The Abortion Debate

Now this is a tough one. I, myself, have been on both sides of the debate and everywhere in between. But one thing I have always believed is that if both sides can come together, we might not be able to end abortions but we could minimize them. So much thought, so much action, and so much money has gone into the battle; if only both sides had worked together from the beginning. No one is “pro-abortion”. To think that the opposite of pro-life is pro-death or pro-abortion is just ignorant.

Abortions mostly happen because of unwanted pregnancies. Rather than focusing on if abortion is right or wrong, we should work on reducing unwanted pregnancies either way – both to avoid abortions and to avoid unwanted babies with parents who can’t provide for them. Educating our young about sex and making it easier for people to have access to birth control have been proven to reduce unwanted pregnancies. You can’t be pro-life and be against sex education and birth control – it simply doesn’t make sense.

If abortions are banned and women who cannot afford and don’t want babies are forced to have them, those banning them must be willing to take care of the result: the babies. Programs that give assistance to those who are unable to make ends meet should never be cut. Pro-life doesn’t only mean pro-fetus: it means that we must take care of these children, with proper nutrition, a safe place to live, a good education, and a decent quality of life. It is unrealistic to disallow people from aborting pregnancies, and then not assist them in taking care of the babies they didn’t want to have.

If you are pro-life based on the sanctity of life, then you must care about those who are already here, too. You can’t place more importance on unborn babies than suffering happening now to already-existing humans. People all over the world are suffering, and anybody who truly cares about the sanctity of life would want to end that. I appreciate the desire to let every baby have a chance, but what kind of chance is it really if that’s the world they are born into? And what happens when they can’t afford school, and healthcare? Are they a burden on society when it was society itself that forced their existence in the first place?

Don’t call yourself pro-life if you are okay with separating families at the border, cutting food programs to the poor, and allowing climate change to continue. Voting for those who agree with your pro-life stance when it comes to abortions, but that ignore all the signs of climate change and what that will do to us is a really bad choice – so much is sacrificed when people vote solely based on politician’s right to life stances. If you really care about life, you should also be concerned with food companies poisoning our foods, with pharmaceutical companies addicting and killing us, and the lack of healthcare that affects millions of Americans.

What men have done to women through history is horrific. And it’s still happening today, with women being sold into sex slavery and denied basic human rights in many countries – and women are still punished for being raped in some countries. Men have no right to tell women what they can and can’t do with their bodies. Men don’t have to physically carry the baby for nine months, and they don’t have to deal with the pain, discomfort and real risk of dying during childbirth. Men should have zero say, especially all the men sitting on the Supreme Court. Who are they to tell women what they can or can’t do? If the majority of women in a society want to ban abortion, then sure, it should be banned. But, ultimately, the first step should be to prevent unwanted pregnancy in the first place. People who are pro-choice just want women to be able to make their own decisions about their bodies, their lives, and their ability to raise children – or not.

To base a vote solely on who is pro-life or pro-choice is wrong. Look at who cares about all humans and, especially, the earth we live on. We can ban abortions all day long, but this will be a moot point if the Earth keeps warming and we get closer and closer to extinction. Look at the big picture, and work together with the other side of whatever side you’re on to make this a better planet for everyone who lives on it.