Red Envelope Day: Pro-Life Protests Obama's Freedom of Choice Act

by Tina Kells | March 31, 2009 at 07:43 am
1050 views | 31 Recommendations | 12 comments

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A woman's right to choose and the fetus' right to life have long been a topic of loud debate but on March 31, 2009 Red Envelope Day sends a silent pro-life protest to WashingtonRed Envelope Day is a reaction to President Obama's pledge to enact the Freedom of Choice Act which would expand and protect abortion rights as laid out in Roe V Wade.

Pro-life activists are obviously not impressed with Obama's pledge to enact a piece of legislation that would effectively legalize abortion in the United States.  The Freedom of Choice Act is designed solely to protect a woman's right to choose, something pro-life has long considered irrelevant.

To the pro-life movement life begins at conception and the moment a woman should make a choice is BEFORE having sex.  So on Red Envelope Day pro-life supporters will mail empty red envelopes to Obama in Washington with the words "This envelope represents one child who died because of an abortion. It is empty because the life that was taken is now unable to be a part of our world. Responsibility begins at conception." written on the back.

Regardless of your politics on this issue, Red Envelope Day silently makes a very effective statement.  Learn more about Red Envelope Day at the movement's official website www.RedEnvelope.com

Learn more about the Freedom of Choice Act

After envisioning this in late January, Otto sent out 120 e-mails to those who followed his ministry. That e-mail was then sent to others and since then, has made it around the nation. There are now several Facebook groups supporting the effort: one, which was created by Brian Porter from Houston, Texas, has over 240,000 members.

Porter was the one who came up with the idea of creating a specific day to send these letters, March 31, called Red Envelope Day. This is the day that everyone who is interested is supposed to send an empty red envelope addressed to Barack Obama at the White House with the same message Otto mentioned on the back.

Otto hopes that 50 million envelopes will be sent, which he said represents the amount of abortions since the Roe v. Wade decision in 1973.

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MolallaWebbs

Just a picture of the envelope I sent it. It was my picture of the day for my project 365 project where I take a picture of something everyday.

MolallaWebbs has contributed a photo to this story.

1
Fred Miller

Tina, the redenvelope.com link that you have provided is inaccurate, unless someone deliberately was looking to promote that site, which is an online personalized gift store.

Here is the correct link http://www.redenvelopeday.com/index.php

Also the link to Learn more About the Freedom of Choice Act returns a 'page not found' error.


I wonder what happens to the envelopes which will never be opened since there's nothing to read inside. Waste of stamps and envelopes, the White House mailroom will dump it all anyway because it's not like they'll be put on display anywhere.

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shutterfly pix

Red envelope day is a new tradition for those of us who want to show President Obama that abortion is wrong and that there are many people who feel this way. The envelopes are empty representing a child who has been killed and not had a chance to be a part of our world. These are all the envelopes that me and some of my family sent.

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0
youcouldalways

Open a book, any book of current economics or social policy and read about the threat of overpopulation, read about how the cutbacks on contraception and legal abortion have spurred the reproductive rate in the developing world, read about the environmental impact of this growth, read about the link to threats o US security as a result (refer to the youth bulge) or you can espouse religious homilies. I want the world  and its peoples to have a chance to survive - you want us to send us to systemic environmental and geopolitical disaster to preserve your dubious religious teachings.

I actually care about humanity - you?


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pro lifer

if you are really informed and not deluded you would know that as a global issue, overpopulation does not exist. Obviously, there is overcrowding in many major cities.  Does this not mean that the world or that countries are overpopulated!

What does exist is man's greed and the political agenda's which prevent the distribution of food and other resources.  Much of the world's hunger is not a result of a lack of resources, it is the hatred of one group for another that keeps the resources from being shared.  Much of this is a direct consequence of the devaluing of human life.(humanity as you called it).  It is when we value human life that many of societies problems can be solved.  When we value human life, we care about our fellow man and reach out to care for each other.  When all human life is not valued, then we diminish all life and horrendous acts of violence ensue.  In reality, there is specific data that shows that the efforts to reduce population in many countries will create an economic crisis in the near future as there will an insufficient number of working people to support an ever increasing aged population.  Of course, we can just start killing off old people to solve that problem.  Who will decide who is worthy of life and who isn't?



0
ivy

I am always shocked and amazed when I hear people spew out literature like this but gives no credible sources...not even one source to back them up. If you were remotely concerned with the environmental impact then perhaps you should have noted that to the Obama campaign when his innogural celebrations used far more paper and plastic goods than the envelopes sent to the mailroom for our 'dubious' religious teachings.  Prolife is not one single religious issue. There are many people who are not 'religious' who are in fact prolife. So explain to me in all of your intellectual wisdom how not teaching teens and even adults that it is their responsibility the outcome of their actions is effective? Caring about HUMANITY begins with caring and protecting who are unable to protect themselves, caring about humanity begins with teaching responsibility for your actions, If you want population control...MOVE TO CHINA!

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jane b

Have you been anywhere in the world at all? If so, you would see thousands and thousands of square miles on every continent, empty of people and capable of supporting people.

Do you believe everything you read? Every publication has a bias. Just because something is in print, does not mean it's true.

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hmwithers

There is nothing more important than protecting the lives of the unborn - all the economic stimulus packages in the world won't mean a thing if we allow this holocaust to continue!

hmwithers has contributed a photo to this story.

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Rhonda J Mangus

Thanks for this, Tina!


1
mtammas

It's important that people are exposed to all sides of this issue, an issue which continues to draw emotional actions.

I'll stand with my other pro-choice sisters and brothers and appreciate President Obama's decision.

I'll also stand beside those who remain vigilant to ensure that we all maintain rights and freedoms, like freedom of speech and freedom of religion.


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elainechang90

Choose life.

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Life is Beautiful

There is a really good saying:

Everyone who was for slavery was free, Everyone for abortion have ALREADY been born..that's how OPPRESSION works.

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