Someone wrote an interesting article about how the adage, “My Body, My Choice” is often touted in favor of abortion but not for those choosing to have large families.  I have to say I agree with this sentiment.  I have 3 girls and a baby on the way and after this baby, no, I’m not “done”.  I have had many question my sanity for choosing to have more children.  Some think I’m some sort of saint, others think I’ve lost my mind, while others still, think I keep going because I want that ever elusive son.  None of it is true.  I’ve always wanted a large family, being my mom’s only child and the youngest of 6 on my father’s side.  I think the world of children and want as many as God will allow.

Of course the article mentioned earlier talked about the Dugger family.  I think it’s unbelievable that so many would seek to vilify that family.  They are taking care of themselves without government support, living as they please, not bothering anyone but somehow they’re often seen as horrible people.  It’s just weird.

Even more strange to me is the topic of abortion when brought up…

Sigh… In a perfect world we wouldn’t have such a fancy word for an institution that no one really wants to call by it’s true nature.  In a perfect world, there would be no need, but we live in a world that is so far from perfect.  Our world is downright evil at times. So, that’s that.

A thread I read on Facebook got me thinking on the subject in a different way.  One woman said something along the lines of, “What if we “aborted” the mothers and saved the babies?”  I laughed, showed my oldest daughter (15) and we talked about it all, agreeing that we humans are far too selfish to consider such things.  Then, of course, the woman who made the statement was seen as hateful towards women who have and will abort their children.  I didn’t see it that way.  I thought she was making a point- a good one at that.  My daughter and I agreed that it was interesting to note how her comment of “aborting mothers” could incite such powerful feelings when every day, babies are being slaughtered, literally ripped from limb to limb but that’s perfectly fine, not to mention acceptable.

I keep coming across this sentiment that says, “If you don’t agree with me, you hate me.” It’s one of the most asinine sentiments out there today.  If I don’t agree with you, how and why does that equate to me hating you?

Another woman talked about how rape and incest make up only 1% of abortions and how other abortions were done for convenience sake.  She was told that she was being too flippant about the choice being one of mere convenience for those who go that route.  It was said to be far more complex than that.

I’m a thinker and of course this got my wheels -a- turnin’. With the definition of the word convenience being what it is-

1. quality of being convenient: the quality of being or making things easy, useful, or of increasing comfort
2. somebody’s personal comfort: personal comfort, or circumstances that promote somebody’s personal comfort

are not all abortions done for convenience, even if the idea of convenience is merely perceived but false in the end?  I’m not implying the choice was easy, but at the root of it all, there is a perceived convenience factor involved.  This is where I believe it’s most dangerous as I know too many who are haunted in one way or another, at some point or another by their past decision to abort their babies.

I consider myself, having been raped at 14.  Had that act resulted in conception, I would have wanted to keep my baby.  If I was somehow forced or coerced to abort, I would not have been happy with it at all and I can only imagine how haunting it would be for me now as I consider the children I have and the ones I have lost.  I just can’t look at any of my children and imagine aborting any of them.  Furthermore, I’m still dealing with the aftermath of being raped, how compounded would my pain and suffering be to also have to deal with the murder of my unborn child?

Now, I’m not saying that women who have and will abort their babies are all evil and should themselves be aborted.  Just like I don’t want to be vilified for wanting a large family, I don’t think they should be vilified for their choices either.  I feel that a loss is a loss, plain and simple and women need support even if the loss came about because of a choice they made.  It seems cruel to me that we can live in a world that says, “It’s your body, your choice” regarding abortion and then when the woman is convinced to go that route, she’s left alone to deal with the aftermath, if she survives.  That same woman would very likely be mistreated even more so when seeking support because her loss wasn’t something that just happened, it was a willful choice.  That’s not fair. It’s also not fair that completely and utterly dismissed are the babies.

One woman said she thinks it’s ok for people to say they are against abortion but attacking the mother is a whole other topic that bugs her and makes her feel that such a persons views are unbalanced.  I agree, the mother shouldn’t be attacked, but neither should that innocent baby.  Who stands up for the babies?  Interestingly enough, I just read this post to two of my daughters.  After reading my last question about who stands up for the babies, my six year old declared, “I do!”  My 15 year old joined in and said, “I do too!”  I’m a proud mama. 🙂