Published by deborah.woehr on 25 Feb 2006 at 09:45 am
South Dakota May Ban Abortion Rights
SD Gov. ‘Inclined’ to Sign Abortion Ban: The ban will make abortions illegal except when the woman’s life is at stake. The ban includes cases of rape or incest. It’s this last that I don’t agree with. Yes, they can give the child up for adoption. But why inflict the woman (in most cases, girls) with more trauma than she’s already been through?
Abortion Rights Activists Threaten to Boycott SD: The boycotters are threatening the tourism industry. It remains to be seen whether this intimidation tactic will work. It did with Idaho.
Could This Be the End of Roe vs. Wade?: I doubt it, but it’s possible. To be perfectly honest, I’m sick of this issue, but I’m going to talk about it anyway. I think the government should stay the hell out of this unless a crime has been committed. Their energies would be better spent going after all those single mothers who keep pumping out kids in order to receive a bigger welfare check.
My views on abortion have changed as I’ve gotten older. At 20, I was totally pro-choice. If I had gotten pregnant back then, I would have gotten an abortion simply because I wasn’t financially able to raise a child. My parents’ reaction was another factor, but the financial would have been the deciding point.
As I approach 40, my outlook has changed. I’ve seen too many women (and men) use the “pro-choice right” as a cover-up for their promiscuity and stupidity. Yes, accidents happen. But five times??
Melly on 26 Feb 2006 at 7:09 am #
I do agree that some (distorted people) use abortion as a birth control. (I don’t understand the women who would rather go through an abortion rather than be on the pill or whatever. Isn’t it a serious medical procedure?)
But. But just because some people are distorted, it doesn’t mean that everybody should suffer for it. A woman has a right not to be pregnant if she doesn’t want to. A woman has a right to her own body. And accidents do happen (although not five times, I agree).
A lot more money should go into education and better birth control means for both genders. Education is key though.
I’m sure when you were twenty and pro-choice, you were still very careful. It doesn’t mean that because you are pro-choice you are careless.
deborah.woehr on 26 Feb 2006 at 8:50 am #
Yes, abortion is a very serious procedure. If the doctor screws up, the effects could be life threatening.
No, I wouldn’t want the government to make decisions about my body. I agree with you there. I’m talking about the repeat offenders, who milk our systems. Education doesn’t matter with these people, but living off our tax dollars for free. It’s both sad and frustrating.
No, I wasn’t always careful. It was the luck of the draw that I didn’t wind up pregnant.
pat kirby on 27 Feb 2006 at 10:07 am #
Disclaimer: generic rant, not leveled at you, Deborah.
I ran into another blog where the writer was arguing that you shouldn’t have a right to an abortion when it is your own stupid fault you got pregnant. I.e., women should be more responsible and “pay for their actions.”
First, I totally agree that women need to get their shit together and use birth control. The old, “It takes two to tango” argument doesn’t fly for me, because…ultimately, we ladies do exert a great deal of control over whether or not sex happens. (Excepting rape, of course.)
But, the problem with the, “She got pregnant, now she should pay the consequences” attitude is that we, the taxpayers and society get stuck with the consequences…i.e, the child she can’t or won’t support. Yes, I know some will whine that I shouldn’t call a child a consequence. Many of those whiners also oppose actually paying to support said child, only showing an interest in it when it’s a fetus (or stem cell).
I don’t believe the majority of abortions are repeat jobs, as it were. Most are one-time only, done by women who already have children, some who are married, all who don’t have the resources, mental or financial to care for (a) another child.
The anti-choice lobby is dominated by people who are against most forms of birth control. (The same ilk are also homophobes, but that’s another rant.) It really isn’t about saving babies; it’s about punishing women for the choices they make and reducing them to little more than reproductive organs.
The obsession on fetuses is rather hypocritical given our (U.S.) infant mortality rate, poor quality prenatal care (for the uninsured and those in the public health system), and overall disinterest in children after they are born.
deborah.woehr on 27 Feb 2006 at 10:55 am #
Don’t you just love this attitude? Notice that the man doesn’t have to take any responsibility. I was raised with this double-standard attitude, and it made me sick.
Very true.
I know. Why do these people think so short term? It costs a lot of money to raise a child. Then there is the love and nurturing aspect.
I think your right, Pat. Going through an abortion is tough the first time. One of my relatives told me about the process, which is very painful emotionally and physically. Her first abortion occurred when she was sixteen, which is way too young to be pregnant. The second time, her loser boyfriend forced her to do it, which is just as well.
Her best friend is married and had five because they weren’t convenient for one reason or another. I didn’t have to pay for them, so her choices are none of my concern.
No, it’s not about the babies but about revenue. And yes, if we make the wrong choice, we will be punished while the asshole that impregnated us gets off scot free.