By: Chris Lugo
The federally protected right for women to choose to have an abortion is facing the greatest threat to its continued existence since it was implemented in 1973. History shows that women's rights to the autonomy of their bodies and their right to privacy is fundamental to women's progress. States are attempting to do an end run around the federal government by passing anti-choice legislation in lieu of expectant Supreme Court decisions regarding federal protections for women. According to the Feminist Majority, nine states may have anti-abortion measures on the ballot this November. These so-called "personhood initiatives" threaten not only abortion, but also certain methods of birth control.
Last year the Freedom of Choice Act was introduced into the US Senate, this act states that it is the policy of the United States that every woman has the fundamental right to choose to bear a child, to terminate a pregnancy prior to fetal viability, or to terminate a pregnancy after fetal viability when necessary to protect the life or health of the woman. This is the type of legislation that is necessary in order to ensure that women's rights are protected in this society. With a politically stacked Supreme Court leaning toward invalidating Roe with decisions such as the abortion ban in Gonzales vs. Carhart, it is clear that the Supreme Court does not care about the health and safety of women.
This is why the federally protected right for women to choose must remain a federal right. This is why it matters who you elect to federal office. The current anti-woman policies have been the direct result of years of ideologically driven legislation dictated by neo-conservative ideology which is rooted in archaic principles regarding the role and status of women as child-bearers and homemakers. The recent anti-abortion ruling in Gonzales vs. Carhart already puts the health and safety of women at risk, and this is only the beginning if we do not elect representatives who will uphold the rights of women. The right to a safe and legal abortion is being chipped away and it is essential to act now to preserve women's rights and women's lives.
I believe that a woman's right to choose is a fundamental right of women, therefore, as a candidate I promise that I will work to do everything in my power to keep abortion safe and legal for all women, not just those in 'safe states' where abortion would be kept legal. Additionally, I will work to ensure that abortion remain a federal right, and that poor women have access to federal dollars in the event of need which is a right many women have not had access to for many years. I will also support affirmative action and equal opportunity for women at all levels of employment, both in government and in the private economy.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Women Deserve the Right to Choose
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2 comments:
Chris,
I read your posts regularly. I’m a bit disappointed that no one saw fit to comment on this post. Have women today become so complacent that they don’t care if their right to choose how to live their own life is taken away by religious zealots?
I am old enough to remember clearly having girl friends who were 14-15 years old having to take up a “spare change” collection to get bus fare to New York to get an abortion. Mothers, do you really want your daughters to be forced into criminal activity to terminate an unwanted pregnancy? Do you want them pan handling on the streets, maybe worse, to get fare to go to a “free” state? I’m sure I’d rather have my daughter not get pregnant too, but that is not the question here. When a daughter gets pregnant, what are her options?
If she is rich, she can fly to some exotic resort, or stay at a fine hotel in a free state and buy the best services available. But what if she is poor?
If you make abortions illegal, you are dooming girls without the economic means to either seek out back room assistance or have a baby she does not want, does not have the means to care for, is not an adult herself, yet you are expecting her to properly raise a child?
What sort of chance does this unwed teenage mother have for her own life? If she graduates high school it is a small miracle; less than 1/3rd of all pregnant teenage girls do... Now she can wait tables or clean peoples houses for the rest of her life. She is doomed to almost certain poverty as are her children and almost always end up on welfare.
And what of the unwanted child? Teenage mothers are less likely to gain adequate weight during their pregnancy, leading to low birth weight, which is associated with infant and childhood disorders and a high rate of infant mortality. Low-birth weight babies are more likely to have organs that are not fully developed, which can result in complications such as bleeding in the brain, respiratory distress syndrome, and intestinal problems. They also tend to have poor eating habits and are less likely to take recommended daily multivitamins to maintain adequate nutrition during pregnancy. They are also more likely to smoke, drink, or take drugs during pregnancy, which can cause health problems for the baby.
Teenage mothers are less likely to seek prenatal care, either because they are concealing the pregnancy or inability to pay for those services, or do not have access to transportation to a free clinic.
Prenatal care is essential for monitoring the growth of the fetus; keeping the mother's weight in check; and advising the mother on nutrition and how she should take care of herself to ensure a healthy pregnancy. According to the American Medical Association, babies born to women who do not have regular prenatal care are 4 times more likely to die before the age of 1 year.
In addition to increased health risks, children born to teenage mothers are more likely to experience social, emotional, and other problems; are less likely to receive proper nutrition, health care, and cognitive and social stimulation. As a result, they commonly have an underdeveloped intellect and attain lower academic achievement.
Children born to teenage mothers are at greater risk for abuse and neglect.
Boys born to teenage mothers are 13% more likely to be incarcerated.
Girls born to teenage mothers are 22% more likely to become teenage mothers.
In the United States, the annual cost of teen pregnancies from lost tax revenues, public assistance, child health care, foster care, and involvement with the criminal justice system is estimated to be about $7 billion annually.
There is no reason in this day and time that civil societies cannot accept that different people hold different belief systems and that no one group should be forcing their views on the rest of society; Especially when part of that belief system allows the father of these unwanted children to run free, never having any societal responsibility for his children. The entire burden of this anti choice legislation is bore by young teenage girls and women who for whatever reason have determined that they do not want to take a pregnancy to term.
It is inherently unfair to 50% of the population and is being driven by superstitious beliefs that some big guy in the sky will get mad if you allow a woman the right to control her own life. Don’t think for one minute that this is about the “sanctity of life”. If that were the case then we would not be fighting immoral aggressive wars. We have no collective idea of “sanctity of life”. That’s just the same tired old rug they bring out and beat every few years to stir up a cloud of dust (or smoke and mirrors) to confuse, incite, and divide the country.
The sad part is the people beating these rugs don’t care about babies or teenage girls or our collective “souls”. They want money and power, and by inciting the undereducated masses and the delusional religious zealots they can get enough people to the polls to make it look like the majority supports this ban, when in fact most people support choice, but they are too damned lazy to get up off their asses and vote.
Well said, both of you.
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