There have been a lot of posts on abortion with Roe vs. Wade turning 36 in the past couple days.  I thought I'd add to the pile on and throw in my own thoughts.

My Sophomore year in college, I went to the March for Women's Lives in Washington, DC.  I had always believed strongly in any woman's right to choose, but have also been sympathetic to the idea that abortion is the elimination of a potential human life.  The arguments of abortion rest on which side of the life cycle you find more important: the potentialities of a woman living her life and wanting to continue to life her life the way she chooses, or the unborn child who has yet to have the opportunity to make his/her impact or impression on the world. Is the life of someone already living more important than the life of someone who's yet to live.

I believe in firmly in the idea that a woman has a right to choose because a woman should not have to be subjugated to raising a child which she would not necessarily love.  I've seen, in years following, what accidental children can have happen to them by their parents: unloving houses, abusive parents who blame the child for their lack of success, and an unpreparedness for the realities of parenthood which result in perilousness unhappy children. I've always believed that the mother's life, as someone who can full well make the decision of altering her life's course, is more important because she can then go on and very directly do something for herself, society or anyone she wants.  The direct potential of her child free life is something which I personally find more important and valuable than the life of someone who most likely will not contribute to society for at least 20 untils into the future.  The impact NOW I feel is more important than the impact later.

The structure of the debate has always troubled me.  Having access to choice does not then mean that everyone will take the termination option or that not having choice will stop women from ending undwanted pregnancy.  The dichotomy of this argument, which does originate on the Right, is completely false.  People will continue to pursue abortion, regardless of its legality, safety or any other factor.  If a woman wants an abortion, she will get one.  It doesn't matter where, when or how.  Making abortion safe and legal (and on demand) is something which will always protect women's health and will always be something that is a positive.

I just thought I'd add some of my thoughts here in something more official since I've taken some devil's advocate positions in some past threads and I wish to clarify my positions.

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