I vote pro-choice.

I'm going to admit something to you.  I'm often a one-issue voter.  If you're not pro-choice, I don't vote for you.  For anything.  Period.

I wish this didn't leave me only one candidate so frequently, but there you are.  I wish we didn't only have two powerful political parties to choose from most times, but such is life.

Bush v. Choice is marking the 33rd anniversary of Roe v. Wade (that would be today) by asking pro-choice bloggers to join in on a day of activism for choice. 
 

And that would be me that they're talking to.  Blogger, check.  Pro-choice, check, check.  If you would like to participate, simply copy the button, write a post, and send them your permalink so they can add you to the roll.

Here's what I want to write about that's been tweaking the hell out of me lately.  This notion that getting an abortion is this inherently traumatic experience for everyone by its very nature.  What a load of crap.

Now, I am not denying that some women experience trauma after having an abortion.  And the decision to have an abortion is certainly one to be taken seriously and made with due consideration. 

But the fact is, life brings us various major decisions.  Blowing a big one is traumatic.  Let your husband/mother/father/friends talk you into having an abortion you don't want, yeah, that's pretty traumatic.  So's cheating on a spouse who finds out and leaves your ass and takes the kids.  So's driving drunk and killing someone.  So's deciding whether to pull the plug on a loved one or whether to assist a suicide.  So's disowning a gay child.

Hell, so's giving a child up for adoption and then changing your mind after it's too late.

Big things, not presented to say all are equal, but my point is, when you make a big life decision and you make what you later believe to be the wrong choice, LIFE TRAUMA ISSUES.

Having an abortion is one of many major life choices that may present in your lifetime as a woman.  If you have an abortion and you regret it, I feel for you with all my heart, and I'm glad that there are organizations to help you with your trauma, just as there are organizations to help with many problems individuals encounter in our society.

I'm also deeply, deeply thankful that you had the choice to make.  That you live in a relatively free society.  And that if someone influenced you unduly in any way, it wasn't the government.

And I'm thankful that the many women who were not traumatized by their decision to have an abortion were free to get one as well.

Because the day abortion becomes illegal in the United States is the day we are no longer free.

And that is why, no matter what the office, no matter what the function, I Vote Pro-Choice.

tag:  Blog for Choice Day, blogforchoice

Comments

[Bill T]

What do you do when no candidate is pro-choice? Or won't mix it into an unrelated office, say Flood Control district supervisor or Homeowner's Association paint chip patrol. Or the pro-choice person is a clear loon compared to the others that may or may not be pro-choice for the same office. Not only could you be working against your own self-interests (crappy flood control or funny looking houses), but you could be hurting the pro-choice cause by making lunatic pro-choicers more prominent.

In the case of a legislator, or governor, or judge, or school board member, or hospital district board member, or maybe even a mayor and city council, it might matter. But single issue voting on everything is just asking for trouble. The religious right has been pushing the same thing, assuming that if they elect "Good Christians" to every office, all will be well. It isn't hard to imagine that being a Christian would not necessarily qualify you for anything more than parishoner counseling. Why would being pro-choice be any different?

[Eva]

Liz - amen sister!

[Liz]

Bill, I hear what you're saying, and it is true that for certain offices you can't even find out where a candidate stands on the issue. That said, I guess I believe that character is an issue, no matter what the office. And a deep-seated belief in freedom is a basic thing. It feeds everything else about a candidate.

As for the religious right, I have to say that the whole "only vote for good Christians" thing certainly seems to be working out for them.

And there's always the blank ballot option.