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enlightenment

(8,830 posts)
48. I've never met anyone who "liked"
Sat Apr 25, 2015, 01:36 PM
Apr 2015

having an abortion. I had one - it wasn't an enjoyable thing. That said, it didn't leave me with any regrets, nor did it leave me traumatized, scarred, or any other thing that people say. It was an unpleasant medical procedure. Many medical procedures are unpleasant. End of story.

I appreciate your willingness to learn. That is a very important quality. Perhaps you might consider why I (and PeaceNikki and others) are supporting the use of the term 'pro-abortion'. It is, simply, a clear recognition of the fact that abortion is a medical procedure. If you are 'pro-choice' then you support the medical procedure. Why shy away from that?

Colonoscopy is not a pleasant medical procedure and I've never met anyone who enjoyed them - Root canals aren't enjoyable, either. We don't get our collective knickers in a twist over any medical procedure except abortion, and we try to hide the fact that we are saying that we support abortion by using the vague phrase "pro-choice" instead.

But by using that phrase, we open ourselves up to moving from supporting abortion to not supporting it, in the turn of a phrase. When someone says "I am pro-choice, BUT . . ." what they are saying is that they are not really pro-choice (and have you noticed that there is almost always a "but" attached?).

Choice is a matter for the individual. You choose chocolate, I choose vanilla. You might criticize my choice of flavor - but would you, for one moment, believe you had a right to try and limit my choice? Of course not. In the end, it matters not at all to you what ice cream I choose to eat, because you aren't eating it.

If a woman chooses to end a pregnancy, she is choosing abortion for herself. Why should anyone believe they have a right to try and limit her right to have that medical procedure? Do we suggest 24-hour waiting periods or mandatory counseling before having a mole removed?

The right and appropriate phrase really is "pro-abortion". We have to support the procedure - not just some vague sense of choice. A woman's right to choose abortion is being limited every day in this country, largely because we have buried the medical procedure beneath so many layers or fuzzy thinking that those who oppose abortion have been able to burrow in like termites and weaken the foundation of our conviction.

I believe that there is nothing wrong with abortion. I believe that there is nothing wrong with the word "abortion". I am not afraid to use the word or to say, out loud and in print, that I support abortion.





"Pro-Choice" or "Pro-Abortion"? [View all] Nye Bevan Apr 2015 OP
Both. PeaceNikki Apr 2015 #1
Yep. Both. And thanks for the link. Luminous Animal Apr 2015 #13
This ^^^^^^ haikugal Apr 2015 #17
Me too. cyberswede Apr 2015 #22
Abso-freaking-lutely! hifiguy Apr 2015 #71
yep Kali Apr 2015 #76
Me five. beam me up scottie Apr 2015 #94
And it's dumb because if you REALLY are pro-choice, you ARE pro-abortion whether you want to say it PeaceNikki Apr 2015 #95
Reminds me of other squirmy choices people make. beam me up scottie Apr 2015 #98
Right. *I* wouldn't get gay married, but... PeaceNikki Apr 2015 #100
Oh I've seen it on DU plenty. beam me up scottie Apr 2015 #101
Pro-choice giving the woman the choice. it should always be her final choice. Thinkingabout Apr 2015 #2
I can think of several instances where it would be her first choice PowerToThePeople Apr 2015 #4
NO ONE is "pro-abortion"...least of all women. BlueCaliDem Apr 2015 #3
I am. Proudly. Many of us are. PeaceNikki Apr 2015 #5
Not to come across insensitive, but BlueCaliDem Apr 2015 #6
Yes. I am not ashamed or guilty about it. Only relived I could. PeaceNikki Apr 2015 #8
No need to feel ashamed or guilty about it at all. It was your choice to make, and BlueCaliDem Apr 2015 #10
So maybe stop saying that NO ONE is pro abortion. Lots of us are. PeaceNikki Apr 2015 #16
NO ONE I *know* has ever said they're pro-abortion. My post is based on my personal BlueCaliDem Apr 2015 #28
Yes. REP Apr 2015 #114
I missed that thread, Thanks! haikugal Apr 2015 #26
Yeah, "pro-lifers" tend to bay for the death penalty, too (nt) Nye Bevan Apr 2015 #7
Which really irks me. A person can't be pro-life if they're for the death penalty. Period. eom BlueCaliDem Apr 2015 #14
I am. enlightenment Apr 2015 #15
You and PeaceNikki (and apparently other DUers under her OP at her link) are, as well. BlueCaliDem Apr 2015 #25
wouldnt, more than 1 abortion be better than many? for fact, definition alone? nt seabeyond Apr 2015 #29
I don't know. Would it? eom BlueCaliDem Apr 2015 #31
here is the thing. if you adopt snark for that simple question, it says a hell of a lot. and i am seabeyond Apr 2015 #40
our medical community is far beyond 1970 laws, and readdressing itself in that period. nt seabeyond Apr 2015 #33
Women are judged.. haikugal Apr 2015 #32
I'm so sorry you had to experience something like that. It must've been horrible. BlueCaliDem Apr 2015 #36
Thanks, it was disappointing to say the least... haikugal Apr 2015 #37
I've never met anyone who "liked" enlightenment Apr 2015 #48
Great post! nt cyberswede Apr 2015 #57
I had an abortion, I didn't "like" it but I'm still pro-abortion. beam me up scottie Apr 2015 #96
I am. Most women I know are. But I don't judge them harshly or lecture Em about.... bettyellen Apr 2015 #66
I am. REP Apr 2015 #113
Both. Tierra_y_Libertad Apr 2015 #9
Both. I am pro-medical-procedures-that-help-people-live-better-lives, and I am pro-allowing-people- Brickbat Apr 2015 #11
Both. enlightenment Apr 2015 #12
i do not care. there is nuance in both. just fix the damn system where our girls and woman seabeyond Apr 2015 #18
i WANT our girls and women to be able to call up for the damn pill anywhere from 6-at LEAST 10 weeks seabeyond Apr 2015 #23
Yes! Your rights as a woman shouldn't have the be different when you cross state lines Novara Apr 2015 #61
ya!! nt seabeyond Apr 2015 #63
I would think a pro-gressive would be both, because wouldn't one be a hypocrite Rex Apr 2015 #46
people have their reasons. i do not care. i will take that. an argument is going around. seabeyond Apr 2015 #49
Oh well, I don't care either...but since we are discussing it on DU Rex Apr 2015 #51
sure.... seabeyond Apr 2015 #55
Both. Women should have complete and unrestricted choices Zorra Apr 2015 #19
You don't have a both option for this poll. That's disingenuous and apparent ScreamingMeemie Apr 2015 #20
It's also missing "Neither". Sadly there are anti-choicers here, too. PeaceNikki Apr 2015 #21
classic, to start battle between feminist. fuck NO! nt seabeyond Apr 2015 #24
Both. MuseRider Apr 2015 #27
both roody Apr 2015 #30
Pro-choice, for any kind of medical issue. You should be able to choose your treatment. Shrike47 Apr 2015 #34
One of the many reasons that I am pro-abortion is... graegoyle Apr 2015 #35
I'm pro-abortion. PeteSelman Apr 2015 #38
People don't usually die during an abortion Cal Carpenter Apr 2015 #43
you know what i learned a month ago, cal? the net is now putting a cocktail together that they can seabeyond Apr 2015 #45
Unlike some pro-abortion people. PeteSelman Apr 2015 #47
Agreed ProudToBeBlueInRhody Apr 2015 #56
there it is Kali Apr 2015 #78
There what is? PeteSelman Apr 2015 #81
So if you believe in consistency, Cal Carpenter Apr 2015 #82
Well that's just stupid. PeteSelman Apr 2015 #84
I didn't put the words in your mouth, you did Cal Carpenter Apr 2015 #85
Killing is killing. PeteSelman Apr 2015 #88
so, for you, it is right along the lines of killing a bacteria or virus? nt seabeyond Apr 2015 #89
Perhaps not quite that impersonal. PeteSelman Apr 2015 #116
That is fucked PowerToThePeople Apr 2015 #93
That may be so in the case of innocents. PeteSelman Apr 2015 #115
I disagree, greatly disagree. PowerToThePeople Apr 2015 #117
I agree with you. beam me up scottie Apr 2015 #121
Justice for society. PeteSelman Apr 2015 #122
I should alert you for being right winger PowerToThePeople Apr 2015 #123
And I should alert you for accusing me of bullshit. PeteSelman Apr 2015 #124
Some right wing views are allowed here, those aren't a deal breaker beam me up scottie Apr 2015 #128
I push it sometimes PowerToThePeople Apr 2015 #129
Not sure about immigration either. beam me up scottie Apr 2015 #132
He just said it wasn't murder. Why are you disagreeing with that? Abortion isn't murder. n/t pnwmom Apr 2015 #126
This subthread went Off-topic PowerToThePeople Apr 2015 #127
No, the poster didn't equate abortion with state-sanctioned murder. pnwmom Apr 2015 #125
Pro-choice. Pro-abortion is creepy. JaneyVee Apr 2015 #39
I am pro-coffee PowerToThePeople Apr 2015 #41
Tell it to the authoritarians who call themselves "prolife". JaneyVee Apr 2015 #50
I do not see pro-choice as forcing choice. PowerToThePeople Apr 2015 #52
According to your own logic... JaneyVee Apr 2015 #58
Here is a way to look at it PowerToThePeople Apr 2015 #62
we are talking about womens rights, lives. they are not things. you do not even get your offense seabeyond Apr 2015 #64
The structure of the logical argument is what matters, not what is contained within. n/t PowerToThePeople Apr 2015 #65
you're being illogical in your discussion of logic. how logical is it to define a person as a thing seabeyond Apr 2015 #67
A person is a thing. PowerToThePeople Apr 2015 #68
this poster is all about disruption. stepping to obvious. nt seabeyond Apr 2015 #53
I will always try to disrupt people trying to PowerToThePeople Apr 2015 #109
"Pro-abortion suggests that you want all pregnancies terminated." beam me up scottie Apr 2015 #103
Both...n/t Hepburn Apr 2015 #42
Pro-gressive. Rex Apr 2015 #44
Both. You forgot that category. Novara Apr 2015 #54
I'm pro-choice LittleBlue Apr 2015 #59
This is a very personal fredamae Apr 2015 #60
"Clergy" makes me cringe. Arugula Latte Apr 2015 #72
Yes, It would not be my fredamae Apr 2015 #79
yep Kali Apr 2015 #80
"Pro-Access" (choice plus resources plus law plus support--but anti-abortion) n/t zazen Apr 2015 #69
Another vote for "both." Arugula Latte Apr 2015 #70
both Liberal_in_LA Apr 2015 #73
I'm PRO it's none of my damn business what another does with their body krawhitham Apr 2015 #74
Sounds like "pro-choice" to me (nt) Nye Bevan Apr 2015 #75
I am pro choice. hrmjustin Apr 2015 #77
Silly question, imo. elleng Apr 2015 #83
I agree with your comments, and based upon the poll results, so do most DUers (nt) Nye Bevan Apr 2015 #87
and here you are creating the divide. seabeyond Apr 2015 #90
Check out this thread cyberswede Apr 2015 #97
Both. NYC Liberal Apr 2015 #86
Both. There is a difference. It's nuanced but real nt riderinthestorm Apr 2015 #91
Pro-Abortion-Choice Agschmid Apr 2015 #92
Pro-choice. It's nobody's business whether I'm pro or anti-abortion. Vinca Apr 2015 #99
I am pro-choice but anti-vasectomy. beam me up scottie Apr 2015 #102
pro-privacy elehhhhna Apr 2015 #104
I'm pro-choice bigwillq Apr 2015 #105
How I feel about abortion is completely irrelevant ibegurpard Apr 2015 #106
always seemed to me that the issue is one of choice DrDan Apr 2015 #107
I'm going to go with pro abortion and here's why.... ileus Apr 2015 #108
Just because someone is pro-choice does NOT mean he/she is pro-abortion. bobjacksonk2832 Apr 2015 #110
enjoy your stay PowerToThePeople Apr 2015 #111
prochoice is a flicked with too many yes buts dembotoz Apr 2015 #112
This always reminds me of a Rush song - Freewill kydo Apr 2015 #118
You should have put an option for anti-abortion in there Reter Apr 2015 #119
Both Tracyjo Apr 2015 #120
Both (nt) LostOne4Ever Apr 2015 #130
Both. Jamastiene Apr 2015 #131
Latest Discussions»General Discussion»"Pro-Choice" or...»Reply #48