RE: Abortion/Consciousness/Life
October 4, 2014 at 9:12 pm
(This post was last modified: October 4, 2014 at 9:13 pm by *Deidre*.)
I've mentioned this before in a thread a few months back, but I have a few good friends who've had abortions. It changed their lives forever. Anyone who thinks a woman takes or makes such a decision lightly, is naïve. Or ignorant. Or both. Every case is unique. I have a problem with the phrase 'pro life,' because it a) was hijacked by the religious right and b) it seems to imply that atheists don't care about life. Yes, we do. But abortion isn't about a lack of concern over life. There are a variety of reasons it is legal.
Having said that, no one knows (including me) what having to decide on an abortion must be like except the women in question. These discussions can sometimes go off the rails, because all too often, people that are casting judgments are so far and will always be so far removed from a situation like abortion.
But, nothing is done in a vacuum. Individual decisions do have a communal and global impact, even if we think they don't. Given the choice, I'd rather see an increase in people not having to make a decision about abortion, than having to make one. I think that comes in the way of continuing education, and having programs out there to support women who decide to not abort. We fall short of this type of support for women in the US, although things are getting a bit better. Sometimes abortion isn't a choice at all...it's an only option.
Having said that, no one knows (including me) what having to decide on an abortion must be like except the women in question. These discussions can sometimes go off the rails, because all too often, people that are casting judgments are so far and will always be so far removed from a situation like abortion.
But, nothing is done in a vacuum. Individual decisions do have a communal and global impact, even if we think they don't. Given the choice, I'd rather see an increase in people not having to make a decision about abortion, than having to make one. I think that comes in the way of continuing education, and having programs out there to support women who decide to not abort. We fall short of this type of support for women in the US, although things are getting a bit better. Sometimes abortion isn't a choice at all...it's an only option.
