And now, let's have a debate

[zhie]

I'm bringing up the subject banned as a topic of discussion in every speech and english composition class I've ever had.

Abortion.

It has been announced that the United States Supreme Court is going to hear a case regarding late term abortion. Now, those of you who know my political and religious afiliations are probably well aware of how I would vote on such a thing, but, that's not so much the specifics of what I want to debate regarding this topic.

I think that abortion should be determined by the individual states in the union, and not by the national government. Discuss among yourselves. Feel free to expand upon the topic. I know, it's a hot and controversial one, but I think everyone who ganders by this journal knows how to play nice with each other.

If not, we can always just revert to having cheesecake if things get nasty...

Comments

[snapefantasy.livejournal.com]

I don't want the state government in my uterus anymore than I want the asses from Washington in it.
I think they only part of it that should fall to them is, ensuring that abortions remain safe, and that they are regulated like any other surgery. So that they have to be done in a sterile environment by licensed medical staff. And that the patients rights remain protected.

[angelfire74.livejournal.com]

I will stand by what I have always said that this is a woman's choice to make and no one I do mean no one as the right to make it for her... I will say that if you have not stood at this cross roads in life then you can not judge others.. This is a choice that each person must live with and I will tell anyone who is or will reach this cross road in life.. This does not leave you.. not after, not the next day, next week or next year.. not even ten years later. I have faced this twice and have chosing both paths and will not take this path again....but I would be there for any friend that did.. I would stand by her and be there when ever she needed me.... and I would let her know that she would never lose my friendship over ***Her*** choice..

[neldluva.livejournal.com]

I guess this is the "lesser of two evils" sort of debate, isn't it? Personally, I'm not impressed with any government at the moment ... Proposition 73 in California centered around parental consent for underage abortion, the outcome of which would have been a lot more illegal abortions behind parents' backs, a lot more deaths, a lot more suicides and depressed teens. Needless to say, I didn't support it.

Still, if I were pressed to choose, I would have to go with the states' power. This is a big country, and I have hardly any personal power over what happens ... what could my one vote out of 250 million count? But at least statewide, I stand a running chance of getting what I want.

I don't like the idea of anyone messing with my reproductive rights, period. But if they must, they must, even if I fight tooth and nail.

[ex-fimbreth.livejournal.com]

I think that the government can't imagine how a frightened high-school girl feels when she lets her boyfriend, who is only a little bit older than her, go too far and then later finds out she's pregnant.

I think that the government can't imagine how a middle-age woman with four children and a laid-off husband, already struggling to keep afloat, feels when she realizes that she's pregnant again.

I think that the government can't imagine the heartache a woman feels when she gets the result of her amnio and learns that the baby she's longed for has a serious genetic defect and will be born -- assuming the child even survives the birth -- essentially brain dead.

And unless the states of the Union have developed more empathy than the U.S. Government has, they shouldn't be making the decision on abortion either.

[anieni.livejournal.com]

I do not live in the US, therefore have no say in this debate, heck most of the time I do not even understand how things are run over there.

Living in a country that is 90% catholic and where abortion is illegal and not even being argued, period. (why it is not argued is a WHOLE other can of worms you guys are probably not interested in hearing about but very interesting nonetheless) I do have my opinion about it.

It should be the individual's choice, NOT anyone elses. Not the local or federal government, NOBODY else but the woman facing the decision AND the consequences.

[zhie.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's a 'lesser of two evils' type of debate. I think that it would be possible to please more of the population if the states were the ones who came up with the rules for abortion, and not the national government. There is no way to please everyone, obviously, but too often decisions that should be made by the government of each state are being decided by a very small group of people who don't necessarily know or understand how the public feels about it. Making such a decision for such a large group of people hardly seems far. It's almost as if the national government doesn't trust the individual states to be able to handle such a thing themselves. Thank you for your comments! ^_^

[neldluva.livejournal.com]

I also think that old white men shouldn't be the ones who decide what I do with my uterus ... that really makes no sense to me. Why is it that the government opens the ability to vote on abortion rights to anyone who wants to? It's a women's issue, IMO, and it should stay that way. I don't want Joe Schmo voting on whether or not I can have a safe and legal abortion.

Just another little sticking point.

[neldluva.livejournal.com]

I'm interested! Why aren't people debating the issue all to hell in your country? I would think women the world over would be concerned with their reproductive rights ... or maybe that's small-minded of me.

[still-dorothy.livejournal.com]

Late-term abortion is heinous. I think that there is a certain point where it is too late. I think anyone considering a late-term AB should be told exactly what that means.

As for government deciding... I think a woman should have the right to decide, but there should be parameters.

I worked OB for years, so I know of what I speak. Late-term abortion is, again, heinous.

[anieni.livejournal.com]

Well, to put it bluntly, I guess we are not arguing about our reproductive rights simply because no one is questioning them.

Bear in mind we are talking about a country where most of the women would not even consider abortion as a choice. Some because of religion or principles. Mexico is still mainly an old fashioned country, large families, and by families I mean extended families where aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, cousins once removed and grandparents are considered immediate family. Child care is moslty provided for by that family and one more baby is almost always considered a blessing, whether you are 15 or 40.

Here if someone gets pregnant young they most likely get married, and most likely they will continue to live with the boy or girl's family until they can stand on their own, baby included, baby btw will be taken care of by grandma or auntie or something like that.

In the younger, educated, middle class abortion might be considered an option. Now here is where it gets tricky. Mexico has a reputation for having corruption, it is true, we know it. Given it does not change because ALL Mexicans would have to change, there is corruption at all levels. It is, sadly, part of the culture and changing WAY TOO SLOWLY!!

Corruption, in general, is bad. I do not condone it. But it has certain advantages and that is why, in my opinion, it hasn't been eliminated. Abortion as I said is illegal, but if you can afford it you can get an abortion in the best hospital with the best doctor. The loophole is that abortion in Mexico is legal when the doctor considers the life of the mother or the child is in danger. So if you can get your doctor to say that no hospital will question it. So as you can see there has to be corruption at all levels for this to work. Furthermore corruption in the government makes them turn a blind eye on the issue, there are entire hospitals specializing on abortions and no one questions them.

Of course the poor uneducated people are the ones that suffer, as it is everywhere. They are the ones exposing their health when they want to get an abortion, but also remember the poor Mexican women have 8-10 kids and want more. They can have their tubes tied for free by the social services and REFUSE the operation, even more, some feel ofended by it. Again catholicism and our family culture come into play.

Another factor is that this is a country where most things are obtained by havign connections and/or relationships, so if you know someone who knows someone you can get most anything.

To sum it up, we do not fight for something because it is readily available if the person wants it. There is no one to stop it and if there is everyone pretends there isn't.

I could go on for a long time about how many more things work in Mexico and why they aren't changing, but this was already long winded. Hope it answered your question though.

Laura

[neldluva.livejournal.com]

Ah, I think I begin to understand now. Thanks for answering my question!

[lynsey-schadegg.livejournal.com]

I have to agree. I've seen cells...single cells mind you...react to their environment and show a small amount of 'intelligence'. Ever since then, I've concidered anything that is one cell or larger a living, sentient being. This is just a scientist's point of veiw. Everyone is entitled to their opinion.

There has been abortion for centuries, regardless of its legality in any particular place, and I'm willing to bet there will always be abortion. Even if I do not agree in abortion in any sense, I would rather save lives by having safe, sterile places were abortion can be carried out than have women die trying to get back-alley operations.

Just my two-cents,

Lynsey