The "abortion should be rare" argument is thinly veiled paternalism.

[Tigress DEM]

114. Allowing fellow DEMs to think for themselves is what is important.

I am "Pro-Choice" AND "Pro Life" in the sense that I care about people both before AND AFTER they are born... more so once they have been born (unless they are living in my body or a family member's body. Then I just love a baby belly.)

I think DEMs CAN OWN THOSE WORDS TOO. WE are the ones who fight to get the rights of the BORN met.

AND I understand that abortion is a choice that needs to be medically available because there are many reasons it may be necessary. I am STAUNCHLY PRO CHOICE in the respect that I don't think it's anyone's decision except a woman and her doctor about whether to keep the child unless there is an active father involved and that the pregnancy wasn't rape or incest related. There IS at least one other choice that doesn't get as much attention: adoption.

I don't think that wanting abortion to be "rare" is a bad thing because it would mean we'd be living in a society that respects and honors women in such a way that there could be planned parenting choices made ahead of time and women would be equally paid for their other labors so they could support a child on their own. It would be a REAL choice. We'd have a society where women and girls as well would respect and honor themselves enough to not to rush into sex if they aren't ready.

I'd like to live in a society where rapist are prosecuted and stopped from attacking and brutalizing again. Less rapists, another reason to have less of those kind of abortions.

I'd like to see all the good things that would make our world a better place that wouldn't put a woman in the situation of needing an abortion because I don't look at it like the pill. A fetus may not be a fully viable human but when a baby is wanted it is loved even in that phase because of it's potential arrival into a loving family.

I am PRO CHOICE because it is a fuc*ed up world we live in and many women are left with 100% responsibility and men can physically leave a pregnancy behind without removing it from their own body. I get it. BUT I DON'T LIKE it and you can't MAKE me want to see abortion as something like cosmetic surgery. You want one you get one. Really? HOW fuc*ed up is it that women who have the ability to bring life into this world would treat that gift as if it's worthless.

IT IS A HUGE decision, if left to term a fetus becomes a baby becomes a child. IF we want to be taken seriously AND find common ground to make abortion PERMANENTLY legal and available, we have to SEE the TRUTH of that statement. I think we disrespect women and LIFE itself if we are frivolous about it.

STILL I work for peace and justice because I love life and diversity and children are a joyful reason to make the world a better place. I'd like to see a world that cares for children, maintains decent schools EVEN IN THE INNER CITY and doesn't expect poor people to sink or swim.

Am I dumb enough to think we have a world where we can give in on abortion? NO. NOT AT ALL.

But I have the heart of a dreamer who wants more beauty and kindness and love in this world and less reasons out there to need abortions. I'm not "PRO Abortion" and I don't understand why people here think that has to be a requirement for being dedicated to the cause. It didn't used to be.