The Complete History of the Universe: A Personal Journey

I thought this article was worth sharing, because it showcases just how little the pro-life movement understands the pro-choice movement.

The first thing that stands out is a jab at Planned Parenthood:

Planned Parenthood of Indiana even weighed in on Ashley’s tragic story via their official Facebook page by posting a link to an article written in the Indianapolis Star, saying the following: “As this article notes, heartbreaking stories like this are all too common in Indiana, which ranks second in the number of teen sexual assaults. Comprehensive sex ed can make a difference in preventing sexual assaults.”

It seems as if Planned Parenthood feels that giving rapists more sexual education will keep them from raping women.

It seems as if Planned Parenthood is right. The key word here is “comprehensive”; a comprehensive sexual education program includes emphasizing the importance of consent, which can help prevent at least some rape. Additionally, it would include information for young people to help them know how to act in situations of sexual assault, so that they are less likely to be victims. Further, even going by what Planned Parenthood is quoting as saying, it is clear that they are not claiming that more sexual education will completely prevent rapists from being rapists, but that some instances of sexual assault (which is a much broader category than just rape) would be prevented. They are only saying the rate would go down, and if you study the issue, you’ll find that they are right.

Side note: men can be raped, too.

The article later says:

Although this road hasn’t been easy, Aiden is now 18 months old and has brought his young mother love and healing from a situation that once felt unbearable.  Ashley will be attending the March for Life this year with the organization Living Exceptions, as Aiden is a true “Living Exception” and his and Ashley’s story epitomizes the mission of this life-saving organization.

For those who are unaware, Living Exceptions is an organization that encourages rape victims who become pregnant to carry their child to term.

Here is the why this article showcases the misunderstanding between the two sides of this abortion issue so well: this pro-life organization, by displaying the story of a “brave young woman” who kept the child after a rape, is saying, “See? There’s no valid reason for abortion to be legal! Women find healing by raising the children of their rapists!”

If you are pro-choice, you know exactly the problem with this type of argument. People who favor the legalization of abortion DO NOT think that all rape victims who become pregnant should have an abortion! (To be fair, there may be one or two such people, but I have never met them, and they certainly do not represent the pro-choice movement as a whole.) Instead, people who favor the legalization of abortion think that rape victims who become pregnant should have the option of choosing an abortion. Put that way, the label of “pro-choice” almost makes sense, doesn’t it?

Finally, I want to emphasize that I agree that women can find healing from having the baby that resulted from rape. I’m sure such cases have happened numerous times. However, I also know for a fact that some women would rather kill themselves than carry to term the result of the gross and grossly personal violation they have suffered, rather die than be reminded every day of the horrible tragedy they have suffered by feeling the growth of their violator’s seed. For such women, carrying that baby to term causes extreme distress, and sometimes death. In such a situation, what right have any of us to force a woman to suffer from the actions of her rapist, not just for the span of the actual rape and the immediate and emotional consequences of that, but also for nine months afterword solely so his seed can survive?