Since it is already very hot outside, I figured that I'd add to the heat with some conversation that's certain to anger a few of the "activists" on campus.
Recently the House of Representatives voted to uphold the ban on federally funded abortions. Bearing in mind the current House is heavily Democratic, the vote of 255-178 was quite convincing. This decision has brought the discussion of abortion to the forefront once again.
In my experiences, I have noticed it is next to impossible to change anyone's mind on abortion because it is such an emotional issue. My goal here is not to convince anyone to change their position on abortion, but rather to distinguish between the debate over abortion itself and the debate at hand -- federally funded abortion.
After the House handed down its decision, reaction from those dissenting was quick and harsh. They accused the Congress of practicing discrimination against poor women and Rep. Pat Schroeder (D-Colo.) said the current Congress is not as "pro-choice" as she thought.
First of all, this decision is not about "choice vs. life." It is about using federal funds, collected from you and me, to finance abortions. One does not have to be "pro-life" to be against federal funding.
I, for one, am pro-choice. But I agree with the House decision. I think it is wrong to make taxpayers pay for an operation many of them do not believe in and most of them want to be restricted.
A major argument from the opposition is that if we do not fund abortions, poor women cannot make that "choice." In their opinion we should have unlimited funds for abortions for anyone who has an unwanted pregnancy. If you ask me, the message this conveys is that people should not have to take responsibility for their own actions. And that premise has very much to do with the declining morals in this country.
The law that passed has a stipulation for funding for abortions in cases of rape, incest and danger to the mother's life. So obviously this decision was not cold or heartless. It was representative of what most Americans think.
But if Shroeder got her way and our government began subsidizing abortions, we would only succeed in further cheapening human life. When you trivialize something like an abortion, you convey the attitude that human life isn't that big of a deal. In a day and age where nine and ten year old girls are raped and killed by teenage gangs, we realize how destructive that attitude can be.
But perhaps one of the most unfortunate results from the debate is the politicization of the issue. Abortion should be left up to individuals, not exploited by feminist activists. We must not forget that an abortion is a very serious and emotional operation, a decision which should be left up to the people in question, not the politicians.
I am not advocating that abortion be banned or poor women be left out in the cold. But I do believe that if we continue to politicize abortion, we will hurt those who are truly involved -- the American women and families. And talk of federal funding will only politicize and exploit the issue further.
