Freedom of Choice
There has been lots of time recently for me to contemplate this. As with all other posts, I offer my thoughts for consideration and thoughtful, growth-intended feedback, to those ends I welcome your comments.
What does freedom really mean and who controls it? Is it an oxymoron to control freedom? How is something that is defined as free controllable? Furthermore, in America, the capitol of capitalism, there is no such thing as “free”, everything has a cost whether in monetary terms, consequences or both. Moreover, control implies power and that my friends appears to be the biggest addiction in most “developed” human societies, no? This podcast episode is so insightful about the power struggle that IS the abortion issue: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/abortion-whose-choice/id1567665859?i=1000535263849. By the way, the entire podcast, https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/now-then/id1567665859 co-hosted by Heather Cox Richardson and Joanne Freeman is a wealth of information and insight.
Before I fall into the abyss of this rabbit hole, let me pull back to the impetus of this post. As a natural-born, female citizen in the USA I am deeply troubled by the reversal of Roe vs. Wade and the domino effect it is having throughout the country. I have every respect for my sisters (and brothers, and non-binary kin) who are against abortion, even those against abortion for any reason whatsoever. (Reference Texas’ recent ruling that after conception, abortion is illegal? Well tell me Texas, when would pre-conception abortion exist? Oh, are you also outlawing contraception? Hmmm, then you best outlaw intercourse too. I hope your politicians can set the abstinence example - good luck. Oops, rabbit hole and outrage that aren’t helpful except for venting my personal spleen. Back to the point Lonnise).
Anyone who is against abortion is free (there’s that word again) to choose not to have one and to advise their friends and loved ones to make the same choice. I believe, however, that should be the limit of their power. Anti-abortionists are also free to choose to avoid unintended conception, which I believe is the most natural, albeit not always easy, choice. This choice, however, can only apply to the choosing self and is really only a choice for those who have power over their own bodies. I do not believe humans with uteruses who are subject to rape (which to me includes incest involving at least one human under the age of 21, maybe even 28 or 30) have that specific power at the time.
So, for the other potentially incendiary idea, what about the choice/power, ne’er I use the term rights, of a zygote, embryo, and fetus? Be advised if you choose (yep, your choice) to read further, in the interest of wrapping this up, I will be succinct, even blunt. My very bold and unwavering opinion is that these beings (zygotes, embryos and fetuses) have no rights, full stop. Nature has biologically given these beings quite a bit of power over the body in which they are developing and I dare say “choices” are maybe available but that’s another post altogether. (After all what is choice and what does it require? Can a tidal wave choose not to come ashore? Can a rock choose to avoid the force of gravity? Can a tree choose where to grow? Can a bird choose which berries, seeds, insects to eat? Can a wolf choose which caribou to hunt? Yes I do believe beings, not just human beings, have and make choices. Again, ideas for a different post). And, although these future beings have power, they are not individuals beings until they are no longer in utero. It is my belief (at this point) that only individual beings have “choices” and “rights”.
The human being with the uterus in which another human being is developing IS the individual protected under the American constitution. She/they have the control and responsibility of their being (including anything therein) and therefore deserve all the choices and medically, nutritionally, spiritually safest options to care for herself/their self as she/they believe is best. This includes without limitation, information and education, social support, understanding, empathy and more. Now, mankind (maybe womankind, but look at the word, man is part of woman, not the other way around. Oh crap, I hear my challengers already, “you can’t spell woman without man, female without male, etc. etc. etc.” well that’s just in the English language and I don’t have time or energy to research other languages right now, besides, I thought I said I was going to be succinct. Oops verbal rabbit hole), has chosen to exert power over conception and development of other beings for years. Most recently we have cloned other mammals and at some point in time (unless nature wipes us from the universe first) we will most likely remove the need for a human uterus in a human body to produce a human being. But until that occurs, freedom of choice over whether or not to terminate a pregnancy must remain a safe and legal option for any being who can become pregnant.
For all those who try to persuade or even shame their audiences into rejecting abortion, that their mother’s chose “life” over “abortion” and therefore they are alive, (they in this case being all speaking and in the audience) please focus on the operative verb in that statement - CHOSE. Think of this as Pro-choice-of-life; not pro-life-of-no-choice”.
