Today is the 33rd anniversary of Roe v. Wade in the US. Bush v. Choice is marking the day by asking pro-choice bloggers to join them in a day of activism for choice.For me, it's always been a simple issue. It's my body, so it's my choice. To deny me that choice is to deny me freedom.
An abortion isn't a course of action to be taken lightly, but it should be each woman's right to decide what is best for herself without government intervention.
I'm registered, I vote, and my vote goes to pro-choice candidates.
tags: pro-choice, Blog for choice day, Bush v. Choice, women's rights
Like you say, it's not a simple choice, but it should be one that is made by individuals, based on their own values/beliefs/situation, and not one made, or regulated, by the uninformed authorities trying to exert their control on some kind of ethical power trip. Nice post.
ReplyDeleteExactly. Well said. Thanks for dropping by.
ReplyDeleteThere is a Planned Parenthood clinic two doors down from my entrance to National Geographic. Some mornings, it's a quiet place, no one around. On other days, there will be one protester, just hanging around, bugging women coming in for appointments. There are volunteers on those days - all women, some young, some retirement age - wearing orange smocks that read "CLINIC ESCORT" to bring the women in and out without harassment.
ReplyDeleteToday, however, there were probably thirty protesters outside, making it difficult not only for clinic patients to get in and out, but just for commuters to get past to go to work. I ended up right in front of the clinic in my car, waiting for one of the longest lights in DC to turn green. A protester approached my car, holding up a big sign saying, "CONSIDERING ABORTION? DON'T! WE WILL HELP YOU! 1-800-XXX-XXXX." The man shook the sign at me to get my attention. Now, I'm fat, but I don't think I look pregnant. Plus, I have no idea why a commuter idling in traffic would look especially prone to be considering abortion.
Finally, I rolled down my window and said, "Honey, I'm the last of nine children. Nine WANTED children. And my mother was pro-choice and donated to Planned Parenthood her whole life. Don't dare to presume that I need or want your advice."
He started to say something to me, but the light changed, and I left him in my dust. My body. My rules. And I don't need some damn busybody to tell me otherwise.
And I pray that a small, but select group of busybodies up in a big white courthouse on Capitol Hill *never* tells us otherwise, too.
Great storytelling there, Merujo.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was driving cross country about a year and a half ago, I was struck by all the God-Jesus-Adoption-Don't-Kill-Your-Baby billboards across the midwest. I couldn't help but think if they had better sex education in school that they might not need so many.