I think back to the 1973 landmark decision of Roe versus Wade that opened the door for abortion to become a contraceptive alternative. How far we have come since then. Dr.'s, who know nothing about our child's mind or heart, can perform abortions for our children without our knowledge or the benefit of parental care and love. Even a school nurse isn't allowed to give that same child an aspirin. Yes, how far we have come.
When I was pregnant with my first child in 1981, the ultrasound picture was a black and white blur. You could see it was a baby, but details were lacking. It still looked like someone could have easily drawn the picture with a black crayon, smear it with a bit of water to make this photo of a baby shaped blob. Don't get me wrong, I cherished that first picture that is forever memorialized in Rick's baby book.
Now days, the pictures can be detailed in all the fleshy color of a human clearly showing the form of a little baby as well as the sex. Even early on, there is no mistaking that one is looking at a full fledged baby growing and developing. The nose, toes, thumb in mouth; It's amazing! I wonder, if we had the detailed pictures that we do today showing all the very clear stages of a growing baby in a womb even in the very early stages of development - available back when Roe versus Wade was being decided; Would the outcome of the case have been different?
And, the medical wonders of medicine that helps babies survive when born prematurely now is amazing. I read that the youngest baby born that survived was 21 weeks and 6 days (Amillia Taylor). This is despite the fact that babies are not believed to be viable (able to survive outside the uterus) prior to 23 weeks gestation. When I was born, babies had a lot higher mortality rate when born premature.
The Roe versus Wade decision allows for abortion up until the time the baby has the likely hood of surviving outside the womb (being viable). So, I could have a baby that's living in my womb, and it's okay for me to decide to put her "outside the safety of the house (womb)" as long as it's before she could make it on her own. Otherwise, once she does make her own way "out of the house", full term, or born premature, I no longer have a choice. It's amazing to think that there is such a short span of space, that door, that determines my rights over the rights of that baby. And we are not just talking about a right to a parking place, but a right to live an entire lifetime. Just a small span of space inside my womb versus outside that can determine who can call the shot of life or death.
I got to thinking about the times when it was hard raising small babies. One time, my oldest son as a trying two year old was so out of control this particular day, I locked myself in my room to breathe for a few moments before I thought I might lose my sanity. I could have kicked him outside of the house, but that certainly wouldn't have been legal; not within my right. If I put my child out of the house, his chance of survival on his own would have been slim. Maybe with other people's help, but certainly he could not survive by himself. You could say he was "not viable." But, if he was still in my womb, I could kick him out of the house while the law considers he is not viable. Just a small spoon of space and time; both situations, he really is not viable, so why is one legal and the other not? Because one is on the outside of the house already?
I could go on and give you the "God created all beings" argument, and thou shall not kill, (and I do believe both those things) but I wanted to show this from an individuals eye and mind, not a women's rights view, not from a religious view, but from a logical view. In the end, yes, I am for the baby. Abortion just doesn't make sense. Why, when we cry for people's rights, including children's, we aren't crying, kicking and screaming for these baby's rights? We get upset at every other evil that takes place against children, i.e., school shootings, child abuse, etc. What about the babies that due to a small span of space - it has been determined they don't have rights?
Google "ultrasound it even in the early stages of pregnancy and look for the flesh colored pictures. Look at the feet, the arms, the little buds. Even without the pictures, consider the heartbeat. Is there an inanimate thing in the universe that has a heartbeat? Except for those on death row, is there any other time a heartbeat is allowed to be silenced? Why would we destroy something a heartbeat, no matter what side of the door it resides, and not call it murder? Does not a pregnant mother feel the kicks of a baby early on? Does not that same baby have a right to fight to live? These are growing babies. Just because they are separated by a small span of space from being out of the womb and into the world does not make them any less a baby. You can't kick your baby out of the house, why should you be allowed to kick a baby out of your womb?
I could go also talk about the devastating effects that abortion has on a woman (who in many cases may be so young to as not even understand the long term effects), but I have said enough. This is not about women, it's about babies. To overturn abortion is not going back in time, but progressing out of the barbaric times when we didn't believe these were babies. We only had blob pictures. To overturn abortion we are balancing the pendulum that often swings too far to one side when we first grab on to what our ambitions believe is right at the time. Let's stop being so self-centered, open our eyes and hearts to compassion. Let's learn to practice smarter ways of birth control!
I am not going to address if there are times abortion may be necessary. It's not the what ifs or what about this or that circumstance, or other out of the normal situation I have set out to speak about, though I understand those are important. I just wanted to state why this woman has come to the conclusion, on my own, Christian or not, Women's lib or not, I gave up my rights to my body once it became a home to a developing, growing baby. Just like when my baby is in a house, it then became my legal obligation to properly care and tend for that baby. I gave up my right to not say, "I am not a mother"; and as a mother, my children come first.
I am not going to address if there are times abortion may be necessary. It's not the what ifs or what about this or that circumstance, or other out of the normal situation I have set out to speak about, though I understand those are important. I just wanted to state why this woman has come to the conclusion, on my own, Christian or not, Women's lib or not, I gave up my rights to my body once it became a home to a developing, growing baby. Just like when my baby is in a house, it then became my legal obligation to properly care and tend for that baby. I gave up my right to not say, "I am not a mother"; and as a mother, my children come first.
