“Deathscorts’” Music Makes their Misogyny Manifest

Posted by Matt Yonke (March 24, 2010 at 4:06 pm)

Deathscorts chat outside Planned Parenthood [Photo by Sam Scheidler]

I was sidewalk counseling at Planned Parenthood in Aurora, Illinois today when I noticed something odd. The “deathscorts” who funnel the women into the clinic usually play music on a small boom box to try to drown out the voices of the pro-life sidewalk counselors offering help and support. But today, instead of the radio, they were playing a cd or tape it appears one of them had compiled themselves.

The playlist was mostly “classic rock” songs from the late 60′s and early 70′s, but I was shocked when I realized that nearly all the songs were explicitly demeaning to women.

They were mostly songs sung by men about how they just have, would like to or are planning on taking advantage of a woman sexually. What’s more, they were all very loud, raucous and abrasive. Read on past the break for examples. [Warning: Explicit Content]

I was amazed at the dissonance between the way Planned Parenthood talks about themselves and their ethos, and the tone of this music.

A Serious Decision Between a Woman and Led Zepplin?

If Planned Parenthood truly believes that abortion is a serious choice between woman and her doctor, how is that reflected by blasting AC/DC’s “You Shook Me All Night Long” as loud possible at her while she enters the clinic? Here’s some of the lyrics to that song:

She was a fast machine
She kept her motor clean
She was the best damn woman that I’ve ever seen

and

Working double time
On the seduction line
She was one of a kind, she’s just mine all mine

Or these lyrics from Led Zepplin’s “Black Dog”:

Hey, hey mama said the way you move,
Gon’ make you sweat, gon’ make you groove.
Ah-ahh child way ya shake that thing,
Gon’ make you burn, gon’ make you sting.
Hey, hey baby when you walk that way,
Watch your honey drip, I can’t keep away.

Doesn’t Planned Parenthood Hate Misogyny?

Aren’t these just the type of misogynistic lyrics that feminists have been decrying in popular music for decades? Yet that’s exactly what was being broadcast to Planned Parenthood’s clients as they came for their abortions today.

Planned Parenthood’s welcome message to their patrons glorifies the very same sex-crazed false masculinity that they claim to abhor, but that our culture seeps out of its very pores. Planned Parenthood views women as pieces of meat that can make them money, or objects to be used just like the men who wrote these songs.

It is supremely ironic that Planned Parenthood claims that pro-lifers want to keep women down when they’re the ones who pummel women with the message that they are only objects to be used by men.

Strangely Appropriate Song Titles

Some of the titles by themselves are quite striking when thinking of the woman entering Planned Parenthood, like BTO’s “Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet,” AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell” and, one that might be better played on their way out, The Who’s “Won’t Get Fooled Again.”

Some of the music played isn’t even that offensive in its own right. “Won’t Get Fooled Again” for example is simply a political protest song. But when it’s blasted at you full volume on your way to get a serious medical procedure performed, I can’t imagine it would inspire the confidence and calm one would hope to feel at that moment.

Heck, I wouldn’t want to hear it on my way into the dentist, and I quite like The Who.

The Deathscort’s One Concern

But more than that, I was struck by the one clear concern the deathscorts have: Getting women into the building. They don’t care if they’re happy, comfortable or calm on their way in, otherwise they would never play this music at outrageous volumes.

And they clearly don’t care about them on their way out. One would expect that the deathscorts would help them to their cars, maybe open the door for them. But no, they just stand there with their music blaring as the girls limp back to their cars alone. Planned Parenthood’s only concern is money. Once they’ve gotten that, they don’t care about anything else.

Pro-Lifers Are Pro-Woman

Fortunately, on their way out, they are confronted with someone who cares for them, the sidewalk counselors. We offer help, healing and anything else these women might need at one of the most difficult moments of their life.

It’s a difficult thing to watch all these girls walk willingly into Planned Parenthood and walk out wounded and alone. But it’s truly a Christian duty and a corporal work of mercy to be there offering whatever help we can and grieving the dead.

For more information on sidewalk counseling and how you can get involved, check out our Sidewalk Counseling page which includes a map that will help you get plugged into this crucial ministry in your area.

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