trosch.org This web site is produced and provided as a service by Life Enterprises Unlimited.
Title : Lost Woman Song Artist : Ani Difranco Album : Like I Said -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -for lucille clifton I opened a bank account when I was nine years old I closed it when I was eighteen I gave them every penny that I'd saved and they gave my blood and my urine a number now I'm sitting in this waiting room playing with the toys and I am here to exercise my freedom of choice I passed their handheld signs went through their picket lines they gathered when they saw me coming they shouted when they saw me cross I said why don't you go home just leave me alone I'm just another woman lost you are like fish in the water who don't know that they are wet as far as I can tell the world isn't perfect yet his bored eyes were obscene on his denim thighs a magazine I wish he'd never come here with me in fact I wish he'd never come near me I wish his shoulder wasn't touching mine I am growing older waiting in this line some of lifes best lessons are learned at the worst times under the fierce flourescent she offered her hand for me to hold she offered stability and calm and I was crushing her palm through the pinch pull wincing my smile unconvincing on that sterile battlefield that sees only casualties never heros my heart hit absolute zero Lucille, your voice still sounds in me mine was a relatively easy tragedy now the profile of our country looks a little less hard nosed but that picket line persisted and that clinic's since been closed they keep pounding their fists on reality hoping it will break but I don't think there's a one of us leads a life free of mistakes |