A 'pro-life" movement I could get behind

[anilorak13ska]

Well Said! These are ideas I can 100% get behind. Pro-life and social justice

Agreed.

 

[anilorak13ska]

How about we go back to the previous model of adoption for children born out of wedlock? Pretty simple. Before legalized abortion, it’s what happened, and it worked pretty well.

I agree with this as the alternative to abortion, but I wouldn’t want the return of a societal shaming of single women into placing their children in adoptive families, never to be heard from again. Neither the child or woman benefits from this arrangement.

 

[JimG]

How about we go back to the previous model of adoption for children born out of wedlock? Pretty simple. Before legalized abortion, it’s what happened, and it worked pretty well.

I like this idea. It’s better for the kids and better for society. It gives the kids a family, and it keeps the mother out of poverty.

 

[TheRealJuliane]

I agree with this as the alternative to abortion, but I wouldn’t want the return of a societal shaming of single women into placing their children in adoptive families, never to be heard from again. Neither the child or woman benefits from this arrangement.

Why does it have to be about shaming the mother? How about thinking of her baby’s needs instead of her own?

Adopted children certainly DO benefit from having an intact family. Sure it’s hard for the bio-mothers to give them up. Well, lots of stuff in life is hard. Having sex outside of marriage sometimes has difficult consequences. So be it. Good incentive NOT to have sex before you’re married.

 

[Agatha813]

I vigorously support any social justice measures that will not only remove the perceived “need” for abortions, but will make that so-called choice ridiculously unthinkable. Many of these social justice measures are identical to ones that the women’s movement has identified as things that they want to see happen, such as better access to health care, wage parity, child care, and the like. To think that people will revert to a 1950’s model of nuclear family is somewhat naive, in my opinion: The genie of the sexual revolution is out of the bottle, and even draconian measures will not suffice to stuff it back in there.

I’m sure I will get flamed massively for this: It is disingenuous to trust that the wealthy in this nation will voluntarily support such consistent funding to ensure that all children of unwanted pregnancies are reared to a fully functional, healthy, and educated adulthood in the interests of the principle of subsidiarity. However, the neoconservative movement would cut what social programs do exist for relief of mothers to the very bone, if not eliminate them entirely. Unfortunately, neoconservative politicians draw the support of Catholics because of their stance on abortion.

I believe it is incredibly hypocritical to support life in the womb, and then cut off support for that life once it is born. Of course, this does not justify abortion, not in the least. I’m just saying that it is morally and intellectually inconsistent to fail to support ALL children, born and unborn. Since the government has a vested interest in the health and welfare of its citizenry, I think that continued, and yes, increased support of minor children is a valid role of the government.

Some European countries, as well as Canada, pay subsidies to ALL women raising children, as well as providing services, in the interests of promoting the health and welfare of new citizens. However, if such a plan were proposed in these United States, I can just hear the right wing screaming “socialism!”

Does it strike anyone else as odd that in civilized nations, new mothers get paid childrearing leave, and somehow we can’t manage to do that right here, in one of the wealthiest nations on planet earth?

However, the children of this nation cannot count on the voluntary largesse and benefice of the wealthy. It simply is not consistent enough. When our local crisis pregnancy center has to rely on hand-me-down car seats to drive those children home from the hospital, I think that speaks volumes about where the hearts and minds of social and fiscal neo-cons are really set!

My spiritual director says that more can be told about a person’s spirituality by a glance at their checkbook.

True, abortion on demand needs to be stopped. But I think the Church can and should use at least some of its political influence to shame our legislators and executives into providing better resources for children once they are born!

Just my two cents’ worth. And by the way, I directly support the pro-life pregnancy crisis center via charitable contributions from my paycheck.

Honestly, I wouldn’t flame you because I have the same exact view. Something about the pro-life movement that bothers me is that it seems to stop the fight at ending abortions. What about the unwanted children? What about the women that do take responsibility? The way society is now, it rewards women for getting an abortion. Also, what would we do for people that do seek out abortions illegally? Arrest them? Fine them? I feel like people don’t look at just how much of a change we have to go through to enact a pro-life way of living for our society.

Getting an abortion is less costly than having the child and raising it, so why not get the abortion? We really don’t have a system that would support women if they decide to keep the child, nor do we take proper care of the orphaned children in this country. My wish for the pro-life movement is that we take ALL things into consideration and develop a system where a mother is rewarded for having the child. A system that does take good care of the abandoned and unwanted children in this world.

I also agree that we do need to teach people more self worth to start with. Human life no matter how small should be put on a pedestal because life is precious.

 

[odile53]

Adoption is one alternative, but judging from what I’ve heard from several middle-aged adoptees, it isn’t necessarily a panacea. These individuals I’ve talked with have always suffered from the idea that they don’t know their biologic parents. One in particular describes himself as “a mistake,” despite my attempts to encourage him to realize that no living human being is a mistake in the eyes of God. All of these people have a deep sense of abandonment, and it does affect their ability to maintain human relationships throughout their lives. I’m not saying that this applies to all adult adoptees by any means. I’m just saying that the experience exists. Adoption, particularly for the adoptee, isn’t necessarily the happily ever after scenario that it is painted in popular lore.

Abortion isn’t the answer, but I’m afraid there are no easy answers.

I think another thing we’re assuming in this thread is that abortions are generally sought out by the unwed and the underprivileged. There are plenty of married women with means who abort as well. I haven’t looked up statistics of abortion demographics with the CDC, but it would be interesting to see what the breakdown is.