Protecting a Woman's Right to Choose

It would be very hard to imagine that a woman’s right to choose whether she should have an abortion or not could be in jeopardy. This critical issue is at the forefront of this country’s choice for president, and nothing presents a more stark difference between the two candidates than the protection of a woman’s right to choose. One candidate is promising to take this right away, John McCain, and the other will ensure that a woman’s right to choose remains intact.

I am over 50, and in the deep recesses of my mind, I can remember stories of backroom abortions, coat hanger procedures done in back allies and unqualified doctors luring desperate women into hidden clinics, sometimes leaving women scarred, both physically and emotionally. This horrendous scenario could be a thing of the future if this country were to elect John McCain, who has assured the American people that he will appoint Supreme Court justices who will do just that.

While I am no fan of abortion, it is a procedure that some women must avail themselves of. It should obviously not be used as a form of birth control, but it is not up to me to decide, and it is not John McCain’s choice, either. It is imperative that this right be kept intact in this country, and with the incoming president potentially having the opportunity to appoint one or more new justices to the Supreme Court, the only way that we can make certain that women continue to have the rights they possess now is to elect Barack Obama.

The ironic thing is that people who describe themselves as pro life should also be for Barack Obama if they are being true to themselves and their beliefs. History shows us that abortions were consistently on the rise during the Reagan administration, but then dropped consistently over the eight years of the Clinton administration. This is directly tied to appropriate education that is provided to young men and women in schools and improved economic conditions in the country that were not as prevalent during the Reagan years.

The Obama presidency will offer improved educational opportunities and vastly improving economic conditions, and as younger people are exposed to the realities and dangers of unprotected sex, the availability of appropriate contraception and the negative stigma is taken away from a mature discussion in school and medical clinics, abortions will naturally diminish. Abortions also go down when economic conditions go up because of better ability to afford birth control. Under a McCain presidency, we are certain to have a continuity of the Bush/Cheney practice of abstinence programs, faith-based restrictions on open discussion, and this tends to lead to more abortions and unsafe sexual practices by teenagers and young people.

My wife and I have successfully raised our daughter, who turns 20 in August, to be safe, knowledgeable and wise when it comes to taking care of herself and her reproductive health. Unfortunately, not all women, young or older, are lucky enough to have parents or other close family members to guide them and encourage them to take care of themselves properly. It is for these women, along with women in general who may wish to one day choose to have an abortion or even get counseling about the procedure, that we must keep this vital option available to them.

Let’s make this a certainty by voting for Barack Obama in November.