Misconcpetions Clarified for Our Political Season

--The following is an editorial byDucia Hamm, Executive Director of the Ashland Care Center.

So much is being said this election season about pro-life/pro-choice/abortion/abstinence issues that I feel compelled to address some misconceptions.

1. People that are pro-life are not anti-women. The pro-life community strongly believes in the health and safety of women – emotionally, physically and spiritually and have seen over and over again the devastating effects that abortions have on all 3 of these areas in a woman’s life. There are, at last count, over 150 Pregnancy Resource Center (PRC) across the state of Ohio that provide ongoing services to women throughout their pregnancies and after their baby is born. Depending on the PRC, services may include pregnancy tests, limited obstetrical ultrasounds, pre-natal vitamins, material support, adoption referrals, mentoring and sexual integrity programs, post-abortion support groups, parenting classes, etc. Most charge nothing for any of their services nor profit monetarily from the women served.

The abortion industry is a “for profit” industry that charges anywhere from $320.00-$3000.00 for an abortion depending on how far along in her pregnancy a woman is. One clinic charges $80.00 for “Decision Counseling” and $85.00 for family planning. Who profits from women during one of the most vulnerable times in their lives – an unexpected pregnancy? Most assuredly not the pro-life agencies.

2. Pro-life advocates believe in choice – BEFORE conception not after. Once conception occurs, a separate, distinct human is created with their own DNA totally distinguishable from either the baby’s mother or father. Does it remove an individual’s humanity just because a human being is totally dependant on another human being for their survival? Where does that leave a 4 month old infant since I have yet to see a baby at that age, feed, clothe, or shelter him/her self let alone change his or her own diaper.

3. Abstinence only education doesn’t work – Oh Really?? We give our children so many risk avoidance directives “Don’t play out in the street, you might get hit by a car.” “Don’t touch that fire, you might get burned.” “Don’t talk to strangers.” Why do we not say “Don’t have sex with anyone but your marriage partner, you might get a fatal disease or get pregnant.” We just assume that “They’re going to do it anyway so let’s give out free birth control.”

Let’s apply that same logic to “Don’t play out in the street because you might get hit by a car, but I know you’re going to do it anyway so here is a helmet for you to wear.” Doesn’t make any sense does it but that is the logic we apply to educating our children about pre-marital sex.

Any form of birth control only works if you use it. Name another form of birth control that is guaranteed to be 100% effective other than abstinence – condoms have a 12-15% failure that is if they are used properly. Condoms also have a 31% failure rate in protection against the spread of HIV even when used properly. Depending on the type of birth control pill used, there is up to an 8% failure rate but again it needs to be taken properly at the same time every day. What teenager do you know that does the same thing 2 days in a row?

Abstinence education is not a “Just Say No to Sex” program. It teaches a healthy respect for yourself, your body and how it works – the ‘why’ behind abstinence and the best benefit of abstinence only birth control is – no unwanted children and no spread of sexually transmitted infections.