The man who kicked a pro-lifer was my friend before I had my daughter from rape

(Save The 1) I am a mom of two. The beautiful girl who made me a mom is almost 6 years old. That same beautiful girl was conceived in a rape. As soon as I saw the positive pregnancy test, I thought abortion was the answer. Abortion is “always the answer” when a woman is raped, isn’t it? In fact, I was working as a nanny and my employer told me I would have to abort if I wanted to keep my job because she didn’t want her children to see me “like that.”

I went to the pregnancy resource centre here in Ontario and asked the woman whether I should abort or not. She told me that although she couldn’t tell me what to do, she would offer support regardless. If I kept the baby, they would help me with furniture, prenatal class, counseling — the whole nine yards, and she assured me that I was capable of raising my baby.

So I kept the baby, and that’s when it hit me: women don’t abort because they CAN’T carry the baby. They abort because they are scared to carry the baby and nobody is telling them otherwise.

This is myself with an old friend, Jordan — Jordan Hunt. He was always quirky. He walked barefoot everywhere, climbed on equipment, statues, poles and trees. He had a loud and contagious laugh and was always a shoulder to lean on. He was unapologetically himself.

We eventually grew apart, as many young friendships do. Then I saw his face in my Facebook newsfeed:  Pro-life protest turns violent. I watched the video in horror. Before the violence even started, my heart shattered when Jordan Hunt insinuated that babies like my daughter should be aborted. Like it’s the obvious choice — mocking with thumbs up, thumbs down whether a rape victim “should keep the baby?”

Then he kicked her — a young pro-life activist named Marie-Claire Bissonnette. You can hear Jordan yelling, “I only meant to kick her phone,” and I wholeheartedly believe he only meant to kick her phone out of her hand — but even that was such an unnecessary act of violence and the hatred he had was easy to see. And all because Marie-Claire suggested it wasn’t okay to kill a baby conceived in rape. All because she suggested it wasn’t okay to kill MY baby.

Since watching this video I have caught myself grieving. The Jordan I knew died when I saw that video. But it hurts more when I realize he is still here — but he cares so little about my child’s life that he would kick a woman for suggesting we do anything other than abort children like mine.

This incident has damaged so many people, including him. I pray this is a lesson learned, I pray this opens his eyes, I pray he opens his heart, and I pray that the Jordan I knew comes back some day. I also pray for his victim as she recovers from the trauma of this incident. And I pray for my daughter. I pray that some day, people will see her worth.

Maybe if Jordan and I had kept in touch, he would have seen how pro-life people gave me hope and took care of me and my baby. He would have seen how pro-choice people were only giving me one choice — abortion. He would have seen the reality of who my daughter is, and would have to feel much differently about this issue. She is not a “rape baby.” She is MY baby.  She is the baby of a rape victim, and she is worthy of life. Children like her should not be punished for the crimes of their fathers. Thank you Marie-Claire for defending us.

My daughter is truly the rainbow after the storm.

BIO:  Shalyn McGuin is a wife and a Stay at Home mom, a pro-life blogger for Save The 1, and resides in Ontario,  Canada.  She hopes to make a positive difference for babies conceived through rape and their mothers.  Here is a link to Shalyn’s original blog written: My Daughter is Truly the Rainbow After the Storm

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published at Save The 1 and is reprinted here with permission.