No, Sam, don't go. I was going to bring up the wonderful job some of our local churches do, most of them Catholic, in supporting women with unwanted pregnancies. Nice to see some establishments walking the walk for a change.
Please understand that I grew up during a time of what looked like endless possiblilty for women. That's turned out to be a crock as social pressures want to inexorably shove us back into being nothing more that ambulatory incubators, and we'd damn well better learn to shut up and like it, whether we like it or not. There are other kinds of death than physical; however, this society places primary value on youth. As soon as a woman becomes pregnant, her value, desires, ambitions, hopes, etc. become secondary to the almighty zygote. Don't believe me? Already in Arkansas, a law is on the books giving all pregnant women free medical care.
I was always taught not to do something that would create a problem before I had my previous problems solved, if I could help it. Where will all of the forced birth kids go to school, considering that public school overcrowding is near epidemic in metro areas? Who takes care of them while their mothers work 2 or 3 minimum-wage jobs because the babydaddy couldn't be bothered to stick around? With more and more entry-level jobs being outsourced, qualifications will become higher for the jobs that are left - who's going to hire all these kids? Maybe things are better elsewhere, but here in the heart of Dubya Country, an MBA qualifies one to manage a Pizza Hut.
Adoption, you say? There's another problem. The screening process for adoption includes extremely intrusive background investigations. I've been on medication to regulate chemical depression for over 10 years and couldn't adopt if I wanted to, PLUS the fee is anywhere from $10,000 to $25,000, depending on the age & "desirablilty" of what one wants to adopt. White infants are consider the top prize, with older black & latino kids being the cheapest. Why go through all of that when one can make a little replicant with IVF treatment paid for by one's insurance company at an average of $62,000 per couple?? Besides, society still sees adopting children as "settling" for something lesser - I still haven't figured that out.
Make adoption easier and less expensive, cut benefits for IVF & fertility drugs, and I'll start backing off. That's an immediate band-aid that will hold for a little while. The job & school problem will take at least another full generation, longer if we have another baby boom.
And Doug's absolutely right - it's going to be made illegal, so I think everyone here who's anti-choice should be happy. Eddie & I are taking our personal responsibility by ending our chances of reproduction for good, so that's one couple who won't be adding to the problem. Anyone who wants kids, great - I ask only 3 things:
1) Don't breed what you can't feed
2) Realize the job is FOREVER.
3) Realize that your primary responsibility is to instruct & guide this small being toward successful participation in adult society, just like every other animal on the planet, so BE a fucking PARENT, not a buddy.
There - end of rant.
