Ms. magazine, post-abortive woman clash

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By Matt Abbott
Op/Ed
Catholic Online

The following is a slightly edited version of recent correspondence between Luana Stoltenberg, Iowa state leader of Operation Outcry (www.operationoutcry.org), and the editor(s) of the virulently pro-abortion Ms. magazine.

"Dear Editor,

"I was informed that you are asking for people to write in about their abortion experiences. I am attaching an article I have written about my own personal experience. I am also attaching a second article that is a shorter version, but it has a short bio of me on it. I have had many interviews that have been published. Some articles that have been printed are with USA Today, The Washington Post, The Washington Times, The New York Times, Today's Christian Woman, and several others. Please consider printing this. My hope is that other women will read it and find hope.

"Thank you very much,
"Luana Stoltenberg"

The editor(s) of Ms. magazine responded as follows:

"Dear Ms. Stoltenberg--

"It's too bad you didn't feel you had any choice but to have three abortions. You should have been informed by friends or family or medical personnel that you had the option to carry your fetuses to term and then give up your babies for adoption. You should have received comprehensive education about birth control, or even been informed of the option to be abstinent, so that you didn't become pregnant in the first place. But just because you had a negative experience and post-abortion regrets does not mean that the choice to have an abortion should be made illegal--or extremely difficult--for the millions of women who still would make that choice. I know you believe otherwise, but I just want you to know where the pro-choice side is coming from.

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"Sincerely,
"The Editors
"Ms. Magazine"

Stoltenberg's response to Ms. magazine senior editor Michele Kort:

"Dear Michele (and editors of Ms. magazine),

"I wrote to you about my experience to let you know that I wasn't informed. I was only 17 years old when I had my first abortion. No one at the abortion facility told me about the risks, the procedure, fetal development, or any other options like adoption. I was the teenager they were the supposed medical professionals. I thought I could trust them because they were the adults. That first abortion led me down a path of self destruction, attempts of suicide, and infertility.

I would think someone who claims to care about women and women's issues would truly look into the facts about what abortion is doing, and has done to the women and the men of our society over the last 34 years since it has been legal.

"Your response shows no compassion whatsoever. Why am I being told to be tolerant and know your side but you refuse to listen to my side? You have forgotten I was on your side most of my life until I tried it your (pro-choice) way. It destroyed my life. Now all I want to do is speak out and educate women on what abortion could do to them, and you are refusing to give me that voice in your magazine. How is it that you can profess to care about all women and refuse them the information to truly be educated and informed about the 'choice' they could make? That doesn't seem caring at all to me. It seems that you are driven by your agenda and not by your concern for women.

"I am so sorry for all the women who will be harmed and devastated by this choice as you call it because you refused to print information for them to have the facts. That is the very reason why I made the choice I did because others refused to give me the information so I could make MY OWN CHOICE based on the facts.

"Thank you,
"Luana Stoltenberg"