freedigitalphotos.net, imagerymajestic
Probably not, and why would you? Sure, it's a hot button issue around election time, but on the daily, there's not much reason to think about it (if you happen to be a regular political activist, good for you!). I've seen several articles on social media in the last week about abortion (all with incredibly different takes on it) that have caused me to give it more thought than usual.
The first was about Nik Hoot, a high schooler living in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The thing is, he was born in Siberia. Well, technically, he was aborted in Siberia. Nik's biological mother had an abortion when she was 24 weeks pregnant, yet somehow, Nik survived the procedure (despite losing parts of both legs), and recovered after being born so prematurely (completely contradicting the idea that a fetus isn't viable at 24 weeks). He went on to be adopted by an American family and is now a wrestler and a pretty typical mid-western teenager.
The second was an advertisement for an art exhibit that'll be displayed at the University of Michigan, called "4,000 Years of Choice: A Graphic Guide to Reproductive Justice." In its own words, it "is an exhibition of posters about the age-old practices of abortion and contraception as a means to reclaim reproductive freedom as a deeply personal and life-sustaining act existing throughout all of human history." Abortion is now considered a life-sustaining act in some circles, as well as an act to be celebrated...interesting.
And then there's this...
From Live Action Films--"Inhuman: Undercover in America's Late Term Abortion Industry-Arizona"
***Disclaimer: This video isn't graphic, but it IS disturbing***
This video brought tears to my eyes and made me want to retch all at the same time. Pro-choice or Pro-life, I don't believe anyone could watch this "doctor"'s callous disregard for human life and not feel disgust (if you chose to not watch the video, here's the basic premise: an undercover, pregnant filmographer is fictitiously seeking a late-term abortion; her Planned Parenthood doctor--in no vague terms--assures her that even if the baby is born alive, they'll still terminate it).
So why should you think about abortion? Because it kills millions every year. Whether you believe a fetus is a "person" or not, there's no denying that the termination of an unborn baby is a death sentence. With absolutely no say in the matter, that baby will never have a first birthday, take a first step, have a first kiss, or have a child of his/her own. We collectively mourn when we hear news of genocide and gross human rights violations (The Holocaust, Rwanda, North Korea). We grieve when we hear of child abuse and child hunger. But when I look at the numbers, it boggles my mind that we can talk with such reverence about the lives lost in war or conflict, yet completely ignore the lives ended before they even had a chance to begin:
Can you imagine the grief, fear, and world-wide press that would be devoted to an army, disease, or natural disaster that killed 1 million Americans in one year? It would be utterly catastrophic. But how many of us were even aware that 1 million babies were aborted in one year? I honestly wasn't until I looked it up. I'm not trying to shame people who are Pro-choice, or to judge anyone who has had or is contemplating an abortion; I would assume most women facing that gut-wrenching decision do so with heavy-hearts, and that their circumstances must be extremely difficult if they feel they have no other option. But I wish abortion advocates would approach the subject with the respect, solemnity and reverence it deserves. The statistics are sobering, and the act of ending a life (let alone millions) is a sad, sad thing in this day and age. The problem is, the true nature of abortion is totally lost behind the euphemisms of "choice" and "freedom" and "justice." Even if you truly believe in the premise of abortion, don't ignore or deny what it really is, and let's not downplay the magnitude of 53 million lives ended prematurely.
If you're bothered by these facts, do something about it. Educate yourself. Write your elected officials (mid-term elections are this year!). Speak-up in your local newspaper. Advocate for adoption, increased access to birth control, or abstinence. Have these kinds of discussions with your friends, family, and kids. Think about it. Talk about it. Do something about it. And feel free to comment about it below.
Learn More:
Abortion Laws by Country
How to Write to Your Elected Officials
Guttmacher Institute (an objective look at abortion and reproductive health issues)
Live Action Films
Abortion and the Affordable Care Act
So why should you think about abortion? Because it kills millions every year. Whether you believe a fetus is a "person" or not, there's no denying that the termination of an unborn baby is a death sentence. With absolutely no say in the matter, that baby will never have a first birthday, take a first step, have a first kiss, or have a child of his/her own. We collectively mourn when we hear news of genocide and gross human rights violations (The Holocaust, Rwanda, North Korea). We grieve when we hear of child abuse and child hunger. But when I look at the numbers, it boggles my mind that we can talk with such reverence about the lives lost in war or conflict, yet completely ignore the lives ended before they even had a chance to begin:
- 1.03 MILLION abortions were performed in 2011 in the United States
- 53 MILLION abortions have been performed since 1973 (Rowe v. Wade was passed) in the United States
- 21% of all pregnancies in the United States end in abortion (not including miscarriages)
- 30% of American women will have an abortion by age 35
Can you imagine the grief, fear, and world-wide press that would be devoted to an army, disease, or natural disaster that killed 1 million Americans in one year? It would be utterly catastrophic. But how many of us were even aware that 1 million babies were aborted in one year? I honestly wasn't until I looked it up. I'm not trying to shame people who are Pro-choice, or to judge anyone who has had or is contemplating an abortion; I would assume most women facing that gut-wrenching decision do so with heavy-hearts, and that their circumstances must be extremely difficult if they feel they have no other option. But I wish abortion advocates would approach the subject with the respect, solemnity and reverence it deserves. The statistics are sobering, and the act of ending a life (let alone millions) is a sad, sad thing in this day and age. The problem is, the true nature of abortion is totally lost behind the euphemisms of "choice" and "freedom" and "justice." Even if you truly believe in the premise of abortion, don't ignore or deny what it really is, and let's not downplay the magnitude of 53 million lives ended prematurely.
If you're bothered by these facts, do something about it. Educate yourself. Write your elected officials (mid-term elections are this year!). Speak-up in your local newspaper. Advocate for adoption, increased access to birth control, or abstinence. Have these kinds of discussions with your friends, family, and kids. Think about it. Talk about it. Do something about it. And feel free to comment about it below.
Learn More:
Abortion Laws by Country
How to Write to Your Elected Officials
Guttmacher Institute (an objective look at abortion and reproductive health issues)
Live Action Films
Abortion and the Affordable Care Act
No comments:
Post a Comment