Its time for another survey. This week's questionnaire comes from none other than Planned Parenthood. Given my strong social and fiscally conservative attitudes, I was surprised to find that I did agree with a couple of their questions.
Before we get to those though, here is the vision statement of Planned Parenthood's organization:
Now, lets review our survey:
1. The first question is in regards to requiring kids to be taught age-appropriate information about contraception and abstinence.
My Response: Surprisingly I found myself agreeing with this statement. I believe that sexual relationships are something that are best shared in marriage. My wife and I will be having our first birds-and-bees discussion with our 7 year old daughter here in a few months. We will not be talking about contraception (hopefully) but talking to our daughter about the special and private nature of her body. Given our faith and moral values, we will be teaching our daughter the virtues of abstinence. However, as she gets older, it will become important for her to know the realities of preventing pregnancy as she comes closer to adulthood and begins to make important decisions for herself. However, not every child comes from a family with conservative moral values. Nor does every child choose to listen to parents who espouse those values. Therefore, I believe that AGE APPROPRIATE education on abstinence and contraception would be beneficial to our young adults.
2. The second question should be reworded. It should read "Will you give Planned Parenthood more money?"
My Response: My answer is no.
3. The third question asked whether I would support forcing insurers to cover prescription contraception like they are forced to cover other drugs.
My response: Why is government forcing private business to provide specific products to its clients in the first place? If we wonder why our premiums are high, this may be the first place to look. If people want an insurance company to provide coverage for a specific drug, perhaps they can cancel their policy with the company that doesn't provide that coverage. The same goes for contraception.
4. The fourth question asks whether I support educating and promoting "emergency" contraception.
My response: No. This gets back to pushing the perception that there are no consequences to our actions.
5. The fifth question asks if I support minors secretly receiving contraceptives, abortions, and STD testing.
My response: Absolutely not. This kind of policy is an open affront to the family and subverts the governance that occurs in the household. Minors have no right to privacy. If minors can't legally sign a binding contract due to age, how in the world can we expect them to make life altering decisions about their bodies and the bodies of the unborn? This proposal is complete folly.
6. The sixth question asks if I support a doctor and woman choosing the most healthy way to terminate a pregnancy.
My response: While the thought of a mother willingly terminating the life of her unborn child is repulsive to me, the law of our land still gives her the right to chose such a course. Therefore, I do support the doctor and woman in being able to choose the most appropriate way to pursue such a course.
7. "Do you support a minors access to confidential abortion services?"
My response: NO! (See question 5.)
Mr. Peterson, please note that that last question completely leaves the father out of the picture. Many men who truly want to step up and be dads have that opportunity stolen from them when they are taken out of the loop in the decision. (Yet another assault on the rights of fathers.) Furthermore, many times the alleged "right to choose" is deliberately undermined by the very doctors and pregnancy counselors who "help" the mother make "the RIGHT decision." Scare and pressure tactics (sometimes subtle, but very effective) are used on (usually young) women in an emotionally vulnerable state by people who make an obscene profit performing abortions.
ReplyDeleteAnd how about the unborn Americans? Don't babies have the same unalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness that the rest of us do? (Not to mention the rights granted by the Constitution...)
As a solidly pro-life voter I encourage you to review the facts and re-think your answer.
Mr. Dante,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comments. Just to clarify, I think you are referring to question #6 instead of question #7.
I am not disputing anything that you have said.
It is unfortunate in our day that abortion is viewed as a sensible way to rid oneself of the inconvenience of childbirth.
Keep in mind the question did not ask if I believe abortion should be legal or not. I would prefer that it were not. However, I do not believe, given the will of the people and the divisive nature of this issue, that an attempt to outlaw it under present circumstances would be a successful venture by any means.
For this reason, rather than focusing on reducing the supply of abortions through legal abolition, I believe the state can focus on reducing demand for abortion through education and the promotion of adoption as a preferred alternative.
If people are taught and understand the virtues of life and the special responsibility given to each of us in its creation, I believe that abortion will become a much less desirable alternative to childbirth...regardless of its legal status.