I am currently reading Radical Womanhood by Carolyn McCulley.  In the chapter entitled “The Mommy Wars”, Carolyn points out some of Sanger’s bold statements in regards to planned parenthood and birth control and other “motherhood” topics.

Here is one paragraph that I read to a friend today:

“But right observation do not always lead to right interpretation.  Sanger saw poor healthy, poverty, sin, anger, abuse, and numerous other challenges and her interpretation was that the “unwanted” children were the root problem – or even that some poeple shouldn’t reproduce at all.  Thus, she was able to make the ourageous statement that “the most merciful thing that a large family does to one of its infant members is to kill it.”  That is the furthest thing from mercy!  But her thinking has influence our culture.  Therefore, contraception is not the true issue of contention.  (Abortificients, however, are.  We need to clearly distinguisth between prevention and abortion.)  Understanding Sanger helps us to understand why children are now disposable – seen as anything ranging from inconveniences to parasites – instead of being received as gifts from God. (p 132ff)

on this Monday post-Mother’s Day – thankful to all you mothers out there who have seen, even in the hard years or terrible twos or the rough days – that children are indeed blessings from God.