Monday, May 18, 2009

The Abortion Divide--Will It Ever End?

Created by: Jillian

I avoided posting on the "Notre Dame graduation issue" of having President Obama speak and receive an honorary degree because I thought it was inappropriate. I mean, when all is said and done, this is a graduation day we're talking about--a time for students and parents to celebrate the accomplishment of receiving a college degree...not to be caught in the middle of an ugly debate over abortion.

But after this past weekend I am once again so pleased to have a President who confronts issues face on and is open to discussing them, even ones as controversial as abortion that I can't help but post. In his commencement address, President Obama said the following:

“Maybe we won’t agree on abortion, but we can still agree that this heart-wrenching decision for any woman is not made casually. It has both moral and spiritual dimension. So let us work together to reduce the number of women seeking abortions. Let’s reduce unintended pregnancies. Let’s make adoption more available. Let’s provide care and support for women who do carry their children to term.”

I know I am partial to the pro-choice side, because lets face it, I'm pro-choice, but I am really sick and tired of pro-lifers/anti-choicers thinking that carrying around horrific photos of dead babies is somehow going to settle the debate. It's offensive, completely inappropriate, and isn't going to solve anything.

Abortion isn't going away anytime soon--our country's history proves that. The underlying reason that women seek abortions is because of unintended pregnancies and so if we are ever going to lessen the number of abortions in this country we need to do something to reduce unintended pregnancy.

I hope that the anti-choice movement is willing to listen to President Obama's call for civility and common ground. Do you think we will ever get there?

It's time to put the posters and bullhorns away and have a conversation!

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