Offensive to Some Normal People

Today, two stories about normal people pushing back at the fetus fetishists.

From Wisconisn:

Peggy Bell didn’t know what to do with the tiny plastic fetus she received in the mail, so she recycled it.

*snerk*

She also got mad.

“I don’t care what literature you send me, but I just think they went too far,” said Bell, who sent the group a letter expressing her feelings. “I was offended. I think it was in poor taste.”

She found the plastic fetus in her mailbox Tuesday in a manila mailer addressed to “Resident.” The model of a roughly 2-inch fetus came with a card detailing the development of an 11- to 12-week-old “pre-born.”

Dave Obernderger, project chair for the Racine chapter of Wisconsin Right to Life, said people react to the issue with varying degrees of emotion, but his group meant the mailing to be informative not offensive.

“We hope that she and everybody else that has received the model that they take it in a positive way,” he said. “We meant it as an educational piece.”

Now, isn't it nice that the newspaper -- and a telly station -- thought this newsworthy?

The next story is closer to home, from Hamilton, Ontario:

The city has pulled a pro-life ad from its bus shelters after a handful of complaints.

Don Hull, the city's director of transit, said he made the call after a Westdale shelter was defaced with pro-choice graffiti early this week. His office has also received three complaints about the ads that went up Dec. 31.

"We don't think it's appropriate for that medium to be used for controversial community messaging," said Hull.

We at Birth Pangs will not reproduce the ad. Go to the Spectator link to see it. It shows a woman's very pregnant belly with this copy: '9 months. The length of time abortion is allowed in Canada. No medical reason needed.' At the bottom: 'Abortion. Have we gone too far?'

Councillor Brian McHattie said he asked for the ads to come down after his office heard from upset residents. "For me personally, it definitely was offensive."

These ads are part of a nationwide campaign maybe coming to your town too. Fredericton refused them.

Get ready to clutch your pearls and SHRRIEEEEEK to your councillors. And don't forget to call the local paper. :wink:


UPDATE: More ads pulled from public transit in Newfoundland.

(First published at Birth Pangs.)