Here is a letter in the
Times-Picayune that torqued my gears:
Re: "The ban plays on," Other Opinions, March 9.
Most Americans do not favor abortion during all nine months of pregnancy. Roe v. Wade allows for abortions for any reason during all nine months of pregnancy.
How long will Ellen Goodman continue to ignore the research of post-abortive women who suffered from a host of problems including depression, suicide, abuse, despair and infertility as the result of past abortions?
Simply examine the evidence and read the testimonies of women who regret their abortions.
Charles P. Stiebing III
More after the jump.
Regarding Charles Stiebing III's letter full of truthiness on 03/11/2006, presented here are the facts of abortion.
Roe v. Wade does not allow for abortion for any reason during all nine months of pregnancy. Abortion is allowed freely during the first trimester (three months) of gestation with the second trimester being more regulated with regards to the health of the woman. The third trimester is greatly restricted due to fetal viability. For those who wish to read the ruling for yourselves, the text can be found online here: http://www.tourolaw.edu/... or in your library's reference section.
How long will the anti-choice groups continue to ignore the fact that abortion is safer than childbirth with only 1 in 200,000 women's deaths for abortion as opposed to 1 in 13,500 women's deaths for childbirth? Further, taking into account the increased likelihood of being murdered while pregnant increased to 20% over the 11% rate of non-pregnant women, abortion is much safer for many women.
The regret issue is bogus, manipulative and misleading. In fact according to scientific studies, most women don't experience any regret. Perhaps the ones who do have been shamed into it by their anti-choice friends, family and church members. Those with theological axes to grind use push polls by framing the questions in specific ways to get the result they want and not the facts or the truth. In the same manner, there are those on anti-choice payrolls who purport to be scientists and are paid to cook the data to come up with statistics which support anti-choice organizations' goals. The fact is that most women don't regret their abortions so much as they regret getting pregnant in the first place.
In 1976, advice columnist Ann Landers asked her readers if they would have children if they had it to do over. Seventy percent said they wouldn't. TV psychologist Dr. Phil McGraw did a more recent study and came up with 30% who said they wouldn't have had children. Over thirty years of safe, legal abortion has reduced the number of people regretting being parents from 70% to 30%. That 30% are likely the people who abuse, neglect and otherwise do a bad job of parenting. Which regret has a more detrimental effect on society? Simply examine the evidence on both sides and read the words of women who don't regret their abortions at http://www.imnotsorry.net if you truly wish to have an informed opinion.
One last thought, a government which can force women to give birth will have the same power to force them to have abortions. Both are equally horrific.
I need to cut this down to as close to 200 words as possible. It's at 442 right now. Any suggestions would be appreciated.