Pro-life? Pro-choice? I'm thinking about something else...

*This isn't meant to be mean or attack anybody for their choices or beliefs, I tend to accept them all. This is more about how I feel about this topic, and I'm very much understanding to those who DON'T feel the same. I hope anybody reading this keeps an open mind.


I was driving home the other day when I saw a sign that sort of irritated me, though it shouldn't have since I've seen them all over, countless times, past and present. That sign-

Vote Pro-life.

What upset me about it wasn't the fact that I'm pro-choice. It wasn't that I think pro-life is wrong, because I don't, I get the argument and when it came down to decision time I chose to have Jack. What upset me is what happens before and after pro-life.

It's all fine and dandy to say "don't kill those precious babies!" But what about after they're born? What about the conditions of schools, foster care and orphanages these days? It just seems, and I'm sorry if I offend anybody, Pollyanna-ish to simply assume that IF a woman actually does choose to have her baby that that babies life will go on to be happy and productive, simply due to the fact that it was born.

What about the fact that so many of those babies are born into poverty? What about the ones born to resentful parents? What about ones born to addicts or abusiveness?

What pisses me off is not that people want these babies to be born, be it because of their religious beliefs or feelings. What pisses me off is that if they want these babies to be born so badly, shouldn't they take a good hard look at the system and start changing THAT first?! Shouldn't we be equipping young women with knowledgeable sex education programs so they can learn what to do to avoid having to make the decision of whether to walk into an abortion clinic or not? Shouldn't adoption be slightly easier for those who want it and can provide it, REGARDLESS of sexual orientation for the women who don't want an abortion but for whatever reason cannot raise a child? What about all the judgement for the mothers who have to get on some sort of government assistance to help feed the child she was told so feverishly not to abort?

I write this in the aftermath of Teen Mom's season finale. I watched these young girls struggle so hard to provide for their children and I feel for them because I was there too. I was 19 when I got pregnant with Jack and just a week after my birthday he came into the world, child of a 20 year old. And I consider myself lucky. Lucky to have support all around me, no matter my choice. Lucky that Jack has such adoring grandparents and a father who wanted him. Lucky that Greg is here, by choice, and lucky that he has a job that can support all of us.

But not everybody is as lucky. Certainly not everybody has that luck to help them in deciding their futures or that of their unborn children.

Until the system is changed, until the world starts thinking a little bit more about the greater good instead of just "what sounds right", I'll continue to vote pro-choice. Because not everybody has the luxury of lucky situations. I'll continue to support the women's choice, no matter what it is.



** I could go on longer about this, but I'm choosing to cut it off here. I'd like your opinions. I'd like good, productive conversation and opinions. This isn't an attack forum and all abusive comments will be deleted. I wrote this to express myself and yes, maybe start a discussion or two, but I hope all of them start and end with patience and understanding.

Now- What do you think?