Perhaps you do not know Brenda personally, but have a midwife whom you love and for whom you feel deeply grateful.
Perhaps you are here to speak up for your rights as a woman, an American, or a person of faith. Perhaps you are a birth junkie like me, perhaps not.
The thing is, Brenda's story affects all of us! It's a struggle for the freedom of religion. It's a struggle for the true reproductive rights of women. It's a struggle for parental rights. It's our liberties at it's most primal--where, how and with whom we birth our children and the freedom to decide that for ourselves.
If you think this issue does not touch you, please rethink that. An invasion of liberty will eventually bind us all. Remember this wise words, in reference to World War II:
First they came for the socialists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a socialist.
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for me,
and there was no one left to speak for me.
and there was no one left to speak for me.
Drop a word of encouragement here would you?
Or drop a declaration of freedom!
Here is a place for you to speak your mind. We must all speak up for our liberties while we still have them.
ADD YOUR VOICE NOW!
5 comments:
I planned a home birth 25 years ago but when I was three weeks late my doc induced labor - without telling me what she was doing - by her "routine" exam. Naturally I am way over that but through the years I became best friends with a midwife and loved hearing her birth stories. I have known many women who have labored at home with another woman holding their hand. So Miss Brenda, while I do not know you, I support you against this gross injustice and pray you find peace now even in the midst of this terrible trial, singing hymns and raising hands in praise of the Lord who will part the Red Sea for you!
Mwah,
Kitchen Madonna
(The text of a letter we sent to Brenda's attorney in support of Brenda!)
We have recently learned of the arrest of Brenda Capps. Brenda Capps, who works as a Traditional Christian Midwife has supported us through the pregnancies and births of six of our seven children--all born at home.
Twelve years ago when we first became acquainted with Brenda it was because we were looking, specifically, for a traditional and unlicensed midwife. We had very clear ideas--from our own study and research, family history, and religious convictions--of how we wanted our children brought into the world. We didn't want to go the medical route, being of the firm conviction that pregnancy is in and of itself a sign of health, not a disease to be treated, and that birth is a natural process that has long-lasting spiritual and emotional repercussions for both mother and child. From our first introduction to Brenda she has represented herself accurately--as an unlicensed, traditional Christian midwife. She was forthcoming about her training and experience.
We had a beautiful birth where my husband was able to deliver our baby while Brenda supported, prayed for and encouraged us. We felt safe, empowered, and supported at all times. We have repeated this with Brenda five more times. (The only one of our children's births she wasn't present for was the one we had abroad. In that case we also chose an unlicensed traditional Christian midwife!) Brenda is a woman of faith, conscience and integrity. She has always conducted herself above reproach.
Our rights as Americans to practice our faith in all its practical applications in our day to day lives is protected by the Constitution. In its truest sense homebirth and midwifery is a religious rights issue.
We also have a Constitutional right to make our own choices about our reproductive health. This right does not begin and end in the right to abortion. What about our rights to decide where we want our child born, in what way we want our child born and who we want with us? These are all Constitutionally protected. So, also, in its truest sense homebirth and midwifery is a women's rights issue.
Our family of nine wholeheartedly supports Brenda Capps and the right for her to practice her art in a way consistent with her own conscience and is protected by the laws of our land. It is our hope and desire that the Constitution and common sense guide the decision making in this case.
(The text of a letter we sent to Brenda's attorney in support of Brenda)
We chose Brenda Capps to catch at our two homebirths in 2005 and 2008. We have a right in our free country to birth where we want, how we want, and with whom we want. If we had not asked Brenda to be present at our births, we would have asked another traditional midwife. And if we couldn’t find someone we trusted as explicitly as Brenda, we would have chosen an unattended birth—which is not against the law.
Brenda works under the Religious Exemption Clause and has every client sign a form for her care. She has never been deceptive to us, but always honest and truthful. Those of us who have chosen to have her attend our births understand that she works as a Christian Domiciliary Midwife and within her rights of the law. She has been nothing but professional, attentive, understanding, gentle, loving, and selfless from pre-natal through post-partum care. She always puts her clients’ needs first, and never her own for her personal convenience – which is more than anyone I know who has birthed at a hospital can say about those who attend them. We found in her the same belief we hold that the body was created to do what it needs to do all on its own when we take care of our body the way we’re supposed to. Therefore, we had very unobtrusive births. Our pregnancies and births were safe, healthy, and convenient; and went just the way we dreamed our homebirths would be. All thanks to Brenda Capps.
She has become a treasured close family friend. We even had her be a personal reference for our adoption of two more children several years following our births.
Why can we choose to terminate our pregnancy at any time, but we can’t choose who we want to assist in catching our baby? This is a religious freedom issue, a woman’s right issue, and a parental rights issue. To convict her of a false accusation as “practicing medicine” is removing our rights as well – as people of faith, women, and parents.
Dr. & Mrs. Correa, D.C.
We may as well follow form. :-) Here is the text of the letter we sent to Brenda's attorney:
We were appalled when we heard of the arrest of Brenda Capps. We have known Brenda for many years and consider her a close family friend. In fact, she was present at eight of our grandchildren’s births.
Over thirty years ago, we had two children birthed at home without any official medical personnel present. Only friends and family were there. Our third child was born in a hospital, but we asked our attending physician to only watch and not intervene. We do not believe that birth is a medical procedure except in extreme cases. As natural as birth is and it not being a medical procedure or a disease, we chose to have our children without medical intervention.
We believe we have the right to choose how, where, and with whom we birth. Oddly, it seems that the arrest of Brenda Capps is saying that while we do have the choice or right to kill a baby, we do not have the choice or right to give birth to that same baby in a manner we choose.
Brenda works under the Religious Exemption Clause. We understand that she has every client sign a form that affirms that they understand this. She has never even implied that she is a medical practitioner. She works as a Christian Domiciliary Midwife within her rights of the law. This is truly a religious freedom issue, a women’s rights issue, and a parental rights issue. To convict her of a false accusation of “practicing medicine” is removing our rights as well – as people of faith, women, and parents.
Sincerely,
Bishop and Mrs. Gabriel Abdelaziz
Although I have not had the privildge of a home birth assisted by Miss Brenda, I do stand in agreement that she is being wrongfully accused of practicing medicine, as she seems to clearly not be doing so. My understanding is that a home birth is an unmedicated method of delivery. Miss Brenda also has ensured that the families in her care are clearly aware of her practices. I have been blessed to meet a few of the families that Ms. Brenda has assisted during childbirth, and they all have had wonderful experiences because of her dedication to being a prayerful, educated and utterly LEGAL midwife. I look forward to our constitutionak right to choose how we birth our children being upheld.
Sincerely,
Amy Williams, R.M.A.
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