Abortion

[bluet]

All this talk is very lofty, but have any of you raised a child from fetus to adult? It is difficult and a lot of work. Unless you are willing to take on the responsibility for all the children you want to save or know how to do it, then I say the point is moot.

[ErnieBerla]

I was encouraged to post on this, even though it goes against my better judgement. I am pro-choice, but discourage it used as a form of birth control. That being said, at the young age of 20, I had one. I wasn't raped or assaulted. My boyfriend (now husband) and I had a failure of our birth control. I got pregnant. I was faced with the most difficult decision of my life. We were a very new couple. We decided to have an abortion. I didn't feel like I was killing a child. I still don't. It was a ball of cells. I had regrets for awhile. I no longer do. If I hadn't done that, I probably wouldn't have my wonderful husband or my two beautiful daughters. So, next time you judge someone, walk a mile in their shoes. I'm quite sure a few of you are going to get on my case for this, but I had my reasons. I stand behind those reasons. If you were faced with this decision, how do you know what you would choose? I certainly didn't, but at least I had the legal choice.

[Suzanne]

Thank you for sharing your personal experience ErnieBerla. I am also glad that abortion is legal, it would be horrific if our country were to revert back to the back ally doctors and the coat hanger method. This is what would happen if abortion was to become illegal. In this situation, you are correct, you may not have only lost your ability to have viable children, you may have lost your life.

I have often said that my personal belief about abortion should not be a factor when discussing the topic. I stand behind this. I am pro choice, period. Who the hell am I to interfere with another human being's body, or the personal choices they make? For me, this is the issue. I take morality out of the equation, morality lives inside a human being's body, I have no right to interfere with that either.

You will recieve no judgements from me, I am in no position to make any, and neither is anyone else.

[johnson1010]

All that moral posturing used by "morals" voters or advocates is nothing but that, posturing.

Studies have shown the abysmal record of abstinence only sex-ed, which is often the only form that they will allow.

It is far far better for a person who KNOWS they cannot be a parent at that time to terminate the pregnancy than it would be for them to have the baby and be ill-prepared to raise it. Should we push these people into lives filled with alcoholism, spouse abuse, neglectful relationships, poverty, and child abuse?

The fact is that more than likely everyone reading this message has had some less-than responsible sex in their time. The thing that seperates you from the people who have had to make this decision is not moral high ground, but luck.

[MidnightCoder]

I was encouraged to post on this, even though it goes against my better judgement. I am pro-choice, but discourage it used as a form of birth control. That being said, at the young age of 20, I had one. I wasn't raped or assaulted. My boyfriend (now husband) and I had a failure of our birth control. I got pregnant. I was faced with the most difficult decision of my life. We were a very new couple. We decided to have an abortion. I didn't feel like I was killing a child. I still don't. It was a ball of cells. I had regrets for awhile. I no longer do. If I hadn't done that, I probably wouldn't have my wonderful husband or my two beautiful daughters. So, next time you judge someone, walk a mile in their shoes. I'm quite sure a few of you are going to get on my case for this, but I had my reasons. I stand behind those reasons. If you were faced with this decision, how do you know what you would choose? I certainly didn't, but at least I had the legal choice.

I've been exactly where you and your BF were, and know exactly how this is from the male perspective. It takes guts to post this the way you did, on the board you did, and I commend you for it. Nicely done.

[Suzanne]

ErnieBerla and MidnightCoder have brought out a point that many miss on this topic. The choice of terminating a pregnancy is oftentimes discussed between the partners, and family members. This is not an option that is taken without great consideration and thought. Again, thank you both for coming forward with your stories.

It is disturbing that many women do not have close bonds with people who they can consult before making this decision. It is painful to think that some women rely on public opinion, and feel that they may be ostricised for their want of an abortion. This fear can lead to an unfortunate situation continuing, for a very long time. Babies are still thrown into garbage cans because their young mothers feel they cannot tell anyone they are pregnant, or trust anyone to ask about birth control. Sex is a natural impulse, sorry, but "morality mindlessness" needs to be checked, if young women felt safe to talk about birth control, many unwanted pregnancies would not occur.

Young women, all women, need safe havens to discuss options without judgements passing. ErnieBerla commented that she may receive judgements on her story, I want to state that my confidence in the members of BT has not wavered. The support given within these posts to those choosing abortion is not a suprise to me.

[wilde]

I believe life starts at birth, not conception. I'm very pro choice, except after the first trimester, but that's illegal anyway, right (correct me if I'm wrong)?

[Suzanne]

The law allows for abortions before a fetus is viable. The key word is viable in this situation. Yes, I do believe partial birth abortions are illegal, as they should be.

[Grand Moff Vixen]

The following is how I believe on the subject. I quote this from someone else who once spoke on the matter:

“Every woman has, within the limits of nature, the right to choose what will or will not happen to her body. Every woman has, at the same time, the responsibility for the way she uses her body. If by her choice she behaves in such a way that a human fetus is conceived, she has not only the right to but also the responsibility for that fetus. If it is an unwanted pregnancy, she is not justified in ending it with the claim that it interferes with her right to choose. She herself chose what would happen to her body by risking pregnancy. She had her choice. If she has no better reason, her conscience should tell her that abortion would be a highly irresponsible choice.

“What constitutes a good reason? Since a human fetus has intrinsic and infinite human value, the only good reason for an abortion would be the violation or deprivation of or the threat to the woman’s right to choose what will or will not happen to her body. Social, educational, financial, and personal considerations alone do not outweigh the value of the life that is in the fetus. These considerations by themselves may properly lead to the decision to place the baby for adoption after its birth, but not to end its existence in utero.

“The woman’s right to choose what will or will not happen to her body is obviously violated by rape or incest. When conception results in such a case, the woman has the moral as well as the legal right to an abortion because the condition of pregnancy is the result of someone else’s irresponsibility, not hers. She does not have to take responsibility for it. To force her by law to carry the fetus to term would be a further violation of her right. She also has the right to refuse an abortion. This would give her the right to the fetus and also the responsibility for it. She could later relinquish this right and this responsibility through the process of placing the baby for adoption after it is born. Whichever way is a responsible choice.”

[Suzanne]

the only good reason for an abortion would be the violation or deprivation of or the threat to the woman’s right to choose what will or will not happen to her body.

If it is an unwanted pregnancy, she is not justified in ending it with the claim that it interferes with her right to choose.

So which one is it, can "someone else" tell me?

Social, educational, financial, and personal considerations alone do not outweigh the value of the life that is in the fetus.

"Someone else" is not taking into consideration that social, educational, financial and personal reasons are factors that must be considered by the woman who has the legal right to choose whether or not to terminate a pregnancy. I stress the "personal" reasons, because the choice is personal. If you take out the personal reasons, you take out the choice. A woman has the right to choose what her personal reasons are, a woman has the right to use these reasons when making a decision to terminate a pregnancy, a woman has the right to choose what happens to her body.

“Every woman has, within the limits of nature, the right to choose what will or will not happen to her body.

Every woman has, within the limits of the law, the right to choose what will or will not happen to her body.

To force her by law to carry the fetus to term would be a further violation of her right. She also has the right to refuse an abortion.

"Someone else" has written a few paragraphs containing words such as right, and choice but the message of these few paragraphs is clear. "Someone else" feels women have no rights, and no choice as to what happens to her body. Either the right and choice is there, or it is not. "To force her by law to carry the fetus to term would be a further violation of her right". The law is clear, the law enables women to choose.

a human fetus has intrinsic and infinite human value

Women have intrinsic and infinite human value, an embryo has the potential for human life. Without the right, and the choice provided to women to terminate unwanted pregnancies, women die, and babies are stuffed into garbage cans. Without the right to choose living human beings suffer. And it is this suffering that "someone else" is not taking into consideration. No one has the right to put restrictions on a woman's right to choose, or the reasons behind that choice.

The woman’s right to choose what will or will not happen to her body is obviously violated by rape or incest. When conception results in such a case, the woman has the moral as well as the legal right to an abortion because the condition of pregnancy is the result of someone else’s irresponsibility, not hers.

"Someone else" needs to explain to me why a embyro concieved by rape or incest has less intrinsic and infinite human value than any other embryo. Why is it moral to terminate under these circumstances, is the fetus less human? Using rape and insest as a reason to terminate a pregnancy relies on social and personal stigmas, uses social and personal reasons.

The following is how I believe on the subject. I quote this from someone else who once spoke on the matter:

If you are going to use the words of "someone else", please give them the credit, and name them.