Oregon Public Broadcasting

1st congressional district 2012 election 2012 session agriculture art arts author beer births books budget business central oregon college congress crime culture death penalty eastern oregon economy education employment energy environment eugene fishing food gangs gay rights health health care high school history homeless housing jobs law legislature literature living media mental health military movies music native americans obama occupy portland occupy wall street onthejob oregon our town outdoors parenting police politics portland portland business journal portland mayor pregnancy prison public health race rebroadcast recess recession religion republicans rural schools science shooting sports supreme court talking business technology teen theater unemployment union university of oregon washington water weekend women youth

I too had an abortion, as an adult. The decision was not hard; the time was not right to bring a person into the world. I do not have any regrets, nor do I mourn the child that could have been. I have two wonderful children who were timed at the right part of my life. They are loved and well provided for and are beginning to contribute to society, because I could give them a good launching. I do not push my beliefs on others, and do not appreciate others who feel that they have to push their beliefs on me. To be polite as a matter of "courtesy" as was mentioned way earlier in this discussion? Hello, why would this be something necessary to state as a goal for all others to also agree to as "rules of discussion" especially for this topic? It sounds so condescending.

I believe that we should all always be polite and respect the right of others to disagree with us and make their own decisions; we should all be free from total strangers who can not walk in our shoes providing interference and passing judgment on others. However, I do not crusade that belief or try to convince others that disagree to let me believe what I do and not push their beliefs on me. (Except for now, anyway). I am grateful to have had the right to make my own choices without others (government and religiously driven) meddling in my personal business, pushing their personal decisions/beliefs on me and interfering with my personal choices. My parents knew and supported my decision. I do mourn the current lessened ability for girls and women of lesser financial means to make their own personal decisions in easily available full service womens health clinics. Their lives are constrained and limited by others who have made it impossible to affordably have full access to all choices within the law. Others who must push their own choices and beliefs on others in the mistaken belief that they have that right and that the world is improved somehow because of their actions.

AS the numbers of children born to women who are not able to be the parent they could be under better circumstances rise, and the rate of poverty rises in this country, I do not see the hoards of pro life believers stepping up to adopt and love those little humans. That would be walking the talk. I am waiting.

posted 3 years, 8 months ago
view in context