A Different Argument For Choice

OK, here's something to shake out the cobwebs.

Here in the land of 2T plates we're vaguely aware of a certain Brandi Swindell. It's my understanding that Brandi has taken it upon herself to "to represent the voiceless, the preborn - that we represent our (post-Roe v. Wade) generation."

Well, that's all fine and good, but I rather resent the implication that the aforementioned post-Roe v. Wade generation is necessarily of the Religious Right ilk.

Consider me, for example. I was born in July 1973, six months after Roe v. Wade. I'm adopted. I'm very solidly pro-choice and always have been.

As for the "voiceless preborn," I very well could have been an abortion (my birth mother was 16), so it goes without saying that I've given the matter a lot of thought for a long time. I believe was born because I believe that's what was intended. Had I not been, I feel it would have been because it wasn't my time, and that sort of thing one shouldn't trifle with. Therefore, I support the Clintonian "safe, legal and rare" standpoint on abortion, combined with means to make adoption easier for worthy parents.

So do we stamp out reproductive rights - and necessarily my beliefs - by government statute? That's not very neighborly, Brandi. It's not very conservative, either.

I think that's the problem; worthy is very subjective. If adoptable children were in short supply, that would probably be a good idea, but they're not. Adoption rules should be very loose--just as loose as having a natural child is now (i.e. you don't need references to have sex)!

The American Civil Liberties Union—Protecting the Bill of Rights…except for Amendments 2, 9, and 10!--nonluddite

Keep abortion safe and legal, but loosen up the adoption process too. It's called "pro-CHOICE" for a reason, y'all.

When it comes to abortion, I am neither pro-choice, or pro-life. I maintain a neutral stance on the issue. However, I like to suggest an alternative. It is vasectomy. Of course, this must be done before a women gets pregnant. But, how many women or men, having unprotected casual sex, know or heard of this medical procedure? From my experiences, it was found out after the women got pregnant.

A public policy that advocated one time volunteer vasectomy, coupled with a dollar for dollar tax credit, in my opinion, would do a lot to reduce use of abortion and having unwanted children from casual sex.

It could help a little bit, on a population level, but I doubt that it would really get to the core of things. First, I think that many unwanted pregnancies involve young men who have not had children yet -- they may want to have kids in the future, and anyway, doctors are hesitant to perform vasectomies on young childless men. Also, the most problematic unwanted pregnancies involve these younger parents.