The choice is yours?

     Rory picked a great topic for today's Coffee Chat, Pro-Life or Pro-Choice. Lots of rhetoric on both sides, lots of mis information and inflamed passions. Sex, politics, religious views, morality judgements, scientific arguments, the debate has been raging for years. I couldn't resist throwing my two cents worth into the fray.

     Where do I stand on the subject? I could go on and on but in a nutshell, it comes down to two things for me. Honesty and responsiblity.

     I believe life begins at conception. Potential has been realised, all it needs is to be nurtured. I don't care what the scientific or religious community has to say about it.

    Woman's body, woman's choice. Sure, but the choice is to have sex or not, not what to do after the fact. Actions have consequences, always. Once you've made the choice, you've involved another person. No woman can spontaneously conceive. It isn't your choice alone anymore. Again, actions have consequences. Some good, some not so good.

    For the record, I feel the same way about a man's choices. Once you've made the decision to have sex, regardless of what age you are, be prepared for all possibilities, to accept all responsibilities.

     Everthing else is just smoke and mirrors. We're good at justifyng our decisions after the fact. Great at throwing stones at others for doing exactly as we have done but didn't get caught. Assigning fault or shame. Adept at rationalizing away anything we do regardless of what it does to others. I know, I've done it myself.

     Throwing victims of rape or incest into the debate just muddies the water. These people are victims of a crime, their choice taken from them. Women who's pregnancy endangers their lives, of course they should all have the choice.

     Personally, I may think abortion is wrong. I am however smart enough to know a few things.

    I will never be in a position to have to make that choice. What I believe to be true will never be tested. Because of that, what right do I have to judge others for the choices they make?

     I haven't the hubris to think I know best in all things in all circumstances. Wiser minds than mine have debated this for years and will probably continue to do so. I will not force what I believe on any one else. I won't take away some one else's right to exercise their free will.

     We have to be able to look ourselves in the mirror and live with whatever choices we make in our lives. Ultimately, the choice has to be yours.