I'm dying... — Page 3

Gee, go without an internet connection for a few days and you miss the most interesting discussions.

First, congrats to all for the intelligent, civil debate. This issue pushes many hot buttons in our society and the debate can quicky descend into nasty, belligerent accusations by both sides. The level of thoughtful exchange decreases in proportion to the increasing level of zealotry.

Now to weigh in. (takes deep breath and dons kevlar vest) For years (decades really) I was strongly pro-choice. I just couldn't understand why this was an issue for the other side. Their arguments were rooted in emotional, sentimentalized quasi-religious bromides. I figured they didn't have an impirical leg to stand on. It was all too easy to dismiss them, particularly after we had Roe v Wade on our side. And yet.......I needed to understand why they thought what they did (as opposed to "felt" as they did). So I undertook a serious study of the abortion issue, looking at it from all sides - scientific, legal, sociological, etc. The one area I steered clear of (at least for a while) was religious. I fgured that as a Catholic I didn't want to color my view with a nagging voice from the pulpit. I researched and read everything I could get my hands on. I listened to all sides of the debate anew, trying to focus on the root of the viewpoints and their validity. Both sides are very prolific in getting their story told and there was much to learn. I read, listened and discerned for three years.
And something began to change. I started to change my mind about pro-life. Deep down I started saying, "SH*T, I think they have a point. How can this be?"

The change was gradual and VERY uncomfortable. I wanted to stay in line with my liberal, feminist friends. How could I ever be on the same side of any issue with Jerry Falwell and like? Pro Choice was so widely assumed (in my circle) to be right. We had Hollywood stars and national leaders championing our cause. Pro-Life had.......um....Phyllis Schlafly? Pro Choice people were also pro Gay Rights, anti- war and defenders of the poor. Pro-Lifers were........right wing religious fanatics? I spent years sitting on that old fence. I fought hard to not own my new belief. But I couldn't make it go away. I had to admit to myself that I had finally come to the conclusion that abortion was wrong. I kept my mouth shut for a long time. Easier to be neutral, but that's not honest nor courageous. When I screwed up the nerve to finally "come out" and say, "Well, you know...." I did catch a boatload of crap from friends and associates. I've lost afriend or two (not many) but if someone drops you because you've made an informed about-face, well the relationship wasn't that good to begin with. Most shake their heads and wait for me to return to the fold.

One thing I will say about my journey is that originally being pro-choice has given me a good understanding of my friends on that side. I bear no ill judgement against a woman who chooses to have an abortion - I once was there myself. I just believe differently now. I searched for like-minded men and women who were not screaming, judgemetal, fanatics and (finally) found a great organization which I now volunteer for - Feminists for Life. Their slogan is "Women deserve better". I truly believe that.

This is much, much more than any of you ever wanted to know about me. Sorry if I took up too much bandwith here. I was just moved by your thoughtful conversation.

Yawper - yeah, I though of going into that whole "why" thing, but figured I was saying way too much already and would focus on the process. My explanation may seem facile as I give the shorthand version, but I changed a lot of my understanding of issues like viability and "personhood" in the light of medical advances and fetal research. The issue of "life begins at conception" is a harder one to quantify when looking at a 3 day old zygote, but when in doubt, I give the presumption to the affirmative.

While I never looked at any religious statements or pronouncements during this "search" of mine, I must honestly admit that I come from a viewpoint that human life is sacred and that viewpoint HAS been fostered by my own faith and personal understanding of God.

Yes, please know that I know that to be pro-choice does not automatically mean pro-abortion. It means that you believe there should be choice, not that you would tell someone what that choice should (or must) be for their body. First let me say that I make a distiction between a woman's body and the body she carries inside her womb. I look at this as an analogy to slavery. Abolitionists believed that slavery was wrong and immoral. They did not say, "Well, I believe slavery is wrong and I would never personally hold slaves, but I can't tell someone else that it's wrong if they disagree. That's their choice." They believed that slavery was a wrong choice for all and that they needed to stand against that wrong. By the way, the abolitionist movement had their share of kooks and violence driven proponents (John Brown comes to mind) just as , unfortunately the pro-life movement does. Sigh. I take no pleasure being aligned with jerks.

Jesus, I am really being long-winded today. Good thing I took today off from work - I'd be fired if I were doing this at work! I hope I answered your questions, Yawper. Thanks for asking.