enid (02/07/83)
These are my answers, a little long perhaps. I think, as others have said that this is a very biased questionnaire but I wanted to do a little, shall we say, exhibitionism; as it were. This questionnaire also angered me in its bias and even, perhaps, stupidity. Some of this might be repetitions of other peoples offerings in response to the questionnaire so bear with me. <Flame on.......> 1. (Do you think abortion is murder?) No. Abortions serve a useful purpose. I have known many people who were unwanted children (one of my friends, the family's only son, was TOLD he had been an accident). My Great-grandparents, the story goes, gave away their youngest child because they could no longer afford to feed him (after his first six years). Many married women find themselves unable to support yet another child and opt to spend the $200 or so on an abortion NOW, instead of 18 years and many HUNDREDS of Thousands of potential dollars in the course of those years to raise that child. Many teenagers have such poor family relationships that they cannot find out about contraceptives, sex, and reproduction and so they wish it away. Myths like "You can't GET pregnant the first time" are sadly prevalent. At that age, you can't admit to a sex-life (only adults are allowed one, you see). Being pregnant is an admission a teenager often cannot make. Is she to spend the next 18 years as above (but on Welfare, most likely.....) or is she to be allowed the ordeal, instead, of abortion? I opt for not making her throw her life away for a mistake. I am for abortion. 2. (Do you think abortion is moral?) Is a very loaded question but I still say, as above, yes abortion is moral! It is a neccessary evil. 3. (Do you think a teenage girl should have a child if it means she may never have a child again?) What were you thinking of for circumstances, MJ? NO. (See #1) 4. (Do you think birth-control should be easy for teenage girls to get?) YES!!! 5. (Do you think it is right for a woman to have a baby if it will kill her, but the child will live?) No. Who will care for it? On the other hand, if she knew it she were dying and wanted to leave behind her a new life, and knew that the child could be supported, the choice becomes hers and I would supprot her right to leave a child even if she might die a little sooner because of the birth process. 6. (Do you believe you have the right to tell someone what they can do with their unborn child if it will be retarded?) No. I would, as a friend, suggest the posibility of aborting; on the issue of the happiness and financial stability of the other family members. A handicapped child is an enormous drain upon many resources that the rest of the family relies upon, such as time, energy, money, attention, and patience. 7. (Do you believe that by telling teenagers they should not have sex it will keep them from having sex?) No! Anyone who does believe that telling children that they should not have sex and believing that that young individual will avoid an act so intensely pleasurable, about which they generally have little outside information (which causes them to investigate about it all all on their own, mind you), AND which is forbidden to them (like between-meal snacks) hasn't been reading history, let alone been keeping up with the latest teenage pregnancy statistics and all those studies which have asked kids if THEY feel sex-ed (Including contraceptives) should be taught in schools and why; let alone had kids or been a teenager. 8. (Are you anti-abortion, pro-abortion or pro-choice?) I am, obviously, pro-abortion. It's a stance that allows for a choice and I am, therefore, also pro-choice. 9. (Should children be taken away from unwed mothers and put up for adoption?) Only if they are being abused and it is clear that the child cannot be (or is not being) support(ed), financially AND emotionally and psychologically. If the mother is a minor she is not very likely to be able to get a good enough job to support the child and is also likely to be an abuser because she may well also, have a very immature idea of what a child is (and how she is responsible for its needs). She may, also, be unable to handle the fact that she has created someone who is dependent upon her for its very life and that it IS NOT a doll to be set in a corner and ignored..... 10<oops>(Would you report a case of child-abuse?) Yes. No one deserves the irrational and often deadly abuse accorded many children and often goes unreported until the child has died. Many adults are abused, too, but they generally have the rights to legal recourse against their assailant. Children don't vote, adults do, and children are therefore considered insignificant. Someone must speak for those who have no legal voice of their own. 11. (Should schools teach sex-education?) Yes. Parents are often still too shy or stubborn to teach their children it at home (mine did when I was about 4 or 5, because I had asked them). Since schools are increasingly being called- upon too`take`on`other`take on other important parenting jobs, this most important issue should be a required curriculum course. (My terminal seems to have hiccupped--) 12. (Do you think itis right to tell a woman if she can or can't use birth-control?) If there is a medical reason why she should not use birth- control, then she use a method that is not contra-indicated. Otherwise, the choice is again entirely hers. 13 (Should adopted children be allowed to see who their natural parents are?) We ended up yelling at each other, pretty-much. My answer of yes was based on my opposition to the splitting up of families. We, at ccc, have some friends who were adopted and the general opinion was fairly polarised around here on that issue. 14. (Do you think women should have to go to a doctor that will possibly chop them up inside resulting in their death or sterility?) <Now, isn't that a much better constructed question, M J?> Abortion should remain legal and therefore as carefully regulated as any other major surgery (like Ceasarean Sections). I hope this has not been too long and boring for those who are sick of the debate. I added the questions for clarity's sake and not to make this gratuitously longer. I hope M J's hands are burning. Hoping your news is good news, -e (Enid Brown (enid@mit-ccc))