A Question For Prolifers
By missliss08
@missliss08 (766)
United States
February 11, 2010 7:29pm CST
This is not a discussion about whether you agree with abortion, or disagree with abortion, so please read what I am asking. I am 40 years old, and work in the medical field. I have known people, patients, friends, and families that for whatever reason have either chosen pro life or pro choice. I have also found that the majority of people who are pro life, are also anti social programs such as food stamps, WIC, medicaid, or any other social program that serves the poor. So my question is if you are pro life, and these women who are underage, poor, or have no desire, or means to care for the child, and you disagree with social programs, what exactly do you expect to happen to these children? So they are born to a mother that never wanted them, or can not afford them, now what?
3 people like this
5 responses
@maximax8 (31046)
• United Kingdom
12 Feb 10
I am pro-life. I believe the abortion is wrong because it is killing an innocent baby. I feel sorry for poor people. I think that help in the way of food stamps and health care are important for poor people and elderly citizens. I know that some people live in cardboard boxes on the streets so I think hostels for the homeless can assist such very poor people. I think that social programs should help young moms and parents with a disabled child. I wish that adoption would become easier and more popular. I would like to see the number of abortions for social reasons go down considerably. Some ladies abort for medical reasons. If a pregnant lady doesn't want her baby adoption should be the answer.
@maximax8 (31046)
• United Kingdom
22 Feb 10
I am a loving parent of three children. I am also a primary school teacher. When a child is neglected in my home country he or she is taken in foster care. I have seen that happen to a few children that I have taught. I have taught children that were adopted to caring families. My toddler son is disabled and he goes to an excellent play group for disabled children. In my home country a lady could choose abortion up to 24 weeks pregnancy. The father has no rights during the lady's pregnancy, it solely is the lady's choice what she does. When the baby is born the father has to pay child maintenance. Social programs do well at helping the poor. In my home country there is a healthy pregnancy grant of £190 given to every mother at 29 weeks pregnancy. Poor mothers can get £500 for buying equipment for their baby. Every mother can get child benefit and that is £20 a week for the oldest child. If the mother is poor she could get income support, job seekers allowance or child tax credits. Adoption is a happy answer if a baby or child is unwanted. I would never have an abortion.
@missliss08 (766)
• United States
14 Feb 10
OK well this is a little bit closer to an actual answer, but still mostly opinion. You state you are pro life, but support some social programs, such as for disabled children. What about children who are not disabled, but just born to a family that one can not afford them, or two absolutely just neglect them. What then? You don't support all social programs, just the ones that you feel are proper, yet don't have any problem with saying a woman should be deprived of her choice, and give in to your choice. That is really unfair don't you think? I mean if you have the right to choose to keep a child, that is your choice, how is it we should tell other women they have to choose the choice of others. If it is immoral, fine, it is immoral, God will in the end take care of them, right? Education, and letting women know all their options is best, but if as a society we are going to take away a womans right to choose, should we not at the very least be competant in forcing men to pay child support, and be a father rather than a sperm donor? We can not even do that right, as a society. For the record I did not start this post to push my opinion. I want to know why people who are anti abortion, are also against social programs. I am both pro life, and pro choice, and I see no way this country can ever tell a woman they can not make a choice about their own bodies, and their own lives.
@bamikalipal (588)
• Philippines
12 Feb 10
Literally translated, a pro-lifer is someone who is in favor of life. Being against social programs that serve those who need help in terms of food, health care, etc, contradicts the claim of being a pro-lifer. We're lucky we have Medicaid, food stamps and the like. These may not be enough and not all adopted kids are lucky enough to go to a loving home, but these agencies are able to help to a certain extent. Let's face it, we don't live in a perfect world.
If asked by a friend or family who cannot afford to have another baby, I'd advice contraception. Then, I wouldn't be guilty of getting rid of a life. This is merely my opinion. Some religions are also against contraception. But life begins at the moment of ensoulment, i.e., the same moment as the formation of the zygote. Well. different people have different orientations, but depending on what one feels is right would be the best way to do it. In my opinion, if a person is not capable of giving a baby a decent future, it's better not to have the baby at all.
@missliss08 (766)
• United States
14 Feb 10
I agree with everything you said, however the question is if you are anti abortion, also called pro life, why are you against social programs to take care of them? Not technically you, but as a whole, that is the question, no one has answered it yet.
@bamikalipal (588)
• Philippines
14 Feb 10
Social programs for health care, food, care for homeless people and children whose parents are unable to decently provide for them are very important and a huge blessing to the people of the US. Not every country is blessed with these. Being a pro-lifer, I definitely feel that these programs are important and necessary. However, in order to prevent the birth of more babies who may not have a chance at a good life, I suggested contraception. To me, it does not make sense for a pro-lifer go be against social programs. Let me repeat, these social programs are important, necessary and a great help to the needy.
@Ravenladyj (22902)
• United States
12 Feb 10
WOW....what a great topic and question!! First off I would like to say that the connection you mentioned between Pro Lifers and Anti Social programs is a very interesting one..yet disturbing as well ya know....I mean for the ppl who ARE both PL AND anti social program ppl I have to wonder what they could possibly be thinking ya know....I'll have to keep an eye on this thread since I'm very curious to see what sort of responses you get from Pro Lifers....
I also have to say that I PERSONALLY feel that Pro Lifers IMO and experience generally tend to NOT think beyond situations like irresponsiblity which is such a huge mistake...I realize that there are many situations that ppl CAN'T possibly understand since they've not been through them but being openminded and compassionate to those who have is certainly not a strong suit IMO with PL's.
Anyway..GREAT topic!!
@missliss08 (766)
• United States
14 Feb 10
Thank you, so far no one has answered the actual question, just given opinions.
@Makena1968 (682)
• United States
12 Feb 10
If you were able to actually talk to the unborn human and tell this child that they had a choice: be born to a poor family, who may not want you, or take good care of you, or...we can kill you now and save you from these possibilities of misfortune..which do you want? What do you think the child would say?
@Ravenladyj (22902)
• United States
12 Feb 10
Well let me ask you this....what if there was an existing sibling..who was already suffering, hungry etc and that child knew that another baby would take even more food away from his/her already starving tummy, or what if that child was beaten regularly and he/she knew that the new baby would risk the same horrible life...you would have to ask BOTH the unborn and the already existing child..which answer would have a stronger impact on you??
@missliss08 (766)
• United States
14 Feb 10
Makena that is not even a valid question, since you really have no idea how a child may or may not feel.
Ravenjlady, good point, but so far the question I actually asked is being eluded.
@sk66rc (4250)
• United States
12 Feb 10
Pro life is exactly that, respect for life. In my opinion, there is a fundimental difference between anti-abortion & pro life. I believe ending a life for the convinience is wrong. All the reasons you've mentioned, you've never considered adoption? If a mother due to medical reason or otherwise, has less chance of survival if the pregnency is carried full term, then abortion is an option. Pro-choice is exactly that, able to or having a choice to end a life regardless of circumstances. I have known plenty of women who had babies when they had a chance to abort them. Some of them are vitims of rape. I believe ending a life for the sake of choice is wrong. But then that's just my opinion.
