who supports right to choose

[gadgetlady 4]

The goal is to terminate the pregnancy...

The goal is to terminate the baby. If the goal were simply to not be pregnant anymore, you would be fine with the hypothetical situation I proposed earlier.

[rodriguezequal 3]

I was fine with it as long as it wasn't mandatory. How would you feel as a child to find out that your father is your grandfather. What if the child is being aborted because it is deformed or so disabled it could not lead a normal/happy life...? They should be forced to live?

[gadgetlady 4]

I was fine with it as long as it wasn't mandatory. How would you feel as a child to find out that your father is your grandfather. What if the child is being aborted because it is deformed or so disabled it could not lead a normal/happy life...? They should be forced to live?

I don't believe we should kill people because we presume or anticipate that they won't want to be alive. It's not our decision to make. I also don't believe that we should kill disabled people because they cannot lead normal/happy lives.

[rodriguezequal 3]

So you think that a baby that is deformed should be born even though they may not be happy at all their whole life? That's pretty selfish. What if you were pregnant with a baby that would be born missing it's legs and arms? Or a baby that would be a vegetable it's whole life?

[rodriguezequal 3]

Don't you think that if the mother could die from having birth that it is okay to abort? Isn't that "killing" because we are presuming or anticipating her death if she continues with the pregnancy? What's the difference?

[gadgetlady 4]

So you think that a baby that is deformed should be born even though they may not be happy at all their whole life? That's pretty selfish. What if you were pregnant with a baby that would be born missing it's legs and arms? Or a baby that would be a vegetable it's whole life?

I would not kill my child if he or she were deformed in utero, or deformed due to an accident as an infant, toddler, adolescent, or even an adult. I don't believe imperfect people have no value, and, quite frankly, I'm surprised that you would say this. Am I mistaken, or are you not the parent of a disabled child? Please forgive me if I'm wrong as I do get people on here mixed up a bit.

[rodriguezequal 3]

I am the parent of a disabled child, but we did not know in utero. Even some of the doctors said that if they knwe it was possible they would have suggested abortion. I do not think anyone should have to go through what we, as a family, have gone through. Not everyone can handle what we have had to go through. My son is happy. His disabilities do not prevent him from having a pretty normal life. However missing multiple limbs would affect quality of life, or does that not mean anything to you? Is living enough even if the life is not worth living to the person?

[rodriguezequal 3]

When something happens to a spouse or a child in life that requires them to be on life support. Is it wrong for the spouse or parent to make the decision to pull the plug?

[gadgetlady 4]

Don't you think that if the mother could die from having birth that it is okay to abort? Isn't that "killing" because we are presuming or anticipating her death if she continues with the pregnancy? What's the difference?

The difference is it is a killing in self-defense. And it's another rabbit trail. There are an incredibly small number of mothers who have a physical condition that would prevent them from surviving a pregnancy.

There's a big difference with presuming someone's potential quality of life, their happiness, their satisfaction, etc. as a means to determine whether or not they deserve to live. To kill someone pre-emptively because we believe they may lead a life which isn't happy is the height of arrogance. Disabled people are often happy -- and fully-abled people are often not happy!

Many years ago I was horrified by a study which was released. They surveyed college students at either UCLA or USC (can't remember which, but I think it was UCLA) and asked if a "fat gene" could be identified and pinpointed in an unborn baby, would they abort because they knew the baby would potentially be fat later in life. A majority (greater than 50%; I don't remember the exact number) said yes.

Chilling.

[gadgetlady 4]

I am the parent of a disabled child, but we did not know in utero. Even some of the doctors said that if they knwe it was possible they would have suggested abortion. I do not think anyone should have to go through what we, as a family, have gone through. Not everyone can handle what we have had to go through. My son is happy. His disabilities do not prevent him from having a pretty normal life. However missing multiple limbs would affect quality of life, or does that not mean anything to you? Is living enough even if the life is not worth living to the person?

Are you saying you would have aborted him had you known he would be disabled?

It is not our place to determine when another person should live or die. I believe people have the right to commit suicide if they want to, but I don't believe in pre-emptively killing them because we think they might want to commit suicide later in life.

[rodriguezequal 3]

Does the quality of the mother's life not matter? You have no idea how difficult and trying it is to raise a disabled/special needs child. You don't know how much it hurts to blame yourself...to think it was your fault. To look at that baby everyday and cry because you can't do anything about it. Have you ever tried to end you own life because if it would end it would be so much better? Have you ever cried yourself to sleep because you had to leave a hospital without your newborn baby? Have you ever had to answer the questions and stares of strangers? Why aren't you ordering something to eat for your little one? Why wont you let him eat off your plate? Why is he retching...is he sick? Keep him away from my kids! Don't tell me that it wouldn't affect quality of life because you have no idea what that life is like.

[rodriguezequal 3]

I would not have aborted my son, but I do not speak for everyone.

[gadgetlady 4]

Does the quality of the mother's life not matter? You have no idea how difficult and trying it is to raise a disabled/special needs child. You don't know how much it hurts to blame yourself...to think it was your fault. To look at that baby everyday and cry because you can't do anything about it. Have you ever tried to end you own life because if it would end it would be so much better? Have you ever cried yourself to sleep because you had to leave a hospital without your newborn baby? Have you ever had to answer the questions and stares of strangers? Why aren't you ordering something to eat for your little one? Why wont you let him eat off your plate? Why is he retching...is he sick? Keep him away from my kids! Don't tell me that it wouldn't affect quality of life because you have no idea what that life is like.

Our lot in life is never guaranteed. We may have something happen to us that causes us misery for the rest of our lives. No one is guaranteed a perfect child or a perfect childhood, and while I'm not discounting at all the sacrifices you've made, I still do not think it is ever acceptable to kill another person because we think they'll be better off and/or because we don't want to deal with them. Also, you know very little about my life and my precious children, and you've assumed an awful lot about what I have and haven't experienced.

I commend you for what you do for your child. If I had to hazard a guess, I'd say that with 20/20 hindsight you say now that you wouldn't have aborted had you known he would be disabled, but if the doctors suggested abortion and you were a pregnant, emotional, young mother, you very well might have aborted and missed out on the love you now have in your family. I could be totally wrong but many people are convinced to abort at the mere potential of disability. It's a scary thing to face when you have no knowledge of it.

[rodriguezequal 3]

I did not assume....all of what I said was in the for of a question...Have you...? Not you never. And no I would not have aborted my son. I was not that young of a mother. We were trying for a baby and I did not have the amnio. I told my dr that if my baby was downs it would not affect the way I continued the pregnancy. I would not have aborted my son. I loved my son the moment I found out I was pregnant, but my husband and I were trying to have a baby. It was not an unwanted pregnancy. I have always wanted a big family...and now, I may never have another baby and that kills me inside, but I would never vote to force women to give up babies or to carry a baby to term if they don't want to. It isn't your life to decide...it really isn't.

[gadgetlady 4]

I did not assume....all of what I said was in the for of a question...Have you...? Not you never. And no I would not have aborted my son. I was not that young of a mother. We were trying for a baby and I did not have the amnio. I told my dr that if my baby was downs it would not affect the way I continued the pregnancy. I would not have aborted my son. I loved my son the moment I found out I was pregnant, but my husband and I were trying to have a baby. It was not an unwanted pregnancy. I have always wanted a big family...and now, I may never have another baby and that kills me inside, but I would never vote to force women to give up babies or to carry a baby to term if they don't want to. It isn't your life to decide...it really isn't.

Yes, I have experienced some of those things.

What I'm saying is it isn't the mother's life to decide that her baby should die. There are two lives at stake, not one. Some choices have victims.