Pete the Liberal Democrat, Part II
This entry does not reflect the views of the author in any way. In fact, they reflect the opposite views of the author.
A Woman’s Right to Choose
Roe v Wade was a landmark decision for the women’s movement. It was the final win necessary for women to achieve the same status as men in the United States. Before Roe, women were either a slave to their circumstance, or were forced to go underground and have an illegal abortion.
Illegal abortion was always known to exist, and was extremely dangerous. Unlicensed doctors would perform abortions using unsterilized and rudimentary tools such as coat hangers. Many a women died from the procedures, a far cry from the sterile and safe environment afforded to women today… a direct result of the Roe decision. Today, an abortion is no different than an appendectomy…except that an appendectomy is a more invasive procedure.
Before Roe, a woman who was pregant out of wedlock was subject to shame and ridicule, while at the same time the father was often applauded for bedding her. Rarely was a man held accountable for his portion of the responsibility and care for the child. It was up to the woman to bear the burden alone.
Of course, even a great plan… and a great victory for a free country, is subject to protest. Religious zealots came out of the woodwork, claiming that a fetus was a “baby” and holding grotesque pictures up while shouting at women entering clinics. They attempted to undermine the woman’s right to choose by changing the subject to morality, when it was never a question of morality. It was always a question of freedom and choice.
In some cases, religious zealots would actually bomb an abortion clinic or shoot an abortion doctor in defense of their cause. Ironic that someone who preaches “sanctity of life” would express themself by killing someone. However, this is typical zealotry.
Many major court decisions through the years largely silenced the protests by creating new laws suppressing their activities. However, with advances in science, religious zealots are once again gaining steam in their protests. As fetuses can live earlier and earlier in a NICU, the anti-choice members of society now argue that the “viability” stance of the pro-choice movement is in question. However, this is just another attempt to divert attention away from the true issue… women’s rights.
Roe was one of the most important decisions ever made by the Supreme Court, and we as Americans have a duty to make sure it’s never overturned. The last thing we want is to go back to having back-room abortions and having women be slaves to their circumstances.
Tuesday, June 27th, 2006
