Um...': Actress Patricia Heaton Responds to Critics After Her Pro-Life Tweet Sparks Attacks

After actress Patricia Heaton received some harsh push-back for a tweet that she sent earlier this week in support of a pro-life organization, she decided to openly respond a couple of her critics.

As TheBlaze previously reported, Heaton, star of “The Middle” and “Everybody Loves Raymond,” was attacked on Twitter after re-tweeting and sharing a message on May 12 about a Washington D.C.-based pregnancy center. Speaking out in support of the group, Heaton wrote, "Choose, celebrate, support life!"

One woman was quick to question how much Heaton personally does to help women with no health care as well as kids in the foster care system, writing, "How much $$$ do you personally donate to foster care/programs for pregnant women w no health care/homes/money?"

Rather than ignore the individual's curiosity, Heaton responded on Thursday.

"Um, yesterday I gave $10k to @LADreamCenter for their Foster Care Intervention Program. I have a charitable fund."

And that wasn't the end of Heaton's engagement on the issue. When another woman shared the actress' original tweet along with a message seemingly criticizing the sentiment, Heaton again replied.

"I await her backing of fully-subsidized prenatal care, maternal leave and quality preschool," Twitter user @Quinncy shot back. "You know; support life."

To that, Heaton replied, "I think you might like #FeministsForNonViolentChoices @ffnvc and #FeministsForLife who support all this."

The woman responded by thanking Heaton, but said that she seeks to"support women in all ways," including keeping abortion both safe and legal. The actress sent a follow-up tweet explaining that the pro-life group Feminists for Life helps women so that they don't have to choose between their children and education and a career.

Heaton's responses came after some harsh messages from critics as well as some supportive tweets from those who agreed with her perspective. Read about some of the initial comments that were sent her way here.

Speaking out on abortion and pro-life issues is nothing new for Heaton. As previously reported, the actress was candid in a 2014 interview with TheBlaze about why she so vocally defends the pro-life position, saying that the issue of abotion truly “bothers” her.

“It just bothers me so much. It’s almost a natural — it’s almost a reflex now,” said Heaton, a mother of four. “Once you have kids and you know what it feels like to be pregnant and you know what it feels like to have that person growing inside of you, and the beauty of it, it’s just not a holistic thing to do.”

Patricia Heaton visits 'Extra' at Universal Studios Hollywood on September 17, 2013 in Universal City, California. (Noel Vasquez/Getty Images for Extra)

Despite having no qualms about sharing her pro-life views, Heaton, who also speaks openly about her Christianity, said it’s important to approach the issue with compassion.

“It’s tricky, because I think it’s one out of three women who have an abortion, so whoever you’re talking to you can’t assume — and it doesn’t matter if they’re a Christian or not,” she told TheBlaze. “It’s a very sensitive subject, so you want to be sensitive so that in whatever you’re saying you could be really, deeply affecting somebody within listening distance.”

She added, “In the Hollywood community, I’m the only one I know who says anything about it. I feel like I’m supposed to.”

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