a letter to the President

There is a piece of legislation called the Freedom of Choice Act that I believe every one of us needs to know about. It is a bill that President Obama promised to sign into action if he were elected. In fact, in a speech to Planned Parenthood, he said it would be the first thing he would do in office. I had heard of it in passing, but it is only recently that I did some research and became informed of exactly what the Freedom of Choice Act entails. Please click the link to read about in greater detail, but in a nutshell, I will simply say that it is a bill that would eliminate state restrictions on abortion, allowing every state in the country to perform abortions until the age of viability (at 20 some odd weeks). After that point, late term abortions could be performed for the health of the mother. This would reverse all legislation that has been put in place to limit abortions in our nation.

I really don't know everything I can do to make my voice heard, but I am starting with what I can do. I am writing a letter to President Obama that I am sending to him, my congressman, my senators, and my local newspaper. Will it ever get read? Maybe, maybe not. But even if no official eyes ever see it, I must do what is in my power to do to be a voice for the babies who don't have one.

Here is my letter.

Dear President Obama,

It is no secret that the abortion debate rages strong in our country, as opposing sides square up, unyielding and polarized in their views. Yet when I look at all the players, pro-life and pro-choice, one common denomonator is impossible to deny. Everyone participating in the discussion is alive. That one fact unites us, whether we like it or not, by placing us in the elite group of the born. It is by means of this special status that we are afforded all the privileges we enjoy, things like living and breathing, feeling and thinking, voting and legislating. And while we didn’t do anything to earn this status, it’s unimaginable for us to operate outside of it.

Perhaps if we lived in a universe where that was not the case, the abortion debate would be markedly different. Imagine, for example, that you were a fetus equipped with full mental capacity. Imagine your awareness and knowledge were the same as that you currently possess. Now imagine that you as a fetus must vote on the legality of abortion. But with one little catch: you don’t know which choice your mother will make if abortion is an option.

Would you be willing to sacrifice everything you’ve experienced in this life, your family, your career, even the presidency itself, for your mother’s right to choose? Would I be willing to do the same? A thought provoking scenario, certainly, but one that is strictly theoretical none the less. An exercise in imagination, but nothing more.

The debate will no doubt continue to rage as the Freedom of Choice Act is brought to the table, but no matter what the outcome, one thing is for sure. The debate will always be lopsided. After all, the people involved in the discussion will without exception approach the issue from the vantage point of being alive.

A thoughtful citizen,

Angie Luce
Memphis, TN