A left-wing mother recently wrote to an advice columnist for Slate bemoaning the horror of her 17-year-old daughter attending a pro-life rally with her Christian boyfriend — behind the mom’s back.
Oh, who among us wouldn’t have relished being a fly on the wall when the truth came out?
Here’s what the mom told Jamilah Lemieux in regard to how she handled it:
We’ve grounded her and taken away her phone for going behind our backs, but she’s showing no remorse. I just can’t believe it. This is the girl who dressed up as Ruth Bader Ginsburg for Halloween when she was 10. She’s heading to law school in a couple years. I seriously thought she was pro-choice and a feminist. I’ve been taking her to rallies and protests since she was a baby. We’ve been educating her about safe sex and consent. We donate to Planned Parenthood every year for Christmas. I’m fine with her disagreeing with us on other topics, but I had an abortion years ago. We live in a conservative state. I don’t want her right to choose to be taken away.
How did the advice columnist respond?
Lemieux threw gasoline on the smoldering flames, telling the mom that “some politics are to be challenged at every turn, and there are even those that should result in one being cut off (in adulthood, of course).”
As far as tactics go, Lemieux told the mom to “inundate her with pro-choice content. Require her to read articles and books that explain why it is important for women to have control of their bodies.” In addition, she suggested more “frequent and pointed” discussions with the daughter and suggested not letting her go to “any conservative events or any other environment where she’s likely to face some attempts at indoctrination, especially without telling you.”
Lemieux also told the mom that she “may want to limit the amount of time” her daughter “spends around his family. Constantly challenge their politics without attacking them as people.”
What’s more, she said to “resist any urge to just suck it up and allow your daughter to do her own thing politically; you’re fighting for her character, her humanity, and her ability to extend empathy to others. You can’t let this boy win. Good luck to you!”