Monday, March 1, 2010

How Pro-Choice Are You?

This is a response to this blog post at The Abortioneers. This is a survey that works to clarify your values. I loved this post, and I think the "survey" is a great idea. As Abortioneers said, you can take it to your friends, workplace, etc. I thought it'd be a cool idea to get people to publish blog posts with their responses. Here are my responses:


Do you Agree or Disagree with the following statements:

1. Every woman has the right to choose to terminate a pregnancy regardless of when during the pregnancy.
-Agree

2. Abortion should be allowed even beyond 24 weeks of pregnancy.
-Agree

3. Parental consent should be required for any teen under the age of 18 requesting an abortion.
-Disagree

4. Women who have more than 5 abortions are irresponsible.
-Disagree

5. Women who have more than 10 abortions are irresponsible.
-Disagree

6. Women should not use abortion as a form of birth control.
-Disagree. I've never heard of or met a woman that uses abortion as birth control (although antis make it out to seem like all women who have abortions are using it as BC), but it's not my place to tell a woman what she should or should not do. If a woman really wants to use abortion as BC (again, I've never heard of that woman), then that's her right.

7. I think reproductive health advocacy organizations should promote the use of emergency contraception in order to decrease the number of abortions in the US each year.
-Agree. However, it's not about reducing abortions for me. It's about reducing unintended pregnancies.

8. I feel uncomfortable if a woman has an abortion because of the gender of the pregnancy.
-Disagree. I may disagree with her reason for having an abortion, but it's her right. However, I think it's very important to ask how much of a choice the women really have in these situations. In countries that value women so little that female-sex-selective abortions are commonplace, how much is her right to choice respected?

9. Male partners should have the right to be a part of the decision to terminate a pregnancy.
-Disagree, unless he's the one that's pregnant!

10. I think a woman's right to choose to have an abortion is an absolute and inalienable right no matter what.
-AGREE!

One more activity to sit with is an open-ended finish the sentence:

1. Abortions are: blessings.

2. Women who have abortions are: normal people.

3. A woman facing an unwanted pregnancy needs to: think through her options and choose what's best for her.

4. In this country, abortion should be: safe, legal, accessible, and free.

5. People working to restrict abortion should: shift their efforts to a good cause.

6. People working on behalf of women's right to choose should: speak up, make some noise!

30 comments:

  1. "People working to restrict abortion should: shift their efforts to a good cause."

    Couldn't agree more.

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  2. You said "4. In this country, abortion should be: safe, legal, accessible, and free."

    Would you apply this same standard to gun ownership? After all, we have the right to bear arms. Should the government provide us free guns? Should we be able to restrict gun ownership?

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  3. Lauren-

    Right to gun ownership and right to health care are two completely different rights. I believe that all health care should be free.

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  4. What makes them different? The right to gun ownership is explicitly found in the bill of rights, while healthcare is no where to be found. If healthcare should be free, why not guns?

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  5. What makes them different? Healthcare is used to save lives. Most people need health care at least once in their lives, while most people don't need guns. You're comparing apples to oranges, and I don't really get the point that you're trying to make?

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  6. Guns are also used to save lives.

    The point I'm making is that although gun ownership is an explicit right, we do not expect anyone else to pay for our weapons, and we accept reasonable regulation.

    Abortion is not an explicit right, but rather one found only through an extrapolation of an extrapolation of a right. Yet, you argue for it to be both free and without any regulations above those of a general surgical clinic.

    My point is that just because something is a "right" doesn't mean that it can or should be subsidized by tax payers or that it should be without regulation.

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  7. Do you believe that people should be able to get other kinds of health care for free?

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  8. I believe that our healthcare system has been completely corrupted by the interjection of third party payers. It's complicated because we now have medical advancements which cost obscene amounts of money, but ultimately I think a better system would be for us to go back to patient-payer for general medical issues and insurance for catastrophic events.

    Basically, we should purchase healthcare like we purchase anything else. Prices should be stated and doctors should compete for business. A sliding scale could be introduced in order to make sure that lower income families could afford medical care in addition to Medicaid to cover catastrophic costs.

    So, no I don't believe healthcare should be free, but I do believe it should be restructured.

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  9. I must be misunderstanding what you're saying with your responses to the poll. Do you contend that it's acceptable for a woman to have 10 abortions, each in the 9th month, that they be paid for with public money, and that's it's unfair to call this person irresponsible?

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  10. Show me one woman that has had 10 elective abortions all in the 9th month of pregnancy and your question might be relevant to reality.

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  11. You skirt the issue. Okay, 10 abortions that evenly range in terms from the 3rd to the 8th month.

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  12. It's acceptable for a woman to have as many abortions as she wishes. You can't limit the number of abortions that a woman is free to have without disrespecting her liberty and her bodily autonomy. It's not my place to judge any woman who has an abortion. As a future abortion provider, I think that it's my job to have compassion for every woman who has an abortion, and to try my best to understand her situation. A woman who has had 10 abortions is most likely in need of help. She may need help learning how to use her BC properly, paying for her BC, or getting out of an abusive relationship. I want to be there to help her, not to pass judgment on her.

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  13. It would be less expensive to send her to a class on Self Respect and Self Control. Look around for these classes, they exist. You too could benefit.

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  14. Seems like you're not actually interested in knowing my opinion. You just want to bash me and the women who have abortions.

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  15. You have a whole site dedicated to bashing those who disagree with your views but you state I just want to bash you. Has anyone ever told you, it's not all about you?

    What a shameful, shameful, arrogant hypocrite you are. Are you interested in knowing my opinions or opinions like WISE people such as Mother Theresa? Or did you start this site to have your Sheeple stroke your fragile little ego and the rest of us are just uneducated idiots? Have you read anything Pro-Lifers respectfully ask you to? You even respond with sarcasm to those who state they will pray for you. Those who pray for the people they disagree with are the most humble on our Earth. Can you honestly say you pray for Pro-Lifers?

    There are women who've had abortions that realize the terrible, terrible "choice" they made and try to get through to you. But no, you are more intelligent then they are. There are women who have survived rape and still KNOW that Life Begins at Conception. But no, you are more intelligent then they. There are some of us who realize that in actuality powerful, controlling white men were behind legalized abortion because we were around during this time. We have seen society RAPIDLY change since abortion became legal. But you know more at what? Age 25?

    Women that think like you claim to be for the rest of us but you are deep down all about yourself. You hide behind smoke and mirrors claiming to be for women's rights. You cannot be for my rights until you are for the rights of ALL humanity.

    Legalized abortion has contributed to the Me Mentality, Materialism and Selfism. "If it doesn't work for me, I'll just get rid of it." Motherhood is no longer sacred due to thinking like yours. How sad for all innocent children--born and unborn as well as women trying to gain respect for the most important job on earth -- Motherhood. Child abuse of born children has greatly increased also since abortion was legalized. THINK REAL HARD about why this might be.

    You think more about parrots than you do about women and little girls. I am very sorry that you have dealt with oppression in our world -- all women have. I am sorry that your mom did not teach you to respect the innocent. But if you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem. Abortion has become the problem in our country.

    You are not actually interested in knowing reasoning behind my opinion because it would SHATTER your FACADE and you might have to take a good long look at where your heart is.

    "It's not that we don't have enough scoundrels to curse, it's that we don't have enough good men to curse them." G.K. Chesterton

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  16. "Have you read anything Pro-Lifers respectfully ask you to?"

    I have, actually. Just because I don't want to subject myself to torture regularly doesn't mean that I don't do it once in a while. ;)

    "You even respond with sarcasm to those who state they will pray for you."

    Where have I responded with sarcasm to a genuine offer of prayer? I appreciate it. I really do.

    "Can you honestly say you pray for Pro-Lifers?""

    Yes. Yes, I can.

    Where have I claimed that I'm "more intelligent" than any of those people? I don't claim to know more than other rape victims or women who have regretted their abortions. Where did you get that from? ..or are you just making stuff up again? ;)

    "Women that think like you claim to be for the rest of us but you are deep down all about yourself."

    How so?

    "You cannot be for my rights until you are for the rights of ALL humanity."

    I agree. Antis can't be for my rights (or your rights, or anyone else's rights) until they are for the rights of all humanity, including women!

    ""If it doesn't work for me, I'll just get rid of it.""

    It's not about what doesn't work for me. It's about what doesn't work for other people. It's about refraining from forcing people to live the way that I want them to live, and letting them live the way that they want. It's about freedom. How sad is your position for women who want to be recognized as full persons in our world. How sad is it that their personhood is taken away as soon as they're raped , or as soon as they choose a lifestyle that you don't like, or as soon as they get pregnant. How sad, indeed.

    "You are not actually interested in knowing reasoning behind my opinion"

    Sure I am. You just haven't shown me any reason behind your opinion, yet.

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  17. PCG - And you haven't shown any humanity behind yours.


    To PCG's Sheeple:

    Can't get PCG to argue against these sites. Any other takers?

    The Apple Argument Against Abortion

    Rachel's Vineyard

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  18. RE: Those who pray for the people they disagree with are the most humble on our Earth

    I completely disagree with this statement. People who say they will pray for another unrequested do not do it out of care for the recipient. They do it for themselves. They want the person to change their views so they pray to their sky daddy to fix it. This is nothing more than arrogance, arrogance that their belief is the only right and moral view. Arrogance that their desire is more important than the other person or even the imaginary friend they pray too. This all powerful being surely knows what is going on and should s/he want this change it would take place without your prayers. If these generous prayers are so humble why are offers of prayer from anyone of an opposing faith refused? A pro choice offering to pray for pro birth has created more than one angry outburst. It would be humble to ASK if the intended minds having a prayer said for them rather than a forceful condescending statement said out of spite.

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  19. So, you're a future abortion provider that believes the procedure may be performed at any point in the pregnancy. Can YOU, with you own hands, can take the life of a baby days before the natural birth?

    Don't get me wrong. I'm pro-choice albeit with trepidation. I've paid for 3 procedures for nitwits with worthless partners. But your position creeps me out, PCGal

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  20. Frank-

    My position is that, if a woman should have liberty and bodily domain during the early stages of her pregnancy, then she should have liberty and bodily domain during the later stages of her pregnancy, either. It doesn't make any sense to take away her rights at some arbitrary point in her pregnancy.

    "I've paid for 3 procedures for nitwits with worthless partners."

    Why are you calling women "nitwits" for needing abortions? Who are you to judge her? Why not try compassion instead of judging?

    Btw, I'd never take the life of any baby. Fetuses are not babies.

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  21. Frank,

    You have to be very specific when you talk with PCG. Don't say baby. She doesn't like that. Maybe she will answer whether she herself will be willing to "with her own hands, take the life of a FETUS days before the natural birth?" I'm guessing the answer has to be yes or her whole Facade will be blown. If yes, PCG, could you explain to us uneducated folk how exactly this is done and what the FETUS looks like after it is outside of the womb. Do you prefer it called a Fetus once it is outside the womb since it died before it was outside the womb? If said Fetus is still moving after your medical interventions may we then call it a baby? Or will you still prefer Fetus?

    It is truly amazing the extent that humans will go to rationalize irrational behaviors.

    FYI PCG - Parrots are not children. But they mights as well be to you - you afford them more protection.

    "Why are you calling women "nitwits" for needing abortions?" How many women "need" abortions?


    Parrots are not children.

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  22. "Maybe she will answer whether she herself will be willing to "with her own hands, take the life of a FETUS days before the natural birth?""

    I haven't decided for sure yet if I'll be performing late-term abortions or not. It requires extra training, so I'll wait to see how it all works out in the long run. Keep in mind that elective late term abortions NEVER happen.

    Fetuses are fetuses. Fetuses become babies when they leave the womb alive.

    Yes, I know that parrots are not human children. Thank you for pointing out the obvious. :)

    How many women need abortions? The answer: the same number of women that get abortions.

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  23. Answer the question directly, dear. Could you, with your own hands, destroy a full term "fetus"? Besides sidestepping questions when your irresposible positions are called to taks you have a propensity to alter statements of others. I did not call "women" nitwits I referred specically to the 3 fools that got themselves pregnant needlessly. They could pay for it so I did to keep their miserable lives from getting any worse.

    Now answer the question. Could you crush the skull of a fully formed "fetus"? If you think that 1 day before versus 1 day after the event of birth is a big difference in the status of a living human being then it's obvious you're only capable of thinking in terms of absolutes. I'm waiting young lady.

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  24. COULD I perform a late term abortion? Yes.

    "I did not call "women" nitwits I referred specically to the 3 fools that got themselves pregnant needlessly."

    1) Once again, why don't you try understanding their situations instead of judging them?
    2) They didn't get themselves pregnant. I'm fairly certain that there was a man involved in this situation, as well.

    "If you think that 1 day before versus 1 day after the event of birth is a big difference in the status of a living human being then it's obvious you're only capable of thinking in terms of absolutes."

    This isn't about the fetus to me. It's 100% about the woman. Women should have the right to control what happens to their bodies throughout all stages of their pregnancies.

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  25. Anonymous,
    I agree, it is a facade. Posting her poll answers is akin to waving her arms about saying, "Look at me everybody! I got every question right and am the most pro-choice Gal around." This issue requires gravity and she shows none. I found this site because of the pitifull humor post at Abortioneers about things preferable to an unwanted pregnancy. PCG was all over that. I hope she'd do some serious soul searching if she performed a late term procedure and killed a child that has eyelashes and fingernails. I think she'd crumble.

    I'm not sure I've ever seen anyone so immersed in an issue with such poorly formed attitudes. Scary. The Nazis and Khmer Rouge were like that. This girl is a zealot but I believe she has the smarts to grow out of it.

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  26. Let's hope she does because at this stage she is truly frightening. People will go to many lengths to rationalize their own cruelty. My best guess is PCG hasn't come to grips with aborting her own child.

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  27. Praxedes writes:

    PCG: I truly am trying to follow your logic but cannot wrap my mind around it. Maybe my mind and ethics are just not as advanced as yours. Let me try to further understand
    your logic:

    A living, moving human being (which you do admit it is) inside of the womb should be called a FETUS. You are willing to kill this living, moving FETUS because in your world the owner of the womb has more value than the occupier of the womb, i.e. FETUS. (Strange that our country has stricter laws against landowners kicking renters out than we do about a family member hiring a hitman/hitwomyn to kill their FETUS.)

    Anyway, we all know that a living, moving FETUS that just emerges from the womb is now called a BABY.

    I am curious as to what you call the non-living, non-moving entity that just emerges from the womb after the abortionist provides his/her "health care"? A BABY or A FETUS?

    The reality is that when an abortionist becomes involved in the mix and the FETUS/BABY is outside the all-sacred womb, the F/B is now a MURDER VICTIM.


    "Everything Adolf Hitler did was legal, but none of it was right." Martin Luther King (another profit the majority opposed.)

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  28. Anonymous- I haven't had an abortion.

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  29. I hope and pray you never do.

    What is a non-moving, non-living, entity that is pulled outside of the womb due to a "doctor's" actions called?

    Whatever you want to call it -- Keep Your Laws Off it's Body.

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***PLEASE READ***

Due to constant spam and derailing coming from a few antis, I am now making this blog a "safe place". This does not mean that I won't allow opposing views. It means that I'm not longer going to allow hateful or unrelated/spammy comments. This will continue on until the anti-choice spammers get bored with harassing me and the people who post here, and is especially relevant when it comes to the topic of rape. I hope this doesn't deter any respectful people from commenting. :)