I realize I've never actually written a blog yet, but I'm in a frustrated mood at the moment and I'd really like to clear my mind of some thoughts.
So here's a random one:
Roe v. Wade and Pro-Life vs. Pro-Choice are terms everyone knows. Since the decision was handed down, thousands of groups have been formed supporting both sides. The Supreme Court has become almost totally a one-issue court.
But my religion teacher brought up an interesting point today. People who are against abortion are incredibly active in raising awareness, with newsletters handed out in church, the March for Life, etc. But all of these actions are trying to accomplish the same goal: get rid of abortion by making it an illegal practice. Reverse Roe v. Wade and everything will be solved... But in actuality, will it just be the end? My question I pose is do pro-life people truly work for other methods to abolish abortion besides fighting the law?
According to National Right To Life:
Social Reasons for Women having abortions(given as primary reason)
- Feels unready for child/responsibility 25%
- Feels she can't afford baby 23%
- Has all the children she wants/Other family responsibilities 19%
- Relationship problem/Single motherhood 8%
- Feels she isn't mature enough 7%
- Interference with education/career plans 4%
- Parents/Partner wants abortion <1%
http://www.nrlc.org/abortion/facts/reasonsabortions.html
Let's say the Decision does get reversed. How about the 16 year-old junior who feels she's not ready for the responsibility? Or the mother living in the slums and supporting herself through minimum-wage jobs and welfare? Don't get me wrong, I do not believe abortion is the right way to solve these problems. But even if Roe v. Wade is overturned, the problems of these mothers are still there...
If a life can be saved, that is amazing! But who am I to judge someone who does not have the support or stability to become a mother? I'll explore the topic deeper in the upcoming weeks, but I wanted to get my initial thoughts out. What are your opinions?
-Matthew
About Me
- Matthew
- An incoming college student with a lot on his mind.
14 comments:
So Matthew, are you pro-choice?
Politically, no.
But practically, I can see the thought process on why a woman would choose abortion. Simply resolving the poltical dilemma doesn't solve any problems of the reasons given by the NRL.
Say Roe v. Wade was reversed. Then what? We just told the mother what she can't do. Now what do you expect her to do? She still does not have the support necessary to go through with a pregnancy.
And "Anonymous", what's your stance? Both poltically and practically?
My stance: I'm politically pro-life. I've always thought I was pro-life... quite honestly, until I read your blog. I know exactly where you're coming from. But then I wrote an almost-1000-word essay for school based on your blog. I really did! Now I am... pro-life again. Do you want me to post the essay? (I wonder if you would even have time...)
BTW, do you care who "Anonymous" is? haha, cuz I can consider telling you. Unless you don't care =p lol
And Matt, so if there is enough support necessary for her to go through with a pregnancy... there would be no reason to choose abortion?
Hi hi Matt, wow, honored to be on your blogroll :P Thnx much. Heh, but could you do me a favor and take out the surname? I'm trying to minimize my surname availability on the internet... too much of my life is revealed on the web.
Anyway, haha, looks like we'll have to debate on this one, too. Yes, I see that you're not pro-choice politically, but there's a sentence in your last paragraph that disturbs me slightly..
"But who am I to judge someone who does not have the support or stability to become a mother?"
I think you need to define what you mean by 'judge.' Are you talking about the things that you, personally, are thinking? Or are you referring to your actions and choices, such as taking a stand for Life politically, through which some people would say you 'judge' the Pro-Choice person because you stand against them?
Just a thought. We'll have to talk about this. :D And I'll be checking in on your blog here and there.
Oh, and P.S. You mentioned the March for Life, and this post came to mind -- http://ebeth.typepad.com/van_goal/2006/01/the_march_for_l.html
-To "Anonymous"
Yeah, would definitely want to see your paper. I'm still learning more about the both sides, and I'd love all the opinions and information I can get on the issue.
And yeah, I have a guess on who you are ^_^ But either way, your choice.
And to your second point, obviously it justs depend on the situation. I would bet a mother who cannot afford to raise and support a child would more be inclined to one who is in a stable condition. But I think it comes down to personal stances and beliefs.
However, I am willing to make a bet that if pregnant mothers on welfare, or in high school, or whatever the case may be, had more support from the public as a whole, then abortion rates would decline. That's simply my opinion and feel free to provide evidence that proves me wrong.
-Matthew
Actually Matt, I see exactly where you're coming from and I don't think it's wrong at all. But do you know how much support they can get? Or what kind of support is available?
I'd be lying if I told you an affirmative yes to both questions. I have an idea, but I'd love to hear what you have to say (and to read the essay you've been talking about ^_^)
But just another thing, anonymous. I realize there must be plenty of non-profits and charitable groups working to provide a supportive environment for young mothers.
But when you mention support, the thing that pops to my mind isn't some "planned parenthood." It's jokes people make about teenage parents every single day. It's the ridicule the press gives Jamie Lynn Spears. It's the guys who point, laugh, and stare at mothers who look too young.
You see, drop-inn places and teenage parent shelters are nice. But how deep of an impact does that have when you're going to be looked at with shame for the rest of your life? I don't know, it just seems to me that society creates pressures and fears and a sense of helplessness for 19 and 20 year olds, and yet that same society sees mothers who abort their babies as vicious devils and bloodthirsty demons.
And also, please remember I'm not pro-choice, not at all. I'm just trying to see the POV for both sides.
-Matthew
Matt-
I find myself flip-flopping on this issue on occasion, but when it comes down to it, you can't fix it in the courts.
The court essentially ruled in Roe v. Wade that unborn babies are not protected by the rights of the constitution. Right or wrong, that's how it is. As far as I'm concerned, nothing short of a reincarnation of the Warren court will overturn this issue in the courts. So realizing that rights are denied to unborn babies, right or wrong, taking the right to manage her own body away from a perspective mother, and that won't be received well.
And even if it were to happen, it sounds brutal, but a doctor isn't the only person who can perform an abortion. Many women would seek riskier procedures that may not involve a medical professional at all, and that would be a tragedy.
So yes, politically, you would have to call me "pro-choice," although I find abortion as the direct opponent of individual responsibility, and a moral evil.
In a perfect world, although I understand it will never happen, I would like to see abortion made legal only in cases of rape and if the mother's life would be put in danger by giving birth. Otherwise, I would make the mother live with her mistake, go through with the birth, and go on with life.
Matt,
Do you think those mothers would be looked at with shame for the rest of their lives? A couple of years, maybe, but not forever. She will also look older as years go by and I can't imagine too many people trying to estimate her age, minus the kid's age, equals how old she was when she had him and so on. I'm open to your POV as to how it is "the rest of their lives."
But I agree with Burl: she has to live with her own mistake, go through with the birth, and go on with life.
And it's true when you say, "I don't believe abortion is the right solution..." So just because the mother doesn't want to be embarrassed, it doesn't mean that she can abort the baby...
I'll post the essay soon ^_^
Haha, in my first sentece I meant do you really think...
Anyway, this is just my opinion :)
matt, matt... i'm so depressed... you're not going to be here sunday?? we won't get to discuss this!?!??!?!
hahaha. hey, good luck with your solo :D and i wanna see that if it's on tape.
anyway, jumping back into this convo... two things caught my eye...
"But how deep of an impact does that have when you're going to be looked at with shame for the rest of your life?"
"I would like to see abortion made legal only in cases of rape and if the mother's life would be put in danger by giving birth."
First of all, this world is messed up and twisted. Not so very long ago, it was NOT AT ALL strange for a 17 yo to be a mother. Second, Life is Life, it's a gift from God, no matter what form it comes in. Meaning if it's there by 'accident' via rape or something, it was still PUT THERE BY GOD.
Matt, bottom line is, life is a gift from God. No matter how it gets there, it's given. Thus, we should NEVER view life as a "problem." Easier said than done, I know, but there are no such things as problems -- only the gifts of God and the choice to either retain or reject them. WE cannot judge if the child that COULD HAVE lived was the child that would have brought it's young, lost, worrying teenage mother to holiness. Matt, the whole point of our lives here on earth is to attain holiness. And God makes good come out of all 'bad' things, provided one is always seeking Him. We don't know! Maybe the teenage mother NEEDS that child to bring her to God!
You're right. Roe vs. Wade can't be reversed at this point. But it was one of the most disgusting points in history. All the founding fathers believed in God even if they were not all of the same denomination, they all believed that humans had God-given rights, and they wrote the Constitution for the purpose of UPHOLDING those rights. Roe vs. Wade = America no longer trying to tailor its laws to the points stated in the Constitution; rather, Americans are now trying to tailor the Constitution to fit their own godless desires.
I know if I'd get like an F if I tried writing a paper on this in public school. But the only accepted prejudice in America today is to be anti-Catholic, and if that's the way it's got to be, then by heaven, I mean to fight the tide with everything I've got.
In the end, when we stand before the throne of the Creator, no one will run forward to intercede for us, saying that we were considerate of their 'needs.' If we are truly looking out for the souls of others, then our obligation is to NOT uphold abortion AT ALL. If the person in question having the abortion is unaware of the sin that it is, that doesn't change the fact that they will have to answer for it in heaven, and so it is STILL our obligation to do anything in our power to PREVENT the sin EVEN IF THEY ARE UNAWARE OF WHAT IT TRULY IS. Thus we vote Pro-Life. :D
Haha I have so much more I want to say, but I gotta go now, so we'll talk more sometime... whenever I see you again, goodness! and this is more important than our other debate. Hahaha.
Matthew, hey, I'm just going to post excerpts of it:
'...The second main reason is that she feels she cannot afford the baby, like a mother living in the slums, supporting herself through minimum-wage jobs and welfare. Women with this problem usually obtain special financial help from the government. As a matter of fact, they get a lot more aid than other women. On-site prenatal care and distribution of baby and maternity items are also available.
...So how about the 16 year-old junior who feels she is not ready for the responsibility? Granted, unexpected pregnancy can become an interruption to education or career plans. To this concern, we must recognize the true priority in life and learn to appreciate life as a gift from God. Mother Teresa said, "So the mother who is thinking of abortion, should be helped to love - that is, to give until it hurts her plans, or her free time, to respect the life of her child." Easier said than done, but there is a consequence of every action done.
...The final hard case is rape or incest. This rarely happens as it is less than 0.5% among the women’s reasons why they have abortion. We must also realize that however the baby was conceived, it is God's plan. We never know, the baby might bring the mother closer to God. Spiritual and emotional healing is fostered also by the Pregnancy Center West.
...As Mother Teresa said, “It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish.”
...Pregnancy Center West is just one agency our region. There are others across the country, so let us encourage such women to seek help to these agencies rather than having abortion.'
This is really short-
http://www.itspowerful.com/pcw.html
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