This is my 2010th post. It is, i am sure you have noticed, 2010, so a nice symmetry for me to comment on. I like numerical patterns greatly:)
This is particulalry a good post to be notable, as i am a passionadvocate of a woman’s right to aortion. Pro-life, what a stupid phrase, i am pro the life of the woman, i am sarecely pro death:). Pro-choice, again, not as annoying, but not ideal, as some women are in situations where this isn’t so much choice as desperate need.
I would be happier if we had a society where a woman wouldn’t have to make this ‘choice’ – where rape, incest, poverty, did not drive women to face this need, where they had cheap and easy access to contraceptives, where religious intolerance wouldn’t cause fear and shame for unmarried women still. Where there was adequate sexual education, and access to contraceptives for teenagers – yes, they will have sex, all the pledges and moral lectures on the world are battling against hormones, and a brain that literally has not fully physically matured in the area that recognises consequence.
I am pro freedom to do what is needed to contuinue your life in quality. Women do not hve abortions for fun, noone gets paid to have one, and it is a terribly painful decision. I am intensely grateful i have never had to make the choice, but the procedure is formed for difficult miscarriages (that don’t complete), and other gynecologeical complications – i have had both those situations, and despite the best intentions of medical staff, it is moderately revolting to have any sort of invasive procedure. I can only imagine the relief of women who are lucky enough to be able to safely access the non surgical intervention method, the pills that are abotificats when taken early in pregnancy, and can provide an uncomplicated termination.
I have read the article below before, but it NEVER fails to make an impact. I make further comments below.
When the Anti-Choice Choose
By Joyce Arthur (copyright © September 2000)
Abortion is a highly personal decision that many women are sure they’ll never have to think about until they’re suddenly faced with an unexpected pregnancy. But this can happen to anyone, including women who are strongly anti-choice. So what does an anti-choice woman do when she experiences an unwanted pregnancy herself? Often, she will grin and bear it, so to speak, but frequently, she opts for the solution she would deny to other women — abortion.
In the spring of 2000, I collected the following anecdotes directly from abortion doctors and other clinic staff in North America, Australia, and Europe. The stories are presented in the providers’ own words, with minor editing for grammar, clarity, and brevity. Names have been omitted to protect privacy.
“I have done several abortions on women who have regularly picketed my clinics, including a 16 year old schoolgirl who came back to picket the day after her abortion, about three years ago. During her whole stay at the clinic, we felt that she was not quite right, but there were no real warning bells. She insisted that the abortion was her idea and assured us that all was OK. She went through the procedure very smoothly and was discharged with no problems. A quite routine operation. Next morning she was with her mother and several school mates in front of the clinic with the usual anti posters and chants. It appears that she got the abortion she needed and still displayed the appropriate anti views expected of her by her parents, teachers, and peers.” (Physician, Australia)
“I’ve had several cases over the years in which the anti-abortion patient had rationalized in one way or another that her case was the only exception, but the one that really made an impression was the college senior who was the president of her campus Right-to-Life organization, meaning that she had worked very hard in that organization for several years. As I was completing her procedure, I asked what she planned to do about her high office in the RTL organization. Her response was a wide-eyed, ‘You’re not going to tell them, are you!?’ When assured that I was not, she breathed a sigh of relief, explaining how important that position was to her and how she wouldn’t want this to interfere with it.” (Physician, Texas)
There are many similar tales, some even more surprising in their blind hypocrisy. Original post had them all due to my lack of editing while using Posterous to post, but i have edited for brevity. Just follow the link to be gobsmacked further. However, let me just say a few things.
Hypocrisy is not unheard of in religion, or any belief system come to that. People are complex, their lives and situations are complex, and the problem with black and white views is that life ISN’T black and white, it is vivid technicolor with shades and spectrums.
However here is a series of stories about women who, facing unplanned pregnancy, decided to have abortions. I have no problem with this. What is astonishing is the woman handing out anti abortion leaflets in the waiting room, the one who snuck in – and went back to picketing outside the following week. The one who insisted it was still murder – and the staff were all murderers. Yet, they all still wanted their abortion.
What sort of mental ability to divide reality like that must these women have? What makes THEIR abortion ok, and not someone else’s? How can they avail themselves of these services, and not be grateful they were their when needed, and support them as the right of all women???
