JMO - Pro Choice

I don't usually become outraged about most political issues. Well, ok, a few that I'm passionate about. And when stupid old men (even those younger than me) decide to do the wrong thing, I really get outraged. What you ask?

The Surpreme Court decision to uphold the ban on partial birth abortions. It's totally offensive to the rights and freedoms of women in this country. While you might argue with me about the medical procedure as good or bad for the baby and the mother, I will always argue one issue that is not argueable by anyone. What gives anyone the right to tell a woman what to do about her body when it comes to this issue? And more importantly what gives men that right?

My personal view is very simple. The choice about abortion is between the woman and the medical professional she has for her care. That's it, nothing more. I see a lot of people trying to put the importance on the value of the life of the fetus or baby, but they always seem to forget about the mother. Doesn't she have value and rights? It's not about religious values, it's about personal values for human beings. To put the life of the unborn ahead of the mother is, in my view, simply misplaced.

We all know that at some point in a pregnancy the life of both the mother and the baby is critical, and it's time we let the medical profession decide with the mother. They will know what's right, so let's leave it to them, than stepping in with some religious dogma disguised and "right to life." If those folks really cared about life, they would help mothers, help Planned Parenthood for complete and accurate sex education in schools, help with foster care facilities to find homes for children, and with world wide health and food aid.

I'm personally sick of the "right to life" talking for the baby and forgetting the rest of the issues. And I'm personally sick of men telling woman about something they don't have to fear, an unwanted pregnancy, especially in the case of rape. If my view is in the minority, as it often is, then so be it, but I'll stand up for a woman's right to control her body any day. And it's time we accepted this as a basic human right.

It's time men stood up and acknowledged it's not our place to decide for another human being we wouldn't want decided for us. Men, put yourself in the place of the woman finding out she's pregnant. Would you want someone with a religious view standing in your way and preventing you from the full array of medical services to help you make the best decision and take the right action for you in your life?

And women who support abortion rights? You should know better. There's no excuse for any woman sticking her values in the way of another woman. Think about it. What if other women decided other issues for you or prevented you from access to what you wanted. How would you feel? Outraged? Good, then think about it!

I'm not sorry for being angry here. The decision about abortion is between a woman and her doctor, and society should provide every choice to her. I'm outraged when Justice Kennedy said, "The government may use its voice and its regulatory authority to show its profound respect for the life within the woman." What about respecting a woman's right and protecting her life?