The other side of the abortion experience
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/CRIME/05/31/kansas.doctor.killed/art.tiller.kake.jpg caption="Dr. George Tiller was one of the few U.S. physicians that performed late-term abortions."]
Editor's Note: Dr. George Tiller, whose Kansas women's clinic frequently took center stage in the U.S. debate over abortion, was shot and killed while serving as an usher at his Wichita church Sunday morning. His death has sparked much conversation about abortion and late-term abortion. On Andrew Sullivan's blog on The Atlantic website, a number of people have weighed in with personal stories on the issue of abortion. Look at this one from a reader.
Andrew Sullivan
The Atlantic
A reader writes:
We've been on an adoption waiting list with a local agency for over two years now. We don't care about race or background, and we're fine with an open adoption. Our only wish is that our first child be an infant. (We're open to adopting older children later, after we have at least some experience as parents). As our friends seem to crank out kid after kid after kid, we wait. And we wait. While I continue to be staunchly pro-choice, it's not easy - I would give everything for a life that we could hold and know and love and raise as ours.
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Filed under: 360° Radar |
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It saddens me that people are not explaining the reasons why these "late-term" abortions were performed in the first place. Typically, the woman has no choice, it is a medical necessity because the baby's brain is filling with fluid and will be stillborn anyway..but if she had to go through actual childbirth, it could destroy her cervix and her chances for a future normal pregnancy. No one wants to abort at this late date. It is not a fun decision. Let's be clear on this.
Choosing a late-term abortion or any abortion does not have to make sense to me, only to the parties involved.
I don't understand how anyone can support late-term abortion.
If a woman is on her way to get an abortion and is killed by a drunk driver, I think the driver would be charged with two counts of vehicular manslaughter. Correct me if I am wrong. I do not understand how people cannot see the stopping of a beating heart as murder. (A bit hypocritical I would say!)
My thanks goes to Stella for bringing forth the issue of couples wishing for a child. My husband and I have been through all treatments numerous times and find it very difficult to hear stories like this one. We are also pro-choice, but I agree this belief is sometimes difficult to maintain.
You're not alone, Stella.
Late term abortions *are* done for medical reasons. Accusations that they are done for the convenience of the woman are lies.
It is sensless to have an abortion when we have Birth Control. Also
Are we to look at this as Legal, Religious or a social issue.
I found at the end wrong is wrong and right is right and can't find gray area on this. Abortion is a murder and it is wrong.
I couldn't have an abortion but I support women's rights. What to do about late-term is a moral and ethical issue between a mother, father and doctor. Senseless killing is not the answer. Let's have every child be a wanted and expected child.
Even though I do believe that women should have the right of choosing abortions. However, choosing to have a late-term abortion does not make sense to me except there is a severe health threat to either the mother or the fetus. I think that if the pregnancy is almost full-term and there are no severe health threats to either the mom or fetus but mom does not want to have the baby, giving birth to the baby and giving him/her up for adoption would be a better choice.
I have the same belief for health care professionals who perform late-term abortions. Unless the pregnancy has become life-threatening for either mom or fetus, otherwise, I find it to be difficult for one to justify peforming procedure such as late-term abortions.
On the other hand, killing the doctor is absolutely wrong and there are no excuses for that action. The action does not result in any productive accomplishments.