So, I have spent a bit of time this morning perusing the abortion arguement blogs, and thought that I would put my two cents in. Let me preface my blog with saying a bit about my own history. I have one child, who I had when I was 18 years old, and I have had one abortion, which I had at 20. After having my abortion, it is not something I would ever want to go through again, personally. I believe that abortion is wrong (especially now that I am a bit older), though I can't say that if I had known then what I know now I wouldn't have had mine done, but I would like to think that I wouldn't have. This is based solely on the education that I have had since then combined with the fact that I have matured greatly and have come to appreciate human life simply for it's sheer amazement and beauty. I also, however, believe in a woman's right to choose, because I respect the laws of our nation. I know that this seems completely contradictory, and it really is, but that's how I believe.
Today I wanted to talk about the arguement that many have brought up about bringing children into the world that are unwanted. There are arguements that relate to the number of available children that are currently in the foster care system that are not being adopted. Most people who want to adopt do not want a child who is half grown, or older, or even a preteen. I would think that most people who are looking to adopt want a newborn baby. They don't want a child who has 'baggage' so-to-speak. That is why, in my opinion, there are so many children who are still waiting to be adopted.
I guess I was just thinking about the kids who are born and kept by mothers (and/or fathers) who do not want them, nor ever did. Those who could have (should have?) had an abortion, but for some reason did not, nor did they choose to give these unwanted children up for adoption when the children were born. These are the children that later end up in the system due to abuse and neglect, the older children that no one (or hardly anyone) wants to adopt. I am seeming to have a hard time getting down into words my thoughts right now. I guess what I am getting at is that for those who say 'Why are there so many children still in foster care' as an argument why abortion is good, or okay, or whatever, aren't realizing that the reason is is that most people want to adopt newborns. For me, this would be an argument why abortion is wrong. The unwanted child, if brought to term and given up for adoption would be wanted by some loving family. It's so much easier to find placement for newborns and infants than it is to find permanent homes for older children. It's when these children are born and kept and end up abused and neglected and get dumped into the system that they become less wanted.
I guess in the end, the whole issue is a double-edged sword. I volunteer with the CASA program in my county, and I advocate on behalf of abused and neglected children in the court system. These are kids that are often neglected and abused due to the fact that they were never wanted in the first place. Would it have been better for these children to have been aborted? I don't know. I can't speak for them and the kind of life they may end up having. I would like to think that just being alive, no matter how rough life is, would be better than never having had the chance of being alive at all, but that's just a personal opinion.
These were just some of the thoughts that I was having while reading through other blogs. Ultimately, the pro-choicers who are arguing that abortion is necessary and good because of the already large numbers of children in foster care are failing to take into consideration that most people who are looking to adopt actually want the newborns. My sister, who gave her first child up for adoption at birth, had more than one family to choose from. She had an enormous response from those who wanted to adopt. So, there isn't a lack of people looking to adopt children- as long as they are newborns. I think that this is a very good arguement against why abortion shouldn't be someone's first choice in getting rid of an unwanted child.
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