So you hate abortion, do ya? Well, what have you done to stop it? No, carrying signs and chanting or harassing women on a sidewalk will not stop abortion.

Have you talked with your son about always using a condom? Have you asked your daughter if she wants birth control? Have you demanded excellent sex education in your school district? Free birth control for every woman over 14 and under 25? Affordable housing? Increased food stamp benefits? Better medical care for mother and baby? Have you helped work on a campaign advocating for realistic and compassionate adoption? Make adoption sound and look like the true gift it is. All these things prevent abortion.

The decision to abort is made after much soul searching. Maybe the girl is still in high school. Maybe the woman is just starting her first job, or is unemployed and can barely afford to support herself. Maybe she already has two children and a strangled budget. Oh, and where is the father in all this? No, it’s not decided easily. It’s almost always out of necessity. And never without sorrow.

Planned Parenthood prevents tens of thousands of pregnancies and abortions every year. But when they do provide safe and legal abortions, they also legally donate fetal tissue for research. Yes, it’s difficult to think about. We are more comfortable looking at a sweet bundle held in Mom’s arms. But medical progress requires resources for research. Do you love someone who is paralyzed? Or who has Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s? All scientific progress is based on research.

Life in the adult world isn’t always pretty. Sometimes reality sucks. Don’t throw Planned Parenthood to the wolves. Let’s let the process work itself out before we start tossing around those slings and arrows.

Maggie Ricker

Augusta

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