It occurred to me the other day that there was one aspect or "statistic" concerning the "situation of abortion in America" that to my knowledge no "data" exists on...or is at least openly discussed:
What percentage of women who've actually had abortions considered themselves to be "pro-Life" prior to their ultimately horrific (but apparently necessary?) decisions?
And that thought led me to this:
Unless you're a woman who's had a baby you cannot truly be anything other than "pro-choice". If you are a woman you've probably set in your mind the idea that if faced with the decision you would or would not go through with it...and that would be your choice in favor of someday maybe choosing to have, or not to have an abortion. But that pre-conceived plan always then winds up colliding with real Life, and it's then and only then that you're finally faced with the chance to truly be "pro-life"...to truly act "pro-life" - or enact a "pro-life" decision.
If you're a man, the entire situation and its many arguments exists only in the realm of the theoretical, period.
Now concerning my early question of what I might call the "reality percentage". Maybe you radically disagree with me, but my gut response to that question is "probably at least a few...if not a fair number". Maybe 2 percent...maybe 20...maybe more?
But let's suppose it's one in ten...and that feels like underestimation to me...
Abortion's been legal in this country since the year after I was born. The relatively long stretch of time since 1973 has given Americans like you and me the luxury of being whatever we wanted to be, either "pro-life" or "pro-choice". It's easy to argue for something in theory if you know that when push comes to shove you can simply sneak behind the back of the world to do what you know you have to do. It seems like we're split down the middle on this issue, but what it seems like and what it is are in my opinion two entirely different things.
I don't think those who now consider themselves to be "pro-life" realize that if their current, hasty push toward the Supreme Court finds its mark and abortion is suddenly taken off the table the swing back to the "left" in this country will be so sudden and undeniable our collective necks will literally snap.
I'm writing a book in which I explore the concepts of simple and true contradictions. Simple contradictions are when one or more of the parties involved are unwilling or unable to enter into the perspective(s) of the other(s) in order to "measure the evidence" and "decide" on an even playing field. Most simple contradictions are easily resolved with a neutral party's honest interjection. Whereas a true contradiction (which is far rarer I believe) is when no matter how far you honestly search into the perspective(s) of the other(s) the point of intersection between the seemingly contradictory ideas still just seems smack dab in the middle...no matter how intellectually honest either or all of the parties involved are.
I hate the fact that babies are aborted...and the numbers shock and disturb me. You hear some of the less tactful "pro-lifers" claim that people who support the right to choose to have an abortion are in favor of abortions. I've heard claims that "pro-choice" advocates "just Love abortions". Thoughts like these are purely ridiculous notions, in my opinion.
I believe having an abortion must be such a drastic experience - with such Life and Soul changing implications. The fact that so many abortions take place in this country is indicative of something far deeper...but they are and therefore must continue to be allowed.
Abortion existed long before Science made it surgical or Religion made it immoral. At this point in our culture it truly is the best example I could cite of what I call a true contradiction. No new bit of information is going to come along which changes enough people's minds far and fast enough that suddenly it becomes clear, to one way or the other. Our goal must be to live as peacefully as possible in the presence of this true contradiction.
I believe we must try to empathize (pray?) with the pain that exists in this thing ...abortion...on all sides of its equation. To work to identify and reduce whatever that "something deeper" is that I referred to before. But like I said, I don't think "pro-life" is appropriate or productive unless you are a woman holding the child she's chosen to have...that's unless you're a woman that has also chosen to have an abortion at some point in your life, in which case in one instance you chose to have a baby, and the other(s) you chose not to have a baby. The rest of us (guys especially!) must be honest with ourselves, and to each other, and admit that we're all really "pro-choice" when it comes right down to it. We can theorize what it might be like to actually be "pro-life" - but theory ain't reality, right?
You could also argue that a woman who's had an abortion is now "pro-life" because of the impact of her decision...but she's really still "pro-choice" - though now with a deeper resolve to choose to have the baby if ever faced with the decision again. But when and if that decision arrives, it'll be up to her and her alone to once again decide...to choose...which path to take.