View this post on Instagram

 

*Editor’s note: Elephant is a diverse community of millions of readers and hundreds of writers (you can write too!). We are reader-created. Many blogs here are experience, opinion, and not fact or The One Right Point of View. We welcome all points of view, especially when offered with more sources and less invective, more frankness and less PR. Dislike this Op-Ed or opinion? Share your own take here.

 

As a writer, I feel compelled to share my viewpoints on the recent overturn of Roe v. Wade.

At the same time, I don’t look forward to the array of emotions that may be thrown my way. The judgment that will come. The unfriending and unfollowing. The rage without possibly even weighing what I’ve said.

But I’m prepared for that because if someone chooses to shut me out because my opinion differs from theirs, or because I have questions and invite discussion, those probably aren’t my people.

The reality is, my conservative and liberal friends may all take issue with the thoughts to follow. I hope not.

Quite frankly, I don’t know where to begin.

This is not religious in nature, though I was baptized Catholic. I believe in God and my faith is deep; however, I cannot support any religion that condemns others—including my own. Religions that hold piety above compassion, and judgment above understanding. That is not how I was raised as a human being. If I sit in church and pray to our good Lord then walk out the doors and spread condemnation, doesn’t that conflict with living in the image of Christ? It does according to my belief and value system.

This is not about my rights. Maybe it’s because I’ve never lived in a manner that resulted in having to fight for them, thus I can’t step into those shoes. I am about my personal responsibilities and obligations as a human being who has been granted life on this earth.

Abortion is not a constitutional right and that is what recently changed. It never was, and now it is up to the states to decide.

If a state leans heavily pro-life, why should the citizens be forced to pay for abortions? If a state leans heavily pro-choice, the voters will be in favor of funding abortions, no issue.

We are not going back to coat hangers or putting women in danger by changing that.

Women can still abort; however, they may have to cross state lines or find another way. The access isn’t gone, and it is not illegal or banned; it’s just not as convenient.

Maybe, just maybe, that will result in someone thinking twice before aborting a fetus.

Maybe a girl will decide on adoption, affording someone else the opportunity to raise a child, fulfilling that person a lifelong want and desire—to be a parent. Maybe a woman will decide to keep her child, carry to term, and make the sacrifices necessary to bring a baby into this world.

But if not, the option still remains. You can abort.

Though I do need help to understand how a person can be a vegan or the such, refusing to ingest or use animal products because of the harm done to animals, yet will kill a baby. What is wrong with a society that wants to save animals and kill babies? Are animal rights more convenient to protect, making us feel like loving, caring humans?

Heck, I want to save them all.

And the stance of family planning, abortion is not part of family planning, which includes birth control, proactive anti-pregnancy measures.

There were those who judged the unwed mother, back in the day, yet the irony is, you can’t see an abortion. How dare they judge a woman who had the courage to live with the consequence of her decision, sacrificing in countless ways? But a woman who has had one, two, or multiple abortions flew under the radar. Because people can’t see it, they don’t judge it.

Haters will hate, on either side of the pro-life or pro-choice.

I’ve listened to many arguments and welcome discussions from all sides of the issue.

I hope we haven’t lost our ability to debate with respect and civility. Emotions are overriding even the sanest of folks these days, and I feel that it’s destroying us as a society.

Who is pro-abortion?

Most likely, no one.

We cannot possibly understand what a girl, or woman, is going through mentally, emotionally, or spiritually when she finds herself with an unplanned pregnancy. Even if a female has gone through the same, each experience is different.

We should not judge, yet this seems to be what many people do. It’s easy to rush to judgment, however complex, to make the time in breaking it down and seeing to reason.

I am not pro-abortion and I am pro-life, but I support pro-choice.

My belief is live and let live. I don’t believe in pushing my views and beliefs on another. Though I wouldn’t do it, I wouldn’t tell you what to do. It is your body and it is your life. Most importantly, I don’t believe in throwing stones when we all live in glass houses.

I have many friends who wouldn’t be here today had their mothers chosen to abort them—and I am so grateful that they’re in my life. I also have many friends who have had abortions. Has anyone ever given thought to the pain and guilt they endure—forever?

It’s a complex and emotional topic. Please try to see all sides, no matter what your personal opinion.

Is anyone else pro-conflicted?

~

Please consider Boosting our authors’ articles in their first week to help them win Elephant’s Ecosystem so they can get paid and write more.