I didn't know

I recently came upon an article on abortion clinic violence in North Carolina. Though it's out of date (published in 1998) it details violence toward abortion clinics over the past twenty years.
http://www.ibiblio.org/prism/may98/abortion.html

Here are few paragraphs I found interesting and surprising:

"Statistics from the National Abortion Federation report that there were 166 incidents of violence against clinics, abortion providers and staff in 1997—the most since 1993, when there were 437 reported attacks. The most recent publicized attack occurred in Birmingham, where a bomb explosion killed an off-duty police officer working as a clinic security guard and permanently maimed a clinic nurse.

Since the early 1980s, trends point toward a growing militancy among the anti-abortion movement. But while a strong pro-choice movement has mobilized in cities where clinics and abortion-providing physicians have been attacked, Greensboro has yet to see a consistent presence of pro-choice supporters."

"More often than not, though, restrictions against abortion disproportionately affect the poor. The current cost for an abortion can run to almost $400; since the Hyde Amendment in 1977, federal money cannot be used to obtain an abortion by women on Medicaid. "

My bias and where it comes from

I grew up in Chapel Hill, North Carolina - as in I've never lived anywhere else, except for my dad's place which is actually in Alamance County but he still works for the University and we hardly consider Alamance County our home. If someone knows anything about Chapel Hill, he or she probably knows two things - the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is there and it's known as a liberal enclave, a "bubble," within the rest of North Carolina. I've heard people refer to our little town as "The People's Republic of Chapel Hill" and read about Former U.S. Senator Jesse Helms suggest that this "zoo" be "walled off" from the rest of North Carolina.

Chapel Hill, and more so Carrboro where I actually spent most of my time, is completely different from anywhere else in NC I've been so far. I think growing up here gave me many of my ideals, my liberal ideology and lack of religious persepective included. Teachers I had in elementary school probably fostered liberalism and never pushed religion in the classroom, though I do remember a preschool teacher I had telling me that when I sneezed God was coming out my nose. So I'm not saying that nobody in Chapel Hill is religious, or conservative for that matter, I just never really cared. Also, my parents are not from North Carolina at all. My mom grew up in Berkeley, California, and my dad just outside Washington D.C. - another typical Chapel Hill trait, everybody's from someplace else.

As I've said many times before, I'm not a religious person though I deeply respect those who are. I did go to church at one time, up until I was about 11 years old, but I lost interest and opted to stay home with my older brother instead. My mom was and is always the religious one in my family, my dad not so much. And since my parents divorced when I was very young, I spent everyother weekend with my dad and never went to church with him. I think this again has added to what beliefs I hold now.

I'm also a typical white, middle-class female. My family's not wealthy, both my parents and one step-parent work for UNC-CH, and in Chapel Hill, where taxes are high to pay for the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools (rather than Orange County) and home prices have been on the rise for years, it takes quite a bit to be considered wealthy around here. I think I've been fairly aware of my socio-economic situation, especially in my last two years of high school when I had a teacher who taught us to look at our own bias and see things through other people's "lenses" and root for the underdog.

Other Interesting Blogs

Here are some other interesting blogs about various controversial topics witten by my peers. Please take a few minutes to check them out!

My Evolutionary Thought Experiment
An investigation into evolutionary theory and creationism, science and religion, and what it all means to society today. Found at: http://www.english101isawesome.blogspot.com/

i-tarheel
A look into sexual education in US school systems. Covers topics from abstinance only education to contraception availabilty and pregnacy rates. Found at: http://i-tarheel.blogspot.com

Central Notes of an Aspiring Superhero
This blog looks at homelessness and poverty in the United States as well as its various implications and reasons. Found at: http://lifesizesuperman.blogspot.com/

Pro Life and Religion

As I was thinking about this topic earlier today, I began to wonder how I came to my own conclusions. However, since my opinions are inherently biased, I will do my best to keep from mixing them in this blog, but indeed I am human and can make no promises.

It occurred to me that people pick sides on controversial issues because they have a problem or don’t agree with one side, and thus choose the stance that best fits their beliefs. And though not all aspects and ideals of a side may fit any one individual’s values, the general and overarching motive of one side or the other must agree for the person to align themselves with that side. Abortion is one of many topics and issues that have divided people on a very strict line – in this case either Pro Choice or Pro Life.

I have to confess that I do not know a lot about the Pro Life argument, but from many of the websites below and from what I’ve heard from friends and acquaintances who are Pro Life I get the feeling that many Pro Life opinions are based on religion, specifically Christianity. Again, I must confess that I know very little about any religion, but looking at http://www.crusadeforlife.org/ and http://www.prolife.com/ I found various references to the Bible and God among testimonials from women who regret their abortions, celebrities, and abortion side effects.

So here are my thoughts and questions on the religious aspects of Pro Life opinions:

Both sides of the abortion argument are trying to get their respective beliefs made into law. Pro Choice advocates want Roe v. Wade upheld, while the Pro Life side wants this Supreme Court case overruled and for abortions to be declared illegal, except perhaps in various circumstances. So, if what Pro Lifers want is a possible Constitutional Amendment or at least a law banning abortions and they use religion in some way to back up their beliefs, what happens to the separation of church and state? What happens to those who do not believe in God, or believe in a different God(s)? Are they to be subjected to laws that are partially based on a religion they do not believe in?

Before I go upsetting too many people, I’d like to say that I do realize there are more arguments behind Pro Life positions than just religion, and I will do my best to cover more in later posts as well as the Pro Choice side. These are just some questions I have caught myself thinking about.

Links on the Subject

Here are a number of links to websites I have looked at that provided information, sometimes biased, about abortion. Each link has a sentence or two describing and providing an implication of the site it belongs to.

http://www.abortionfacts.com/
This site provides information on bith sides of the abortion argument and appears to be non biased at first glance, but beware. At the bottom of the webpage there is a link to the site's sponsor, Heritage House 76, which is an organization dedicated to taking a "strong stand against abortion."

http://www.plannedparenthood.org/
Planned Parenthood is a well known resource for pregnant women, especiall young a first time mothers. Their section on abortion focuses mainly on providing information of a medical nature and ways for a woman to find out what her best option is. The site also provides information on adoption and does not argue that one is necessarily better than the other.

http://www.religioustolerance.org/abortion.htm
This is a multifaith site that expresses both sides of the abortion issue and attempts to eliminate bias. This site also gives an opening statement at the beginning of the "Abortion" section describing their own bias, or lack there of, and give the public a way to complain if they feel they have not expressed information in a non bias way.

http://www.abortionisprolife.com/
This site provides access to essays discussing the morality of abortions as well as frequently asked questions and resources and statistics, but the site itself is Pro Choice and gives its own views on controversial issues.

http://www.prolife.com/
As the name implies, this site is Pro Life. It provides links and videos to political discussions and statements from women who had abortions and now regret their decisions, as well as interviews with celebrities who are Pro Life. The site also has articles denouncing other organizations such as Planned Parenthood.

http://www.prolifeaction.org/
This site is run by the Pro Life Action League, and again, as the name implies, this site is also Pro Life and it provides information on Pro Life beliefs and rallies.

http://www.prochoice.org/
This site is run by the National Abortion Federation, an association of abortion providers in the United States and Canada who believe in a woman's right to choose. The site provides information on abortion, but does not go into detail about the arguments for and against the procedure.

http://www.naral.org/
NARAL Pro Choice America maintains this site and is mostly a poltics based organization that is dedicated to preserving a woman's right to choose and to electing Pro Choice candidates into office.

http://www.ccel.us/AbortionandtheXian.toc.html
This site is an online version of a book titled "Abortion and the Christian: What Every Believer Should Know" by John Jefferson Davis, PhD. courtesy of The Evangelical Christian Library, and argues for Pro Life values.

http://www.abortioninfo.net/facts/religion.shtml
http://www.abortioninfo.net/facts/arguments1.shtml
These two links are sections of a site that provides information on the politics and religious interpretations of abortions. However, the site on religion appears to only give quotes from the Bible and the opinions of other religious denomonations that denounce abortion. The site on politics is nearly the same as it gives only the Pro Life opinions of one man. These sites allow for readers to express differing opinions in another section called "Common Arguments."

http://www.pregnantpause.org/politics/mixing.htm
This site give information on abortion as well as euthanaisa and infanticide. It lists its companion websites with links to Pro Life Science and Technology Symposium and Greene County (Ohio) Right to Life.

http://www.fwhc.org/abortion/camille.htm
Run by the Feminist Women's Health Center, this website takes a Pro Choice stance on the issue of abortion. The link above takes you to an essay by Camille Matern that follows the history of politics and abortion. At the bottom of the page, past the bibliography, there is a sentence that states "A Pro-Choice position is the middle ground. It lets you make your decision and me make mine," summing up the site's take on the issue.

http://www.afterabortion.info/hope/arti2.htm
This site is maintained and backed by the Elliot Institute, an institute that researches the effects of abortions on women with a Pro Life stance. The article linked above deals more with the after effects of abortions, rather than the issue of aborting.

http://www.crusadeforlife.org/
Crusade for Life is an evangelical organization "Protecting Families from Abortion and Euthanasia." With an obvious Pro Life agenda, the site uses passages from religious texts to support its argument.

http://www.nrlc.org/
This is the website for the National Right to Life Committee, and as such it has a Pro Life stance on abortion. The site has links to Pro Life lterature, information on various aspects of abortion, euthanasia and other issues, and political action centers.

http://www.prochoiceresources.org/
This site, as the name implies, has a Pro Choice slant. It provides reproductive health information about birth control and abortion without a political agenda.

What it's all about

The purpose of this blog is to explore the ideas and arguments of both sides of the issue of abortion.

Posits to be explored:
1. What, if any, is the causal relationship between one's religion and the likelihood of seeking/receiving an abortion or supporting a woman's right to choose?
2. What, if any, is the causal relationship between one's socioeconomic status and the likelihood of seeking/receiving an abortion or supporting the right to choose?
3. What, if any, is the causal relationship between one's political beliefs and the likelihood of seeking/receiving an abortion or supporting the right to choose?
More posits may be added later as my research into this topic progresses.

I would like to stress to my readers that I, like any other human, am bias. As a result of my humanity, I am but a comglomeration of insight, lessons, and experiences. Though I have never had personal experience with this subject, either through myself or someone I know, I have my own steadfast opinions on this topic and I will not pretend I don't. I believe strongly in a woman's right to choose whether or not she wants to have an abortion. As it stands in my mind, the issue of abortion is in two separate pieces. I believe that a government has no right to tell a woman what she can or can not do with her own body. The way I see it, whether or not a woman seeks an abortion is her own choice that can be inspired by religion, money, or anything else. If a woman has objections to this subject, then it is her right not to receive an abortion, and vice versa. My opinions on this matter have little to do with religion, as I have not been to church since I was almost 12 years old, though politics do play a role.
As you can see I am by no means an unbiased-teller-of-truth. I am simply a student seeking to learn and share.