What liberals take issue with when Saletan calls abortion "bad" and hopes that we reduce the abortion rate is the fact that this has at its core the "sex is bad" morality. Why do we think that abortion is shameful, such that women who are faced with that choice feel guilty about choosing to have an abortion? Because on some level the "sex is bad" morality tells us, to put it crudely, "bitch shoulda kept her legs closed."I would have commented on the site, but you need to have a Passport (MicroSoft) account, and, on principle, I won't give the Evil Empire the information needed.
If you don't think that zygotes are fully formed human beings [...], the only way that abortion would be a tragic choice is within a society which tells women that sex is bad and that giving birth is their societal duty.
"Sex is bad"?
Not my perspective. I like it all - procreative sex, non-procreative sex, playful sex, too-late-and-too-tired sex, really steamy make-up sex - it's all great. As the joke goes, even when the sex is terrible, it's not bad.
Of course, I'm biased, since all of the above took place between my husband and myself. And, to my way of thinking, that's the best basis for great sex - a committed relationship of many years.
"Giving birth" is a "societal duty"?
No, sweets. Giving birth is a great thing. But, if you're not prepared to face the possibility, perhaps having sex is not a good idea at this time. The grief many women feel is a natural response. Let's face it, not every child on this Earth was conceived as a conscious choice. Some of them were "whoops" conceptions.
Before Roe v. Wade, the overwhelming majority of women (and men) made their peace with the occurrence. While they may not have been thrilled to be parents at that time, they adjusted. They tightened their belts, hauled out the baby clothes, and changed their vacation plans. Did their lives change?
Absolutely. But they made mature decisions. They acted like adults. They accepted their responsibility for the situation, and got over it.
I remember one of the first issues of Ms. magazine. It had several pages of names of women who admitted they had had abortions. At the time, I was impressed by the number of women who had been affected by laws against abortion. I decided to get on board with the trend.
I don't mean that I did it because it was trendy. I had been persuaded by the arguments (later to be exposed as false by a recanting Dr. Bernard Nathanson). I will regret that to my dying day, as I will regret influencing others to support abortion rights.
Over time, I've learned more about the issue from a variety of sources. Today, I would support a ban, except in very limited cases. Down's Syndrome isn't one of them. The deliberate elimination of these vulnerable members of our society is a heartbreaking thing. Whatever is on the mind of people who would "get rid" of an imperfect child? Do they feel they "deserve" a perfect child?
Lots of luck. I've had 3 kids and 3 grandkids. Trust me on this one, NO kid is perfect.
But, they are very precious.
Tags = Abortion
1 comment:
Beautifully put, Linda. Thank you.
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