The second thing I wonder is why they wouldn't want to prevent someone else from having an abortion? If they think abortion is bad for them personally, wouldn't they want to protect others from abortion? It would be interesting to know if people that hold this viewpoint support laws that prevent born human beings from killing other human beings. If they do, aren't they're preventing others from committing murder? Why do they think it's ok to legally prevent born human beings from killing other born human beings, but think it's wrong to legally prevent born human beings from killing preborn human beings?
Are people that hold this viewpoint being open minded, or are they straddling the fence on the abortion issue? What do you think?
I used to hold this viewpoint myself. I think it's because people are a). unaware of the real consequences of abortion, and what it really means, and b). they don't want to get involved because that would mean they'd have to take a position of something that's controversial and they want to avoid confrontation. Ignorance and fear, basically.
ReplyDeletecall it ignorance. call it being open-minded. call it whatever the hell you want to.
ReplyDeleteyou aren't going to change people's views. you can't even change mine and i'm only nineteen. your arguments are baseless and repetitive.
you writing this only proves my views further: that you don't have anything new to say.
Those who say "I would never personally have an abortion, but I wouldn't take that right away from other women" are brilliant, intelligent people. They understand that- gasp- not everyone is the same! Anti-choicers like to pretend that women are the same, will all suffer the same emotions and should all be working the same 'jobs' (being a mom).
ReplyDeleteThank God for smart people who know that we're all different!
Those who say "I personally believe abortion is wrong, but would never force that view on someone else" are confusing objective claims with subjective claims.
ReplyDelete"Stealing is wrong" = an objective/moral claim
"Thousand island is the best salad dressing" = a subjective/preference claim
Any statement that says something is morally wrong is an objective claim. The statement itself may be true or false, but the *type* of claim is an objective one, not a preference one.
Saying "I personally believe that stealing is wrong, but would never take away that option from someone else" doesn't make a lot of sense, but many pro-choice folks make essentially the same type of statement on abortion, as if choosing to abort is the same as choosing a flavor of ice cream: just a matter of preference.
I, like Sharon, used to hold this viewpoint. Unlike Sharon, my views shifted to the left instead of to the right.
ReplyDeleteA lot of people, including pro-choice people, have been conditioned into believing that abortion is some kind of tragedy. We have a hard time accepting that, even though the circumstances leading up to an abortion may not be ideal, the freedom of choice is a beautiful thing. It's a blessing.
I love this quote, it expresses my views perfectly.
"“Let’s be very clear about this: when a woman finds herself pregnant due to violence and chooses an abortion, it is the violence that is the tragedy; the abortion is a blessing.
When a woman finds that the fetus she is carrying has anomalies incompatible with life, that it will not live and that she requires an abortion — often a late-term abortion — to protect her life, her health, or her fertility, it is the shattering of her hopes and dreams for that pregnancy that is the tragedy; the abortion is a blessing.
When a woman wants a child but can’t afford one because she hasn’t the education necessary for a sustainable job, or access to health care, or day care, or adequate food, it is the abysmal priorities of our nation, the lack of social supports, the absence of justice that are the tragedies; the abortion is a blessing.
And when a woman becomes pregnant within a loving, supportive, respectful relationship; has every option open to her; decides she does not wish to bear a child; and has access to a safe, affordable abortion — there is not a tragedy in sight — only blessing. The ability to enjoy God’s good gift of sexuality without compromising one’s education, life’s work, or ability to put to use God’s gifts and call is simply blessing.
These are the two things I want you, please, to remember — abortion is a blessing and our work is not done.”
–Rev. Katherine Ragsdale"
I wrote a short blog post about this: http://herauthority.blogspot.com/2010/01/yes-i-am-pro-abortion.html
Genevieve- your comparison is flawed. Saying "I personally believe that abortion is wrong, but I would never take away that option for others" is more comparable to saying "I personally believe that defending yourself against violence is wrong, but I would never take away that option from someone else". It's a flawed statement, just as the "I think abortion is wrong, but.." statement is flawed.
As for people who don't think that abortion is wrong in general, but that it's the wrong choice for them personally, I have nothing against this. I call myself pro-choice for a reason. I don't expect everyone to choose the same thing, and I don't think that every choice but abortion is wrong. If I were to get pregnant, I don't think I'd choose to have an abortion, but I'm still a pro-choice gal!
ProChoiceGal - The number of abortions that are performed because the mother became pregnant after being raped or to save the mother's life is less than 1%. For a breakdown of the reasons why women have abortions, go here: http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/psrh/full/3711005.pdf.
ReplyDeleteI don't know how you or anyone can say that the killing of an unborn child is a blessing in any way, shape, or form. It is definitely not a blessing for the fetus, because its life is ended prematurely. Abortion is a tragedy for all involved.
I'm not sure what religion Reverend Ragsdale belongs to, but it is definitely not based in the truth of Jesus Christ.
"The number of abortions that are performed because the mother became pregnant after being raped or to save the mother's life is less than 1%."
ReplyDeleteI don't know how this has to do with anything. Seems pretty off topic to me.
"Abortion is a tragedy for all involved."
You can't speak for the women who have the abortions.
Who cares about a little fetus who is just a potential person?
ReplyDeleteSo what I see here are some people that would take gods gift of freewill away to benifit their own belief system? is that right? God gave us free will, person here on earth has the right to take that way. what about criminals? well there rights end where yours begin. they are seeking to take away your freewill. laws have a purpose and Abortion isn't a crime. That makes it no less tragic. you still have to live with the choices you make.
ReplyDeleteTake it from me they call me twisted for a reason
If you think abortion is murder, you shouldn't oppose it so strongly. After all, the pro-choicers will end up in hell, right? Then, you can have more room in heaven along with more of your deity's attention in the afterlife. What's so sad about that?
ReplyDeleteAny one who suggests any natural system is:
ReplyDeleteblack and white
alive and dead
human and not human
a single cell and a fully aware legal adult
does not respect the shades of grey that are inherent in biology. I am not a single cell and I would like to think my rights matched my development non as a single cell to all as an adult. Respecting the shades of grey.