Afraid of Tough Topics

There are many views on some topics that cross both Conservative and liberal viewpoints. Topics that many seem to be afraid to deal with any longer. One of those topics is abortion. Radio talk show hosts seem to be afraid of this topic and refuse to even discuss it. Many have taken the position of Neil Boortz when he had his radio program.

Neil Boortz would stop anyone that brought up abortion or even mentioned it in passing when discussing another topic and seeming to tie them together. It’s as though you’re not permitted to have an opinion on abortion, nor to even suggest you have an opinion about it. I believe it’s cowardice to avoid a topic just because so many people are adamant in whatever their position is on the topic.

In many campaigns for office abortion is used as a way to put down the other candidate. The liberal may say “my opponent wants to regulate your wombs” or the Conservative may say “my opponent wants you to allow death to a baby after the baby has viable organs but prior to leaving the womb”. Nobody delves into the actual thoughts on abortion but rather tells you what the other person thinks or will do even though they really don’t know what the other would or wouldn’t do.

I have run into this when talking with people. Friends, family members and others. Well, if you’re scared of hearing about abortion, you might want to stop reading right now because I’m going to talk about it here.

First, there is the identification of whatever belief you have. I call myself Pro-Life. If someone believes that abortion should be an option, I’d call them Pro-Choice. If you tell me that I’m anti-abortion, then I’ll play your game and call you anti-life. That only makes it a name calling match and not a real discussion.

We know how pregnancy starts. It begins with an act of sex or it can begin with artificial insemination. I can’t imagine anyone choosing to be artificially inseminated to get pregnant, then choosing to abort. I guess there could be some reasons, but it would seem very odd to go to that expense and trouble only to give up.

The act of sex is a choice. The choice can be made by two people or by one person. If it’s made by two people, and a pregnancy occurs, something that they engaged in created a new life. If done within a marriage or within a permanent relationship, it is MY BELIEF, that the couple stand up and take responsibility for their actions. If the pregnancy is an accident, I would think it’s a happy accident. If it comes at an inconvenient time for one or both of the parents, they should adjust to what they created and take responsibility for their actions and the results of those actions. If they choose to abort because of inconvenience, they can do that, but it is MY BELIEF that they are not taking responsibility for their actions and because of that, a life, that is too young to make decisions, let alone voice decisions, gets no say in THEIR life. I have a difficult time reconciling how someone can choose to end a life because of their own inconvenience or disruption to their lives. Do they not consider the disruption to the life they have created? If the baby could voice its’ own opinion what would it be? Who stands up for the baby?

Regarding teenagers engaging in sex, they know it’s possible that a pregnancy could occur. It may not be high on their thoughts as they are beginning to have their fun, but there may be consequences to that fun they are about to have. Ending a life is not taking responsibility for their actions. They can choose to raise the child or they can choose to put the baby up for adoption. The life for the baby may not be the ideal life, but it’s still a life with possibilities. If abortion is chosen that baby’s chance at life is gone with them being able to choose.

In the case of rape, again, I realize a life was created by a violent act. The choice has been taken away from the mother to be, but for her to take away the chance for that baby to have a shot at life removes the possibility of something good coming from something bad.

Many also argue that it’s the mothers choice. After all, it’s her body. I disagree and I may be in the minority on this but it’s MY BELIEF that once she shared her body, the results of their act together makes both of them responsible for the decision. If either of them chooses for the baby to be born, that baby should be born. If the mother wants the baby but the father doesn’t, the mothers argument prevails because she’s choosing life for another as well as her own. If the father chooses for the baby to be born, but the mother doesn’t want it, then again, the baby is given the chance at life. The exception to this is in the case of rape. A rapist gets no say in any decision regarding the baby. He gave her no choice in the act, he gets no choice in the decision. However, he will contribute financially to the raising of that child and will never be given access to the child.

Notice that in each case, I said “MY BELIEF”. It’s not me dictating, it’s MY BELIEF. If you think differently, that’s fine for you as MY BELIEF is fine for me.

Having said all of that, I admit that I have an inconsistency in my belief both morally and intellectually. If my wife was to become pregnant, at my age, I’d be shocked but still follow through on it. However, if the life of my wife were in danger of being lost due to the pregnancy, in that case, I would choose the life of my wife over that of the baby. In effect, I’d be choosing abortion. Thankfully, I never had to make that choice.

If you think I’m wrong in my choices on all of the options above, that’s your prerogative. But if each of those were my choices, those are what I would choose regardless of the hardship a new baby might present. I will not choose abortion out of my convenience. I will not take the choice away from the baby that cannot speak for itself with the one exception I gave. Those are MY choices.

If you choose differently, and ask my opinion, that’s what you’ll get. However, if you don’t ask my opinion (and I can’t imagine anyone asking me my opinion other than my own kids asking if they ever run into that situation) then you are entitled to your opinion without scorn from me. For those of you that don’t know, two of my children are daughters and right now they are aged 18 and 17. I only hope they never have to make that decision and I believe that with how I raised them, I have a pretty good shot at not having my children run into that decision.

My choices, my beliefs, are taken away from me when the government chooses to fund those that want an abortion. My tax money goes to the government just as yours does. If you’re going to get pregnant and for whatever reason you decide to abort the pregnancy, it is wrong for even one fraction of a penny of my money to pay for your decision to do something that I don’t believe in. They were YOUR actions, pay for YOUR OWN decision but don’t force me to pay anything towards a decision that I would not make.

Notice that I said it is wrong. I didn’t say it might be wrong, I said it IS wrong.

If you believe in abortion or even choice, that’s your belief. You would only be wrong in your  belief if you try to force your belief on me or begin putting me down for my belief. But my belief is not forced on you. Abortion is legal. So if you choose abortion, it’s between you and your conscious or your God.

If you want to discuss abortion, I’m all for it, but don’t put me down for my beliefs, and I won’t put you down for your beliefs. I will listen to your side of the topic and in return you should listen to my side and neither of us should be disparaging the other person for their beliefs.

To avoid a discussion on abortion on the talk shows, such as Neil Boortz and others, only tells me that the moderator cannot moderate. He/She must be incapable of asking tough questions on each side to challenge that other persons belief and understand that people believe different things for different reasons, and those reasons are very likely very good reasons from the mindset of each side.

If we’re going to be afraid to talk about a topic, people will never be able to choose without giving thought to other possibilities. They won't realize or even understand they have options. All because people are afraid to talk, reasonably and without rancor and understanding about tough topics. When people say, 'it's my way and there is no other way' it's not Conservative and it's not freedom. 

This only creates flawed legislation and I’m really tired of hearing politicians say “it’s not the best solution, but it’s a start.” We are the greatest country in the world. We ought to be able to come up with the best solutions rather than kicking these topics down the road for whatever is popular at the time. The only way to do that is to discuss and debate them without despising the other side. Try some understanding. If you listen, you might learn. If you talk constantly, you are only dictating and not hearing.

You’re welcome to comment.

Brett