Uh-oh, you have stumbled into my personal opinions
section. This is a peek into my brain and how I think. Or better yet -
WHAT I think. Buckle up because it may get bumpy from time to time. Oh,
and you are welcome to disagree with me. You can even drop me a line and
tell me so.
Does Pro-Choice Mean Pro-Abortion
?
Now it starts. Sooner or later everyone
who knows me figured that I would get around to the topics that really
matter to me, and it starts now. If you disagree with my opinion, feel
free to send me some email. If you are articulate, and give me permission,
I may just print your response ! So you can have your say, too !
So, the question is, if someone is Pro-Choice, does that mean they
advocate abortion ? I can only speak for myself and the people I know,
but the answer is a re-sounding NO.
Being Pro-Choice means that we think women should have a choice,
not that everyone should run out and get an abortion. It means we have
a right, as human beings, to have options available to us, that are legal,
affordable, and above all else: SAFE. I have not yet met a single person
who is Pro-Abortion. I don't think anyone is particularly keen on the concept
of ending a life prematurely. But just because we aren't keen on it, doesn't
mean we don't have a right to choose.
Of course, not everyone sees things this way. There
are at least two sides to every story. There are more than a few who
think it is the most vile of all possible sins. They stand outside the
clinics where women who are already wrestling with the most painful decision
of their lives are going, and they chant, jeer, scream things, bar the
way, wave signs, and succeed in making a woman feel worse. A goal to be
proud of, I am sure. Legislature
has been created to attempt to prevent this type of persecution, but rest
assured it still goes on.
Is it totally inconceivable to think there are reasons why a woman
would not want to give birth ? In my opinion, there are plenty of reasons
- what about cases of rape or incest ? Is it better to bring a child into
the world who will be a source of bitterness and resentment to it's mother
? And what about medical complications ? Is it better the adult should
die and the baby should live ? Where does that logic come from ? How about
low-income, welfare mothers ? Should our tax dollars pay for them to continue
the cycle of dependence on the system ? And, believe it or not, some people
just make mistakes. I know that is hardly a good reason, but let's not
kid ourselves - it happens. Should a woman serve "penance" the rest of
her life for one poor decision ? Are we sure that is fair ? Would we want
the same 'justice' should we err ?
Are there other options to abortion ? Of course. First and foremost,
proper and consistent use of birth
control. Secondly, a little fore-thought
goes a long way. Third, many people are in line to adopt,
which is a great choice. But the keywords here are options and choice.
We do not have the right to forcibly narrow a woman's choices.
I have yet to see a Pro-Life
advocate who is concerned about the mother's rights. I hear a lot about
God's will, and the baby's rights, and their right to protest in front
of clinics, but they don't say anything about a woman's right. Don't pro-life
women get rights ? My feeling is that if you are going to stand on moral
high ground and pass judgement, you better be willing to take ownership
and actually help solve the problem, not just condemn others. Most of what
I've seen involved brutal and harsh scare tactics, threats of damnation,
and pressuring the subject until she gives in.
I'm taking a few minutes to here to tell you a little something
about myself. I personally adore kids. Any kid. Any where. Really. I wouldn't
mind having a few of my own. (Yikes ! My biological clock can't be ticking
already, I'm only 26!) Then why don't I ? Because my husband and I both
work full time - lots of folks today RELY on having two incomes. If I had
a child, right now, today, we'd have a whole mess of problems. Day care
horror-stories are all over the news, and I don't want strangers raising
my kids for me, so that's out. I love my mother - she did a great job with
my siblings and I, but I think she deserves a break now. I'm not saddling
her with my responsibility. Working different shifts so that my hubs or
myself is always home to watch Junior ? Well, I personally got married
because I love the man I married - not so that we could never see each
other. Does this make me selfish ? Ha ! I hardly think so. It's my right
to choose. And it is a fundamental human right. Skip the government and
constitutional rights - the decision to give birth or not is a HUMAN
right. You can't take it away, no matter how some might try. And that is
the way it should be.
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