Posted by
Frigglesnitz on Saturday, December 01, 2007 9:49:08 PM
A "sticky wicket" was always believed by me to be a dilemma to which one searched for an answer. Roe v. Wade is still a sticky wicket for me, and I know that writing this will bring down the whole of Townhall on my head.
Nevertheless, I have been reminded of late of the 1985 novel "The Cider House Rules," by John Irving.
I do not believe the "Cider House" was typical of such establishments in those days and times; however, such places did exist. It was believed to be well known that the reason one went there was to terminate a pregnancy. There were times, however, when different decisions were made.
The days and times were different then, and when I was growing up, no matter how much anyone wants to disagree. I have lived, I believe, many a year more than most of the readers here at Townhall.
A young girl was disowned by her family and thrown to the wolves if she became "in the family way" while not in the married state.
There were (and still are) gang-rapes of young girls (perhaps 12 years of age) who as a consequence become pregnant. I can only imagine the terror following her all the rest of her days, and the dilemma in which she and her family find themselves.
There were (and still are) rapes of young daughters (again, perhaps 12-year-olds) by their fathers, resulting in a pregnancy. Again, I can only imagine the guilt to be carried all the rest of her days, no matter what decisions are made by her family. (I feel no ambivalence concerning a father who rapes his daughter: he should be put under the prison for all the remaining days of his life, to be fed bread and water every other day, shared by a hungry gorilla -- or two.)
The dilemmas described above were never ones I needed to face, thank God above.
The word "abortion" was not a word ever heard when I was growing up. And, like Oprah, I remember learning of coat-hanger abortions and potions given by midwives to terminate pregnancies. The word "pregnant" was a word spoken in whispers. I was raised in the dark ages.
Please pardon me if my opinion is different from the majority here. I am, and have been for many years, ambivalent. Unlike many of you, I cannot stand and shout "Down with Roe!" with conviction.
Please do not scream obscenities at me. I simply wanted to say that there are other opinions out there. Most of those opinion-holders are too afraid to spell out those opinions here because of the opprobrium that would be felt if the opinions were made known.
Just for the record, I feel no ambivalence about late-term abortions. They are simply beyond the realm of humanity.