Opinions

Abhor all abortion? Then step up for all children

I can only presume that all the folks in the country who fervently consider themselves pro-life and who want to abolish all legal access to abortions have considered the very real consequences of their efforts. No? May I make an effort to illuminate you?

If you succeed in re-criminalizing abortion, please answer the following questions honestly:
1) Will you actively and repeatedly attempt to adopt children? Not simply an infant, mind you, but children of all ages.
2) Will you actively and repeatedly register as a state-licensed foster home and do the work?
3) Will you actively and repeatedly volunteer at your local Boys and Girls Club? Work as volunteer readers or shadows at your local schools? Are you a Big Brother or a Big Sister? All of the other possibilities to help a child born into an unfortunate living situation?

If you can't say yes to at least one of those questions, then shame on you. If life is so precious to you, isn't that living, breathing child now living outside the mother's womb equally as important to be given the same time and attention and money that you devoted to a bundle of cells inside her womb?

What if the mother was right to want to terminate her pregnancy because of her unfortunate living situation and you have stopped her from doing so? Where are your lines forming to sign up to help the children? I don't see any.

I know those of you to whom I send this letter will find fault in my point. "She should be responsible for her actions." "Why should I do that? It's not my child." "My goal here is met and my church is happy."

Just please consider the consequences of your actions, too. Your eagerness to invade a woman's privacy of perhaps the most important decision she may be faced with must not stop with walking around holding placards or sending checks or praying or electing political folks of the same ilk. Your responsibilities will only now be just beginning. That is, if you really believe all life is sacred.

Sherry Lewis has been an Alaskan since 1972 and retired from Wildwood Correctional Center after 26 years as a correctional officer. She lives in Kenai.

The views expressed here are the writer's and are not necessarily endorsed by the Anchorage Daily News, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a piece for consideration, email commentary@adn.com. Send submissions shorter than 200 words to letters@adn.com or click here to submit via any web browser

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