Tuesday, February 25, 2014

When Death Becomes More Precious Than Life


More Black Babies Killed In New York Than Born



by Christine Pasciuti


The mere word triggers such differing emotional and personal responses across a landscape of vast ideologies, religious persuasions and experiences. 

Abortion. Whether we are adamantly opposed, indifferent, radically for it, or cringe in remembrance of a painful decision of our own once upon a time, the word almost never passes through our consciences without leaving its personal calling card. 

We hear the term used almost daily in the news, in advertising, among family and friends, and in secret conversations between confidants. And no matter how many times the scientific community tries to assure us—whether in the classroom, the abortion clinic, or in our minds—we’re never really 100 percent certain—are we?—that an aborted pregnancy is “not a baby” or “not a life”, or that it’s absolutely ok and even proper to choose termination if we didn’t intend to get pregnant, and have no desire or means to care for the child. 

But once we leave the clinic, no longer pregnant, why is there often such a nagging sense of guilt and sadness that overcomes so many of us? Why do so many women who go through with an abortion experience depression and remorse afterwards? Studies have shown this to be the case, yet we don’t want to acknowledge that we’re one of “those” who are unable to cope with their decision. 

No, we’re strong and we did the right thing, we try to convince ourselves, while privately swallowing our own shame and doubt. And, we get even better at it as time goes on, when we decide one more time, that abortion is the best birth control method for us. In fact, after a few times, it becomes easier and easier to just head on back to the clinic, where we are welcomed with open arms, and comforted by friendly staff as they lead us down the hall to the procedure room. With the last remaining few butterflies in our gut rebuffed, we hold our chins up and go… nothing to it anymore, right?




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