For decades, the debate over abortion has raged and further intensified after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. There are some important truths that have not been included in the conversation, and that ends now.
The first truth is that too many abortions is NOT the problem, it is but a symptom of the problem, which is too many unwanted pregnancies. Minimizing unwanted pregnancies will end the need for abortion clinics and mail order abortion medications. How do we significantly reduce unwanted pregnancies?
There are three methods other than abstinence. Birth control medications are safe and should be made available. Devices such as condoms and IUDs can be provided. There are intimate activities in which the sperm and egg will not meet. The problem is that those folks who see abortion as a crime based on their Bible, will find these three methods forbidden by their Bible. If individual religious beliefs are allowed to stymie an attempt to minimize abortions this would be a violation of our First Amendment which prohibits the establishment of a national religion.
A second truth which has been withheld from the population is that the labels used to identify the opposing parties are incorrect. A person who is Pro Life, would be concerned about more than the unborn fetus. There would be concern for the mother, before, during and after the birth, and the life of the baby would be a priority. The
availability of proper medical care and nutrition for the baby would be a primary objective. When the child reaches school age, the Pro Lifer would make sure that the available education would be a foundation for a good life.
Similarly, somebody who is Pro Choice would ensure that the woman considering abortion would have proper information about all options. If she wanted to terminate the pregnancy due to financial concerns, the Pro Choice organization would supply sufficient funding to allow for the child’s birth. If the expectant mother believed that she was not ready to be a parent, the Pro Choice organization would support the woman and seek to assist in the adoption process.
The final truth is that many Americans are unsure about their stance on abortion. What follows is a brief story which ends with a question. How you answer that question can determine your true position of abortion.
A young man has a life-threatening kidney disease. If he does not get a proper replacement kidney, he will die in six months. After much research, only one person is found who can supply the needed kidney, and that person is the man’s father.
Unfortunately, the son and father have no use for each other. When told that he could save his son’s life by donating a kidney, the father refused.
The question is, “Should the government require the father to supply the needed kidney?” If you answered Yes, you are definitely Pro Life since the life of the child overrides the wishes of the parent. If your response was NO, you are definitely Pro Choice, since you believe that the choice of the parent takes priority over the life of the child.
What is different about this story is that the child is not a fetus but an adult and the parent is the father rather than the mother. Perhaps if these truths were apparent to all Americans, abortion would no longer be a concern and politicians could tackle pressing problems such as immigration, national debt and national security.