Choice, freedom, and judgement.
I am devastated by the Supreme Court’s unanimous (are you kidding, with 2 women on the Court????) decision that will subject women seeking safe and legal terminations of pregnancy to abuse, disrespect and pain. Walking through a gauntlet of pro-life activists will be far more painful than the actual procedure, and will not change the woman’s mind.
When I was a junior in college, Roe versus Wade became the law of the land. No longer would women in the US be injured or die as a consequence of unsafe abortion practices, still one of the top six leading causes of death of childbearing women worldwide. “The WHO notes that in 2014 the major direct causes of maternal deaths globally are: severe bleeding/hemorrhage (27%), infections (11%), unsafe abortions (8%), high blood pressure during pregnancy (pre-eclampsia and eclampsia) (14%), obstructed labour (9%), blood clots/embolism (3%) and pre-existing conditions (28%).[3]” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maternal_death
Chosen abortion does not go away when it is prohibited. Prohibition has never worked, whether the prohibition was about alcohol, drugs, or abortion. The best and most inclusive public health approaches are legalization, guidelines for safe practice, and education. Prohibition serves only to create a black market that drives the activity underground, where citizens are subject to injury, prison, and death.
There is no way to change anyone’s beliefs about chosen abortion. For those who believe it is murder, they are free to avoid one. They are not free to make decisions for others who believe differently. No one wants to be murdered; chances of walking down the street or sleeping in one’s bed and being murdered are too real. Laws serve to protect all from this terrible crime. No one will be grabbed off the street and subjected to an abortion. Meanwhile, murder is a leading cause of death for pregnant women.
Many pregnant mammals (cats, dogs and rabbits to name but a few) have the ability to reabsorb their young if the environment is unfavorable. Today’s environment in the US does not favor mothering. Women are more likely to suffer domestic violence when they are pregnant. “Expectant mothers are more likely to die from murder or suicide than several of the most common pregnancy-related medical problems. . .” http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/26/us-deaths-pregnancy-idUSTRE79P7OK20111026 Birth control is expensive and also under political siege. Will it become dangerous for a woman to have sex with a man if this tide of judgmentally driven politics continues?
Birth control methods fail. Relationships end. Major illness develops. People make mistakes. All of these lead a woman to choose to do what is best for her, whether it be to carry to term and raise the child, relinquish it for adoption, or end the pregnancy early. Abortion is a natural occurrence. I myself have had some. There are two kinds of abortion: chosen, and spontaneous (aka miscarriage). Can you tell by my life, my work, and my children which kinds I have had?
