What the FOCA

I am surprised to find myself a little torn. On the one hand, I feel it is wrong that the government gets to define who gets to marry whom. Then there's my long-held belief that abortion rights should be determined locally, that is, the states should be allowed, via voting and referendums, to institute laws allowing or prohibiting abortions. Basically, if you are the type to believe that a person should be able to get an express abortion, then you should be able to get one if you live in a state where the majority of people agree with you. However, if you still believe, for whatever reason, that you cannot allow abortions to occur, then you should be allowed to live similarly.

Shockingly, I find that this view that I hold resembles more closely the right-to-choose views of the country rather than what I initially believed was my pro-life slant. But, I have to declare that I am a pro-lifer because at the end of the day I would stray on the side of life and love. I am not making a judgment here on other people's morality-- I have not brought any religious elements into the equation. Life, for me at least, begins at conception. So in essence, when one aborts, they are destroying a life. (Interestingly enough, I am unable to type "kill" in place of "destroy.) However, I believe there are certain situations that paint this moral issue a dark gray. In instances of rape, incest, or when the life of the child or mother is in danger, then I believe abortion is an option. I have no problem with this and I actually understand this position. However, I just don't think anyone else should easily be able to have an abortion.

One may argue that it is the woman's choice because it's her body. Well, you can believe that, but I believe that that is a life inside a woman and not an object. This position of mine is very slippery, but that's why I draw a line at defining life. I use the simplest definition and that's at conception. No trimesters, no partials, just life.

What I will oppose is any mandate forcing all physicians to perform abortions. If a doctor does not want to perform an abortion because of personal, moral, or religious beliefs, then he or she should not be forced by the law. They can still fulfill their role as health caretakers by offering the individual other options, including doctors who can perform the abortion. It's one thing to perform what I believe to be morally questionable, but it's a whole 'nother issue when the government forces someone who does not believe in it to do it.