Right to Life, But is it Really?
By 
In the aftermath of Roe v Wade, I’m not here to discuss my personal views on abortion. I understand those who fervently believe that life begins at the moment of conception. I also understand those who believe that life begins when the fetus is old enough to be viable outside of the womb.
What I don’t understand is why the overturning of Roe v Wade is equated with Right to Life. It would better be described as the Right to be a viable fetus, or the Right to be born. But once birth has occurred, what quality of life is the child entitled to?
When rights morph into responsibilities, who is being protected?
And who is responsible for this life? In the case of traditional married couples, responsibility is shared between the husband and wife: the man and the woman. But in the majority of unwanted pregnancies, the single mother is left with responsibility for this life.
In the case of incest or rape, some states offer rights to the fetus, but the perpetrator has more rights than the victimized mother. And sadly, the new baby is born into the right to an unwanted life, knowing that his mom was raped.
Furthermore, where the father is known or suspected, there is no legal mandate for paternity tests or child support. As a result, for 18 years, the mother, and very often her parents have the right, or should I say responsibility, to provide for this child.
We are not only dealing with income inequality here, we are dealing with gender inequality. A male-dominated Supreme Court has rendered a decision with a female-dominated burden.
Adding to the hypocrisy, well-to-do folks have in the past, and will continue to drive or fly across borders to deny the unborn the right to be born.
Our system of government guarantees life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. But for whom?
written by Amy Bryant, Safety Harbor resident blogger
Author of You Can Go Home Again
Thank you Rhea and GIsela for your supportive remarks.
Oh, Amy – great comments and insights. I have often wondered why the fathers of these unborn children who many times have such an uncertain future ahead of them, is rarely held responsible. Yes, what does that tell you??
And that’s ust one aspect of the “Right to Life” movement. Thank you, Amy,
Thank you for the blog.
Yes, Paul, adoption is a solution for some, but according to USA Today, “Adoption can be a traumatic experience, particularly for children adopted by parents of a different race or ethnicity.” Across the board, we’re dealing with a very complex issue. Thank you for your comment.
Amy, there are currently an estimated 2 million couples in the US waiting to adopt. It seems like there’s no shortage of people willing to take responsibility for the babies whose lives are saved. Does this address your concerns?