I am pro-choice
I am not pro-murder
by Matthew Jackson
Issue date: 2/8/10 Section: Opinion
Pro-Life is a phrase I dislike.
I dislike it because the connotation is if you are not pro-life, you are pro-death.
I'm anything but pro-death. I'm, however, pro-choice.
I'm not a fan of abortion. I think every life is precious and every life should be preserved. I also know, however, that I don't know everything. I can't know the situation someone else is facing or what's in her mind and heart.
And really, when I stop to reflect, it's not my place nor my right to know.
That's why I'm pro-choice.
Would I choose an abortion for my child? No. A woman, however, has the right to choose what she will do with her body. It's no more my right to judge her for the choice to have an abortion than it is her right to judge me for my numerous wrongs throughout my life.
I know the old argument is that if she chose to have sex, she knew the consequences and should deal with them. How many of us, however, have made mistakes in our lives?
How would you feel if someone stood over your shoulder and whispered "coveter" every time you were jealous of something belonging to another?
Why, then, should you, or anyone, stand behind a woman's shoulder and whisper "murderer" in her ear?
Please remember, both of the aforementioned are ranked in the top 10 on the Commandments list.
If I leave you with nothing else after reading this, I hope to have conveyed that we are all imperfect and none of us has the right to point fingers.
Voltaire said, "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."
I may disapprove of some peoples' decisions, but so long as they don't conflict with another person's life, I will defend their right to make those decisions for themselves.
I dislike it because the connotation is if you are not pro-life, you are pro-death.
I'm anything but pro-death. I'm, however, pro-choice.
I'm not a fan of abortion. I think every life is precious and every life should be preserved. I also know, however, that I don't know everything. I can't know the situation someone else is facing or what's in her mind and heart.
And really, when I stop to reflect, it's not my place nor my right to know.
That's why I'm pro-choice.
Would I choose an abortion for my child? No. A woman, however, has the right to choose what she will do with her body. It's no more my right to judge her for the choice to have an abortion than it is her right to judge me for my numerous wrongs throughout my life.
I know the old argument is that if she chose to have sex, she knew the consequences and should deal with them. How many of us, however, have made mistakes in our lives?
How would you feel if someone stood over your shoulder and whispered "coveter" every time you were jealous of something belonging to another?
Why, then, should you, or anyone, stand behind a woman's shoulder and whisper "murderer" in her ear?
Please remember, both of the aforementioned are ranked in the top 10 on the Commandments list.
If I leave you with nothing else after reading this, I hope to have conveyed that we are all imperfect and none of us has the right to point fingers.
Voltaire said, "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."
I may disapprove of some peoples' decisions, but so long as they don't conflict with another person's life, I will defend their right to make those decisions for themselves.
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