Everybody's Favorite Subject: Abortion

Abortion is probably the most polarizing issue in our political landscape.  This was masterfully represented in a Seinfeld episode, where various characters, including pizza makers, boyfriends, and customers in a restaurant all get hot and bothered by the issue.  Seinfeld himself instigated most of the consternation by bring the topic up, knowing full well that there is seemingly no middle ground on the issue.

Well, I occupy that middle ground.  And I think a lot of people do, just like me.  So what am I?  I'm Pro Choice.  I'm also Pro Life.  That's the way I see myself on the issue.  But the Pro-lifers would never have me, nor would the Pro-choicers either.

See, for me, I'm Pro Life, because I think that at some point, that zygote/fetus/whatever becomes a human being with human rights.  Example:  I find partial birth abortion abhorrent, and I have not heard of any evidence that suggests that the procedure is needed other than for the mother to be free of the baby - yes BABY - at that point.  This nonsense about this being a decision between a woman and her doctor is just that - nonsense.  In such a case, they are leaving the unborn baby's rights out of the picture.

On the other hand, I'm Pro Choice, because I can't agree that "life" begins at conception.  I don't believe that a 4 or 8 or 4096 celled zygote is a human life, any more than a billion cell cancer tumor is.  Example:  a morning after pill that prevents a fertilized egg from implanting is not much different than a fertilized egg not implanting and being removed from the body by the, forgive the expression, monthly wash.

As a result, neither the Pro Life nor the Pro Choice movements would claim me as a member.  No "Pro" group speaks for me.

Of course, these are the ends of the spectrum.  The hard part is where to draw the line in the middle somewhere.  Our courts have used "viability" as the yard stick, and I think that is a good start.  However, medical advances continue to pare down the number of weeks viability "happens" and certainly, late term abortions happen with viability a receding dot in the rear view mirror.  I've been told that 20 weeks is possible.  24 weeks is almost assuredly viability with the correct natal care.  And none of this takes into account the mother's responsibility in this regard... is 4-5 months enough time to give the mother the chance to decide whether she wants an abortion?  Is 8 months enough?  How about 9?

But here is the critical point I want to speak to today.  I've shown that both groups are extremists.  Pro Choice people want unrestricted abortion, and would prefer to make it available on demand, and at government expense.  Pro Life people want nothing to stop a pregnancy, not even an RU486 pill, and will coerce, or kill, medical providers that offer them.  Rereading that, I realize I really don't want to be a part of either of those groups!

However, Pro Lifers have become much more clever.  Instead of killing abortion doctors and giving public sympathy to the Pro Choice folks, they have hired actors and bought hidden cameras to expose the excesses of the Pro Choice crowd.  Namely Planned Parenthood.  They've show horrific video of the "behind the scenes" activities of Planned Parenthood.  Public sympathy is with the Pro Lifers today.

Beware Pro Choice movement!  The excesses are what will destroy you.  Remember ACORN?  If Planned Parenthood doesn't get its act together, and fast, they will end up in the same place.

I have been a Planned Parenthood supporter in the past.  They provide contraception for young people so they DON'T get pregnant.  They provide breast cancer screening.  They provide STD services.  I really don't want to see them go down the tubes.  On the other hand, I've had to hold my nose on the abortions they perform.  Partial Birth abortions are called "Late Term Abortions" by PP.  Here's what a "Late Term Abortion" means:  A baby is delivered vaginally until the head is outside the mother's body.  The baby's head is then opened surgically and their brains are removed.  This effectively kills the baby.  The corpse is then delivered naturally, and discarded.  I'm sorry to have to call it what it is, that that is it in a nutshell.  Barbaric.  The type of thing Dr. Mengle would have though of.

So I want to help because I think Planned Parenthood could continue its work and even continue to do abortions if it simply did the following:

• Fire the people on the videos.  They will find other jobs.
• Change their abortion practices to declare that they will not perform "late term abortions"
• Offer to refer patients who wish to have one to a qualified medical professional, not affiliated with Planned Parenthood
• Provide counseling services - discuss adoption, and other possible courses of action that might meet the patient's needs
• Refer them to service providers based on their feedback
• Limit political coordination with the Pro Life movement
• Limit their body parts business to early and middle term abortions, and to only donate what naturally becomes available, rather than customizing abortion procedures to recipient desires

If they did these things, they could save themselves as an organization, and as an abortion services provider.  Pro Lifers would have far less to expose, and would not be able to get public support behind them.

And even with all this sound advice, I don't expect the Pro Life movement to thank me, much less invite me to join their ranks.  I have no doubt I'm an apostate to them.