In fact, a religious affiliation is cited in 72% of all abortion cases. Yet most folks who demand to have Roe v. Wade overturned and Planned Parenthood defunded are religious.
Curious.
It seems that it’s time for both sides of the aisle to publicly find common ground, as all of our women are clearly being affected by abortion. We need to cease this “us vs. them” mentality and drop the divisive identifiers. The labels of “pro-choice” and “pro-life” are weapons used to decapitate our ability to have a rational discussion. Meanwhile, solutions for a more aggressive approach to sexual education, family planning and women’s health have been dwarfed by talking points, big business and bloody-hanger propaganda.
Enough is enough.
It’s time to have a connected, revolutionary, rational discussion about abortion.
Ruth Davis
Epiphany #1: abortion isn’t going anywhere. Whether legal or in a back alley, women have always had and will always have abortions. My Great-Grandmother, Ruth Davis, died in 1937 from a botched back-room abortion; God forbid we travel back in time. People didn’t stop drinking during prohibition, they haven’t stopped smoking weed/crack/meth just because it’s illegal and they aren’t going to stop having abortions. It’s a horrible reality, but it’s true.
If I’ve offended you already, I apologize, but stay with me.
Like many Americans, my position on abortion doesn’t fit into a neat little religious or political box. I believe that the soul of my son arrived in my womb at the point of conception; I listened with my heart and felt him. I have no doubt that the tadpole swimming around in my belly was my willful little boy right from the start. I also know that I don’t have the strength of spirit to ever endure an abortion. Thank God my journey has never led me to face such a decision.
With that in mind, I also wholeheartedly disagree with any governmental restriction of my rights. Just as I don’t want our government restricting the free speech of those idiots who picket funerals, I also don’t want them to govern what I can or cannot do with my body. Governmental intrusion is a slippery slope. I believe just as our community rose up to produce the Patriot Guard who protect the innocent from the insanity of Westboro Baptist Church, so too can we find guardian angels to mend the tattered mess of abortion.
Let’s step back for a second and breathe.
Isn’t it reasonable to concede that both pro-life and pro-choice have very viable concerns? Of course they do! We are arguing two very sacred elements of the human experience: life and freedom.
If we’re being honest, we can all agree that no one wants an abortion. Abortion is simply a symptom of much larger problems. Problems such as: the vilification of women, our divided approach on sexual education, lack of funding, how to properly address the long-term emotional and physical needs of the birth/abortion/adoption of an unwanted child – and that’s just to name a few.
According to the Guttmacher Institute:
- 1 in 3 women will have an abortion by age 45.
- 58% of women having abortions are in their 20s.
- 61% have one or more children.
- 56% are unmarried and are not cohabiting.
- 69% are economically disadvantaged.
Let’s put a face to this 1 in 3 statistic. I personally know women who have had an abortion. So do you – you just may not know it. She may be the clerk running the register at the local grocery store, the gal who watches your children at daycare, or your Preacher’s wife. Regardless, we must concede that these women are not ignorant, flippant or happy about having such an invasive procedure. Having an abortion is terrifying; no woman wants to find her feet in the dreaded stirrups of such a horrific table. Period.
It may be idealistic, but consider some solutions:
Rather than stabbing these women with sword of blame, I am of the belief that education should be our weapon of choice.
Ideally, parents should be responsible for a child’s first introduction to sex. However, not all children have access to a healthy family perspective or a family for that matter – so then we the village must step up.
A united community approach to sexual education is a must if we want to decrease the number of abortions. Getting our hands dirty and deconstructing the curriculum from ALL American schools (rich and poor) is vital. Revamping sex ed. pedagogy to include topics such as: self worth, promoting positive body images for both boys and girls, the importance of goals and future, the importance of choosing a sexual partner/mate wisely and then pairing it with the traditional teachings of anatomy, birth control, abstinence, STD’s, and the reproductive process. What a great all-inclusive foundation! Smart kids make smarter adults.
Despite our best efforts, however, even if there was a miraculous sex ed. overhaul, a percentage of women would still find themselves in the situation of an unwanted pregnancy. What then?
Attention must be paid to the process of abortion/adoption/birth itself. I know that many of you are going to disagree, but destroying Planned Parenthood is not the solution. Redistributing, reinvesting and redirecting their obscene surplus back into women’s health is a better alternative than demonizing the organization itself.
Why reinvent the wheel?
I currently work as a professor at a University and many of my female students go to Planned Parenthood for gynecological issues. Why? It’s free and it is a brand that they identify and trust. Planned Parenthood is a business that has developed over decades. Name/brand recognition, when you’re lying naked on a table, is comforting. Planned Parenthood has an excellent infrastructure already in place to deal with the giant issues surrounding women’s health.
HOWEVER, ensuring an unbiased standard of care/education/counseling within its walls is a reasonable request in exchange for our tax dollars. Planned Parenthood needs to step up to the plate and be honest. They are making millions from abortions – it is in their best fiscal interest to continue to counsel women down this path. With money as an ulterior motive, how can women possibly receive earnest guidance? Women (and consequently our families) are the victims, again.
Allow me to illustrate my point with a personal example:
I had a very difficult pregnancy and found myself in three different world class ER’s in Los Angeles: Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center, Cedars Sinai, UCLA Santa Monica. In every instance (and my husband can verify) the Doctor asked if I had ever had an abortion. In every instance we asked why they would ask such a question. The reply was unanimous, “Women who have had abortions often have issues with pregnancy.” I was shocked. Published research suggests that abortions are mostly harmless and have very few long term effects.
Obviously, there is a disconnect between the research and reality – and women are suffering the consequences. End result? Trust no one with your womb or your baby.
My experience solidified my stance that women should be fully educated when undergoing a procedure that may inevitably change her life. Responsibly providing a sonogram, counseling and a thorough medical examination should be part of the process; a woman (whose abortion is NOT medically necessary) should have access to every possible resource. (In the 1% of cases that involve rape and incest, however, education and counseling need to be of a different ilk. Forcing an already traumatized woman to undergo a sonogram is not only inhumane, it’s utterly abusive.)
OK – let’s breathe again.
There is common ground, I promise, we just have to shed our labels long enough to find it.
So. . .to the Christians, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Agnostics, Atheists, Republicans, Liberals, Independents, Democrats and all others weighing in on the issue: the gauntlet is laid. Who among us is going to be brave enough to focus on a rational, compassionate response rather than propaganda and rhetoric? What politician will be brave enough to publicly denounce the labels and focus on solutions? What version of the Patriot Guard will rise up and champion preventative care so that our society can deliver our women from these circumstances and save the lives of our unborn children?
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I read your ideas and opinions, and perhaps it is a start. However, I saw NOTHING that suggested an ombudsman for the baby. He/she still has NO voice speaking for them in this proposed attempt at a “solution”. No matter how you try to couch this debate in words that placate, it is an ugly process! There needs to be a discussion of who decides what to do with the dead baby? Yes, it is a “dead baby”! Where does it go? Is it buried? Who decides? Who does it? Until you include someone in the discussion who can complete the circle, you don’t have a real discussion. The baby loses out, no matter how much you try to make the mother feel better about it.
Karen – What a great idea! I think burying the babies is a beautiful, non-violent response to a very violent debate. It’s an action that speaks volumes.
i think the rights of the living breathing woman should come before the rights of the fetus
I think preventive care takes into consideration the rights of both.
That seems to be getting overlooked, even by those who say that’s what they’re advocating for.
I was with you right up to where you mentioned forced sonograms as a matter of course for a woman considering an abortion. Oh but only for those who find themselves pregnant when it is NOT a result of rape or incest. Are you kidding me? I’m sorry but it is absolutely NO ONE’S BUSINESS WHY a woman chooses to have an abortion. It should never even come up beyond the patient being asked if they would like counseling prior to scheduling their abortion. And because the legislation on this subject mandates a specific type of sonogram that requires a “wand” bigger than the average sex shoppe vibrator to be inserted into the woman’s vagina what you are essentially saying is that the woman is going to be forced to endure being LITERALLY raped by a clinician as a perquisite to an abortion. That you would support this tells me what “side” you are really on. And it’s not womens’.
Alex – I never said a woman should be forced to have a sonogram, however a sonogram is the only way to provide all of the necessary information before you undergo the procedure. You wouldn’t have a heart surgery without an x-ray — same thing. I’m absolutely on the side of women, because I don’t trust big business to guide our decisions. Furthermore, I don’t want women to find themselves in the position of an unwanted pregnancy in the first place. Why not concentrate on preventative care?
Absolutely preventive care should be the primary focus. Giving women education and access to birth control will go a very long way towards making abortion a mostly moot point. However I am curious to know what information a woman who wishes to have an abortion may need that can only be produced by a sonogram? Is it possible you think she may be in doubt as to whether or not she’s pregnant? Secondly, to be clear, HOW would you go about presenting the idea of a sonogram to a woman considering an abortion? Would it be mandatory in most cases (but not others? Could ANY woman decline it and still have the abortion? Be honest and clear about this please and don’t hide behind the typical evasive politician’s tactic of changing the topic so as not to answer directly the question that was asked. SO, once more, would you support the right of ANY woman, regardless of the circumstances of her pregnancy, to DECLINE to have a sonogram and still have the abortion?
A sonogram reflects the health of the womb and any possible abnormalities that may be present that could cause future complications. So yes – I believe all women should have a sonogram before having an abortion. Mind you, having a sonogram is not at all for the purpose of a torture – but to educate both the Doctor and the patience on the health of the woman. Realize that Planned Parenthood doesn’t want to provide sonograms because it’s expensive. I am of the belief that is why the sonogram talking point has become a “pro-life” piece of propaganda. If they attach explosive rhetoric to a sonogram – “pro-choice” will revolt and PP won’t incur the costs. It’s about money and not about the health of the woman.
You just did the one thing I asked you not to do. You did not answer my question of, “SO, once more, would you support the right of ANY woman, regardless of the circumstances of her pregnancy, to DECLINE to have a sonogram and still have the abortion?” Instead you tried to deflect it by talking about something else. Your dishonesty and your refusal to come out and openly state your position is very troubling to me. Further, there has been no research done to indicate that a sonogram is medically necessary or even merely medically advisable to protect the health of a woman who is seeking an abortion. Show me one shred of evidence where a woman lost either her life OR her future reproductive capability because she did NOT have a sonogram prior to having an abortion. There is quite simply no sound medical basis for this. I am also appalled that you are taking refuge in the ludicrous idea that pro-choice people and Planned Parenthood are simply revolting at the idea of being forced to include a medical treatment because it costs money. The penetration of a woman’s vagina without her consent OR willingness IS rape and you are deliberately downplaying the fact that this is EXACTLY what forcing the type of sonogram that is required in this sick legislation is. Would YOU wield the fearsome “wand” and forcibly penetrate a frightened and miserable young woman who absolutely did not want it but was merely submitting to this violation of her body because it was the only way she could get the LEGAL abortion she desired?
First of all, you’re proving the central theme to my article to a “T.” The labels are getting in the way of rational discourse.
I’m sorry I wasn’t clear enough. In short – yes, every woman should have a sonogram. I think if sonograms are not federally mandated in the case of abortion – the clinics will weasel out of them. Again, sonograms are expensive and it is absolutely in the best interest for the woman to have one prior to such a procedure. Listen, I’m not a politician or a fundamentalist – I’m a mother, a teacher and a writer. Planned Parenthood posted $1 Billion in revenue last year and had a record multi-million dollar surplus, so yes my friend – we are dealing with big business.
BTW – I’ve had a vaginal sonogram – actually, quite a few of them when I was pregnant – they are hardly comparable to rape.
On the topic of sonograms – I have had an abortion. Mine was done at a medical facility, which was not at all affiliated with Planned Parenthood.
Prior to the procedure, I was given a sonogram. When I asked why, I was told it was to see how far along I was in the pregnancy and to see if there are any indications of complication. They needed to know how far along I was in the pregnancy because it affects how the procedure is performed. When doing the sonogram, I was given the option to see the screen and/or hear the sounds. I opted out of this because I would have in no way been able to handle it. However, I was given the option.
I have no idea how many facilities offering abortions follow this. And I will also add this was in 1995, so this was not at all recent. Knowing what I do, I absolutely think a sonogram should be performed. I also think, as in my situation, the woman should be given an option as to whether or not she wants to see/hear the sonogram. If I was told in 1995 it was medically necessary, why is this even an issue? Perhaps some facilities not performing the sonogram is what is causing complications for these women later in life. Just a thought…
Amanda – agreed. Thank you for sharing your story. After all of the complication with my pregnancy and seeing how delicate the womb is – a sonogram seems obvious. I guess not for some.
When you can do the responsible thing and show me the unbiased medical study that shows us WHY and HOW sonograms are medically necessary in cases of abortion I will concede your point and not until. A serum HcG quantitative and pelvic exam are good basic indicators of how far along a woman may be. And the only reason YOUR vaginal sonograms are not comparable to rape is because you WANTED to have them done. Forcing a woman to be vaginally penetrated when she DOES NOT WISH TO BE is indeed rape.
I would also like to add this…
How is having a sonogram any less invasive than having the aboriton itself? I am fully pro-choice. But I am also pro-women’s health.
I believe the confusion comes from why the sonogram is being performed. There are some who believe the sonogram is being done to force the woman to see/hear their unborn child, as a form of punishment, if you will. I’m sure plenty of people would love to see this happen and I am quite certain it would change many of the women’s minds. If it were for this reason alone, I would not support having a sonogram performed.
I don’t believe any woman wants to have an abortion. It is not a “fun time” or an “easy solution” as some may believe. It was one of the most difficult choices I have ever made. And yes, I am a Christian. So, trying to punish someone during the process seems rather rediculous to me.
The point to having the sonogram is to ensure the procedure is done correctly and there are not indications of potential complications. I now wonder what other steps are being skipped or over-looked at these facilities not performing a sonogram. Why would you not want to ensure this is done in the safest way? Also, the sonogram does not have to be vaginal, although a vaginal sonogram is far more accurate.
You also say, in regard to sonograms, ” (In the 1% of cases that involve rape and incest, however, education and counseling need to be of a different ilk. Forcing an already traumatized woman to undergo a sonogram is not only inhumane, it’s utterly abusive.)”
So while you will admit that they are abusive, traumatic and medically unnecessary for a woman who has been raped or is the victim of incest you maintain that they would NOT be for a woman who is not such a victim? And, for her, they should be required? For shame.
Amanda, you say, “Also, the sonogram does not have to be vaginal, although a vaginal sonogram is far more accurate.”
Yet in the proposed legislation regarding this issue a vaginal sonogram is MANDATED. It is, supposedly, done on the grounds that it is more accurate at early stages than the “jelly on the belly” format we usually associate with a sonogram. My problem with this requirement is that no one has done their homework and shown that any sonogram is medically necessary in the case of abortion. Until such an unbiased study is done I can ONLY approve of the idea of any sonogram being performed IF the woman agrees to it and NOT as a condition of her getting the abortion at all.
You are correct. The proposed legislation indicates the sonogram does need to be vaginal, and also it should be done 24 hours prior to the abortion.
This is why I included the portion about having the sonogram be a punishment. The idea behind the 24 hour wait is to force the woman to wait 24 hours after seeing and hearing the results of the sonogram. And a vaginal sonogram, to anyone who hasn’t had one, seems really horrible. But have you ever actually seen how wide the speculum gets during a normal pelvic exam? Not much difference. And as I stated, if the point of the sonogram were only punishment, I am against it.
The reason I believe a sonogram is important is because it is an important measure prior to having an abortion. A blood test and a simple pelvic exam, although good, are not the only things necessary. There are many things that may occur to complicate the procedure that cannot be seen through the blood test and pelvic exam. There have been instances of women having abortions and later having complications because the clinic or facility did not realize there was more than one fetus. Things like this happen. This is one of the reasons I feel a sonogram should be performed.
Also, the procedure used to complete an abortion should change, depending on the development of the fetus, between the 8 and 13 week mark. I am not at all trying to get graphic or gross anyone out, but you asked for medical reasoning. Between 8 to 13 weeks, the fetus changes drastically. Depending on the development of the fetus, which is not always consistent and can only truly be determined by a sonogram, the manner in which the abortion is performed changes. (The suction method may not get everything out and additional measures are needed to complete the D&C process.) Many women don’t even realize they’re pregnant until after the 8 week mark, especially when not trying to get pregnant. If the abortion is not performed properly, it can cause damage to the cervix or uterine wall. It can even result in the uterine wall being torn and then damage being done to other organs. This is not common, so I’m not trying to scare anyone, but it could happen.
I realise abortions are performed all the time without a sonogram being performed. And in most cases, the woman experiences the expected side-effects and then recovers. So, it is not meidcally necessary to have a sonogram prior to having an abortion. But, there are plenty of women who experience a rash of other complications which may have been prevented had a sonogram been performed. I’m not at all saying it would fix all the problems. I am just of the opinion I would rather the facility and the doctor be more cautious and concerned about the woman’s health.
I agree, Amanda – an ultrasound used as a weapon is utterly disgusting and again, falls into propaganda. An ultrasound because it’s the best standard of care for the woman should be a no brainer.
I’m not sure that we’re the ones needed to do a little research here. A quick google search will show you the pros and cons of a pelvic ultrasound vs. abdominal. I’m not sure what we are arguing? A pelvic ultrasound, again this is standard procedure used for every women in America during her first trimester, better assess the womb and if there are any abnormalities. Research it – that facts are already there. I’m not sure forcing is the right word, but rather providing atop-notch service of care no matter your income.
Listen Alex – I’m a survivor of sexual abuse. A woman who has been sexually abused has already undergone a vaginal sonogram at the hospital. They have to do so in order to ensure that nothing has been damaged and that there is no internal bleeding. If I must spell it out for you – a victim of abuse or rape doesn’t need one because she’s already had a host of exams that far surpass the technology at an abortion clinic.
I agree that is the case when the victim actually reports her assault or abuse. As you probably know, many do not. We can argue all day about whether or not that is a healthy response but it isn’t the issue at hand. I have no problem with offering, as a matter of course, a sonogram (of any type) as an additional and even recommended part of the examination that proceeds an abortion. But ANY woman should have the right to decline it, regardless of her reasons. If that includes signing a consent form that she is declining it and the doctor/health care facility cannot be held responsible for complications arising from skipping that procedure, that’s fine. But you yourself earlier said that you felt this should NOT be forced on a rape or incest victim. So how are their medical needs different from any other woman’s? What if they haven’t already been poked and prodded by doctors in relation to their assault? And even if they have, what makes you think you know they would find undergoing it again any less traumatic? The point I keep trying to make here is that a woman’s body and her decisions regarding it, should be inviolate. Yes, even when she may make a decision that we feel may not be in her best interests. Because it is precisely the idea that others know best what is good for a woman that has led to the several hundred to few thousands years of treating women like chattel that still goes on in much of the world. Right or wrong, for good or ill, we MUST extend to women the same rights over their bodies that men have and that indeed women already have over every other type of medical decision regarding their care. We don’t FORCE women to take blood pressure medication even if, in ANY doctor’s opinion, it’s a medical necessity for them. Just as we don’t force men to take heart medication even if their doctor has decided they should. Nor do we require anyone to undergo any sort of medical treatment they decide not to have. So WHY is this different? It is little more than paternalism and a direct affront to the intelligence and dignity of women. And that’s why it’s wrong. Offer a sonogram as a medically recommended choice, of course. Tell ANY woman she HAS to have it and you are violating her.
An excellent piece, Shannon, and your replies show your sensitivity to readers’ objections. To me, the care you take in detailing the issues shows you coming through less and less like a Republican. (The Grand Ol’ Party is moving away from you, m’dear, becoming knee-jerk and definitely wackier in my lifetime.) I know women who have had abortions and in no case was it an easy or thoughtless decision. You and I don’t agree about when life (the “soul”) enters the body, but that’s all right, as abortion is still a choice fraught with grief and the irreversible denial of possibility. I applaud you for your inclusive approach. Inclusion is the only way our sad country can really move ahead.
Hey Keith – Funny thing, I’m not a Republican. I’m actually politically Independent and an Independent contributor to the site. Although sometimes they disagree, Hollywood Republican has (thankfully) welcomed my point of view.
Thanks for the support!
I have said it before and I will keep saying it: Americans need to make sterilization free and we need to make it acceptable. In my own experience I have no children and have never wanted any, but on three occasions when I had insurance and went in to talk to my gynecologist (a different provider on each occasion) about having my tubes tied, the conversation was over once it was discovered that I didn’t already have kids.
As a grown woman why am I not allowed to have this measure of control over my own fertility?
If I have insurance and I’m paying for it, why shouldn’t I be allowed to have this procedure?
Men too- there should be a campaign encouraging more men to have vasectomies. It is responsible and it is respectable. Real men don’t want to risk impregnating their partner with every encounter. It is selfish and short sighted, especially if they’re already fathers who can scarcely afford to support the children they have OR if they know they’re simply not interested in fatherhood. It should be on demand.
That would put a dent in abortions. It might not stop rape, incest, or extremely poor decision making- but it help to make fewer abortions necessary.
Next to abstinence, sterilization is the BEST bet.
Here, here! You make an EXCELLENT point. Doctors have traditionally been reluctant to perform sterilization on people who do not have children because of the fear of alter being sued if the person changes their mind and finds that their sterilization cannot be reversed. However, a simple waiver absolving the doctor from litigation related to this procedure in the event of “buyers remorse” from the patient is all that is needed to solve that problem. We believe in, and codify in law, the idea that people over the age of eighteen are competent to make decisions about who should hold political office and whether or not they wish to serve in the military and potentially kill or die for their country. These are profound responsibilities. Yet we’re going to tell ANY LEGAL ADULT that they are not yet competent to make a decision regarding their own reproductive function? That is simply WRONG.
Christians do have abortions, they also have affairs, commit murder, steal, lie, cheat, in short Christians sin. Jesus died because we are all sinners. All of the sins mentioned above are still sins, that is not changed because Christians do them. My heart does go out to any woman who feels she has no other option but to take the life of her child in order to make hers livable. I find it so difficult to distinguish between the mother that has a child growing within her two months from conception and the other that has a child in her arms two months after delivery. They have the same choices; take the life of the child or nurture and take care of the child or give the child up for adoption. The difference is the second mother will be charged with murder if she chooses to take her childs life, the first mother has the right to take her childs life. Why does the second mother not have the same right as the first? Why does the first child not have the same rights as the second child. One of the responders speaks of the invasiveness of the sonogra, can you imagine the suffering of the child being chased around his mothers womb by the cold sharp painful instruments used to take his or her life during an abortion that will make his or her mothers life more comfortable. My heart can not get past the pain I feel for the baby that will never have a chance at life.
Cathy – My heart cannot get past the baby either, which is why I think focusing all of our energy on preventative care is the common ground. If fewer women find themselves pregnant to start with – we will have fewer abortions.
This is the one thing on which we can agree. As I’ve said, my only sticking point with you is the idea of forcing medical procedures on women without their consent. But absolutely contraception and family planning and yes, even sterilization, needs to be our goal and it needs to be affordable, dependable and, where necessary, free. How would you go about seeing that done?
I never said forcing a sonogram on people, I said making that part of standard procedure – and maybe include abdominal ultrasound as an alternative. Regardless, an ultrasound would be the best standard of care for the women in the short and long term.
As a Professor and a mother, I know education has to start early. I know people will freak, but anatomy and sexual questions begin often times before they even enter kindergarten. Sex ed needs to be part of school curriculum from the get go.
As far as “contraception and family planning and yes, even sterilization, needing to be our goal and it needing to be affordable, dependable and, where necessary, free” – Planned Parenthood has the infrastructure to begin handling these issues. However, the process and the underlying mission needs to be revamped. They are posting record surplus – so rather than (Like Angel said) plop another clinic in a low-income neighborhood, reinvest that money into women’s health nationwide.
Again, I am pleased to say, we have points of agreement. Certainly if Planned Parenthood is making money hand over fist they are obligated to reinvest a healthy portion of those proceeds back into the care of women. Part of that care indeed includes good, fact based, education as part of our school system. How I would love to see our government work WITH Planned Parenthood to get those facts into our schools as a standard part of education.
And for the record,you are in fact saying that sonograms should be OFFERED as part of the general standard of care prior to an abortion but that a woman should have the right to decline it and still have the abortion if that is her choice? Please be clear.
Isn’t the thought revolutionary – idealistic, but revolutionary.
You know, if the laws weren’t divided on whether or not a minor needed to have the consent of an adult to get an abortion – I would say optional. But because young scared girls are going in alone without an advocate – I would say that ultrasounds need to be standard practice. Schools can’t even give the kids Tylenol without written parental consent, but minors can get abortions in most states alone. Yeah – if it were my daughter I would want a standard of excellence to be in place, which would include checking everything out visually before proceeding forward. It’s just smart to see the womb before you go ahead with a procedure as invasive as abortion.
Rather than force a sonogram on a scared young girl, which could indeed further traumatize her, I’d far rather see, as a standard of care, counseling being given to minors. It can be assumed that an adult woman can make this decision on her own but many a pregnant minor seeks an abortion out of fear of parental disapproval and/or punishment. These girls need an adult they can trust during this crisis for teen pregnancy IS a crisis. Certainly I’d have no issue with a counselor advocating a sonogram to check the health of the womb but that should be a separate issue from whether or not the teen persists in getting the abortion and the ultimate decision on both sonogram AND abortion must still be left up to the girl. But a serious counseling session in order to assess whether a teen really wants an abortion or is just seeking one out of fear, and offering that child emotional as well as practical support regardless of her decision, is, in my view, essential. We owe our young girls that.
POLITICAL POINT: Repeal Roe v. Wade and let the states decide. Local governing is the best governing. If people want a nationwide “ban” on abortion, pass an amendment. If people want a nationwide “right” on abortion, pass an amendment. Don’t use the judicial system to pass laws.
PERSONAL POINT: Abortion should be legal up to the point that a fetus can survive outside the womb with all the capable modern technology available… because at that point, it is a human being in the same way an already born human can survive outside the womb. In other words, if a woman wants an abortion… she better get it done in the first trimester. After that, it’s murder in my book.
RELIGIOUS POINT: I can’t stand the hypocritical politicians who claim to be Catholic and for abortion up to the moment before birth (as well as euthanasia)… and, of course, these losers all happen to by Democrats. Yeah, they know who they are… Pelosi, Kerry, etc.
My two cents.
1. Repealing Roe v. Wade is a horrible idea and will set us back 50 years. Legal abortions need to be a federally mandated law or women throughout our country (like my Great Grandmother) will end up paying the price. What if you live in a state where abortion is illegal, are pregnant and want an abortion – but you don’t have the money to travel out of state where it may be legal? Illegal, unsafe back alley abortion clinics will pop-up and women will die. No, I disagree – this is an nationwide issue.
2. This is an interesting point. As technology is getting more advanced, the medical industry is now able to save babies much earlier outside of the womb. I believe the earliest they’ve gone is 24 weeks. I suspect this age will become lower and lower with time. I think it’s a baby from the get go, which is why advocating lowering the rate of unwanted pregnancies to begin with is the best course of action – in my opinion.
3. I agree and this is true with all politicians which is why I can’t label myself a Republican or Democrat. Some of them are better than others – but most of their positions are as fickle as the poll numbers.
I have to say that on these three points I am in complete agreement with you. Standards of medical care must be equal and across the board in every state.
Very nice article Shannon!!! We definitely don’t agree a few issues when it comes to abortions but that is expected. Because abortion is not just a life or death issue to me, it’s a race issue as well. The fact that black women make up for 30% of all abortions and we only make up for 12% of this nation’s population is a huge problem!!! Do I think education will help? Yes, but not completely. Abortion clinics have planted themselves in lower income neighborhoods under the disguise of free/affordable healthcare but as you stated that’s not how they make their money. I remember when I was in college I thought I might be pregnant so I went to a Planned Parenthood to get a free test taken. While I was in the office with the nurse waiting for the result, she asked me “If you are pregnant, do you want to keep it?” WTF! Who the hell asks that question at that time??? But I digress. I feel that is unfair that black women have been targeted. And yes, I think we have been targeted because we are no more fertile, no less responsible, or no less sensitive to this issue than any other woman. I am living in a state that use to sterilize women of color without their knowledge or permission as a means to reduce the number of children in low income neighborhoods!!! So with all that being said, I do feel clinics that offer abortions need to be better regulated. At the end of the day it is one woman’s choice but it should be just that and not the ploy of company or a government to carry out its own agenda.
Couldn’t agree more, Angel. Like I’ve been saying all along – Planned Parenthood is a business and the are operating as such. Women cannot get an unbiased guidance as long as money is an ulterior motive. Thanks!!
Abortions are more accessible and paid for by our universal health care system in Canada. And we have fewer abortions per capita. Planned Parenthood does not provide abortion services here because they are available in hospitals or private clinics. But they do provide education, and birth control. I find the concept of Planned Parenthood being a big business rather strange. That is definitely not the case in Canada.
We are in danger of losing these rights because our present government is heavily funded by the American right wing but taking away rights is always more difficult than not having them in the first place.
Thank you Shannon. Such a great article. I agree with you on all points. All the comments are wonderful too. I may not agree with all of them, but it is nice to read a civilized discussion on abortion. You have truly started a much needed dialogue on this subject.
Well put. Sensitive, logical and insightful. Perhaps a new label: Pro Choice of Life, would clear the air.
So would an Infant Civil Rights Amendment to the Constitution requiring two parents, alive, in situ, with established responsibility (parentage training course certificate and a performance bond… we do as much to protect the world from irresponsible drivers), and criminal liability for any two individuals who manage to fertilize an ovum without meeting those pre-conditions.
… Now, when you comb that through the realities of life as it exists in this country, it may sound ridiculous, unrealistic, heartless, racist, etc. (Can’t you just hear the idiot asshole liberals of your state–and every other state–braying “Just like a Republican!!! Conservative monster…” yadayadayada…) The truth is that in the Post-war era (’45 onward), if any group has been ridiculous, unrealistic, heartless, racist–and also guilty of more damage to our national fabric than any other, it’s the high-mind progressives of the liberal left
Starting from the Civil Rights movement onward, their unconscious (or perhaps insidiously hidden malicious racism) has done more damage to the spirit and quality of character and life for black America than an Army of Simon Legrees.
Take it forward and every step led by the liberal left has has left in its trail a minefield of unintended–or silently and insidiously anticipated but ignored –consequences. (I give some of them credit for simply being stupid, but deep down in my heart I know better).
I actually had some hope for improvement when Obama dispatched the sociopath–George Will’s conclusion, with which I totally agree–in the Primary. But he turned out to be the “empty suit”, as one fellow Democrat described him. (Not that the DNC wasn’t aware of that… that’s why they picked him. They were badly burned when they tried to control the crafty Clintons, so they picked a dummy this time.)
…Back to the main thread:
Unfortunately, things will go on without really improving… and probably getting worse, as the annual stats indicate. Nothing much is going to happen until a major catastrophe shocks everyone to attention… or a politician with genuine courage, compassion and love for America(probably oxymoronic in itself) surfaces and tells it like it is. Unfortunately, his partymates might not like that.
Wow, this is really great material. As a mother of two girls, I completely agree that preventative teaching is the way to go. For those that are not so careful, as a mother I say definitely do the sonogram. I would want my own children to go through whatever medically necessary actions needed to make sure they were healthy.
You mention a very good point about the physical ramifications of abortions and resulting difficult pregnancies when women do decide to get pregnant, but what about the emotional, psychological and spiritual aspects? My sister-in-law had an abortion as a teenager. Although I have never approached the issue with her, my wife has. According to my wife, my sister-in-law still wonders about what the aborted fetus/child would have looked like today and feels remorse. I have heard that many women have the same reaction and many times regret their decision. I fully support an informed decision based on full knowledge – physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual – of the consequences of one of the biggest decisions a woman can make in terminating a pregnancy. Could it be that if Planned Parenthood did provide full knowledge and counseling to women regarding the significance and impact of their decision as well as other options that the number of abortions would decrease? I think the answer is obvious.
[...] comment on the abortion blog, a 2010s issue of personal eminent domain, pro-choice is the top seed argument. Euthanasia and [...]
[...] are critical of abortion-seeking women from getting mandatory ultrasounds prior to their procedure, yet endorse bills that [...]
[...] are critical of abortion-seeking women from getting mandatory ultrasounds prior to their procedure, yet endorse bills that [...]
[...] hard to believe, these are same people that are against birth control and planned parenthood.. Christians have abortions When will the hypocrisy end?? Who is the more foolish? The fool or the fool that follows him? [...]
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