In light of yesterday’s assassination of Dr. George Tiller, I felt compelled to re-post my statement on abortion.
- I wish, that from this moment on, no woman would ever have to make the decision to have an abortion.
- I wish contraceptives, including the morning after pill, would always be readily available to all women.
- I wish that all young people would be taught age appropriate sex and health education.
- I wish that all young people would be taught that abstinence is a legitimate choice, at the same time they get clear information about all forms of contraception.
- And I wish that abortion would always be safe and legal and available to all women.
Monday, June 1, 2009
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4 comments:
The news of the assassination of Dr George Tiller hasn't reached our shores yet and I'm not sure that it will...
Abortion is something that I feel very strongly about, I know quite a few girls who have had them (shockingly) and some more then one. While I do believe that we all have the right to chose, abortion should not be used as contraceptive. Living in a 3rd world country, there are just so many people around us who are uneducated and who are vulnerable to the cheap and nasty (often fake) doctors out there. We also have many traditional "healers" in South Africa (and the rest of the continent) who do not care for their "patient's" safety at all. It's frightening.
I met a girl a while back, when Jake was a baby, who'd had an abortion. She'd come to my house with a group of friends and wanted to see my sleeping baby. I took her through to the room and she ended up breaking down and sobbing her heart out over the child she'd aborted. Her baby would've been about the same age as mine and the realisation that she could've had something so precious of her own and that she'd chosen to destroy it, was just too much for her.
While I do believe that there are times when abortion is necessary and I do believe people have their rights to chose; I think that being a mother has just made me realise that there's just no way that I could take a life, no matter how young. Children are such precious gifts. I also know too many women who have chosen not to abort pregnancies after their doctors have advised them to and who now have totally healthy kids running around.
We could talk forever though and kids still wouldn't listen. I know though, that I WILL teach my son to be very careful with what he does as he grows up. It's all about taking responsibilty for your actions...
Whoops... sorry - didn't realise I was basically going to comment an entire post's worth...
I wish the same things too. I wish violence wasn't the answer for so many people too.
Hi Sue -
Thank you for your thoughtful and heartfelt comment.
You and I are in agreement. Abortion should not be used as a substitute for contraception. And ideally, I wish that no woman had to choose an abortion, ever again.
By the same token I believe abortion should always be safe and legal. The fake or just lousy doctors you describe remind me of what women had to face before abortion was legal her in the U.S. We refer to them as "back alley" abortions - illegal and dangerous.
Excellent, age appropriate health and sex education is vital, as is access to affordable contraceptives. Also, women need to be supported about bringing a child to term and giving it up for adoption.
- Lee
Hi DMM -
Violence as a response is shocking.
I wish their energies were channeled into supporting age appropriate sex and health education, affordable and accessible contraception, adoption services, affordable day care, paid maternity leave, health insurance - the list is long; the alternatives many.
- Lee
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