I Take It Back

All yesterday morning, I heard about the Dems patting themselves on the back about passing sweeping health care reforms, with little commentary on the stranglehold the Stupak-Pitts amendment put on abortion rights. I don't believe in many things that I pay endless tax dollars to, but I accept that as part of being an American, I have to pony up for some things I think are morally wrong. But, this is not about rearranging the laws to fit my personal beliefs, that's not how it works in the this experiment called America. You take some, you give some. Unless, of course you are talking about abortion rights.

As always, the extreme right has managed to hijack the reproductive rights issue and turn it from an issue of an individuals private choice to screaming about killing babies. It's okay to spend billions to kill babies overseas in wars we start with people we don't have to look in the face, but if you start talking about federal funds to cover abortions, we get all conflicted. It's gotten to the point that shame has become synonymous with the word 'abortion' and it's become a quiet little secret in many peoples lives. The discussion has been warped, twisted away from women and giving them respect and privacy to condemnation. I hear it from both sides: the Duggars are overpopulating the earth and being irresponsible; women who have abortions are baby killers and should just have the baby and give it up for adoption; there must be something wrong with those married couples who don't want to have children, and on and on. We can't stop judging other people's lives and it all goes back to the same idea. Mind your own business. You have no idea what someone else is going through. Trust me, you don't know what's best for them.

I, for one, take this argument back and I'm giving to women to make choices for themselves with their family and their god. No one else can best make that decision for them. Continue screaming about baby killing and hell all you want, I'm going to make this about the women who need access to all their health care choices in order to pursue their life, liberty and happiness.