The 'A' Word...
The Democratic Party has been soul-searching about abortion issue. It is a difficult issue and one that makes me think all of the time. I don't like abortion. I don't think anyone does. But I don't think it should be illegal and I believe this for many reasons. I know my reasoning is influenced by the fact that I have worked with troubled youth for some time. I have a unique view into their world.
The first reason that I am pro-choice is that I worry about the health of so many mothers and soon-to-be mothers in this country. Although people argue that abortion has always been allowed where the mother's life was threatened (and sometimes even her long-term health but not always), there are many instances where women were left to die and not given a choice. Especially if they went to certain Catholic Hospitals where the doctors were placed under gag orders and were not allowed to transfer patients (So much for Hippocrates and the idea that religion and medicine have no business with one another). Not only do these mothers end up dead without being able to have more children who could be healthy and great benefits to society, any family she already has will lose their mother too.
Another reason I am pro-choice is the fact that for all the talk about, "How hard it is to adopt..." babies are un-adopted all of the time. I know of several people who have recently said things to me like, "If you have the means, adopt..." or "We would adopt but it's so hard because my spouse is getting older and we'd need to go overseas and we can't afford it..." Some of these people are friends that I've worked with and some are close friends and family members that I've known for much of my life. I don't know how to tell them how wrong they are! I've worked with troubled youth. I've seen teenage girls who were raped by their mother's (or guardian's) boyfriends. They didn't want to have an abortion be faced with that decision. Many of these girls suffer from their own mothers' drug and alcohol abuse from while they were in the womb. They also know that non-white and non-Asian babies often get bounced from foster home to foster home (many have experienced it themselves). I've seen prospective adoptive parents walk out without saying a word when they see that the girl is black, especially if the girl shows telltale signs of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome herself. Now, no biological parent has any guarantee that their child won't have physical or mental disabilities when they are born (or develop them later on). Why are they so prying into the medical histories of prospective adoptive parents? These girls don't care how much money the parents will have or what religion the parents are, they just want the child to have a good home. But they're black so their wish cannot be granted. Many of these girls end up feeling that abortion is the most humane option for their children. That is a frightening prospect because THAT IS NOT A CHOICE. (The folks at Planned Parenthood and NOW would agree with me).
There is a more selfish reason that I am pro-choice. I am absolutely certain that if men got pregnant abortion rights would be guaranteed in the constitution. It would be a right "ordained by our creator." It would have been mentioned in the Declaration of Independence itself. I just don't like the fact that women are still dumped on in this society.
The final reason I think that abortion should remain legal in this country is that we were founded on the principle that no religious or moral dogma would decide our laws (even though many of our early leaders had deep religious beliefs). Our Founding Fathers like Jefferson and Franklin wanted our laws to be based on society's need. The only things that should be illegal are things that "harm society." I don't believe that there is any evidence that abortion "harms society." Murder harms society because when someone is murdered and there is no justice people look for revenge. This often results in vigilantism and leads to long-standing feuds and in extreme cases civil war. Has abortion ever done this? Not that I am aware. Theft has similar consequences to murder though they are rarely as extreme.
I have a few ideas and examples about how non-medical abortions could be reduced to extremely rare status. First Christian Right needs to stop running TV programs begging Americans to adopt children from China and other East Asian countries without also pointing out that there are children right here in the US that need homes. Next, I would like to see a Families' Bill of Rights like the Patient's Bill of Rights. I would like to live in a country where children born would have a right to food, shelter, healthcare and education. More affordable childcare for working mothers would be a huge help too. I would like to point out that countries such as Sweden have these things (along with very lax regulations on abortion). Non-medical abortion is very rare there. They've solved the social problems leading to abortion rather than making it illegal. I like that. It keeps abortion legal and safe for those who absolutely need it, but makes it a "final resort" option. To me that is a goal that I think the US, "The Best Country on Earth" (IMHO), can meet. I'd much rather pay taxes for helping children get a good start in life than killing them (war).
I get lots of email and snail mail from political folks these days. Mostly from progressive parties and groups. Today's email comes from Sen. John Kerry. (You know, the LOSER)! He wants to give me permission to stand up with Howard Dean as the Chairperson of the DNC.
So here is my open response:
Dear Senator Kerry,
You dummy. I wanted to stand with Howard Dean in November. But you persuaded the Democrats in the early primaries and caucuses that you were more electable than he. You were probably also involved in blowing the Dean concession speech way out of proportion. The Democrats didn't have a clear message for the average American to get ahold of and say, "I want to vote for John Kerry because..." The best you could do was tell us why we shouldn't vote for Bush. Frankly, I blame you.
So, I will support Howard Dean. I have supported Howard Dean for some time. I would support Howard Dean's PAC even if he didn't become DNC chairman. So go sit on a pitchfork or something.
Thank you for your time Mr. Senator,
Alycia Brashear
[disclaimer: I don't really think that Sen. Kerry should sit on a pitchfork. That would be very, very painful. It would probably be comparable to organ failure or a near-death experience. That would make it torture. I unlike the US government do not condone torture.]
Text of John Kerry's email:
Dear Supporter,
We have a strong Democratic Party - and we need it to be stronger. Strong enough to turn back George Bush's efforts to privatize Social Security. Strong enough to insist that every child in America has health insurance. Strong enough to elect candidates committed to Democratic ideals at every level of government and in every region of our country.
On Saturday - just two days from now - Howard Dean will be elected as the new chair of the Democratic National Committee. He'll need the ideas, engagement and financial support of the entire Democratic Party to succeed.
Let's welcome Howard Dean and give him the groundswell of grassroots support he needs.
http://www.democrats.org/BuildTheParty
Let's send an unmistakable message to George Bush and his allies: In 2005, the Democratic Party is strong and united.
Again, it is just two days until Howard Dean becomes chairman. Please join me now in getting his efforts to strengthen our Party off to a record-setting start.
http://www.democrats.org/BuildTheParty
Thank you,
John Kerry
It appears that the elections went much better than expected on Sunday. Turnout was high. People danced around in the streets. President Bush and many in his administration called this a success. So far it is. But what follows the election is just as important as the election itself.
The Iraqi people showed a great deal of bravery. They ignored threats of attacks to go out and vote. Was the election perfect? Probably not. Will there be problems? Probably. But let's get this straight. It's a start. If the U.S. manages to leave Iraq a stable democracy that represents its people (all of them) I can at least say that something good came from the whole mess.
It is upsetting that so many Arab Sunnis didn't vote. Whether they stayed home because they feared retribution or just because they are resigned to tyranny of the majority is unknown to me. Their absence in this process is going to hurt this new nation. Although the former government was primarily made up of Sunni Arabs, I don't think most Sunni Arabs supported Saddam's actions. I also don't think that the average Iraqi blames them either.
Here is my hope. I would like to see these newly elected leaders tread lightly. I would like to see a constitution written that guarantees local autonomy so that all ethnicities, cultures and creeds can be represented and respected. Since the international community is insistent that this hodgepodge of people remains a single nation, I think that this is the only way to prevent tyranny of the majority and civil war.
Then maybe there will be more elections in Iraq. Maybe everyone will participate willingly. Maybe the cradle of civilization can again set the standard for the rule of law in the world.