I like to think I'm both. I don't necessarily agree with abortion and believe life begins at conception, but would never force my belief on a woman who may not hold the same principles. I have no room to pass moral judgment on someone with a different set of beliefs and I am saddened by pro-lifers who choose to criticize someone's personal decisions.
I'm a fan of life. I value it.
But I don't think the government has the right to tell any woman what medical procedures she can have on her body.
So - you can count me as Pro-Choice. (about so very many things..... abortion among them).
Also.... random add on...... I think the "except in the case of rape, incest or to save the life of the mother" is the most cowardly concession to the agrument conservatives have ever come up with.
I am like others. In a way both. For myself, I would never have an abortion but I do not pass judgement on those who do. We all have what we believe in and not everything is the right decision for everyone. We all have the right to our own decisions.
Pro life.... because i don't believe in killing babies (even in the case of rape... because the baby didn't commit the crime and shouldn't be punished to death).
And I really hate the "it's my body" argument... because it's not ONLY your body that is at stake. Another human being's LIFE is. You are KILLING someone because you are uncomfortable. This of it like this... two conjoined twins. One could stay alive without the other, but the other one could not live without the bigger twin. They are adults. Is it okay for the healthier twin to get rid of the unhealthy twin, murdering it?
I couldn't go through with an abortion , but I would never tell another woman what she can or cannot do with her body.
Pro choice
I am pro-choice. I do not believe the government or anyone else should be telling a woman what she can and cannot do regarding her body and her health. There are traumatic and life threatening situations that could cause severe trauma or death to the mother, therefore I would not want to endanger her.
Would I personally get an abortion? Honestly, I do not know. At this point, probably not. If it were life threatening, a result of a trauma/rape or even not an ideal time, I would consider it. I do not judge others who do have abortions and do not believe I (or anyone else) should have any influence over what others do.
Do I value life? Of course, I am not a baby killer, but I also value personal freedom and woman's rights to health decisions. My values and ideals should not be forced upon another person.
Pro-choice. I want the government intervening as little as possible in personal matters.
I can understand why people are pro-life though. I actually think it's one of the most defensible socially conservative stances.
Ooooohhh girl, you are BRAVE to ask that!! hahaha
But I am pro-life. I understand that there are some instances where a woman cannot help being impreganated, and that's a pain that I will never (and hope I won't ever!) fully understand, but I feel like 95% of the time pregnancies are preventable. And yes, parenthood can be stressful and terrifying and expensive and flat out inconvienent sometimes, but that's part of the consequences of sex. (or blessings if you can look at it glass-half-full)
I can quote scripture that gives you God's point of view of the beginning of life, and those words are very powerful to me, but I also know that they aren't to some people. So logically speaking, I can't understand how a government that charges a murderer with 2 counts of murder for killing a pregnant woman can also legalize abortion. If you could prove that a pregnant woman was considering abortion before she was murdered, would the murderer only be tried for 1 count? I can't understand how a society who mourns a miscarriage and greives with the mother can approve of abortion. Is the difference in a sorrowful miscarriage and a practical abortion simply based on the mother's desire for the child? Do we really value life according to the parents' want for the child? The inconsistencies are plain as day.
Scientifially speaking, at the moment of conception, a new set of DNA is created. A separate immune system develops. Another creature exists that meets all 7 scientific qualifications for a living being. Babies in utero get hiccups and have their own fingerprints. Yes, they may seem like just another part of a woman's body, and may be so dependent on her that perhaps that point is arguable. But is a 2 month old baby any less dependent on is mother than a fetus? Warmth, safety, nutrients...? No. Same situation. But we could legally "terminate" one and not the other.
I've watched dear friends and family struggle with infertility. I have dear friends and family who were rescued by adoption. We have family friends who never truly understood the ramifications of their abortions until carrying and delivering children years later. Never have I ever heard a woman wish for an abortion she never had. Motherhood is a powerful thing that many women obviously throw away in the fear of a moment, and as long as adoption is an option, I simply can't be pro-choice.
And for all you sweet bees claiming Christianity, the Word of your God states the He knit you together in your mother's womb and planned a future for you then. If you subscribe to this belief system, its an undebatable issue.
@rosworms: You have a right to your opinion, but please do not be so rude as to say some is killing another human being because they are merely "uncomfortable." What about when a mother's life is at risk? My aunt almost died because of complications and had to do an emergency abortion. If she didn't do it, she would have died. Should she have died for the sake of the baby? I do not believe so.
Also, a woman being raped did not do anything wrong or commit a crime. A young child who gets pregnant due to incest did nothing wrong. Should they be forced to carry a child? No. Are they merely "uncomfortable?" No. They were tramautized and can suffer from severe complications, both mentally and physically.
Sorry to threadjack everyone, but saying someone is "uncomfortable" with a pregnancy and therefore decides to get an abortion is outright uncalled for.
@bmo88: in rape cases, killing a baby does not undo the rape. i don't see how murder is an answer to rape. i really don't.
the only reason that abortion should even be considered is in a life/death situation. if the baby is too young to be able to survive on it's own and the pregnancy is putting the mother's life in danger, the only choices are either both die or one dies. obviously one death is better than two.
@bmo88: Of course, I am not a baby killer, but I also value personal freedom and woman's rights to health decisions.
[comment moderated for violating commenting guideline i. in Weddingbee's TOS - Penguin]
@rosworms: Having an abortion may not "undo" the rape, but preventing a full term pregnancy (whether via Plan B or an early stage abortion) can prevent further trauma. Like I said, it's your opinion and your choice. Just like I have my opinion and my choice. I just find it unbecoming to so harshly judge and call all people "baby killers" who have abortions when you do not know their personal situations or why they made the choices they did.
@bmo88: I wholeheartedly believe that there are situations (like the rape, incest, and medical emergencies described) that would severely test my stauch pro-life stance, but you gotta admit... a LOT of abortion proponents scream for women's rights, not for the safety of minors, or victims, or the medically fragile. The majority of (though not ALL) people taking advantage of abortion clinics aren't in one of those situations of severe trauma. Many could truly fall under the uncomfortable/scared/inconvienced/unprepared category. But I've never heard of a mother who wasn't at least a little bit of one of those things during pregnancy, even if she was in the stablest of home situations! Bottom line: 3% of abortions could pass as justified to a conservative. (rape, life-threatening, etc.) the other 97% couldn't. They just want out of a toughish situation. Bottomest line: THERE ARE SO. MANY. FAMILIES. WHO WANT THEIR "TOUGH SITUATIONS."
@CarolF: While I know there are many situations where people have conceived a child unexpectedly and are not prepared and therefore opt for an abortion. Regardless of what religous or conservative beliefs one might have, this country is founded on personal and religous freedom. Therefore, I do not see it appropriate that my beliefs should influence the personal decisions of others in this matter.
I respect your decision and your beliefs just as much as I respect a woman who decides to have an abortion (for whatever reason). While I may not agree with someone or some opinion, I can still be respectful of their choice. That is the beauty of living in a free country, having choice, not being told what you can and cannot do.
I really believe in pro life. I can't imagine ever stopping a baby's life. I understand that if you are raped, you might not want to continue the pregnancy, but there is always adoption. There may be a mother who can't have children and you can always find a good family for the baby.
@bmo88: A sexual assault that becomes a baby that can grow into a beautiful child that smiles and laughs and goes to school and kisses you goodnight and sings in the car and leaves teeth for the tooth fairy and gets crushes on classmates and.. and.. and.. andandand etc. etc.
You would rather make it go away, deal with the pain, and mark it as a complete loss? You woudln't want to point across the room at your child (or grandchild?!) and say, "Bad happened. But look what good I got for overcoming it." ?? Or maybe you can point to your child and his or her adoptive parents and say "One count of misery, produced one, two, THREE, counts of happiness." or four if you can count yourself!
Abortion will NOT heal the pain of rape, and a child won't either, but it MIGHT. You'd eliminate even the possibility?
If you use the term "baby killer" you lose all credibility in my eyes. I think we learned a really long time ago that name calling is childish.
That being said, I am Pro-Choice, but I do respect the opinion of Pro-Lifers (who do NOT call people such horrid things just because they don't share their views). I've heard many arguments that make sense for both sides, I just happen to believe in what I believe for my own reasons.
@bmo88: The rights to LIFE apply to everyone equally. At every stage. All people are CREATED equal. The rights to LIBERTY do not include freedom from consequences of actions. Its not the gov's job to pass out get-out-of-jail-free cards, especially when it infringes on the rights of others. (eg: the rights of a child to LIFE.)
And please don't mistake me for judgmental. Terrific people make bad decisions. I think the act of aborting a pregnancy is wrong, but I don't assume that the person is an inherently nasty human being because of that one decision. I'm just as judgeless as you, thanks.
@mrs-j-to-be: +1 (especially on the baby killer thing).
@CarolF: Like I said, it's your opinion. Other's have their opinions. Fortunately, personal freedom let's us make that choice for ourselves. It's not our place to decide what will and will not help a person heal.
Here we go again.....
for the record, I'm pro choice - and have no shame in saying so. its noones business what a woman chooses to do with her body no matter what the reason or circumstances, and noone has the right to tell her what to do, or judge her.
Until you've walked in someone's shoes.......
First, I reject the labels. You are either pro-choice or anti-choice. No one who is pro-choice is against life; that's just a right-wing propoganda talking point.
Second, full reproductive rights are absolutely essential to not only full economic freedom but full equality for women. History and all evidence shows that economic and social development of a country is strongly correlated with full equality, and specifically to reproductive freedom for women. Thus, we will continue to fall behind the rest of the developed world if we continue to vote for right-wing extremists who want to put women back 50 years.
Third, I couldn't care less about what anyone's personal morals are about abortion. Individual morals have zero place in policy making in a developed, free, civilized society. People can keep their religion-inspired "baby killing" propoganda in their churches. Frankly, I feel like like religious zealots need a new talking point because "killing babies" just sounds so juvenile and mindless IMO.
I don't believe in the concept of heaven and hell. But I do believe in karma. And I believe that a very special kind of karma will befall those anti-choice zealots whose goals in life are to harm women and dismantle women's health and reproductive freedoms.
What's worst in all of this is that those who are so rabidly opposed to women's reproductive rights are also opposed to every single thing that will prevent unwanted pregnancies in the first place: comprehensive sex education starting early, comprehensive family planning access and availability, strong public education, equal opportunities for women's careers, etc.
I'm not sure if people understand that as a direct result of extreme anti-choice policies in this country women are dying. They're dying. Not only are women resorting to self-induced abortions due to lack of access, but a recent study shows that these anti-choice policies have led to widespread arrests of and forced interventions of pregnant women! These bills are providing the basis for arresting women, locking them up, and forcing them to submit to medical interventions, including surgery. In 2011 alone state legislators introduced more than 1,100 reproductive health and rights-related provisions, and that's not even including the horridly frightening bills that Republicans in Congress have tried to push through, including personhood!
A recent study showed that most Americans under 30 don’t even know Roe was about abortion! If young women aren't aware of their grandmothers' fight and how many people lost their lives for that fight, I have very little hope for the future of humanity.
So please, while old white men are pushing through legislation based on their personal morals that negatively affect--in a life or death way--HALF OF OUR POPULATION, the anti-choice zealots can spare me the self-righteous, delusional, brainwashed talking points.
@javamonkey: I would never in my life carry a baby from a rape situation. Never ever.
I am totally pro choice. I support a womans right to decide, of course in the case of rape, incest, life threatening situations, but also I think we all have the right to have sex just for the fun of sex (not just to concieve) and your best option for doing that is to use contraceptives (pills / condoms / IUDs / etc). But sometimes contraceptives fail and sometimes people fail. If you are truly positive you dont want a kid, you definetly shouldn't bring an un-wanted, un-loved, un-cared for child to this world. There are way too many of those already. And I can't hardly believe most of the women who go get an abortion are people who think of it as an easy solution, there sure may be those cases, but I would say around 3% of them.
I want to have kids, I know it may be tough for me to have one (due to medical issues), but just because that is my situation, doesn't mean other women's rights should be diminished.
@amyj1276: You are either pro-choice or anti-choice. No one who is pro-choice is against life; that's just a right-wing propoganda talking point.
I hate to nit-pick, but claiming those who identify as being 'pro-life' are 'anti-choice' is just as much left-wing propaganda as your example was. Generally speaking, those who identify as being pro-life believe so for the sake of the unborn children and the unborn child's choices. Just because it isn't the choice you agree with does not, in my opinion, make it fair to label them as anti-choice. They just believe in choice different than yours, and we cannot make the statements that one choice is inherently "better" than the other.
Respect for ALL beliefs is pivotal here.
@amyj1276: Well said. I especially agree with the fact that so many people who are pro-life refuse to support measures that would cut down on unwanted pregnancies, like sex ed and accessible and affordable birth control.
Pro-Life, abortion has killed over 50,000,000 lives and counting. My brother was born premature, and at the same hospital, while doctors were fighting to keep him alive, there could have been doctors killing another baby the same age. Life begins at conception.
"I've noticed that everyone who is for abortion is already born.”
-Ronald Reagan
@CarolF: And please don't mistake me for judgmental. Terrific people make bad decisions. I think the act of aborting a pregnancy is wrong, but I don't assume that the person is an inherently nasty human being because of that one decision. I'm just as judgeless as you, thanks.
@rosworms: I do not even know where to begin. I have been lurking on this site for a few weeks and well....no words, really. [comment moderated for violating commenting guideline i. in Weddingbee's TOS - Penguin]
I'm pro-choice. To each her own. But I would never personally get an abortion.
This may just get long but I hope what I write is insightful for some. I understand both sides to this issue and this is how I interpret it.
To say it bluntly, I am pro-choice, and as long as the economic and social realities of this country remain that same. I do not know if I would be able to go through with an abortion myself, but I know women whom I love and respect who have had excellent reasons to have abortions. Specifically, I happen to have a couple of aborted "siblings." But I know that when this occurred, there were very good reasons for it which I won't share for the sake of respecting my mother's privacy. I do believe that she made the right choice given her circumstances.
Another thing that I take issue with is the idea of a pregnancy being a consequence. I think a baby should be brought into this world in a situation of love and joy, not as a punishment for some sort of perceived sin. I think this reads to me as more of an attempt to control the sexual behavior of women than a genuine effort to save the lives of unborn fetuses, which I understand as a valid viewpoint, just one that is different from my own.
I also take issue with this idea that life begins at conception. It is clear that is how it is in the biblical sense, but if you take it that way, then whatever deity you believe in is killing many, many unborn babies every day. Just think of how many times an embryo forms but does not implant, or how many babies are miscarried. And these are often instances of women who desperately want to have these children. I can't say there's any easy answer to when a baby moves from being a potential human to a human, but I kind of agree with a philosophical interpretation of this issue. Just because an acorn may one day become an oak tree, that does not mean that an acorn is an oak tree. Just because am embryo may one day become a person, that does not mean that an embryo is a person. That again, comes down to how you define personhood.
Additionally, I really think that there's a huge problem with social support in this country. If we really want to reduce the number of abortions, the very best way to do it is to promote safer sex practices and sex education, and to provide the sort of social infrastructure in which women who have unplanned pregnancies can carry them to term, and ideally raise the baby. The reality of the matter is that many women who become pregnant are undereducated about reproductive health and pregnancy prevention, and do not have the ability to pay the medical expenses associated with carrying and delivering a child, in addition to factors such as missed work due to appointments and the delivery itself. For some, unless they are supported monetarily through the pregnancy and birth, carrying to term is not a financial option.
Another important point, often repeated, is that there is a surplus of people on this planet, such that many are starving. Really, I don't think we're really doing the best thing by preempting the free will of women in order to further overpopulate a planet that cannot continue to provide the resources to sustain this kind of growth.
Ultimately, I cannot pretend to know every woman's situation. While I think it's a shame that there are women who really need to learn to be more responsible with their sexual health, and as a result have a number of abortions, if the state of sex education were better, or birth control more readily available, I don't imagine that this would be as much of an issue. If you are opposed to abortion, and I really can understand why, I don't think it's best to support banning abortion, because it has been shown that this does not really decrease the number of abortions, it just makes them unsafe. Instead, support better sex education and reproductive health care, and social support networks for those who may fall upon hard times and find themselves faced with a pregnancy that they can't afford to carry to term.
I am pro-choice. I would have an abortion if I found out I was pregnant tomorrow, without a doubt. I do not believe life starts at conception at all. People can do as they want in their lives, and I will try my best not to judge, but if anyone tries to tell me what I can and can not do with MY body, it will not be pretty.
@Cinderella92: Well, if you want to quote good old Reagan....he also said:
"Facts are stupid things." -at the 1988 Republican National Convention, attempting to quote John Adams, who said, "Facts are stubborn things"
"Trees cause more pollution than automobiles."
"All the waste in a year from a nuclear power plant can be stored under a desk."
He was so observant ;)
@maya2008: it's a very hot topic. i canNOT see how abortion is not murder. there is no way, in my eyes, that it is anything less. It's not baseless... it's based on the fact that i view unborn babies as BABIES.... human beings who should be able to live.
I won't say i'm not judgemental though... I DO judge people who think it's okay to kill another person just because they can't see them as people.
When I find out someone is okay with abortion (or has had one in a non life threatening situation), they just become a little more evil in my eyes.
I just want to say that so many people SO quickly jump on the train of "If you were raped you can always just adopt your baby out."
I'm sorry. But... were you ever raped? Did you ever have to stare someone in the eyes as they took advantage of your to your very core? Have you ever had to worry if that man would find you? Would come back and do it again? Have you lied awake at night scared to close your eyes because of the trauma you endured?
...And then grown that mans child inside your stomach for 9 months. Once again, giving everything you have to someone without a choice to do so? Having this child take part of you to grow itself? Dealt with the symptoms of pregnancy you may never have wanted?
.........And THEN given birth to that child, and given it up for adoption?
I find it absolutely appalling that people that think pro-choicers think that abortion is a cop out, an easy fix, are JUST as quick to jump to adoption. ADOPTION IS NOT AN EASY FIX EITHER!
And yes, I am sure there are plenty of 16 year old girls getting all knocked up and aborting the babies. I get that. And yes, maybe those kids SHOULD adopt their babies out. And HAVE to go through the pain of their choice. But am I to tell some 16 year old girl I don't know what she is allowed to do?
Do I agree with abortion in those situations where it IS legitimately just to get out of a tough situation? A bad choice? A drunken night and a forgotten condom? Asbolutely not.
Do I think that person who made that bad choice should be stripped of her choice to continue her pregnancy or forced to carry a child she does not want?
Absolutely not.
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