I was studying for final exams when the headline dropped, “Ohio passes ‘Heartbeat’ Abortion Bill.” Immediately, I flew to my computer to listen to CNN’s breaking news report. I read an article that not only infuriated me, but made me rethink my support of Ohio legislation. Max Blau, a contributor of CNN, writes, “Ohio Republicans to pass what would effectively be the nation's strictest time-based abortion law. . .” Shocked? Let’s break this down.
The big question is, what sparked this drastic change in legislation? With the election in the favor of the elephants, it was inevitable that more conservative legislation would pass. But abortion? In the midst of a controversial presidential election and The War On Terror, what kind of message were they trying to send by adding fuel to the fire? One legislator hinted that the passing of the bill was due to the election of President Elect Donald Trump and his promise to appoint conservative Supreme Court Justices. Basically, the Republicans knew this bill would have a better chance of making it through the Senate. I don’t blame them for using the election to their advantage. However, this is a social issue not a political one. We need less government control in our lives, which is a basic part of the republican platform. Republicans don't want government intervention into their private lives and yet, they want to intervene on a bodily function.
I take the passage of this bill personally. As a legal adult, you should be able to make decisions about your body. Abortion is the biggest choice a woman can make. I have a peer who had an abortion. She was a senior in high-school, and was ready to go off to University. A baby would have ruined her life. If she had had the baby, she would have sacrificed her education, health, and well being to care for a child. She also would have missed out on the rest of her teenage years. Imagine never starting your freshmen year of college or never having a senior prom. We have a choice about the path we want our lives to go. That is the basic premise which our country was founded on. But, the government has decided that you don’t own the right to do what you want with your pregnancy. Senator Charleta Tavares, a Columbus democrat, says, “We allowed a good bill that protects the health and safety of our children to be bastardized into a government takeover of women's wombs.” I could not agree more. I have control over all of my organs, what makes my uterus any different?
The bigger issue is the conflict between men and women. While men are needed in the process of birth, it is the mother who is experiencing the pregnancy. Pregnancy is extremely demanding. There are doctor’s visits, which are costly. There is the factor of keeping a healthy diet and not to mention the HUGE FETUS surviving in your womb. Some women just aren’t fit to care for a child. Some can’t afford to care for a child. And some women have no choice when it comes to getting pregnant. The birth of an unwanted child sets the stage for a miserable existence. Think about the unwanted circumstances such as rape. When I think of having to keep a baby from my rapist, it sends chills up my spine. The bill stops abortions at the first sign of a heartbeat, which is 6 weeks into a pregnancy. I could end up with a baby, the spawn of a rapist. Did you know that a rapist can sue for the rights of the child? You would have to have a life-long relationship with a felon as well as a constant reminder of the trauma you faced. Thus, another way the government intervenes into our social lives. I cannot support a bill were women could be potentially forced to have a child that stems from hate.
My heart goes out to my fellow women. Abortion is a choice. It’s choice of women, not the government. We own our bodies, we own our uteri, and we own the right to make a choice about abortion. Fight for your body.
Sources: http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/07/politics/ohio-aborti...
