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Abortion is never an easy topic. In fact the word itself is unpleasant to the ear. The divisiveness of the issue is understandable when you considered the stakes involved are nothing less than human lives whichever side you take on the issue. Never-the-less, there are times when unpleasant realities are the most practical, if not the most moral. With due respect to all sides (something I wish was more often included in this debate), I am reluctantly pro-choice because I believe individuals make their own best decisions, and I believe societies are most successful when they base themselves on practical realities over moral considerations. I say "reluctantly" because abortion is never a good thing. I wish we could all at least agree on that. It may be the better of bad choices, but it is never a good thing. As such, while I believe it is in our best interests for abortion to remain legal, I feel there are important restrictions in its practice. One of those relates to abortions within marriage.

Between men and women, clearly it is women who have faced the bulk of discrimination in our society. One huge exception is in the area of child rearing, and specifically the reality that married women can have abortions at will. I understand and support a woman's right to do what she wants with her own body, but this is not only about her body by a long shot. I think it is unfortunate that an unmarried woman might choose to have an abortion over her partner's objections. I had a roommate in college who returned after one holiday vacation to find just that circumstance, and I can tell you he was devastated by this. Even so, I would say an unmarried woman should be considered an individual and therefore solely responsible for the decisions she makes. But when you choose to marry your life with another, spiritually and legally, you have chosen to accept many moral and legal responsibilities, such as financial obligations, that you did not have before. How can it be that in marriage we agree to accept all kinds of mutual obligations, yet when it comes to the value of life, considered by many the highest of all values, there is no obligation? Values within a marriage are a major consideration in this debate, but they are not alone. What about the elements fairness and consistency?

Why is it that if I father a child and then divorce my spouse, that I am still responsible for child support? Why is it that even if I father a child out of wedlock, where I have

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