It All Comes Down To This

Abortion is a very controversial and emotional subject. I chose to do this entire blog on such a topic because many people are brainwashed by what they have heard from their family, friends, and other significant influences. People tend to think with their friends and not solely for themselves, which is where the disagreement begins: Pro Choice or Pro Life? Pro Choice is the belief in that a woman should be able to choose whether or not she should have an abortion. Pro Life is the decision where life is over choice and that it's otherwise an act of murder.

Throughout this long journey of finding out what I truly believed in pertaining to this topic, I decided to interview an abortion doctor at a clinic in Homewood, AL. I learned that it was more realistic to keep abortion legal and that women's health would not be in as much danger when compared to what women did before abortion was made legal. Then, after reading Back Rooms: Voices from the Illegal Abortion Era it really strengthened my opinion which started gravitating torwards pro choice. It talked of women who grew up while abortion was illegal and painted the emotional trauma of how it impacted their lives of not having any options. The book was the voice of the women who didn't have generations before us.

After studying about this topic over the course of several weeks, it dwindles down to my final opinion which is pro choice. I am pro choice because I believe a law should not be made to make every woman's decision. Pro life is considered apart of pro choice. You can CHOOSE to be pro life, and not have an abortion. However, if abortion were made illegal all choices are out the window. You're stuck with the belief of pro life. You can argue and debate over when life really begins (which I actually did a blog on) and the moral values that this nation was founded on, but you can't deny the fact that a woman has a right to choose. It is her body. It's not the government's. It's not the campaigner's. It's HERS.

Overall, this project was very educational in many different ways. I learned how to research, improve my blogging, and many other things as well. Some things I wish I would have done differently was probably get more involved with my topic. I could have gone to a pro choice organization or something of that nature. I also wish I would have studied more on the scientific side of the issue and not just emotions of women and other pro choicers/lifers. In the end, I'm glad I did the project and now have a much better understanding of the debate about abortion.

Confidential Interview

As I interviewed an abortion doctor from Homewood, AL who is currently occupied at Brookwood Medical Center I was a bit irritated at the fact that she would wish to remain anonymous. Not so much irritated with the fact that she would rather remain anonymous in general, but for the sake of her life because she is an abortion doctor. When I asked her why she took on such a risky job she stated that she was "committed to providing care to the women of our nation under the principles on which it was founded. All people deserve choices in their healthcare. Women deserve the right to choose to continue (or not continue) a pregnancy." She later went on to say that the biggest pro and con of the entire situation is that it is the woman's body, therefore it is her decision. However, the biggest con is not the typical death of the baby but more so a burden on the individual who follows through with the abortion. The clinics provide a post operation appointment as well as therapy, but many refuse because they would rather "forget that the situation even occured". Many will also argue that the birth control pill is the same as an abortion in that it kills an embryo. She simply defends this by comparing the two in different view points. The pill is used to PREVENT the egg from being fertilized, meanwhile an abortion is used to remove a fertilized egg. This then carries over to the burning question "What do you think would happen if abortion were made illegal?". She describes the outcomes as detrimental, lethal, and deadly. Sad to think about when considering we are the "Land of the Free".

After the interview with the certified abortion doctor, it really impacted me in a way I've never felt before. I still believed what I believed, but in a different way. She inspired me to be more passionate about the care for women instead of just blatantly saying women deserve rights. You can read all that you want on the internet, magazine articles, and commercials, however, there is nothing like actually sitting down and talking to someone about something so vulnerable. What upset me the most was the fact that she would rather remain anonymous for her own personal safety and the safety for her staff at the clinic. What has happened to this country? The fact a doctor cannot reveal his/her identity for safety reasons is beyond me.

C.B. Personal interview. 4 April 2010.

Back Rooms: Voices from the Illegal Abortion Era

In the book Back Rooms: Voices from the Illegal Abortion Era by Ellen Messer and Kathryn E. May, it goes back and interviews women before abortion was legal. The main point of the book is to show the this obscure legalization of abortoin now and for the future should be compared with how women had to deal with such a burden in the past. The emotion throughout the book remained largely depressing due to the women in the novel not being able to lean on their family or anyone during such an emotional time in their life. They would have to resort to back allies and different at-home methods that would end up abusing their health and sometimes death.

A woman from the novel, Liz, states that she, "would have been more prepared and all our lives would have been so much easier. Even though I love my children dearly, I regret that I did not have an abortion when I was given the option. I should never have let others influence my decision" (Messer, and May 63). After letting this sink in, it makes me sick to stomach to think about how other's opinoins and influences are so ignorant and demanding, that they see no other way but theirs. Sure, stand strong for your beliefs, but respect the beliefs of others as well. I could not imagine living in such a time period where it was illegal. If women feel prosecuted now, imagine how they felt before our generation of it being legal? Women before this time often felt that if they were successful in getting an abortion, they often viewed it as a life-affirming action because they now had a second chance at fulfilling their goals.

In another abstract from the novel, it describes a woman who was a "suspected criminal" for having an abortion. Yet, the flip side of this is about halfway through her pregnancy, she began to miscarry. She began to have excruciating pain and major bleeding. However, because terminating a pregnancy was illegal, she was guilty until proven innocent of having aborted herself. Keep in mind, not only was she upset over the loss of the miscarried baby she was carrying around, but the emotional stress and contemplation of suicide sat like a weight on her shoulders while the court tried to prosecute her. Things like an abortion effect ALL women, not simply those who are pro-choice or women who seek to have an abortion.

This novel only shows the voices of the survivors and those who are even able to talk about their experience. Many women out there have been stripped from life, freedom, and happiness. Because they had to remain silent, the novel provides a way to demonstrate what women would have to endure if abortion were illegal like the generations before us.

Messer, Ellen, and Kathryn May. Back Rooms: Voice from the Illegal Abortion Era. Buffalo: Prometheus Books, 1994. Print.

A (Possibly) Happy Birthday

The video is a commercial promoting pro-life decision making. It is basically a montage of pictures of happy children laughing and playing to the tune of happy birthday. It begs the question, "Will it have a first birthday?" The video works to appeal to the viewer's emotions. However, at the end, it steps out and draws a parallel between abortion and statism, showing a picture of a line of tanks.

This video, like the rest of the never ending parade of pro-life videos, does indeed work to manipulate the viewer's emotions. However, it all draws off of one base assumption - that the baby's life will be a joyful one. There is no telling what kind of life the baby might have if it were born. It might be abused by a crack whore mother that didn't want it, or kidnapped and tortured, or sexually abused by its father. No one knows. When you realize this, there's that sudden feeling of "Oh wait..." And as for comparing abortion to statism (a system of institutionalized violence and perpetual civil war, that leaves men no choice but to fight to seize power over one another), personally, I think that's just a bit dramatic. But I guess that's up to each viewer.

"New Pro-Life Campaign." Web. 12 May 2010. <">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U85LKzAI62M>.

Oh, the Irony

Katha Pollit conveys a very unique and critical look at the abortion debate in her article. She shows what abortion has become - a taboo topic, one that she compares to smoking crack. She makes several humorous and ironic remarks such as "[Abortion] needs to be legal for reasons of abstract principle ('choice')." She shows the almost unbelievable double standards that America has set, firmly trying to destroy methods of birth control preventions while these are the only things that can buffer abortion rates. She goes on to explain the fecklessness of the zero abortion mentality and how with a little tolerance we can be at peace.

I think Pollit's piece is a pivotal work of pro-choice tolerance. She makes many good points, but what makes her piece truly outstanding is that she plays it so bluntly. She recognizes that zero abortion is an impossible idea, and that people will never agree on abortion stances. What she does is pleads for tolerance, and shows just how hypocritical the many faces of the whole abortion debate are. What she shows is true; abortion has truly stayed legal not because people want it, but because it just "has to be there." Maybe people have forgotten what this country was really founded on.

Politt, Katha. "Let Us (Not) Pray." The Nation. The Nation, 2010. Web. 21 April 2010. http://www.thenation.com/article/let-us-not-pray

The Truth About Ignorance

In the article, Chuck Baldwin presents his (very strong) opinions on abortion, and then moves on to criticiaze the government and the character of American citizens themselves. He portrays abortion as nothing more than murder, and the people who advocate it as murderers. He presents few statistics to back up his claims. He says that pro-abortionists have a complete and total disregard for human life and that human life begins at the moment of conception.

Chuck Baldwin comes in swinging like a raving lunatic - spouting off random opinions and statistics with no sources. He claims that his hometown had a 39% abortion rate in 2003, a statistic with no research to back it up (not to mention it doesn't cover the national level). But he doesn't stop there; he goes on to claim that the mother's womb is the most dangerous place to be, the point at which most people would stop and think, "Does this man actually have a brain?" He takes one of the most horrid examples of a slippery slope fallacies I've ever witnessed - apparently just because abortion is allowed we will be killing old people next. It's nothing more than crazed anti-abortion ranting. Afterwards, he goes on some long, and just as nonsensical, tangent about the government and degrading morals of America... apparently he ran out of things to say about abortion but just felt the need to keep on spouting. Typical.

Baldwin, Chuck. "The Truth About Abortion." News With Views. NewsWithViews.com, 2009. Web. April 16, 2010. http://www.newswithviews.com/baldwin/baldwin563.htm

What is ProLife?

In the article on christiananswers.net, the author presents their definition of what abortion is. They interpret it as nothing more than the act of murdering a human being. Nothing more nothing less. The author presents this act as completely unjustified, as the developing fetus is totally innocent. The author then moves on to criticize people who hold the stance that says they are both pro-life and pro-choice on the topic of abortion, such as: "I'm personally against abortion, but I don't object to a woman who wants to have one if she believes it is the right thing to do." The author calls this position completely hypocritical, claiming that it is morally wrong to take this stance.

After a thourough reading of the article, it should be obvious to any logical reader that this article was written by a completely biased and almost uneducated sounding woman. The article starts off with an invariably nonsensical claim of "The unborn entity is fully human from the moment of conception." Even though it has been decided in judicial courts all over America that an unborn fetus cannot be considered a human being until the age of viability (approx. 22 weeks into the conception period). Despite this incontraversible evidence, she sticks to her ignorant claim that we are human from the moment of conception, seemingly ignoring all conceived evidence manifested by the intellects of America. She also claims that the "killing" is unjustified. However, while it is not even considered killing since the fetuses are younger than the age of viability, it is justified. The abortion may save the life of the mother, keep her out of financial strife, or prevent a lifetime of abuse and neglect for the future baby. She rationalizes her whole argument to one point - that abortion is morally wrong because it is the murder of innocents. It is a faulty, oppinionated argument, one that has been repealed over and over again in court, yet ignorance persists.

Beckwith, Francis. "What is Pro-life? Can one be both pro-life and pro-choice?". Christian Research Institute. 2010 http://www.christiananswers.net/q-sum/q-life001.html

The video clip previously posted greatly summarizes the entire view of what "ProChoice" really stands for. Many tend to forget that it is a woman's body- it is her own. In the clip, it even symbolizes the government rule over women with a simple branded "Property of the U.S. Gov't" on the lower right hip. This reflects of what could be if abortion were to be illegal. In the last part of the clip, "Lose your choice. Lose your freedom." concludes the entire video in that we live in a country that is supposedly free. Without the woman having her own choice, who is to say we are truly living in the "land of the free"?

Although the video clip is very short, I feel that is says all that is needed to be said. A woman's right to abortion is her right. Not the U.S. Government's, not her dad's, not her boyfriend's, not her husband's, not her mother's- it is HER choice. It's devastating that abortion has become this ignorant. From "killing babies" and killing doctors who perform abortions clearly show that these "ProLifers" do not have their priorities in order. I believe it is the woman who goes through the depression during pregnancy. It is the woman who has to carry around a fetus for nine months. It is the woman who has to go through child birth. And in many cases, it is the woman who will take full responsibility for the child. If a woman is responsible for all of these things, then shouldn't she have the full right to decide whether or not she wants to have an abortion?

"ProChoice". Arykafilms. 2010 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XR88NRTgIV4&feature=related

Who's to say when life begins?

Many people will argue that a human life begins at conception. However, ask yourself this: If a fire breaks out in a fertility clinic, and you can only save a Petri dish with five blastulae or a two year old child, which one do you save if they are "equal"? According to catholiceducation.org, the website resists pro choice in stating that "it is patently arrogant that we, as adults, get to decide for the most vulnerable of our society- our unborn children, who cannot speak for themselves- who lives and who dies." Yet, the website never mentions rape cases and the mental trauma a full out pregnancy can bring on the woman. Many christian-based answers to when life begins would naturally be conception, when the sperm meets the egg. However, women have an egg every month that dies but that is not considered a "human life". Elaborating on that topic they will fight and say that "life is a continuous cycle of developing" but how can it be considered a human being when it still relies on the mother to stay alive. The developing of the baby depends on the mother and is therefore not an independent individual. Yes, it has 46 of it's own chromosomes, but the fertilized egg will not survive unless fully dependent on the mother's will.

Throughout the article, the website bashes pro choicers in stating that the pro choicers are wrong in that they believe that life does not begin until birth. Who is to say that the christian way is right? Who is to say that a law should make every woman's decision? To determine when life truly begins you must really study your beliefs on life itself. Why can't life just be as simple as: Abortion is legal: If your beliefs believe otherwise, don't get one. Stop forcing your beliefs on others. It's not getting us any closer to world peace.

Dougherty, Jon. "Life begins at Conception". Catholic Education Resource Center. 2010 http://www.catholiceducation.org/directory/Current_Issues/Abortion/

Bible vs Reality

On actionnetwork.com, a doctor was interviewed expressing his own personal opinion on abortion. He vividly states "He asked me, 'How many children are you going to kill today?' My response, out of anger, was a familiar vulgar retort. About three months later, this born-again Christian called me to explain that he was against abortion but his daughter was only a junior in high school and was too young to have a baby and he was also afraid that if she did have a baby she would not want to put it up for adoption." The interview later carries on that the same guy who was rebuting abortion brought his daughter back for a second time. The doctor simply replied back with the fact that he would only perform the procedure unless SHE wanted it, specifically wanting just her decision, not her father's.

This article is crucial pertaining to the debate of abortion. Many will fight from a biblical standpoint, but should one religion's morals make the choice for every woman in America? In the abstract above, he states "All I need to know is that SHE wants an abortion," thus exemplifying that a woman should be able to make her decision and not let someone else make it for her. Should the daughter in the previous passage have to keep such a secret from her father? In all honesty, I see that just as cruel as you see abortion. Many "religious" individuals seem to forget other moral values when they begin bashing women who have had abortions or are pro choice. This is America, land of the free. A woman should have her own right to do whatever she feels is best for her.

Joyce, Arthur. "When the Anti-Choice Choose". Action Network. March 25, 2010 http://www.prochoiceactionnetwork-canada.org