Gun laws and abortion have been hot topics in our nation the last several years. Mass murders and other shootings are driving some to demand tougher laws to try to stem the violence. Others are very vocal proclaiming gun laws won’t keep guns out of the hands of criminals. “They’ll find a way to get them, maybe on the black market.” Many of the same people claiming gun laws won’t stop criminals from getting guns are the same people demanding more restrictive abortion laws. I find it ironic that there is genuine belief that more restrictive abortion laws will stop abortions. They didn’t before Roe v. Wade. “They’ll find another way to get them, maybe on the black market.” Laws are being written to make access to abortions more difficult and, with the current Supreme Court opening, many fear Roe v. Wade is in jeopardy. To further add to the irony, many of the same people demanding that these babies be born don’t want to extend social services to them like food stamps and affordable health care to help in raising them. What a predicament for the pregnant woman. But of course none of this lands on the father. Our courts make it so expensive to get child support in what are often unmarried scenarios. So now the burden is on the pregnant woman to figure out what to do. I can hear the arguments now…
“She should’ve used birth control.”
“She shouldn’t have sex if she thinks she might get pregnant.”
“She shouldn’t have sex if she can’t afford birth control.”
“Too bad she got raped, but she’ll just have to suck it up and deliver that baby anyway.”
“The pregnancy will likely kill the mom, but at least she didn’t have an abortion.”
In the fall of 1990, I was that unmarried, pregnant woman trying to figure out what to do. We used birth control, but it failed. I was 22 and a college senior. And I was faced with a choice. So many anti-abortion activists want to demonize Planned Parenthood. What a crock. As a poor college kid, I went to Planned Parenthood and they provided me with a well woman exam and helped me with birth control. And I went to Planned Parenthood to confirm my pregnancy. They explained my options, without promoting one over another, and offered unbelievable support a very scared young lady.
For me the choice was relatively easy. I say relative because an unexpected pregnancy throws your whole world upside down. I thought my life was heading in one direction and then it suddenly took a hard 90 to the left. Despite that, I chose to raise my child. But let’s examine my situation. My child would be born the summer after I graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. I anticipated a well-paying job with good benefits to help me. I was healthy. Sex was voluntary. Not every woman experiencing the hard 90 left of unexpected pregnancy is as fortunate as I was in my situation.
If anyone were to read this, by now they are probably labeling me as pro-abortion. No, I am not. I am pro sex education in the schools. I am pro access to free or affordable birth control. If we can stop the pregnancies then we can stop abortions. I am also pro affordable health care. I am pro giving women in unimaginable situations an option that might work for them. I am pro changing the court system to make it easier to hold fathers of these babies more accountable. They should have to account for their sexual behavior, too.
In a perfect world their would be no abortions. As a Christian, that would be my fervent desire. But we live in a broken world. Things will happen that put women in difficult situations. And right now, mostly older, male politicians who have likely never had to account for their sexual behavior are politicizing abortions and trying to dictate the choices we women have with our bodies. They are waving their “Champions of the Unborn” banners trying to get elected. Maybe laws will become more restrictive and maybe more babies will be born… But then what? Who is going to be there to champion for them? Certainly not those older, male politicians…
Discovering Grace 