JMO - Obama and Abortion

He tried. He went into the heart of the anti-abortion world, Notre Dame University, and gave a good speech. He is learning that while there is common ground, working to reducing the need for abortions,reducing unwanted pregnancies, better sex education and healthcare for younger women, finding adoptions for all available babies and children, and so on, he learned the extreme views don't have any commonality except obstinance for their position.

I won't go into any depth about my view, it's very simple, abortion is one of the whole array of choices a woman should have, including her right not to choose abortion (remember 99+% women do), but more about all the sex and pregnancy prevention education and healthcare services should be available to any girl and woman. It's a basic right of a woman to make a choice without interference from anyone and only in consultation with her medical professionals.

Obama's speech, however, touched on the one point we all can agree, to keep the dialog open and not be so obstinate against the other side. And that is the point because pro-choice folks can agree to let pro-life people have and express their view. It's only when the pro-life people decide their view is universal that the pro-choice people get upset and become obstinate themselves.

Because that's the simple point. It's the right of a woman to make the best choice for herself, without anyone demanding or interferring. She should have the right to the whole array of choices available with best medical care, and free if necessary. Everyone knows abortion isn't abused. It's very hard physically, mentally and spiritually for the woman, so let's not discount her effort to make their choice.

And that's what Obama seems, to me anyway, implying. Let's agree on the foundation for providing help for every woman, and not limit the choices because of anyone values or beliefs about the meaning of life. The meaning of life is relative, relative to each of our own values and beliefs. Let's honor that by allowing everyone to have their values and beliefs about life. And if you don't agree, it's nothing against you or your values and beliefs, it's just theirs.

That's what we need, as Obama implies, to let everyone respect the right to choose for themselves, not restricted, prohibited or restrainted by someone else's choices or eliminating choices based on their values and beliefs. It's about the basic freedom of choice we value with this country and nation and the rights of the people to have and make their choices.

I think we can all argree on that, the right of the individual to choose.