How do you feel about abortion?

[Brandon]

What political forum would be complete without a abortion topic!

The abortion debate is practically split 50-50. Pro-lifers feel women getting abortions are commiting murder, while pro-choice see giving birth is a womens choice. Both groups have valid arguements.

I personally think abortion should be legal. Criminalizing it will only force it into a shadow market where safety concerns are low or non-existent.

However, certain aspects of abortion I find morally grotesque. Partial birth abortions are disgusting and women who use abortion as a method of birth control should take a hard look deep within themselves.

I recently heared of a woman who used abortions as birth control. After 6 abortions she finally decided to have a child. Much to her dismay she could no longer conceive. Maybe there is a thing called bad karma.

A larger question that has recently come up is men's rights in relationship with abortion. If men have a role in creating a child, does the man have some say over her decision? I am not advocating that a woman must be forced into a decision. But like everything else in life, you have cause and effect.

A hypothetical example of this would be a woman who does not want a child but the father does. Can he be allowed sole custody of the child and have all parental obligations severed from the mother?

There is no doubt abortion is a difficult topic and one that people believe in strongly. I am sure that this forum topic will not change your opinion about this, but I do want to hear your arguements both for and against it.

 

[capitalist_junkie]

As a woman, the issue of abortion has been really tricky for me. I recongize my ideas about it don't match a lot of people's. The thing is, it's such an individual decision.

I think abortion is fine if you're in no physical, financial, or emotional condition to care for it. But if you're able, I think you should take the responsibility of raising it, or at least birthing it and giving it up for adoption. I never ever want children, and yet I take this stance. But I realize a lot of people see it differently. I would never judge a woman who had an abortion even though she was fully capable of raising a child. It's none of my business what she does with her body. Clearly, she made the best decision for herself. I could never make a choice for someone else. I think abortion needs to be completely legal, and left up to the individual. I don't know why the government feels the need to regulate our bodies.

I've been really conflicted about the role a man plays in the decision to have an abortion. Obviously, unless in the case of rape, both partners are equally responsible for the pregnancy. But how can the decision be equal if one person wants the child, and the other doesn't? I have though that women should take their partner's consideration into account, but should have the final say, as they're the ones bearing the child. But I don't like the fact that this puts men at a disadvantage. However, why should a woman be forced to have either an abortion or a child that she doesn't want, just because her partner wants it? I think this is the most challengeing question around abortion right now.

 

[daria564]

firstly, i'd just like to say that pro-lifers who confuse "pro-choice" with "pro-abortion" really make me angry - especially as i've met a lot of women who are pro-choice but personally anti-abortion.

i don't believe that i would ever have an abortion. it's simply not acceptable to me morally. but, as others say, i don't feel that i have a right to stipulate that every woman in the nation should share my values.

my own position stated, i have serious qualms about the notion of a woman having a baby she won't be keeping and taking care of. even if a woman gives a baby up for adoption, she's still going to have to endure the pregnancy, which (sadly enough) can still take a tremendous toll on her professional life. likewise, without a supportive family network, a solid insurance plan, or a finanically supportive adoptive family, the cost of the pregnancy can be crippling. in addition, i don't think i'd be able to have a baby knowing i'd be putting it into a foster care system that is really quite messed up. nobody should *have* to do this. everyone should have the option of aborting instead.

as far as the man's role - i've noticed that far more men are pro-life than women, and i think that says a lot about how little some men are inclined to take into account the difficulties a woman faces during pregnancy. the only time a man's input should really affect the outcome of the situation should be when he's willing to pick up the slack and be a supportive parent. a man who has moral issues with abortion but no interest in the practical issues of a pregnancy deserves to have his opinions ignored.

 

[Brandon]

As a man I can never feel the pain a woman has to go through during pregnancy but men's opinions are not invalid because we lack this. Men could easily turn it around on women if the issue involved men's rights.

Responsible men should have their opinion taken seriously in the matter (since technically the baby is half him). In no way should deadbeat fathers and other poor excuses for men have any say.

Another way of looking at abortion in general is that it is a cop-out (I can't think of a kinder word). Women after conceiving have a choice in continuing a pregnancy or not, men do not. This might explain the reasons why men are leaving women as single mothers. In an illogical way, some men might view it as their equivalent to abortion. By leaving the mother they are not bound to the child after pregnancy.

An argument I sometimes hear is that men should "keep it in their pants" but I rarely hear mentions of a woman "keeping her legs closed". I find this interesting as if men are forcing women to have sex and children. Granted, men do put pressure on women to have sex but it is still a women's choice to sleep with a man (excluding rape of course).

 

[OneofaKind]

Abortion is not as straight foward as the question.

I don't agree with abortion, but making it illegal wouldn't mean that abortion would stop.

 

[Word2Action]

A life is a life is a life. Its just not right to destory it. Unless the case was rape, its just not human to do this.

 

[daria564]

Abortion is not as straight foward as the question.

I don't agree with abortion, but making it illegal wouldn't mean that abortion would stop.

good, good point. you're right; debating the morality of the situation really is much more complicated than considering whether abortion should be legal.

 

[daria564]

As a man I can never feel the pain a woman has to go through during pregnancy but men's opinions are not invalid because we lack this.

Another way of looking at abortion in general is that it is a cop-out (I can't think of a kinder word). Women after conceiving have a choice in continuing a pregnancy or not, men do not. This might explain the reasons why men are leaving women as single mothers. In an illogical way, some men might view it as their equivalent to abortion. By leaving the mother they are not bound to the child after pregnancy.

An argument I sometimes hear is that men should "keep it in their pants" but I rarely hear mentions of a woman "keeping her legs closed". I find this interesting as if men are forcing women to have sex and children. Granted, men do put pressure on women to have sex but it is still a women's choice to sleep with a man (excluding rape of course).

i think you're exactly right that responsible men have a right to have their voices heard. and your argument about men opting out by abandoning the mother and child is an interesting one.

i don't think i agree that women aren't told to "keep their legs closed". the double standard about sex really does still exist; women having sex still get judged in some contexts for it, and men who are virgins still get judged for failing to do it. likewise, one of the most common statements made against pregnant mothers is that these women are irresponsible sexually.

and the issue of whose choice it is to have sex is really a complicated one, whether it's the man or the woman who is hesitating. stereotypically you hear more about women getting pressured, but women are perfectly capable of doing the pressuring as well.

 

[daria564]

A life is a life is a life. Its just not right to destory it.

i imagine many women who have abortions feel similarly about their own lives.

pregnancy is a sacrifice. and while i agree that i would rather sacrifice my own life than the life of a child i was carrying, i don't feel that i have any right to tell another woman that her child's life is more important to me than her own.

 

[Brandon]

stereotypically you hear more about women getting pressured, but women are perfectly capable of doing the pressuring as well.

Woman: Do you want to sleep with me?
Man: Yes!

Where's the pressure?

*end of joke*

 

[digger]

abortion is murder, simple as that.

 

[Brandon]

Simple, doubt it!

Also please stop regurgitating political one liners. If you feel abortion is wrong, explain why you feel that way.

 

[OneofaKind]

abortion is murder, simple as that.

I wish it was that simple.

Yes it may be murder, but it doesn't mean that it's simple.

I don't support, but I understand there are often very complicated situations that lead to it.

 

[kokotai]

I think there are all types of situations and that it should be up to a woman as to what she should do with her body. I wouldn't want anyone telling me that I should do something because it is their belief.

 

[Word2Action]

abortion is murder, simple as that.

I wouldn't say that its as simple as that but I would agree that abortion is murder. I don't think it makes a difference if it has a hearbeat yet or organs yet or any of that stuff. If the sperm has met the egg, the little fellow is in the process making his way out of there. And just because the baby is helpless or without any organs at the time, does that give us the right to kill a completely defenseless person?