plw (02/09/83)
Hello, this is the local 'religious fanatic' again. Just out of
curiosity, I asked my 14-year-old daughter her opinion of the debate going on
about abortion. I showed her cbostrum's original article and all of the replies
(including mine) plus the mail I recieved from my reply. I will do my best to
recreate our conversation.
Dad: "What do you think of these articles?"
Wendi: "I think it is the mother's choice whether to have the child or not."
Dad: "Do you see anything morally wrong with abortion?"
Wendi: "No."
Dad: "Wouldn't it be better to prevent an unwanted pregnancy than to abort it?"
Wendi: "Birth control doesn't always work. Melody (her friend) wouldn't be here
if it did. Her mother was taking the pill and her father was using a
rubber. (Wendi's words - Dad) Her mother still got pregnant."
Dad: "I find that difficult to believe. They were both using these methods at
the same time and her mother still got pregnant?"
Wendi: "That's what her mother told her!"
Dad: "Have you had any sex education classes in Jr. High or high school yet?"
Wendi: "The school won't teach sex education any more. They used to show VD
films to the eighth graders, but that was before I was in eighth. They
say it might interfere with somebody's religion."
Wendi: (reading some of the follow-up articles) "Squeal law? What's that?"
Here, I try to explain to her what it is and I tell I'm not sure about the
explanation (something having to do with doctors telling parents about their
minor children asking about contraceptives or help with pregnancy).
Wendi: "Well, it is a tough decision for a teen-ager to keep the kid or not.
Whether to abort it, give it up, or keep it and try to raise it.
Anyway, teen-agers can't always get birth-control stuff."
At this point, interest waned in the discussion in spite of my efforts
to get her to agree with me (or because of those efforts!). It seems I hold
a not too popular opinion on this question. I had not discussed sex or abortion
with my daughter previous to this because I was not sure how comfortable she
would be about it. Before people clutter up my mailbox and/or the net, let me
say it first - 'No surprise considering your repressed attitudes about it'.
If anyone is interested in my reply to watmath!cbostrum's rebuttal,
send me mail via the above path and I will forward the letter I sent in
reply.
Pete Wilson
...we13!plw