Texas Gov. Rick Perry urged lawmakers in the state legislature to adopt a bill that would allow women to see an ultrasound of their unborn child prior to having an abortion. Sen. Dan Patrick, a Houston Republican, and Rep. Frank Corte Jr., a San Antonio Republican, are the main legislators sponsoring the bill. In 2007, the state Senate approved the bill and it stalled in the House.Patrick told reporters after Perry's address that his support is “music to these conservative ears.”
I know this is a very touchy subject with many Americans, but I like this bill. I like this bill because it not only gives the mother have another "hoop to jump through" but to be able to see there is actually a living human being inside her body, and that maybe it is closer to killing someone that she previously thought. Who knows the bill could make women think a little harder before "pulling the trigger" and putting that miracle in someone elses hands that would love to raise him/her. If this bill helps one women change her mind about abortion I think its done its job, and I'm very confident that can happen.
That is obviously the pros to the bill. I like to be fair and give both sides of the story, but opposition to this bill simply states that letting women see an ultrasound of their baby jeopardizes their health. My question is, how? Are we talking mental health? I'm not sure thats a very sturdy leg to stand on. Simply weigh the pros and cons, and you should see this is a great bill. There are more than seventy four thousand abortions in Texas annually and legislatures are hoping this bill as well as others in the legislature is considering will greatly reduce that figure.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
ReplyDeleteThanks for providing a great article for debate!
Here's my response.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteContrary to your comment, my opposition to this bill actually has nothing to do with the idea of putting a woman's health in jeopardy. It comes from my belief that women should not have to keep jumping through more hoops to make a decision about their bodies. If you really analyzed both sides of the argument with fairness, you would have at least tried to put yourself in another woman's shoes when she learns of an unexpected pregnancy... the thoughts on how her body will change, the cost of prenatal treatment, the time she would have to take off from work and/or school, and how her life would be changed through childbirth (whether or not she gave it up for adoption). To put things in a way you can relate... what if a bill was proposed that required males to pay a tax equivalent to a month's worth of child support payments before having sex? What if you had to wear a fat suit before you ordered a tasty meal at your favorite fast food chain?
ReplyDeleteMy point is that, just because the decision to abort a pregnancy has serious consequences, such a decision should not subject women to unnecessary procedures in an attempt to guilt them out of it. You make your case under the assumption that a human being is a life from conception, that everyone shares this belief, and that women don't already give a considerable amount of thought to "pulling the trigger". In reality, we all have different beliefs, and among these sets of beliefs include the thought that as long as a fetus cannot survive outside the womb on its own, a woman can have the right to end her pregnancy if she wishes. Just because a woman does not "see" (read: believe) that the fetus is a human life does not mean that she doesn't grasp the concept of terminating a pregnancy.
One opinion I do share with pro-life people like yourself is that, in light of such a high number of abortions, we can make better attempts to reduce them. I disagree, however, that this bill is a good step in that direction. We can take measures to do so without subjecting women to something they do not want. Why not look toward preventing pregnancy in the first place? Educating people about the health risks of sex in conjunction with the benefits of birth control can do a lot to cut down on pregnancies. The power of information would go much further than the power of forced guilt trips.
I saw this interview on TV and think that it supports this post. http://www.foxnews.com/search-results/m/22095347/life-changing-experience.htm#q=Kathy+Ireland
ReplyDeleteThis is an incredibly touchy subject where emotions flair and both sides feel very passionate about their beliefs. I'm not really for or against abortion and don't plan on trying to be the expert but here is what I think.
ReplyDeleteIt's difficult to say that a woman should have every right to do whatever she wants with her body because if there is a baby in her body it is no longer just her body but the baby's as well. If the child was already born and the mother killed him that would be murder. However when does the baby reach the point of "Human Life" ? There are a lot of studies and facts that argue different stages of the pregnancy.
The argument that you could be "putting that miracle in someone elses hands that would love to raise him/her", in my opinion, is not very well researched. There are so many kids living in foster homes and waiting for a "forever family" for someone to love them and care for them. Why bring more unwanted (I know that sounds horrible but it is a unfortunate reality) kids to this world?
What if the woman was a victim of rape? Do you think that she should have to look at the ultrasound of her unborn child to remind her of that horrible experience? Do you think she should be reminded again that she is going to kill the fetus because she doesn't want anything to do with that horrible experience? Who are we to judge her or to force her to go through that?
We should be spending more time and resources on preventing unwanted pregnancies. Recently, President Obama was blasted for having put funding in his stimulus plan for contraceptives, but yet if more people had these available and we spent more time education our young maybe we would have less unwanted pregnancies.
Ultrasound Bill... Not Abortion bill.
ReplyDeleteIn Abortion-Ultrasound Bill, my Colleague Chase Stewart discusses the bill that passed in the Texas State Senate which requires doctors to suggest an Ultrasound before aborting an unborn fetus http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6403885.html. The mother has the choice to decline the offer. Stewart did not discuss the new Texas vehicle plate that states "Choose Life," which came out at the same time. The ultrasound bill is presently stalling in the House.
Women are already able to have an ultrasound prior to aborting their unborn fetus, this bill would just require doctors to offer the suggestion. I personally don't see it as another 'hoop to jump through' as Stewart suggests it can be seen. I think it's reasonable, but frankly if a woman is going to have an abortion - she's going to have an abortion. The bill isn't exactly a touchy subject as much as abortion is. I often find men are the first to present their views about abortion, which is ironic since they cannot actually give birth.
If we really want to lower the number of abortions in Texas, I suggest implementing more extensive sexual education for youth and teens. Sadly, most conservatives don't support sexual education; they would rather everyone abstain from sex. Considering 74,000 abortions occur annually, I'd say abstinence may not be the answer. I understand pro-lifers want so see less abortions, so meet me half-way. By the way, Texas is presently trying to take support away from Planned Parenthood - they invest a great deal of time educating our youth, and providing services to women who otherwise could not afford them. It's not as simple as pro-life.
hey "T" when i said hoop to jump through i was refering to a process they could go through optional or not to possibly change their minds about having an abortion. And I never clamid it was as simple as Pro life, guy. How do u know if a women is going to have an abortion, shes going to have an abortion? you think every situation is always set it stone before the "trigger is pulled"? I'd also like to see where you get your information on "most conservatives dont support sex ed" Must be some keith olberman blog you've quoted to make yourself sound like an 'hip'liberal...semingly what most of our youth has come to.
ReplyDelete