I am a mother. I believe wholeheartedly in the sanctity of life, and I have never felt more physically connected than when I felt my unborn child move within me. In an ideal world, all children would be loved, cherished, and wanted as much as I love, cherish, and wanted -- still want -- my son.
But it's not an ideal world. I have never been in a position that would have required me to make the most difficult and harrowing decision I would ever have to make -- and thank God for that. I don't know what I would have done.
Complicating my opinion is the fact that, should abortion have been an option 36 years ago in Canada, I might not have the lovely partner I have now, nor my child have his father. (well, you know what I mean.) I am selfishly intensely grateful that The Man's biological mother decided to give her baby to his parents instead of what alternatives were available to her at the time. My life is richer because someone didn't exercise that option.
But despite all that, despite how much I treasure my family, I still don't believe that I have the right to decide what's right for another woman. No one has the right to make that decision for me. I would fight for my own rights, I would fight for the rights of any (hypothetical) daughter I might have one day, and I would fight for the same rights for any woman my son might meet.
I know that that doctor was helping. I firmly, wholeheartedly believe that. I haven't had to exercise my rights in that area, and I'm so very glad that somebody -- one other person in particular -- didn't do so. But that doesn't change the fact that he was a good man, that many women owe their lives to him, and no matter what you believe, taking a life to avenge another life is never the right thing to do.
And I'm sad, more than I can say, that we still live in a world where so many people believe that this is ok.
1 comment:
This ... thing makes me so angry that I almost can't even talk about it.
There is no excuse. None.
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