How Do We Lessen the Number of Abortions?

[Ken Carman]

In this never ending debate over abortion and it's legality I have yet to read a thread phrased this way. Did I miss one or more? Seems like a common goal amongst most of us.

If you wish to say, "Just make it illegal," fine, but remember the goal is to lessen, the topic not legality. Discuss it, please, in that framework if you can.

If you don't believe that should be a goal, why?

Otherwise it's pretty open.

Of course I've never been part of the OT police, so; except for an occasional comment, I'll leave the rest up to you and the mods.

[SoylentGreen]

Education would be a start. If we all worked at getting rid of the christian based belief that sex is somehow wrong and we should be ashamed of our genitals then possibly a more intelligent approach can be made towards educating people about the responsibility of sex.

[Median]

The main issue is not abortions, they are only a procedure to end the ( problem) of being pregnant for (some) women.

What is the issue? Sex education and awareness.

If people know the outcomes of having unprotected sex ( STDs and pregnancy )
They then have the info to make their own decisions.

I am pro choice, I believe anyone has the right to do anything to their own body, including ending a pregnancy.

But the issue is abortions, we lessen those by reducing unprotected sex. Its pretty simple, but youd be surprised how hard it is to implement something like common sense or logic to young people.

[Ken Carman]

Education would be a start. If we all worked at getting rid of the christian based belief that sex is somehow wrong and we should be ashamed of our genitals then possibly a more intelligent approach can be made towards educating people about the responsibility of sex.

I agree, except I would add that it's a certain flavor of Christian-based belief: more fundamentalistic. I have known many Christians who would agree. In fact my mother; rather traditional, had no problem with me taking the sex-ed class I had in high school. She did have problems discussing such things, I admit. My father? No way, but we did have a traditional family as to who did this type of ed, so I think she felt relieved when the school offered it.

No one I know of is talking about approving premartial sex, or giving "permission," it's a disagreement regarding what works, and what doesn't.

The main issue is not abortions, they are only a procedure to end the ( problem) of being pregnant for (some) women.

What is the issue? Sex education and awareness.

If people know the outcomes of having unprotected sex ( STDs and pregnancy )
They then have the info to make their own decisions.

I am pro choice, I believe anyone has the right to do anything to their own body, including ending a pregnancy.

But the issue is abortions, we lessen those by reducing unprotected sex. Its pretty simple, but you'd be surprised how hard it is to implement something like common sense or logic to young people.

I think many Pro-Lifers would disagree that the issue is "not abortion," but I cannot speak for them.

I do agree sex ed and availability can lessen abortions. I know that for a fact because from the very start I brought my girlfriends down to Planned Parenthood. They told me there that they almost never saw the boyfriend, but they did get to know me. Every time she needed a consultation, or supplies, I was right there beside her. This is what sex ed did for me. Their main lesson was: "whatever you choose; take responsibility for that choice." I always thought PP made a big mistake getting involved in abortions. Due to access, violence and harassment, I absolutely understand "why," it's just that's how they got to be slapped with the "abortion agency" label that has masked the good work they've done to prevent.

I had a couple quite casual friends murdered in Pensacola over this crap. "Quite" in the sense of I didn't know them that well: we belonged to the same faith and had met several times over coffee, services... But re: "Pro-Life" A lot of the time... "Pro-Life" my ass. Exterminating, snuffing out another's life is fine. We just disagree about when and how. In many ways this is a "the state decides" vs. "the individual." Terrible choices, but I prefer the individual in this case.

So "surprised?" Not at all. Some Cons are all about "taking responsibility" until it comes to actually preventing abortions rather than banning them. "Not their problem," I'm sure, until it is. Even then it's all about how morally superior they are... even if their last name is Palin and their daughter is pregnant through abstinence-only non-education.

[Median]

I agree, except I would add that it's a certain flavor of Christian-based belief: more fundamentalistic. I have known many Christians who would agree. In fact my mother; rather traditional, had no problem with me taking the sex-ed class I had in high school. She did have problems discussing such things, I admit. My father? No way, but we did have a traditional family as to who did this type of ed, so I think she felt relieved when the school offered it.

No one I know of is talking about approving premartial sex, or giving "permission," it's a disagreement regarding what works, and what doesn't.



I think many Pro-Lifers would disagree that the issue is "not abortion," but I cannot speak for them.

I do agree sex ed and availability can lessen abortions. I know that for a fact because from the very start I brought my girlfriends down to Planned Parenthood. They told me there that they almost never saw the boyfriend, but they did get to know me. Every time she needed a consultation, or supplies, I was right there beside her. This is what sex ed did for me. Their main lesson was: "whatever you choose; take responsibility for that choice." I always thought PP made a big mistake getting involved in abortions. Due to access, violence (I had a couple quite casual friends murdered in Pensacola over this crap. "Quite" in the sense of I didn't know them that well. But re: "Pro-Life" A lot of the time... "Pro-Life" my ass.) and harassment, I absolutely understand "why," it's just that's how they got to be slapped with the "abortion agency" label that has masked the good work they've done to prevent.

So "surprised" Not at all. Some Cons are all about "taking responsibility" until it comes to actually preventing abortions rather than banning them. "Not their problem," I'm sure, until it is. Even then it's all about how morally superior they are... even if their last name is Palin and their daughter is pregnant through abstinence only-non-education.

Abortion is a tool, the use of the tool is in question. Like burning books, its wrong to take away choice for anyone. People make their own choices, its part of life, telling people they have to live with a decision they made without fully thinking it through when they actually have an option is not right.

Please refer to the thread discussing when life begins, conception or birth, because my views are at birth.

[Ken Carman]

Abortion is a tool, the use of the tool is in question. Like burning books, its wrong to take away choice for anyone. People make their own choices, its part of life, telling people they have to live with a decision they made without fully thinking it through when they actually have an option is not right.

Please refer to the thread discussing when life begins, conception or birth, because my views are at birth.

I believe we agree, but of course this thread is open to all.

[Jinei]

More sex education and self-responsibility. In my entire middle/high school career, I've only been exposed to one semester of health education (and the occasional sex talk in PE) and that was senior year. But more and more teens have unwanted pregnancies before they even take sex ed or health ed in high school. I say that it should be made a requirement to take a sex ed class semester in freshman year, and a year (as opposed to just a semester) of health ed in senior year.

[Ken Carman]

More sex education and self-responsibility. In my entire middle/high school career, I've only been exposed to one semester of health education (and the occasional sex talk in PE) and that was senior year. But more and more teens have unwanted pregnancies before they even take sex ed or health ed in high school. I say that it should be made a requirement to take a sex ed class semester in freshman year, and a year (as opposed to just a semester) of health ed in senior year.

I believe mine was a half year course in either 9th or 10th grade.

Anyone else notice an absence so far of the religious right, abstinence only... yada, yada on this thread? As they used to say (Arte Johnson) on Laugh In...

"Vvvvvveeeeerrrrrrrrly inter rest tingkk."

[Jinei]

I believe mine was a half year course in either 9th or 10th grade.

Anyone else notice an absence so far of the religious right, abstinence only... yada, yada on this thread? As they used to say (Arte Johnson) on Laugh In...

Give it a day or two. Otherwise, I think they'll favor lessening abortion, if not making it totally illegal, but I foresee a uneasy tension between that cause and the means. A lot of people don't want people saying "penis" in front of their children....

[TheStudent]

I believe in a woman's right to make choices for herself, including if and when to become pregnant. However I believe that her choice should be made before pregnancy.

I believe that a good way to lessen abortions would be to make birth-control free and easily accessible to every woman.

I also agree with offering more education. Even as a Christian, I believe that birth control and other safety pre-cautions must be included, because it is unrealistic to expect that we will convince every teenager to wait for the right time.

I also believe that parent's should be encouraged to play the bigger role in "the talk", rather than leaving it in the hands of a school. It should be an on going talk, not just a one time talk.

[Ken Carman]

I believe in a woman's right to make choices for herself, including if and when to become pregnant. However I believe that her choice should be made before pregnancy.

I believe that a good way to lessen abortions would be to make birth-control free and easily accessible to every woman.

I also agree with offering more education. Even as a Christian, I believe that birth control and other safety pre-cautions must be included, because it is unrealistic to expect that we will convince every teenager to wait for the right time.

I also believe that parent's should be encouraged to play the bigger role in "the talk", rather than leaving it in the hands of a school. It should be an on going talk, not just a one time talk.

There is an interesting sidebar to the topic that your post brings up. I do agree that parents should be encourage to play a bigger role in "the talk," but what about parents who are abusive? Kick the teen out of the house, or worse? This has always been the issue when it comes to birth control, or abortion and parental approval. In a perfect world parents should be part of the process... whatever. But we all know that even considering it close to "perfect" would be madness. This is a tough part of the topic for me because I really can see both sides. But I also realize, that it is what is going on inside her body most of all... regardless of age. Everything is relative here too: there's a difference between a 16 year old and someone quite younger who happens to be physically developed early to the point of being able to get pregnant. And, if education is part of the solution to the lessening... how early?

[minorwork]

The perceived need for abortions could be lessened a bit by changing laws that encourage abortions because one of the consenting parents is underage. These laws make the fetus convicting evidence.