Last week there was an opinion piece "The Human Cost of Restricting Abortion" in which the author asserted that unwanted children are "prone to" social and emotional disorders. Therefore, they are better off never having been born because of the difficulties they will face in life.
Her final summary of the cost of abortion took into account only one of the two people actively involved:
None of this is to suggest that abortion should be taken lightly. It can pose its own emotional burden on women, and I recommend that women considering it take the time to process their feelings and conflicts before making a decision.
This attitude haunted me and the lapse in considering both sides of the
story was upsetting. Therefore, I wrote a letter and was surprised and happy when it was published today.
All the other letters make great points. I liked that mine appears at the end, as a sort of overall punctuation point.
Whether children are wanted or unwanted, we cannot predict their future for good or ill. Each of us experiences pain, suffering and darkness at some time in our lives. Likewise, all of us experience wonder, joy, friendship and love. We all deserve the chance to see how to overcome our challenges and exult in life’s wonders.
Julie Davis
Dallas, Texas
Note: the links above give access to all the letters and the entire op-ed. You just have to wait a minute or two or swat away a "subscribe" offer before they show the whole thing.
