Thursday, February 19, 2009

12-year-old speaks out on the issue of abortion

2 comments:

Cynthia (Chief Nestling) said...

There are few issues in life that are so cut and dried that there aren't pros and cons on each side. This young woman seems to have decided what she wants to think, and then to be focusing entirely on those pieces of evidence that would support her, and ignoring those that don't. Her argument even glosses over OBVIOUS retorts and is almost fanatical in its one-sidedness.

She quotes a 17-year old who is unhappy that she had an abortion. She could just as easily quote people who feel that abortion was the best option available to them. I had an abortion at 19, and I and many women I've talked to believe it was the best of several bad options. I have never regretted the decision.

She asks us to think about what it would be like to be aborted, but we should also think what it would be like to grow up in an orphanage, or in a home where you weren't wanted, prepared for, or the resources to raise you were insufficient.

She claims that only 1% of abortions are "hardship cases" but then leaves the question of whether abortion is acceptable in those cases hanging. It's as though because (according to her) this doesn't apply to many people, it can just be swept aside.

Her black and white thinking results in her viewing a fetus as fully a person and with the same rights as the mother. In fact, it is possible to view the fetus as a potential human, and to consider its welfare, while at the same time placing more importance on the rights and welfare of the mother, who is already a full human being. The young woman in the video seems to have endless compassion for bundles of cells but to lack even the most rudimentary, passing consideration for the full human being who is being asked to serve as an incubator against her will.

In addition to be extremely one-sided, this girl's tone is offensive. Here is a person who hasn't live much of life, and she presumes to lecture to people who have done so on the correctness of their decisions. This is much like someone who has never had children tsk tsking the parenting choices of those who have. She lives in an ideal world inside her own mind, with little understanding of the actual, nuanced and difficult realities that many women with unwanted pregnancies face. Her opinion would be better informed had she ever actually lived as an adult, made adult decisions, supported herself, and particularly had she ever found herself with an unwanted pregnancy. Frankly she does not know whereof she speaks. Her "knowledge" is 100% theoretical and entirely lacks an experiental aspect.

She comes off as an insufferable, smug little know-it-all and I'm amazed that this would be chosen to represent "pro-life" (aka anti-choice) opinion. Is this REALLY the best you have???

Patrick said...

This girl had alot of guts to put herself on camera, and didnt once flinch. She barely read from her script and although she did appear a little smug, what 12 year old isn't a know it all? The real question is, how many 12 year olds are willing to expose themselves to the masses for something they truly believe in? This piece was the result of maturity, talent and compassion toward a major issue that affects our lives and others. These are not the typical aspects for a 12 year old girl to exhibit.

Patrick
www.apostle.com