“It’s Time to Stop Talking about Choice and Start Talking about Rights” Comments, Page 1
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4 Comments (One Discussion Thread) on “It’s Time to Stop Talking about Choice and Start Talking about Rights”
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I often found myself wondering during the election chaos … how on EARTH are we back to talking about/defining rape? Rape takes away a woman’s rights and choices as surely as any other act of violence, yet some still try to take away even more of a woman’s choices and rights by legislating (and judging) a decision to abort any fetus that is a result of that violence. How is this still a topic of conversation?
And, you are absolutely right about this issue NOT being about “life,” but about control. If these anti-abortion advocates are so “pro-life,” why are there children who languish in orphanages … or who don’t get enough to eat/drink … or who are homeless? Where are these “committed saints” who will stand on street corners for hours holding ridiculous fetus signs? Why aren’t they working at the homeless shelter instead, taking care of the life that is among us? Why aren’t they fighting for healthcare and/or childcare for poverty-stricken families instead of sitting in judgement?
The debate has been framed to where even those of us who believe in basic reproductive rights for ALL people feel hesitant to espouse their thoughts for fear of being thought as baby-killers. That is some exceptionally good marketing from anti-abortionists. Ultimately, we have to ignore the white noise and focus on the mission: bringing to light the fact that women DESERVE the ability to choose what’s best for themselves without fear of judgement or, worse, jail time.
Hi there. I posted something below I would love to hear your thoughts on. As to why those who are pro-life are not working in orphanages. My best guess would be that we all have something we are MOST passionate about. Right now, life is busy. There is a lot going on for all of us. I feel every baby should be allowed to be born, then the mother can turn the baby over and do whatever she wants with her life. HOWEVER, as strongly as I feel about this issue, I am not the one out there holding up fetus signs on the streets. I have other missions in life which I am better equipped to influence. So I work in within my circle of influence… and maybe one day, I will be able to impact more of the areas I care about more significantly…
I think each person could see that in their lives in regards to interests vs. passions.
I hope that addresses your question
I am not wanting to start a heated debate. I happened across this website and saw this article on the front page. The urge hit me that I may get an answer to this question here. I ofcourse want people to have freedom. However, not the freedome to end another life. Is the baby in the womb not considered alive? I just innocently and humbly do not get it. The definition of life is in the most general terms, Growth right? Yes, we chop down trees, some disagree with that… But the baby in the womb is HUMAN life… why does it not have rights? I just don’t see a woman’s right to end that life a choice… I would like to hear this specific topic addressed by somone on the other side. Thanks.
The right to determine what happens to your own body, the fundamental human rights of bodily autonomy and bodily integrity, are the sine qua non of ALL rights — including the rights to “freedom of religion” and the “right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
Forcing women to get and remain pregnant against their will is a violation of human rights, period.
The idea that fetal pain matters but the pain, trauma and disfigurement women are expected to suffer in childbirth as a mandatory punishment for having sex shows just how easily the UN Convention of Torture can be subverted when it’s women being targeted for sexual and reproductive torture.
The legal language in Article 1 of the UN Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhumane, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment spells out the definition of torture to include” rape, sexual assault, and forced pregnancy/childbirth.” This was ratified by the US Senate in 1994.
Denying women the human right to have control over what happens to our bodies by imposing a sexual double standard in denying us access to reliable contraception and abortion, and denying women adequate pain relief during childbirth without a scientifically valid reason (and there really isn’t any) while making sure Viagra and penis stents are legal, available, and covered by most insurance plans for any man that wants to have “recreational” sex — is state-sponsored discrimination, gender-specific torture and a crime against humanity.
Forced pregnancy and childbirth is no more moral than any other form of forced organ donation. No “pro-life” laws exist anywhere that force men to suffer trauma, pain, disfigurement and risk of death from mandatory kidney donation surgery to save the life of another — even if the person in need of it is his own child who would otherwise die without it. No one has the right to the use of, or to coerce the use of, another’s body — in whole or in part — against their will.