alteregoliz

I remember having a conversation many years ago with a coworker/friend about the difference between Pro-Life vs Pro-Choice. She had declared to me that she was Pro-Life "because that was the choice she had made" - yes, she really said it just like that. She had been faced with an unwanted pregnancy when she had her first child and she had decided against abortion. I explained to her that that didn't necessarily make her Pro-Life. She looked genuinely puzzled, so I explained that it was perfectly possible to be personally against abortion and still Pro-Choice, that being Pro-Choice was not about promoting abortion, that it was about allowing each woman the freedom and opportunity to make that choice for herself. And as my mother later said, "How would she have felt if she hadn't been allowed to make the choice for herself?"

I have known a few friends who have had abortions. All of them (with the exception of the one who was raped in broad daylight in a college parking lot) were very conflicted about their difficult decision. All of those women, including the rape victim, are now amazing moms. One is still with and married to the college boyfriend who was with her to make their decision together.

I have never been faced with an unplanned pregnancy myself, but I have had a couple of scares in my lifetime where I thought I might be and I knew I wasn't ready. I have also been in a situation where I was nearly raped and it gave me a chance for more in-depth consideration of what I would do if I ever became pregnant by a rapist. I have some inkling of how tough that decision is in any circumstances.

I haven't publicly discussed this before so it may come as quite a surprise to many who know me: at some point in my mid-20's I came to the conclusion that I oppose abortion. I concluded that, whether or not I believe a fetus is a person, I believe a fetus is at least the potential for new life and it should be treated with the same high regard. I would like to believe I would have been able to live up to that belief if I were ever faced with making such a difficult decision, but to be realistic I must admit that I don't really know what I would have done if it had ever been a reality.

At no time did I ever imagine that it was my place to expect someone else to live by my belief system. With my realization of my personal belief, I found that I was even more committed to the Pro-Choice cause.

I have a number of family members who believe themselves to be Pro-Life. I understand their personal position, but I would ask, "Do you really believe it's your place to make that decision for someone else?"

Food for thought.

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edited 09/30/2012 3:11pm

Today would have been Donald's 48th birthday.  It's been almost two years since he died.

Happy Birthday, Love.  I miss you.

And take your party back?

I grew up in a Red State.  The Great State of Wyoming.  Small towns never suited me personally and those are the only kind Wyoming has.  Also, I love the ocean and always knew I needed to live near the sea.  As a result I always knew I'd be leaving Wyoming some day, but I still love it.  Wyomingites have to be a special kind of "tough" and there's no other place like it in the world.

While living in Wyoming I had my issues with the politics.  I did grow up in the only Blue county in the entire state.  Yes, there really is one.  But even there being "Blue" was more about labor issues than social ones.  Still, I was glad to be in the county that was more likely to support women's rights than any other.

What I do know about my Republican friends and family:  they are intellectuals (yes, even the rednecks), they are not homophobes, they don't really care who marries who, they aren't pro-lifers, they are supportive of women's rights.  They truly care about this country.  They believe in small government on all fronts.  You know, old school, sensible Republicans.

I love the Alan Simpson rants you can find on the web these days.  Now there's an old school Wyoming Republican.  Whether or not you agree with what he says, he does care about what happens to this country and he's not afraid to say what he really thinks.  Admittedly not the best speaker ever, but at least he's willing to call his own party on it's bullshit.

What I really find appalling about the Republicans these days are the front-running women in the current and last election.  Palin and Bachmann.  Are you f*#king kidding me?!  There have to be a super-ton of intelligent, capable, awesome Republican women leaders out there.  It's impossible that there aren't.  And *this* is what you give us?

Seriously. WTF?!

What's the deal?  Do the smart Republican women not want to put themselves out there in a political climate that demands they denigrate womens' rights and abandon all intelligent discourse in order to get elected?  Well ... I can't say I blame them.  Is it a pipe dream to hope that someone with some common sense and a true love for the wellbeing of all our citizens takes the Republican lead soon?

C'mon folks, please?  Pretty please with red sugar sprinkles on top?