The Right to Choose

 

 

Jennifer

“The right to choose is the right to success and prosperity in this country. Being able to determine our future, or at least have a strong say in it empowers us a chance to put other goals in front of raising a family until that is our choice. I was 24, a recent graduate with a career in environmental field studies in pursuit, in a new relationship when our birth control method failed. I was not ready to be a mother, it would have been a terrible environment to raise a child and would have made all our lives miserable. Why would anyone choose that for a child?”

Source:  http://www.prochoiceamerica.org/womens-voices/womens-stories/jennifer-1.html

 

Our essay today focuses on the first sentence of Jennifer’s tale – the right to choose is the right to success and prosperity in this country.   Jennifer is addressing her right to success and prosperity.  One could say, “Jennifer is self focused.”  Jennifer has a great deal of support in her philosophy or belief of her right to prosper.  Her government supports her legally and financially – free birth control – free abortion – free choice.

 

Now let’s say you are not Jennifer and you made the choice to have your baby (i.e. you’re a Mom.)  Does your government continue its belief, its philosophy  – of letting you choose what is best for you and your child?  That is our question today.

 

So, now we’re Mom and we’ve got our baby and we need to take care of our baby and we very early on realize that we need to educate this little one because, just as Jennifer points out – the right to choose is the right to success and prosperity in this country.  Jennifer might even agree – education is also important in that success and prosperity focus of hers.

 

Jennifer made her choice with the full support of her government.  But does Mom get the same government support?  The right to choose?  Legal and financial support?

 

Well, we went to several places to seek an answer to this question:

 

www.whitehouse.gov

www.naral.org

www.plannedparenthood.org     

www.democrats.org

www.nea.org

www.aft.org

All support a woman’s right to choose (Jennifer’s definition)  – none support a Mom’s right to choose.  (Go ahead – go to each of the above site references and search on this phrase “right to choose”).   Think about that – they all agree with Jennifer – a woman’s right to choose is the right to success and prosperity in this country.  But no support for all the Mom’s seeking a good education for their child – the born child – the living child – the citizen child.  No right to choose; no right to have government legal and financial support – no decision with Mom, or Dad for that matter.  They offer one education choice – take it or leave it – otherwise you are on your own.  But you will pay for their one alternative, regardless.

What is this “right to choose” business all about?  Is it just a political convenience – not a committed philosophy of choice leading to success and prosperity.  Why would the right to choose be limited to having/not having your child and then disappear after your child is born?  This makes no sense.  If anything the choices one makes after the child is born are more important to a society focused on prosperity and success wouldn’t you think? 

This society of ours frowns on those who state the obvious – who see reality and don’t pretend otherwise.  If you support any of the organizations cited above, ask yourself this question – do I really believe that I should be limiting the choices of Mom’s to decide what is best for their child?  Have I thought it through?  Do I trust Mom’s to choose just as I trust women to choose?  Or am I just in this for the convenience of some politicians, bureaucrats and their union masters?