by Melia Benjamin

Created on: September 24, 2008

Abortion:

Abortion should be legal. No, I would never go through the procedure myself and would not recommend my two daughters if they find themselves pregnant unexpectedly (luckily I do not have to worry about that for years to come because they are only three and six years old). I would discuss all options to them though and then make a compromised decision with them while reinforcing the strong feelings I have towards not having an abortion.

I believe like many of the pro-lifers that say it is killing a person but I also know that there are others that should have the right to choose for themselves, thus I am pro-choice. I am more open in my thinking and know that woman (in this case) has a right to believe and think the way they do. The honesty of life is that as persons we are all different and rights should not be taken away just because others believe that act is wrong. Who is for them to dictate a person's choice in life? The fact is that whatever decisions a person makes they are the ones that have to live the results for the rest of their lives.

The Man's Decision:

After the woman is pregnant I believe the man has no real choice in the matter. I do think he has an opinion if it is his baby he is dealing with but in the end it is the woman's choice because it is her body and mostly she that has to deal with her choices in life. We all make good (and bad) decisions that we may regret in the end.
In terms of the man that was involved with the woman your decision was made the day that you had sex with that woman. The best way to not be dealing with abortion in the first place is abstinence and the second best is a condom (not always as effective because it could break). Don't have sex if you don't want the baby, is my advice.

Politicians and Churches:

Stay away and out of the issue. The U.S. Supreme Court in their Roe vs. Wade decision has already ruled abortion legal so leave everything be. Keep your own beliefs in your home and church not out in the public. For those of you who think you need to get rid of all abortion clinics remember first that you are also getting rid of these same clinics that help many of the uninsured or under-insured get help in preventing pregnancy (and abortion) in the first place. The second thing is that when you do bomb these clinics you are killing people which, from what I gather, is what you are trying to stop in the first place.

The thing that bugs me the most is that there are males all around the country that think they can control woman even to this day. I just want to say Get over it!' Women can make their own decisions. Male (or female) politicians should not even have a say on how a woman should treat their body, anyway.

In Conclusion:

Stay away, we all have opinions and reasons why or why not a person should have an abortion but in the end it is only that woman's (or families') decision to make. I can say that if it ever were to become illegal then there will still be woman who get them just illegally by people who are less qualified to do the procedure in the first place. Before Roe vs. Wade many people died in the hands of these less qualified doctors and in much dirtier conditions. Do we really want that? Don't forget as well many more teens (and young adults) will end up pregnant due to the lack of access to birth control and education in the first place

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