- Separation of church & state
- Christine Johnson’s charges are immaterial
- Mike Rosen on Al Gore & Nobel Peace Prize
- More info. on mental illness
- No amnesty for illegals
- Hillary Clinton’s speech
- Genocide continues in Darfur
- Congressman Udall's exit strategy for Iraq
- No more tax money for war in Iraq until criteria met
- National security
U.S. behind the curve on birth control
It was heartening to read medical research confirming what the pro-choice
community has been saying for years.
A World Health Organization study from around the world was published in the
prestigious British medical journal The Lancet showing that where abortion is
illegal it is no more rare but much more dangerous ("Abortion rates same despite
legal status," Oct. 12).
The study also found that the best way to reduce the abortion rate is to improve
access to birth control.
In Uganda, sex education is abstinence-only and abortion is illegal, yet the
abortion rate is double ours which, in turn, is almost double Western Europe's where abortion is legal
and contraception is widely available.
Access to birth control and related health-care services, information and
education about the impact of behavior on future health should be available to
as many people as possible, as the best way possible to reduce the number of
abortions.
Andrew Ross, Denver
Though I agree that by making abortion illegal it creates a bad situation in health care. However I have to wonder about Andrews use of Uganda as an example. A country where rape is very common. Where women have about as many rights as women in under sharia law. To quote statistics from an oppresive underdeveloped country is not solid to ones argument.
Posted by The Shadow on October 29, 2007 05:13 AMnot to worry for long as when there is free for everyone hillbillary care you could end up being a statistic when you go in for an ingrown toe nail.
The US is not behind on birth control as we have many ways to prevent it, but we have too many that dont use birth control other than abortion.
Sorry 06:30 AM, but while many forms of birth control are available in the US, if teenagers aren't taught about them, or they are excluded in prescription coverage (while ED drugs are included), or pharmacists are allowed to decline to fill prescriptions based on their religious beliefs, the US will continue to have the highest abortion rates (legal or not) of the industrialized countries. What the religious right WON'T tell you is that not only are they opposed to abortion even in cases where the mother's health is in jeopardy, but they are also opposed to birth control. They will also not admit that in European countries in which birth control education includes explanation of all forms of birth control with their success/failure rates & side effects (not merely a discussion of abstinence, which granted is the most effective - and most easily reversed form of birth control) that teen pregnancy rates are lower than in the US, but also, the teens wait longer to become sexually active.
Posted by Mary on October 29, 2007 08:16 AMAbortion as birth control, wow, that is the dumbest comment I have heard today and it is still early.
Posted by Sean on October 29, 2007 08:18 AMIt's because the religious right relies on smoke and mirrors for all of its backward policy. Concerned by a mismanaged war in Iraq? No worries-- just throw out the gay marriage amendment and their followers will flock to the polls. Birth control to reduce abortions? Who needs an inconvenient truth? It's easier to just show pictures of aborted babies and get the sheep in a frenzy. Look at 6:30AM's comment, and realize how easy it is for some people to be brainwashed by rhetoric.
Posted by Dan on October 29, 2007 09:40 AMwow oh wow not allowing teenagers to have sex when ever and where ever sure has the left up in a roar.
Parents, a term not understood by the it takes a village crowd, are the ones who should show the responsibility in educating their kids on sex ed and not the courts or schools or feel goo left wingnuts.
so mary why are you not out teaching aobut all the birth control forms you speak of and the only one kids know about is abortion? they seem to know about everything else with the internet, thanks algore, but are ignorant about birth control? nice try but you keep your abortions and lets not worry about the control as its not worth it.
i bet the socialized meds the dums are talking about will cover the pill as does my insurance I have for my college aged daughter, but then again schip wont cover it so get on the dems for not making it available.
you could always send your kid to planned parenthood for the pill you know.
Mary, "What the religious right WON'T tell you is that not only are they opposed to abortion even in cases where the mother's health is in jeopardy, but they are also opposed to birth control."
Really?? Huh. I'm religious right and a lot of those I associate with are as well and none of us think like that. People like you are a lot of where mis-information comes from, the religious mis-informed. Why don't you actually talk to and become involved in friendly relationships with some of the religious right? Perhaps, if you get out of your comfort bubble, you'll find we are not so wrong after all.
Dan, "It's because the religious right relies on smoke and mirrors for all of its backward policy. "
Again, it's only the religious mis-informed that feel we rely on smoke and mirrors. For as many articles as you can find to support your claim I can find just as many slanted research by those who want to promote birth control and abortion in our schools v.s. healthy esteem and relationships.
Posted by Harry on October 29, 2007 11:10 AMYou have to be friendly to engage in friendly relationships. The religous right is certainly not a friendly crowd, especially when they are picketing the house of a man who owns a construction company that is doing construction work for Planned Parenthood.
Take the religous right's influence out of the Republican Party and they might have a chance in retaining some dignity and some votes come 08.
Abortion, as a means of birth control, is the worst solution ever.
Unfortunately, it happens. I never again want to hear about a woman repeatedly jumping off a ladder to abort her pregnancy.
Abortions happen and always have. What is important is how and where that proceedure is performed. Drastically reducing the dangers involved is not irresponsible. Ciminalizing that activity is absurd.
The self proclaimed Christians who post on abortion, never support the idea of birth control being more available.
From that many of us form the opinion that all religious people are anti abortion and anti sex education and anti birth control.
In my personal life it is the same thing. The more religious a Christian says they are, the more they promote abstinence only.
Posted by Sharon B. on October 29, 2007 12:13 PMHarry,
It's because of the many, many comments from those like 11:03AM up there. I'm tired of asking a perfectly valid question (i.e. "How can we eliminate unwanted pregnancies without infringing on the rights of the mother?") only to have someone of Christian background call me a dirty liberal.
Do you want to talk about stereotypes and generalization, Harry? I consider myself a fiscal conservative and social libertarian-- that would put me pretty middle of the road politically, and hardly a lefty wingnut. But because I show the slightest concern for the mother, I am a "dirty commie liberal" and "baby killer". And yes-- all that stems from those so-called "friendly" conversations with the religious right you insist I should have.
If those in your group could forego the insults and incriminations, and be willing to discuss the matter intelligently and thoughtfully, I would lower my defensive posturing.
Hey...abstinance prevents unwanted pregnancies just like the drug war prevents drug abuse.
Can anyone say BIRTH CONTROL? Perhaps the far righties could get up off of the abstinance-only mantra....? Yeah, right!
Posted by RickyLee on October 29, 2007 02:21 PMDan.
I do believe in abstinence. I also believe in abortion, to a certain extent. I also believe in birth control, in light that it is a moderate position between abstinence and abortion. However, abstinence without a healthy respect for one's self and a healthy attitude concerning the different types of relationships in our lives is futile.
Now about fringing on the rights of a female who is choosing abortion as a last minute form of birth control for an unwanted pregnancy. Her rights stopped when she chose to have sex. In fact so did the future father's rights. Responsibility starts at the time sex is decided upon NOT after.
All three of my older children believe in abstinence. All three have a healthy respect for themselves and others. All three handle most of their relationships appropriately. Will my two older daughters have sex without birth control? No. Will they get pregnant possibly with an unwanted child? I don't know. Will they have an abortion? No. Their words not mine. My oldest son? Will let's just say thanks to our wonderful system (note sarcasm) he has been scared straight into abstinence possibly until he is married.
Posted by Harry on October 29, 2007 04:33 PMHarry: "However, abstinence without a healthy respect for one's self and a healthy attitude concerning the different types of relationships in our lives is futile."
I agree. My choice for anyone would be abstinence first. Outside of that, we are human, and fallible, and diverse. I am not advocating we remove personal responsibility from the equation, but sometimes responsibility isn't always a deciding factor.
Harry: "Now about infringing on the rights of a female who is choosing abortion as a last minute form of birth control for an unwanted pregnancy. Her rights stopped when she chose to have sex. "
This I vehemently disagree with. Sexual intercourse is not a crime, should not be viewed as such, and you should not have ANYTHING stripped away when engaging in such. This is America, where we do not have our rights stripped away for engaging in personal activities.
Harry: "All three of my older children believe in abstinence. All three have a healthy respect for themselves and others."
I sincerely congratulate you, Harry, and thank you for being a responsible human being in bringing up healthy, responsible individuals. You have my respect in that regard.
American's are not behind the curve in birth control!
It's the Mexican's who have come to this country and are breeding like guppies they don't know the meaning of birth control.
Aw gee, there goes our curve!
Posted by on October 29, 2007 05:31 PMDan
Never said sex was a crime. But it is irresponsible to have sex with the notion that a pregnancy will NEVER happen. There isn't a single pill or condum that is 100% effective.
And yes we all make mistakes or rather let our drives get the better of us at least once, even when there is no protection available. I understand that. However, I also understand, as a result of my selfish need to be gratified right now, right this instant, a pregnancy might occur. My responsibility starts at the time I choose to follow my desire of the moment. If a pregnancy occurs then my responsibility should be that of a new expectant father. Not as somebody who is hoping to take the now easy way out through abortion.
The morning after pill they've had in europe now for five years is an interesting prospective. But then again, what should have been the responsible thing to do in the beginning? Personally, I'm not sure how I feel about the morning after pill. But I do feel it is a better alternative than abortion.
Posted by Harry on October 29, 2007 07:28 PMTempest in a teapot,guys.Birth control is all over everywhere all the time.You'd have to be living in a cave with Osama not to be simply inundated with the topic.I suggest that those now of childbearing age are better informed about and more experienced in matters intimate than any previous generation.
I would also suggest that the parents of the younger end of the childbearing demographic are probably much more concerned with the chief consequence of youthful coupling than the couplings themselves.Following is the explanation of why they should be.What you(almost) never hear about is our government's policy of paying billions to the unmarried to bear at-risk children.The reason YOU don't hear about it is that it's advertised by word of mouth in economically deprived areas by the folks passing out the bux-and making a good living doing it.On your nickel.
Harry: "Never said sex was a crime."
My apologies, though it was inferred by saying "Her rights stopped when she chose to have sex." Regardless, I still disagree with this statement.
Harry: "If a pregnancy occurs then my responsibility should be that of a new expectant father."
On a personal level, I agree with you. I myself would never ask or want my girlfriend to undergo this procedure, and I would pursue my due duty as an expecting father if she conceived. But as a matter of policy, how do you enforce responsibility into law? This is where it turns prickly. Ideally, we would allow only responsible individuals to conceive. However, that wouldn't be American. How can we make people more responsible without infringing on personal liberties and privacy? It's an honest question, Harry, and not one that I have the answer to.
Harry: "Not as somebody who is hoping to take the now easy way out through abortion."
Abortion is not the easy way out. Many women have felt conflicted about this decision, even years later. But for some, it may be the ONLY way out. How do we legislate exceptions, from those who use it as "birth control", to account for those who are fearful of spousal or parental abuse, or other equally legitimate reasons?
Harry: "Personally, I'm not sure how I feel about the morning after pill. But I do feel it is a better alternative than abortion."
I agree 100%. The problem I have, and apologies to the over-generalization, is that the religious lobby is against the morning after pill, if not any form of contraception. This seems counter-productive to the agenda of reducing terminated pregnancies (or, to be blunt, the killing of fetuses). If I am wrong on this, please correct me and state how I am wrong.
Abstinence is one tool, but obviously it isn't working in all cases. We need a solution for those other cases.
Posted by Dan on October 29, 2007 09:36 PMDan,
I know abortion is an easy way. However, without the morning after pill it is the last remaining way to end an unwanted pregnancy. Easy was used in reference to abortion v.s. parenthood. I know of the psychological effects it has on the woman and at times the man involved.
I know there is no easy answer. We cannot legislate responsibility. I have often said, "Responsible laws are created when society fails to take the responsible action."
You are right the religious lobby does seem to be against the morning after pill. But given the choice of that pill or abortion? They should be considering which is the most humane.
Posted by Harry on October 30, 2007 01:07 AMDan,
First sentence should read, "I know abortion is NOT an easy way."
Posted by Harry on October 30, 2007 01:10 AMHarry,
I'm glad you realize that the politically active religious right is against contraception as they are against abortion. A typical comment:
http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_6671671
Leslie Hanks, vice president of Colorado Right to Life, said her organization likely would fight efforts to build a (Planned Parenthood) clinic.
"Let's face it. They're in the business to kill babies for profit," she said. "First and foremost, they get young girls hooked on their birth control pills, which don't work."
Concerned Women for America, the Family Research Counsel, and Focus on the Family also oppose greater access to contraception.
I hope that, like my letter hinted at, those on both sides of the abortion debate can reduce the need for the procedure by focusing on what works, and that people like yourself can work within the religious community to temper the fanatacism of the most fervent believers.
Thanks.
Posted by Andrew Ross on October 30, 2007 10:54 AMRight on the money, Andrew!!!!!
Posted by RickyLee on October 30, 2007 05:31 PMNow if someone wanted to build a men's health clinic with Viagra over the counter and all kind on medical treatment for impotence, the religious right would probably not say a word. Even if teen age boys went to the clinic.
The more the pro-birthers push, I guess the harder we must all push back.
Posted by Sharon B. on October 30, 2007 06:38 PMKeep on pushin that sickning liberal agenda Sharon B. What's your motto? Abort, abort, abort.
Posted by on October 31, 2007 01:41 PMNo anon man at 1:41, it is birth control, birth control for men who usually don`t want to wear it, poor babies, and community acceptance of unwed mothers and their children as families.
Abort as a last measure. What Ideas do you have, oh empty headed one?
Posted by Sharon B. on October 31, 2007 07:28 PM