National Campus Life Network

By Rebecca Richmond, Executive Director

To be honest, I’m not surprised by the news that aid ends up supporting organizations that perform abortions, even where abortions are illegal.  It’s terrible, but not surprising.

These organizations are motivated by a concern for the well-being and the safety of women in difficult circumstances.  But sentiment is not the same as doing what is right.

Yes, women do die from illegal abortions, and we can all agree that illegal abortions are terrible.  Illegal abortions are not safe for women.  (I would argue that legal abortions are also not safe for women.)  But every abortion, whether illegal or legal, is not safe for the child.  Some women, desperate and afraid, die from illegal abortions, but babies die regardless of the legality of the act.  I hate what some illegal abortions do to women, but I hate more what all abortions do to their children.

So instead of making the murder of one party safer for the other, these organizations should provide the support these desperate women need to make decisions that both parties can live with.

This post was written for uOttawa Students For Life by uOttawa Students For Life. It does not necessarily represent the views of NCLN.

by Marissa Poisson

A couple of days ago, the topic of abortion came up in conversation and I decided to reveal my pro-life views. The acquaintance I was speaking with shared with me that someone she knows had an abortion last week. As I listened to her describe the woman’s circumstances, I could certainly agree that they were less than ideal for welcoming a child. Apparently, the woman didn’t want to have an abortion but, among other things, didn’t feel she could afford a newborn. There are as many different situations as there are women facing an unplanned pregnancy but, really, what woman wants to have an abortion? As Frederica Mathewes-Green wrote:

“For the question remains, do women want abortion? Not like she wants a Porsche or an ice cream cone. Like an animal caught in a trap, trying to gnaw off its own leg, a woman who seeks an abortion is trying to escape a desperate situation by an act of violence and self-loss. Abortion is not a sign that women are free, but a sign that they are desperate.” (http://www.feministsforlife.org/FFL_topics/after/rtnwrfmg.htm)

The conversation left me saddened and outraged. I am saddened because of the loss of life, of course, and for this woman, who will never be able to terminate her memories of the abortion. I also find it outrageous that abortion seems to be the only clear choice that caring, compassionate Canada has to offer desperate women. A choice is not a choice if you only have one option. A woman who says she’d like to have her baby but feels overwhelmed by seemingly insurmountable challenges needs help, not an abortion. We need to eliminate the obstacles the mother faces, not her child.

Read the comments at the uOttawa Students For Life website.