In advance of the Republic of Ireland’s referendum on whether to legalize abortion in certain circumstances, a pro-life group came under fire when they used the Ed Sheeran song “Small Bump” during a rally.
Sheeran himself released a statement on Instagram denouncing the usage, explaining that the song, originally released in 2011, was not meant to be a pro-life anthem.
“I’ve been informed that my song ‘Small Bump’ is being used to promote the pro-life campaign, and I feel it’s important to let you know I have not given approval for this use, and it does not reflect what the song is about,” stated Sheeran.
However, some took to social media countering that Sheeran should have expected the song, whose lyrics describe life in a womb, to be used in such a way.
“You cannot write a song like ‘Small Bump’ and then act shocked when the #ProLife movement uses it in campaigns. You ran that risk when you humanized baby humans,” noted one person on Twitter.
Sheeran is not the first person to find himself accidentally giving a pro-life message. Here are five other instances of notable people or groups unintentionally endorsing the pro-life cause or one of its key arguments.
Dr. Seuss
In the beloved children’s book Horton Hears a Who, popular author Dr. Seuss penned a quote that has often been used by pro-life activists: “A Person’s a person no matter how small.”
The quote has been referenced in both pro-life rally speeches and posters alike, even though neither Theodor Geisel nor his widow supported such efforts.
According to a Dr. Seuss biographer, the famed author once threatened legal action against a pro-life group in the 1980s who wanted to use the quote on their stationery.
Seuss’ widow, Audrey Geisel, has also been opposed to pro-life activists using the quote, reportedly because neither she nor her late husband wanted his works used for political activism.
“She doesn’t like people to hijack Dr. Seuss characters or material to front their own points of view,” explained Dr. Seuss attorney Karl ZoBel in an NPR story from 2008.
Doritos
In 2016 during Super Bowl 50, Doritos ran a 30-second commercial featuring an expectant mother whose late term baby, seen via sonogram, is clearly interested in eating the brand name chips.
When the father moves a Dorito’s chip along the belly, the sonogram shows the child moving along with the chip, then the mother in annoyance throws the bag of chips away.
After the mom threw the chip, viewers are left to infer that the baby jolted out of the mother’s womb to go after the chip, as the mother, father, and doctor all scream.
While not meant to be a political ad, the National Abortion Rights Action League protested the commercial, complaining that the chip company was “humanizing fetuses” and thus endorsing the pro-life agenda.
“#NotBuyingIt – that @Doritos ad using #antichoice tactic of humanizing fetuses & sexist tropes of dads as clueless & moms as uptight. #SB50,” stated NARAL on Twitter.
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Source: Christian Post
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