Apparently Girl Scouts are Communists

So I found this article today.

http://www.motherjones.com/mixed-media/2014/01/wendy-davis-abortion-girl-scout-cookies

This article talks about how we should be protesting Girl Scouts and their cookies because they nominated a woman who struck down an anti-abortion law in Texas.  Conservatives are having a huge hype about how this is teaching girls in Girl Scouts about being pro-abortion and teaching them immoral values.

This is a very touchy topic, but I feel it needs to be addressed.

I was in girl scouts for almost five years growing up, and I never learned about abortions.  I never learned about domestic violence.  I never learned about the horrors of life.  I learned about plants, I learned about wildlife, I learned new hobbies.  I have over thirty patches on my Junior Girl Scout vest.  I learned honesty and being fair.  These conservatives are being ridiculous.

One of my best friends, Marissa, who was raised as an Enlisted Military brat (She’s not a brat, but it’s the only term that comes to mind), gave me an absolutely excellent response for this article. Not only is she a journalist and dancer, she is someone who was raised in several different countries and saw the highs and the lows of every aspect of life, I feel her opinion is the most valid opinion I could share.

“Let’s start with a few things: 1.) My Mom earned my patches. I just showed up and was awkward. 2.) Thin Mints are freaking amazing. 

My response: I have a lot of problems with this to begin with: the sexualization and politicizing of our girls. You want to get up in arms about cookies? Ok, more Thin Mints for me. You want to get up in arms about cookies?! Lets start with some facts: 1.) Cookie sales DO NOT go to Planned Parenthood. They go to the girls so they can do things with the Troop. Instead of telling some 8 year old Brownie that because of Wendy “Abortion Barbie” Davis, you won’t be buying cookies, how about you look at some stats. 

This stat from Safe Horizon.com “One in 4 women will experience domestic violence during her lifetime” Think about it. You have a group of Brownies or Daisies say 16 little girls, 4 of those girls will endure sexual harassment. Some will have an abortion. Those sweet girls asking for money via cookies so they can go learn how to tie ropes and make memories at Girl Scout Camp will be beaten, raped and left for dead by people they thought loved them. Think about that. Get mad about that. Get upset about the fact that we are politicizing our daughters at a young age by making them think they are “paying” for abortions. 

2.) Want to get pissed off over abortions? Let’s talk about the lack of reproductive care that is given to poor women. Women in general. Because we happen to have a vagina, uterus, means we are lacking. Our health insurance costs more because our plumbing happens to be inside of us. Wanna to get pissed off. Lets talk about how if there were more access to birth control then abortions wouldn’t be as common. Will they happen yes. Want to talk about access to birth control? Birth Control for me has controlled my period so its manageable. Making access harder makes more welfare claims, more back alley abortions. Think abortions are horrid now? Watch Dirty Dancing, Johnny’s dance partner got one. She nearly died from it. Coat hanger abortions aren’t just make believe. Want more evidence, read: Call the Midwife, there were plenty of back alley abortions using knitting needles. Not even sterilized. Knitting needles and coat hangers, perforated uterus’s… How many women must die before we are allowed to rule our own bodies. Those Girl Scouts grow up. Those sweet girls in their adorable uniforms. They become these women that get killed by a partner. They get raped. Before you get pissy about cookies, get some righteous anger about what world these girls are growing up into. 

They get raped, it’s their fault. Shouldn’t look like a girl. Get hit and beaten by a partner? Well shouldn’t have pissed him off, huh. Think of what happens to Indian girls daily. Think about what all girls go through. Not supporting abortion is your choice, personal choice, but taking it out on those girls is not the answer. The Girl Scout Law is– 

I will do my best to be
honest and fair,
friendly and helpful,
considerate and caring,
courageous and strong, and
responsible for what I say and do,
and to
respect myself and others,
respect authority,
use resources wisely,
make the world a better place, and
be a sister to every Girl Scout.

That means you help everyone no matter their circumstance. If a woman is a prostitute you give her shelter. If she is a saint you give her shelter. You respect everyone. Before anyone gets on a religious high horse I’d like to remind everyone that Jesus hung out closely with a prostitute. He treated her with respect. He treated her like a human being. No one is ever beneath you. Let us research and look things up before we shoot our mouths off. Humanity doesn’t prosper from ignorance.”

 

Very well said, Marissa.  I don’t think I could have said it better myself.