When Gianna Jessen joined us on the air, I had something to say to her that I’ve said to other guests we’ve booked: “I’m glad you’re here.”
This time, I meant it more deeply. Gianna calls herself an “abortion survivor.” This term is rather unique in our dialogue on this issue.
Her harrowing story reads like a nightmare, but Gianna is a ray of light. Her mother was 17 when she sought an abortion in California 7 ½ months into her pregnancy. It was a saline abortion, with the solution meant to kill Gianna. Instead, she was born alive weighing two pounds. An abortion doctor signed her birth certificate. Due to her circumstances, Gianna has cerebral palsy, which she refers to as “a gift.” Yes, a gift. There’s not a note of bitterness in her voice and she often laughs heartily as she describes the ups and downs of her extraordinary life.
Gianna was raised by a foster mother after a series of misfortunate placements in the system. The woman’s daughter eventually adopted Gianna and she has grown into an exuberant 31-year old woman whose story is inspirational and remarkable. Her mission is quite clear: She wants to “infuse humanity” into a national debate that is often defined in the abstract.
She once attended a reunion of some of her fellow survivors. About a dozen people were there. Gianna wonders about the 40-plus million who weren’t there. “Look at all that we’ve lost in our arrogance,” she opined.
You may see Gianna on TV as part of the Born Alive Truth campaign. She and others in the group are very critical of Sen. Barack Obama’s opposition of legislation meant to protect abortion survivors like her. This happened when Sen. Obama was in the Illinois legislature. Also joining the cause is Jill Stanek, a former nurse from an Illinois hospital who held a dying baby with Downs Syndrome. He had been tossed in a soiled utility room like a filthy bed sheet.
These stories are heartbreaking to anyone with a soul. But, let’s celebrate the life of Gianna and applaud the efforts of Jill instead of getting angry. After you spend 20 minutes with Gianna or read her story online, I think you’ll understand.
Corbett
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