Abortion rates have hit a 34-year low, but experts disagree on the reasons why.
Comment: It has to do with men, men are taking a more active role in preventing pregnancies..
in the past hey didnt worry about it as much and left the the birth control responsibility up to the woman.
men can prevent abortion and unwanted pregnancies. Its called wrap it , clip it or keep it in your pants.
Comment: In relation to the last comment... don't forget pregnancy CAN be a fatal condition, and furthermore, the behaviors leading to it can also lead to fatal illnesses. People ARE aware of these, too, are they not?
Comment: Driving you car CAN be fatal (in fact that's FAR more risky than having a baby)...but we take that risk because we have Obligations and Responsibilites.. so what's you point?
Comment: I'm glad abortion rates are hitting new lows, no matter what the reasons are.
Pro-life, Pro-choice, no matter what you believe in, you have to be happy about the facts in this story, right?
Comment: no man!! more little girls are keeping their babies!!
1) clinics are not as easy to sneak off to on the weekends
2) its becoming more socially accepted for kids to have their babies
Comment: LOL ... Little girls don't have to sneak anymore but hey at least you took a stab at answering the question.
Comment: Michelle, you are right that more needs to be done. We need to work harder to be sure that pro choice candidates are elected so the choice that you had is available to all women.
Comment: Ok seriously, Abortion has remained a law through a host of republican president. NOT ONE BILL, since January 22, 1973, was created to abolish the law. NOT ONE AMENDMENT, since January 22, 1973 was added to the law that threaten it's existence. Why are you punked by these "do nothing" republicans. The pro-life battle-cry made by the republican candidates is to rally the Bible -Belt community into a frenzy so that they would elect a republican and give a republican a job for 4 to 8 yrs. If you notice republicans don't actual do anything while there in the office. They believe the work should be left to the state. Exhibit A: The Economy. Exhibit B: Unemployment. Besides, there are more important thing to worry about than this. Such as the educational system for those children who parents didn't get the notion to kill them. Breathe People ... The right to kill your baby isn't going anyway anytime soon!
Comment: MIchelle, That's a sad story regarding your experience. However, you were lucky to have the choice to do what you wanted to do at that time in your life. The suicide attempt could have happened even if you had the child. There is no guarantee that you would be living in a fairy tale life had you chosen to have the child, in fact, you would have had even more stress in your live. Unless you can provide a link for the 60% figure, I will accept that as your opinion and give it no basis in reality.
Comment: Thank you for your sympathy about my experience...it was very tragic for me, and I think for my boyfriend too.
I believe the pain I felt after my abortion is a common, and very human experience. It is fascinating to me that more and more musicians are beginning to write about their abortions and their lyrics express what I felt.
For instance, in Retrospect for Life with Lauryn Hill, the rap group Common sings:
???Nerve I got to talk about them *** with a gun
Must have really thought I was God to take the life of my son
I could have sacrificed goin out
To think my homies who did it I used to joke about, from now on
I'ma use self control instead of birth control
Cause $315 ain't worth your soul
$315 ain't worth your soul
$315 ain't worth it???
You might also want to look up the lyrics to Lost Woman Song by punk rocker Ani DeFranco, Brick by Ben Folds Five, and Speculum by the heavy metal band Adema. There are others if you look for them. And of course there is ???Can I live???? by rapper Nick Cannon.
It doesn???t matter if you are liberal or conservative, I think it shows that abortion is a choice many different kinds of people regret.
Obviously, I don't feel lucky that I had the choice. I have wished a thousand times I could go back and do it differently. In my work, I do see girls every day that I think ARE lucky though. They are working hard and accomplishing their goals, but they chose not to end the lives of their children to do it. They don't have lives without struggles but as you pointed out, whether we abort or not, none of us do.
These girls have something I didn't have though. I see in them a deep sense of pride and self esteem. They know that they did something good even though it was hard, and they are happy and at peace with themselves. I think they are the lucky ones. I hope the downward trend in abortion continues so there will be more of them.
As for the link you asked about, there hasn???t been a lot of research done. It should be. If you google ???coerced abortions??? I believe it will bring up some interesting information for you though. I had stated that my view was an estimate???I am comfortable with you saying it is my opinion. But it shouldn???t be left at that. More needs to be done.
Comment: I am the director of a crisis pregnancy center and had an abortion when I was 18 years old. I had a scholarship to Duke University and an invitation to model in New York ??? and was taking the pill ??? when my pregnancy threatened my dreams. I was so sure that having the abortion would give me back control of my life, but it didn't feel the way I thought it would feel to actually do it. Instead, my life spiraled out of control. I began drinking heavily four nights a week to silence the intrusive thoughts and nightmares. Within two years I dropped out of college, four years later I attempted to commit suicide.
One of the things I see driving the drop in abortions is that women, like myself, are telling our stories and for many young women facing unplanned pregnancies, abortion just doesn't sound like a choice they are going to be happy with. An overwhelming number of my clients have told me that their mothers, their sisters, their friends are telling them, 'Don't do this, you will regret it" and they are influenced by what they hear.
Sadly, I would estimate that 60% of the time it is the boyfriend or husband who is driving the abortion decision. The girl herself would be inclined to continue the pregnancy if she had support.
Comment: it's called the morning after pill. who wouldn't prefer to pay $40.00 instead of a few hundred
Comment: Which is all well and dandy, until you run into the so-called pharmacist who thinks God thinks he should punish the little hussy by condemning her (and her eventual child) to a life of misery with each other. Great reason to have a kid, isn't it?
Comment: I don't know what the law is in every state, but in my state, a pharmacist can refuse to dispense the drug, but has to refer the person requesting it to a pharmacy/pharmacist who will. Just because a particular pharmacist does not want to dispense the drug, doesn't mean you can't get it fairly easily. It's no more inconvenient than if the pharmacy had simply run out of stock.
Comment: Umm.. last I checked , there's this thing called ADOPTION...
Comment: it's called the morning after pill. who wouldn't prefer to pay $40.00 instead of a few hundred
Comment: it's called the morning after pill. who wouldn't prefer to pay $40.00 instead of a few hundred.
Comment: I do not understand why we do not define life in the same terms we define death: the absence of a heartbeat and brainwaves. This does not occur in a fetus until the 10th week. The problem with Roe v. Wade is the Supreme Court defined a viable fetus as the ability to live outside the womb. This is incorrect, but the underlying premise, the right to be left alone by the government is correct. The "pro-life" movement has a terrible problem, how do you deal with the cases of rape and the health of the mother. If a legal, safe abortion was available up to the 10th week, with exceptions for the health of the mother, this matter would be over.
Comment: i dont like that abortion exists until i'm pregnant. I have had an abortion and I now am way more conscience with prevention. It has broken my heart in more ways than one and still does atleast 3 times out of a week especially seeing all my friends and families with babies though it was atleast 5 years ago BUT if I was to happen to get pregnant right now while I cannot adequately provide for a child or be there for a child as I feel I should be I would definitely consider having an abortion again. I believe that it is a fetus and in some other country/language or whatever in America it means something unborn. Something unborn has no life to miss. If anything it will be the parents who suffer and frankly I don't give a damn about how the parents choose to live with this decision.
I believe in the death penalty too!!!!!!!!! lol
Comment: I believe the term fetus, comes from Greek language, meaning baby.
Comment: Ten weeks is incorrect- an unborn baby has a heartbeat closer to the 4th week and brainwaves quickly follow.
Comment: At four weeks, the heartbeat is so weak, you can not hear it without a mechanical aid of some type. The brain has also just begun to barely develop. Therefore, depending on how you wish to define "life", the original post is correct. The miin point of the comment was to make abortion legal until there is a heartbeat and brain function. The only issue under either scenario is the amount of time which is open to debate.
Comment: A heart beat is a heart beat is a heart beat! Who cares whether it's difficult to hear or not, it's still a heart beat! Same goes for the brainwaves. By the time most women even learn they are pregnant, her baby already has both!
Comment: So what you're saying is that a beating heart grown in a lab dish is life, and by destroying it, you are commiting murder.
Comment: Talk about people taking things to the extreme. I think the topic here is about abortion, not growing hearts in labs. Moreover, we can hardly consider a heart grown in a lab as a human being, as an unborn baby is!
It's this simple: If the unborn aren't human beings, then no justification for abortion is needed. If the unborn are human beings, then no justification for abortion is adequate. There is absolutely no doubt that an unborn baby is a human being as there is no way two human beings can create something that isn't a human- the Law of Biogenesis and Biology 101 will prove this. The abortion industry would love for us to believe that what they are terminating is nothing but a clump of cells, but by the time a woman even learns she is pregnant, her unborn baby has a beating heart, a gender, it's own unique genetic print, brain waves, etc. It has now been 35 years since abortion was legalized in Roe V Wade (of which was based on a lie and Norma McCorvey is now pro-life, as well as is the woman from the other landmark case Doe V Dolton) and we have eliminated 50 million human beings. Even those who believe in the so-called right to choose should be taken back by that number. That number to me is proof that we are obviously doing something wrong. Our approach clearly isn't working as this article is about the decrease in abortion, not the decrease in unplanned pregnancies and STD's. That is the true test as to whether our current approach is working. I am not a religious person, so don't waste your breath on accusing me of forcing my religion down anyones throat. This is not a religious issue and people need to simply remove that aspect from this debate. This is a human rights issue and I believe that all human beings have intrinsic value and deserve protection. I believe it is well past time that we start rethinking our approach b/c whatever the hell we are doing right now clearly isn't working!
Comment: Once again people take things to the exteme. At four weeks, the heartbeat is so weak, you can not detect it without equipment and the brain has started to develop. That is it. But if this is how you want to define life, then so be it. The only issue we are debating is the timeline, not the legality of an abortion.
Comment: That's a wonderful idea to adopt. If you are so inclined to do so, don't forget about the older kids who spend many years in foster and not ever adopted. Do you only have compassion and desire for babies? Does your love not reach to all unwanted children? There are many older children longing for a permanent home.
Comment: Did anyone who was writing the above stop to think that the reason for the decreasing rates of abortions might be that it has become obvious that these are not just clumps of tissue. The Latin word "Fetus" means baby, and the research over the last thirty-four years has proven that this is so. Further, it has also become obvious that abortions have destroyed almost a whole generation.of Americans. It is also true that if we realize that we were once babies ourselves, would we have chosen to be aborted. The woman might have freedom of choice in many areas, but is it just possible that we are realizing that our children must also be given freedom of choice here. Suicide is a crime against the law. Finally, there are any number of couples here that would love to have children, but cannot do so. I and my wife are among them. My nephew and his wife also fit in this group. I went into fostering and fostered children for over 30 years. One of ours fit in the group of single moms who could not afford to have another child. She gve her new baby to a wonderful couple who had been trying to have a child for years. It's proved to be a wonderful thing as an open adoption!
Comment: As a pc director, it is evident that youth and younger women do fully acknowledge that abortion ends a life, and they are not comfortable with that as an option. We also see among our clients who have experienced abortion, they are not choosing to do it again regardless of their current view on abortion. There is also a growing number of pregnancy help centers across the US. Abortion does not constitute a pregnancy "help".
Comment: as a pc director, one thing that Is evident in our center is our youth and younger women fully recognize that abortion ends a life; stops a beating heart, and they are not comfortable with making that decision. We also see among our clients that those who have previously aborted, even though they say they are "for" abortion, do not choose it again. The number pregnancy help centers is increasing. Abortion is not a pregnancy help.
Comment: Is it possible that the drop in the abortion rate has to do with society's increased acceptance of single moms? It used to be extremely shameful to have a child out of wedlock, but today it is relatively common. Many couples choose not to marry and many single women choose to have children. Maybe by getting rid of the stigma, we are not driving women to abortions.
Comment: Better Prevention or Changing Attitudes was the question but no matter what is asked on the topic of abortion it always come back to: Are you for or against it? Personally I think the decision should not be included under the due process clause of the 14th Amendment. When the 18th amendment was repeal it was left to the states as to how they wanted to regulate alcohol. I think the decision should be left up to the states to decide whether they want to regulate or outlaw abortion practices. The states should regulate how it???s funded or punished and so on and so forth. The truly sad part is the decision wasn???t based on the right to privacy but it was made based on a lie. Norma Leah McCorvey (Jane Roe) said she was raped and later said that it wasn???t true. This case dragged on for three years and she still gave birth. I would say no better for her but I feel sorry for the child knowing by now that his or her mother single-handedly help created a law not only to kill him or her but any unborn child of a woman who feels the notion to do so. The republicans drop the ball on this issue as well. If Bush and Cheney worked as hard as they did on side-stepping congress on the issue of wire tapping and eluding attempted investigations surrounding Cheney, Rove and others I could believe them to be the pro-life advocates they claim to be because we would have the proof.
Comment: "I think the decision should be left up to the states to decide whether they want to regulate or outlaw abortion practices."
Unfortunately, conservatives always seem to be in favor of "states' rights" when it comes to /restricting/ rights (abortion, segregation), then abruptly abandon that position when states might have the power to /grant/ rights (e.g. gay marriage, medical marijuana). The "states' rights" argument would carry more weight were it not so transparently hypocritical and deceptive. The real position seems to be that states have the right to benefit white conservative Christians, and anything else is off-limits.
Comment: Well, I can???t speak on behalf of the ???White Conservative Christian Movement??? but I just think it???s fair to just let the state regulate it. You have a large number of people who believe life begins when the doctor says so and others who believe life begins at the moment of conception. Abortion should be dealt on a case by case basis because it is a touchy issue that intertwines God and medicine. The federal government shouldn???t ever choose one person faith or lack of it in God or medicine when creating a law that would affect everyone. The decision should not have been left to a case especial one conceived from a lie. And Why? Why is this an issue? I really don???t understand why abortion is an issue in the presidential race. We had a host of republican presidents that have declared that they were pro-life and the abortion law is STILL in the constitution. No bills were constructed or pass to abolish it. Very few amendments that didn???t even threaten its existence were passed. Why is this an issue ??? STILL!? Didn???t the Roe Vs Wade case celebrate its 35th anniversary or something like that? Why are you in a panic by the ???White Conservative Christian Movement??? when they have failed for 35 yrs to move?
Comment: When it comes down to it, the abortion debate is really quite simple. Do we have the authority to force a woman to risk her health and life for a pregancy or not. I think not. Pregnancy IS a risk to a woman's health, and it's easy to sit on the sideline and say "yes you should give birth" without ever putting yourself at risk. Being the one that is at risk, and being told you must take that risk regardless of your own wishes, would be a terrible place to land. I understand that many women enjoy their pregnancy, see it as a beautiful thing, and view birth as a pain well worth enduring. Not all feel that way, and not all are so lucky as to have a simple (i use that word loosely) pregnancy or birth. At the end of the day, the woman has to decide what risks she is willing to take.
Comment: That's correct. While Jesus is exciting to some, it's a complete turn off and completely irrelevant to others. When that kind of crazy talk comes into politics and government, it's not a winning view. Certainly not after the 8 horriific years we have had with a man who speaks to Jesus. What a mess!
Comment: One thing that the abortion debate has shown me is that he parties are both being hypocritical when it comes to certain social issues. Republicans run on the platform of staying the heck out of people???s lives, yet when it comes to Gay Rights and Abortion they are all about controlling the general population decisions. Where as Democrats run on the platform of big government yet when it comes to social issues such as Gay Rights and Abortion Rights they are for freedom of choice. It is sad too because the Republicans would have it right if they just stopped letting Jesus run their party.
Comment: Not so logical, there. "Democrats run on the platform of big government?" I have yet to hear that term, or that position, espoused by anyone but the /critics/ of the Democrats. Then you say that Democrats abandon "big government" by acknowledging the rights of women and gays? How should "big government" restrict those people's rights, in your view? I think Democrats really ARE for freedom of choice; Republicans are for freedom of /markets/ (meaning the rich guy wins).
Comment: Most of the comments here are reasonable and for choice of the individual. We must all go out and vote for candidates who will protect that freedom. The GOP (which is anti choice in their platform) will continue to work toward filling The Supreme Court with those who will vote to take choice away. VOTE FOR PRO CHOICE CANDIDATES IF THIS ISSUE IS IMPORTANT TO YOU. CHOICE GOES BEYOND ABORTION RIGHTS - THIS CROWD WOULD ALSO LIKE TO CHOOSE OTHER THINGS FOR THE REST OF US. Get out there and vote pro choice.
Comment: Are you kidding? There are more things be worry about then the republicans actually creating a law that would abolish the abortion law. Republicans have been against the abortion law ever since January 22, 1973. The last amendment passed didn't even threaten the existence the law. Last I read you can kill a baby up to the 5th term no questions asked (except do you have insurance -- Maybe). No one is dragging you out of Planned Parenthood people ... Relax and think of a more worthy cause.
Comment: Hear, hear. Thanks for pointing out the elephant (heh heh) in the living room.
Comment: Every woman needs choices. I am thankful for the choices I had. The law of the land should not make the final decision for us. Thank you America.
Comment: I would like to thank Planned Parenthood for being around when I was 23 and decided to have an abortion. No, women don't decide to have abortions the same way they decide to go to the mall or decide to buy a new car---to paraphrase a well-known feminist scholar, "A women chooses an abortion like an animal in a trap chooses to chew off its own leg." Since I had my abortion four years ago, I've taken advantage of incredible educational opportunities, and I know that when I am ready to have a child, I will be better prepared and better able to care for him or her in the manner s/he deserves. I am not proud of my abortion, nor of decisions I made that led up to the need for it, but I am very grateful that I was able to put off childbearing for the chance to complete a graduate degree. Pro-life folks, if you really want to make a difference, please commit your time to supporting young single mothers! I think that a main reason that women choose abortion is because of a perceived lack of social support, and if pro-life people put all the time and energy that they put into picketing and lobbying into forming organizations to provide low-cost, quality childcare for young single mothers, they will have found a much more effective deterrent to abortion.
Comment: I am so relieved you had a choice and that the choice was safe and legal! I have two pre-teen daughters, and the hope is that they will never face that choice but...this is the real world. Should either of them face an unintended pregnancy, I want every available option open to them and I want them to know that regardless of their choice I will support them. Thank you for sharing your story, I wish you the very best in your life. And good for you for making the choice that was right for you!
Comment: I don't think there is any pro-life or church based group in the country that would turn away anyone who asked for their help. Most people who are pro-life advocates, also advocate for things that make completing a pregnancy possible.
Comment: Amen to that. You made a choice and it was right for you.
Comment: The abortion issue has some many in's and out's and what for's that it is virtually impossible to be able to address them all. The bottom line is that we are all human. Some of us stop and think while others do not. Some think they are doing the right thing and then "oops" a mistake happens or their form of contraception fails. Now that INDIVIDUAL is left with a CHOICE. Take road "A" with all consequences or "B" with all those consequenses. No matter what the decision there will be pro's and con's. Depending, yet again, on the individual, what can they or can't they handle. We do not travel the same road as another person, what is good for one isn't good for another. Will the person that got pregnant be accepted and not shunned by the church for getting pregnant out of wedlock. That person may choose to get an abortion then face the wrath of the church, then again maybe the church will help and be forgiving. What about the person who gets pregnant and stands to be disowned from the family if she kept it, than again maybe the family will embrace her. There are so many things to consider on an individual basis that it is crazy. People are on her e spouting what they would do, well have you ever been on the streets, gotten raped, ended up pregnant with no means and no family and so chooses to get an abortion for the childs sake? That person felt it was in the best interest of the child where you wouldn't have. Well you know what? IT WASN'T FOR YOU TO DECIDE!! That woman made a very difficult CHOICE as all human beings have a right to do.
Comment: Like I said: It's the continuing empowerment of women that is causing the decline in abortions. This is something pro-life advocates would not agree with. Providing women with the resources they need to deal effectively with their own lives, such as education and choices, puts them in control and allows them to understand there are alternatives to abortion without condemnation. Ironically, it is the right to choose which causes the decline. There seems to be a camp which is not sophisticated enough to understand this. Pro-choice begets trust begets empowerment begets life. Simple.
Comment: I am pro-life. I agree that women need to be given needed resources so that they may deal effectively with their own lives. I agree that they need to know that there are alternatives to abortion without condemnation. I work at a "crisis pregnancy center," where we provide all of these things for women, giving them resources for helping them with money, housing, education, post-abortion trauma if they have aborted, or parenting classes, diapers, food, baby clothes, etc., if they choose to carry. Not all pro-lifers are out there to condemn. We always get lumped into that false view of us, when that's not how all of us are; sadly, the few that ARE like that - the condemning ones, give the rest of us, the majority of us, a bad name.
Comment: Kellchecker I have been reading your posts and I have to say it's nice to hear from a prolifer that not only puts their money where their mouth is, but does so in an intelligent, honest, and positive fashion. The unfortunate thing about this issue (and many others) is that those who scream the loudest get the most attention. However, those who scream the loudest are not necessarily the best represtitives of the overall attitude of the group. I have absolute respect for prolifers who are working towards a real workable solution, and although I'm sure I will remain prochoice, if the two groups could get their heads together we could come up with solutions to at least some of the problems. My hats off to you!
Comment: Of course we all remember JUST SAY NO. That was the very successful program from Nancy Reagan and the Reagan administration. Reagan's answer to end the drug problem. Good job conservatives. It didn't work then and it wont work now. Just say no...........lol.
Comment: The "war on drugs" has much the same effect as the war on sex. They both assure the result they claim to be seeking - more drugs, more unintended pregnancies - because if drugs and unplanned pregnancy actually stopped being problems, the Republicans would lose their means of hoodwinking poor people to vote for them (all that would be left to fight is homosexuality, which they can't affect either way.
Comment: Dear Logical thinker...i quote here you said... "So basically what you are saying is, since informed women are more likely to keep the baby lets inform them, however, since informed teens are more likely to have sex (be it probably in a safer manner) lets not inform them...." Absolutely wrong deduction from the words written...truth is...You were given a wonderfully created brain...use it to the full capacity...ask all the questions you can think of and don't ever be concerned you know more than can be spiritually answered...you were given that thinking,deductive brain for a reason...use it , educate your kids, be involved in their lives and trust them to run with what they learn. Also learn to love and forgive the person (ourselves here) who made mistakes in the past as none of us are the same people we were even yesterday. I sure hope you get a hold of this book on the Big Bang..DNA...and so much more..it's great. (again it's Francis Collin's book, (Francis is head of the Human Genome project, with over a 1000 geneticists under him) His book is titled The Language of God and offers a common ground for scientists and believers to MEET. Good talkin to you logical thinker!
Comment: The quote you took is out of context. I was using that quote as an example of the wrong idea that many socially conservative people hold to be true. I personally believe in fully educating chlidren.
Comment: You know what I find funny . . . the hypocrisy of some of these religious people. They stand here and say that women should be fully informed before making any decisions because they believe that if women knew more then they would not have abortions. Then the same people say that we should not fully inform our children about sex but rather we should just tell them that it is not right for them or they are too immature. So basically what you are saying is, since informed women are more likely to keep the baby lets inform them, however, since informed teens are more likely to have sex (be it probably in a safer manner) lets not inform them. I am sorry but ignorance is an evil no matter what. Leaving your child without the proper knowledge to make a decision of any kind is a failure of the parent.
Comment: I agree, and I appreciate the use of the phrase "some of these religious people." We're not all the same. If Cathy Catholic (it's just a name, don't get too offended) wants to teach her child to abstain because it's God's will, then as the mother that is her choice. Ethel Episcopalian chooses a different route and wants full education for her children. Not all religious folks want the gov't in our personal lives, nor do we want our religion in our gov't. I personally think that by denying your child education, you keep them stupid and unsafe. You teach your kids not to run into the street, but won't teach them about how their OWN BODY works? We teach kids about their hearts, and lungs, and how to eat right and exercise to stay healthy. But we shy away from teaching them how to stay reproductively healthy, which IS a part of their health.
Comment: AMEN!
Comment: Comment: Ps to my account here the author did experience the rape of his own child...so again... I think it would be informational for many of your readers here to have the opportunity to read Francis Collin's book, (Francis is head of the Human Genome project, with over a 1000 geneticists under him) His book is titled The Language of God and offers a common ground for scientists and believers to MEET. Francis is a believer in Jesus Christ and believes abortion is wrong. He presents discussion regarding bio-ethics which applies not only to abortion but insight into today's just released news regarding cloning, (which by the way is not cloning of a concieved child but a mix of skin cell DNA and an unfertilized egg minus it's nucleus-. I believe todays news regarding these abortion statistics is a result of this current generations changing morality. These 20 somethings are a very moral generation and choose life over death. We will all be surprised at the choices, kind, informed and educated choices they make. These young upcoming scientists will find solutions which help all. Yes their is great heartache all around...we need to link up better those paying 50,000 for a baby to adopt with the desperate-(sometimes older) women who find themselves with an unwanted pregnacy. Love covers over so many things. We need to love one another and help one another find good solutions to the pain each finds themselves experiencing. With these thoughts know that many just like me will be marching to repeal roe vs wade (the supreme court abortion law) next week. Remember we are not your enemy... but are trying to help each woman make wise, informed decisions. The fact is...we would like to help and not hurt you.
Comment: I think everyone should be happy that abortion rates are down. The day anyone has an abortion is not a happy day. The bottom line is that it does end a life, no matter how many studies experts do to try to pinpoint a "startdate" for life to justify doing it. Just because its an option, and some women choose to do it, doesn't mean that women skip to the clinic with smiles on their faces. It's a hard decision to make. And I am really sicked at some comments here from people that are supposedly pro-life, yet insinuating that some people on here, because they don't like their comments, should have been aborted. Really immature.
Comment: Great news, abortion has hit a 34 year low. For those that believe that abstinence is the only way, WAKE UP!
Do you realize that a person is considered an adult at 18? So, do we wait until our children ( better discribed as young adults) are of age before we give them any information about sex? Get real. Teenagers have been having sex since time began. Sex before marriage is not something that happened snice the 60's. Abortion has been around since time began.
#1 post, JOANNEROY, Do you really blieve that being sexually active is the same as using illegal drugs?
"That's no different than saying teenagers can't be taught to abstain from drugs" We are all sexual beings. SEX IS NORMAL. Drug abuse/addiction is a disease, Of course young people can be told that drugs are bad, Do you really think that an adult can just tell a courious, hormone raging young person that they should wait to have sex until adulthood or marriage and they are going to say, "Okay" and turn off their feelings? Of course they aren't. Therefore, it is up to us, as adults to educate them about everything that has to do with sex, sexual transmitted diseases, contraception, self esteem, parenthood, etc, etc.
No education breads ingnorance, ingnorance breads, poor choices. The better educated you are as a teenager, the longer they will wait to have sex, and the partners they chose will be more resepctful and
mature. This is especially true with young girls. I guide my teenagers to be educated in order to make the right decisions, not keep information from them so they don't know what to do if they are confronted with a situation they don't know how to handle. Believe me, there is nothing anyone can do if a teenager decides they want to have sex.
Comment: I am not saying we should keep information from our children. Clearly, kids need to know how their body works, what sexuality is about, how babies are made, STD's. I am saying lets tell them what the smartest, most responsible decision is, such as waiting until they are at a much more mature age before having sex. We tell our children all the time what is bad for them, smoking, drinking, drugs. We don't tell them "drugs are bad, but in case you use them, here's a clean needle." What is so wrong with saying "sex at this age isn't a good idea, it can be damaging to your self-esteem, can give you a permanent disease, can create another human being you aren't ready to care for, so it really is just best you avoid it for now. It's not a necessity to have sex, yes, it's great, but not necessary at the age of 15." Again, I go back to my analogy, do we teach kids the art of dodging cars and putting on protective gear, or do we tell them to stay the heck off of the freeway?? We don't have to simply say "stay off the freeway", but include an explanation- it's dangerous, it's deadly and downright foolish. My teenagers will not be uneducated on the topic of sex, they will have the necessary information, but I'm not going to send them mixed messages by saying "it's best you wait" as I hand them a condom.
Comment: And how many kids do you know who are going to just take it on faith and then not partake in sex because their parents said it was bad for them. Whether it be because they are rebelious, or because they find the concept of them being too immature insulting, or for one of numerous other reasons, simply telling your kids sex isn't right for them at this age and they shouldn't do it isn't going to fly. I was raised in a house of overprotective Christians who told me exactly what you said. However, thanks to the internet I learn more and after being fully informed I made the decision to wait until I was older. What you have to realize is some peoples drives are higher than others and they are going to partake regardless if it "is not in their best interest".
Comment: But isn't that what we tell kids about drugs, alcohol, drinking and driving, cheating on tests..... We tell our kids all the time what they shouldn't and should do, so why is sex any different. Why is it so wrong to tell your kids not to partake in something that can create consequences that they aren't ready for. If they were to get pregnant, whether they choose adoption, abortion or to parent, they will still feel consequences they aren't mature enough to deal with. They will still be profoundly affected by their decision and shouldn't we simply be telling our kids, you shouldn't partake in activities that involve consequences you simply are equipped to handle at this age. Yes, we were given sexuality and it is a beautiful thing, but it can be tainted by immaturity and irresponsibility. Again, educate your children b/c clearly silence is dangerous, but don't give them mixed messages by telling them all of the very negative consequences of a behavior as you hand them a condom, which doesn't offer complete protection from all the negative consequences. They do break, STD's are still on the rise even though anyone can get contraceptives and most importantly, they don't protect your emotional well being.
Comment: I think the approach of "telling kids what not to do" is inherently defective. My kids are little, yet, but I think it's less effective just to tell them "don't do ____" than it is to give them the facts they need to recognize and understand, not only the reasons WHY some things are prohibited, but what people need to do to protect themselves if they do find themselves in the situation. In the ***/early teen years, that means NO alcohol, pot, sex, etc., because there's no way to do them safely (same with drinking and driving at any age, "hard" drugs, e.g. heroin, cocaine, many prescription meds). On into high school, the focus should shift to risks and prevention (contraception, moderation, designated drivers, etc.). In other words, parents should focus on the actual dangers of risky activities, not on their own moral outrage about them. Just to be clear, I'm definitely not saying parents should *permit* dangerous activities - rules need to be set and enforced strictly - but prohibition without education puts parents' "morals" ahead of kids' safety. If more people thought this way, I believe the net result would be, among a great many other positive outcomes, a drastic reduction in abortion (through a drastic reduction in unwanted pregnancies).
Comment: It's the continuing empowerment of women that is causing the decline in abortions. This is something pro-life advocates would not agree with. Providing women with the resources they need to deal effectively with their own lives, such as education and choices, puts them in control and allows them to understand there are alternatives to abortion without condemnation. Ironically, it is the right to choose which causes the decline. There seems to be a camp which is not sophisticated enough to understand this. Pro-choice begets trust begets empowerment begets life. Simple.
Comment: Give me a break the woman has had the power all along. Just refuse to have sex! That is the biggest power in this debate. Just say NO! Sound familiar?
Comment: This is the condemnation I am referring to. Remember what trust begets. Maintaining the chain removes the religious fodder. But first, get rid of the anger.
Comment: Sex as a weapon, the basis of every loving relationship. I'm so relieved my marriage isn't about control or dominance, it's about mutual respect and sharing and love. The old line of women having all the power by cutting off the sex is ... well, old. And it has never worked.
Comment: Excellent point!!
Comment: This should send lots of you over the edge - a novel ideal - just don't have sex then you don't have to worry about any of the associated problems. Sex is NOT a recreational activity. It was established to be a bond of love between a husband and wife and meant for procreation of life. It is special and beautiful. Have more respect for yourself. I know it works because early on when I was young I had a set of rules for myself and didn't violate them. Today, 50 years later I 'm happy, have wonderful kids that I wanted and am healthy and free of regrets and diseases.
Comment: who said sex is just for married people and only to procreate.....you some bible written by a bunch of men??? You just can't force everyone in a society to accept that principle. If it works for some people that's great but it's ridiculous to assume that concept is true for all nor should it be. Quite frankly, I agree with blue_rylie...I wouldn't marry anyone unless I was sexually compatable with that person and after that I wouldn't want to spend the next 25 years of my life in a constant state of pregnancy because somebody said sex was only for procreation. I'm sure glad most people don't believe that!!! LOL!!!
Comment: I'm glad you made such admirable choices, and choices that were right for you. That does not mean they are right for everyone. I don't buy shoes without trying them on first, and I hope I don't need to finish that analogy. Even if waiting for marriage is the right choice for a person, being married does not automatically equate to being ready or even wanting to have children. Married women can and do abort.
Comment: If you cannot have a meaningful relationship with a person without having sex then what will you do when the sex drive is gone? Or the man can no longer perform? Get a divorce?
Comment: Again you assume so much. Who said I would leave? Who said that is what I base the relationship on? Like it or not, sex is a part of the relationship, but only a part. Don't jump ahead too far, you might find you go right off a cliff
Comment: Hopefully all those "shoes" you are trying on aren't infected with fungi if you know what I mean. Love, devotion and compassion for one another is what creates sexual compatibility, not necessarily practice or experience. But ultimately, that is your decision.
Comment: I have tried on a lot more shoes than I have men. It's an analogy, not to be taken too literally. A person can be in a long term committed relationship without having the legal license of marriage. Thank you for your concern, and I agree that each has to decide for themselves and ALL should be educated and safe.
Comment: Why are abstinence proponents called naive for encouraging and expecting teenagers to abstain from sex. That's no different than saying teenagers can't be taught to abstain from drugs. Heck, if Planned Parenthood were put in charge of children's traffic safety, they would devote their time and energy teaching kids how to dodge cars rather than stay off the freeway. What are we doing to our young impressionable kids?? They look to us for guidance- why are we so quick to give them "safe sex" tools rather than giving them the tools to demand and have self-respect and self-worth. Most parents have to *** at their teens to remember to put their seat belt on, do their homework, put their shoes away, yet you want to trust these same teenagers to take a pill every day or remember to keep a condom near by at all times. Maybe kids are simply not equiped to be having sex, plain and simple! I don't think this is a crazy or unreasonable way of thinking. Teach your children to set their standards high and encourage them to find something to be passionate about, not how to put a condom on a banana!!
Comment: Are you for real. To even slightly equate drug abuse/addiction to sexual behavior is absurd. Human beings are sexual beings. Sex has been around since time began. Teenagers have been having sex since time began. Abortion has been around just a long.
Do you really believe you can tell a young teenager that having sex is wrong until marriage and they are just going to say, "okay". When you have a curious, hormone raging teenager wondering what is happening to his/her body, they need answers. They need to be educated completly about sex, sexually transmitted diseases, contraception, parenthood, self esteem, etc, etc. Without education we create ingnorance, with ignorance we create young people making bad choices.
In this country a person is considered an adult at 18. They can vote, they can go off to fight wars. They should have been taught everything that is need to make good sexual choices by the time they are 18 years old. The more education, and the more available contraception is made, the less need for abortion.
Comment: I am all for teaching abstinence, I'm just not for teaching abstinence ONLY. Kids have to be told to put their shoes away time and again because kids make irresponsible and bad choices. That is what makes them kids. If we could teach kids, without a doubt, to wait until adulthood for sex then I'd be thrilled. People have been trying to do that for AGES and for AGES it has been failing. I prefer my kids be taught abstinence AND....and about STD's, and about pregnancy, and about contraception, and about every last little thing that goes along with sex. Even if they don't have sex as teens, they will have it sooner or later. When that day comes, I want them fully educated on all possible risks and benefits and outcomes and possibilities. I'm all for abstinence, but the realist tells me not all kids will achieve that goal, nor will all adults.
Comment: No one has the right to impose their will, religion, or morality on someone else.
No one has the right to enter my house and steal my things. No one has the right to use foul language in front of my 3 year old. No one has the right to have sex at will, get on the government welfare system and get free money. No one has the right to impose sickness on others by going to work, school, church and other places while sick. It happens both ways.
Comment: No one has the right to kill someone, yet the abortionist do it everyday.
Comment: Georgia......religious people are given a command and that is to advance the Kingdom of God. Religious people see this as a religious issue because it is viewed as 'murder'. If there are no PP clinics, then there is no problem. Yes, freedom does allow for piercings, shacking up, purple hair, etc. The reality part is that it is really no one's business what another does as long as it does not cause undo pain or misery to another human. Abortion then becomes the issue of the fetus. Is it human or not? Pro life folks think so. Obviously, pro choice folks think not. What is truly upsetting is that the religious folks are interpreting the teachings in their own way as usual, and throw in scriptures to back them up. Jesus was all about love. Many christians today have a downright hatred for anything and anyone that does not conform to their beliefs. It's sad. We have folks like Jerry Falwell to thank for that.
Comment: PP is not the problem....PP provides multiple services, not just abortion services. Even if every Planned Parenthood in world closed there doors tomorrow, abortions would still happen, so I think it's pretty narrow minded to continously single out and point the finger at PP, as if they are the only reason that abortions happen.
Comment: I love how everyone just looses their minds over this....Reality Check time people, this issue has absolutely squat to do with religion....this whole issue is about you getting to tell me what I should or should not do with my life and my body. No one has the right to impose their will, religion, or morality on someone else. That's what the whole freedom thing is about, I get to decide....I get to decide if I want purple hair and 20 gazillion body piercing, I get to decide if I get married or just shack up indefinately, and I get to decide if I want to have children or not. Welcome to the 21st century.
Comment: Has anyone here imposed their religion on you? They may have expressed their viewpoint and tried to change your mind, but no one has twisted your arm, have they? From what I have read, the most vitriol is from the people who happens to disagree with certain religious posters, resorting to name calling and insults. You're right, that's what this whole freedom thing is about, a free exchange of ideas. Now, go get your hair dyed purple. That is only if you choose to.
Comment: I have to respectfully disagree with you....these religious types are trying to change the Constitution to reflect their particular point of view. They are also trying to change laws by changing the language from women to unborn child thereby totally ignoring the woman (the human being who is already here as if we don't count at all).
Comment: You are the narrow-minded, zealot that you accused others of being. Show me where a single poster has mentioned the word Constitution or changing of the document on this thread. You have so much hatred for people of faith, you just jumped to conclusions and lumped everyone together. As I said before, I am an atheist, but I love people of faith, just as I love people who choose not to have religion in their lives. If you think these are all right-wing nuts, then you are a left-wing nut. I don't know which is worse.
Comment: I've been called a murderer today on this discussion board, and not even because I had an abortion....but because I chose to get an IUD to prevent unwanted pregnancies. And yes people have tries to impose their religious view points on others...when they make bold statements about how others should live their lives because that is what their relgion preaches, that is them imposing their view point and religion onto someone else. For the record the purple hair was a humorous example....but it still all boils down on everyone being free to make the choices that are right for their life, even if those choices are right for anyone else, and having access to the appropriate facilities and professionals when those tough decisions are made.
Comment: Impose: ito make people agree to something or comply with something by having superior strength or authority.
By suggesting how one should live is in no way "imposing" anything. I just don't understand the irrational fear coming from both sides. On the left, the word God scares the hell of them. On the right, gay rights get the same response. Who is imposing on who? I say neither.
Comment: Let me rephrase....there are many on this discussion that are TRYING to impose their view points and religious beliefs. They have most stubbornly attempted to impose themselves and their beliefs on myself and others, instead how about we just leave religion at the door, and discuss the article like rational educated adults.
Comment: They are arguing their viewpoint. Just like you are. Because their values and ideas are shaped around their religion means nothing. Good for them for sticking with their beliefs. Like tracker said... they're not imposing or forcing you... they're giving their opinion which happens to be religiously based.
Comment: If i'm not mistaken the right proposes a Constitutional ban on abortion. In fact Huckabee has just proposed changing the Constitution to "reflect God's law instead of Man's law". The religious right is salivating at that one. Perhaps you need to keep up with the latest news.
Comment: There is no reason to amend the Constitution. It already states "No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law " That should be the end of it yet the proabortionist have somehow managed to "legalize" abortion depriving over 264,000 babies their right to life.
Comment: rs1234 fetus' are not considered persons under the Constitution or did you not know that? It would take an amendment to the Constitution giving fetus' the same rights as the already born person to make abortion illegal..
Comment: There was a time that African Americans weren't considered persons either. They were nothing but white mans property. Those that supported slavery used slogans very similiar to ones used today to support aborition- "don't like slavery, don't own slave." Sounds pretty similiar to "don't like abortion, don't have one." Blacks didn't choose slavery and babies don't choose abortion.
