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"If you get pregnant you will die."

 

It wasn't phrased quite like that.  But my ex wife was told in no uncertain terms that a third pregnancy could kill her. And she couldn't use hormonal birth control.

 

So that was several years with no completed, unprotected intercourse between husband and wife. 

 

Eventually, she was able to get a ligation, along with some other necessary surgery. (Medical insurance didn't cover things like that.)

 

Now, imagine if she had gotten pregnant, and the doc says, "We have to terminate."

 

And the bureaucrat says, "Oh, I've heard this one before. Let's just wait a few weeks to be sure."

 

And the doc says, "I really don't like these blood sugar and toxin levels."

 

And the bureaucrat says, "It's not compelling yet.  But I'll start the approval paperwork."

 

And the doc says, "She's suffering sepsis and her blood sugar is crashing."

 

And the voicemail says, "Please leave your number and message and we'll respond during business hours after the three day weekend."

 

And the doc says, "It's critical. We have to do it now."

 

And the bureaucrat says, "I've referred it to the regional supervisor for review, and flagged it URGENT."

 

And the doc says, "Never mind."

 

~~~

Now, I'm sure some of you are saying, "Well, that would never happen."

And I'll point you to the insane rules regarding narcotic painkillers, where cancer patients and migraine sufferers are in agony because a bureaucrat is terrified that someone might use one of those pills for FUN!

 

And I'm sure some are saying, "That would be terrible, but of course we'd have a legal exception for that."

 

And perhaps you would.  But every pregnancy is different, and every "exception" means someone dies to  make the point to get it in place.

 

And when they die, so does the fetus anyway. Because you put the rights of the fetus--a potential person--above the rights of the mother--an actual person.

 

Because it is entirely possible to oppose abortion morally, and realize that given the state any power to regulate the process beyond that of normal clinical health standards, is going to fucking kill people.

 

And just like any other program, the end result is a massive bureaucracy with its own fucking SWAT team, kicking in doors because that failed pregnancy is awfully suspicious. And maybe that seller of "herbal tea" is practicing medicine without a license and performing illegal abortions. And if you think that's a mental stretch, remember the Dept of Education has a SWAT TEAM to collect on COLLEGE LOANS.

 

~~~

Because it's not "pro abortion" vs "pro life." It's "Pro choice" vs  "pro mandatory childbirth."

 

Because you, personally: While you're opposing abortion, have YOU personally tried to adopt a child?

 

Have YOU personally donated to a charity that feeds the poor who have more kids than they can support?

 

Have YOU personally helped someone care for their kids while they tried to work?

 

Or are you one of these, "I shouldn't have to pay for their birth control or abortions or welfare, and they need to keep their legs together and learn that actions have consequences" types?

 

Because if you refuse to help pay the costs, and think a baby is a "consequence" you're not "pro life." You don't care about "life." You care about fetuses.

 

And in response to the bleat about, "But what about people who use the process just to avoid responsibility?"

The obvious parallel is, "What do we do about drunk drivers if we can't ban alcohol?"

 

And the obvious answer is, "Life sucks, and the law can't stop bad behavior."

But it can sure as hell make it worse.