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 kids 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

Anne Marie,

As I was thinking about what I wanted to say on this topic, you have managed to make many of my points more eloquently than I could. I, too began my adult life in the pro-choice camp. In fact, the first letter I ever wrote to the the editor of my local paper made the same assumption that I've read in other letters here today, that those who take a pro-life stance ought to put their money where their mouths are and adopt some of those unwanted children.

Fast forward 25 years. I have raised three children. The first was adopted, the child of an unprepared teen mother who refused to have an abortion. My second child was the result of a planned pregnancy. My third child was the result of an unplanned pregnancy, and I seriously considered abortion because I was in the middle of one of the darkest periods of my life financially and emotionally. In spite of the rocky circumstances of his birth, my youngest child, like my other two children, is a joy to me every day.

I consider myself both pro-choice and anti-abortion. Reproductive choices are best made before conception, obviously. I'm liberal in most of my views, but on this one subject, I can't get over the feeling that our ethical obligation is to protect humans who have no voice.

My daughter, who has chosen to be sexually active in high school and who is religious in her birth control efforts, is heavily involved with the teen parent program at her school. Through her eyes, I've come to appreciate the incredible determination it takes for those young parents to take on so many reponsibilities at a young age. Yes, the road is hard for them. No, they don't all end up raising hoardes of babies on welfare. I also have great respect for women who choose adoption for their babies. Those who choose to take responsibility for their actions without resorting to abortion have my utmost respect. Those who feel they have no choice but abortion have my compassion. I've been in those shoes for a brief, miserable time.

And, the longer I live, the more people I meet who are against abortion and who have indeed, adopted unwanted babies and older children. I can name half a dozen living within one square mile of my house.

posted 3 years, 8 months ago
view in context