Page 8
Another view
The article in The Collegian
on Feb 10, 1994 titled
“Critiquing Pro-Lifers” brings
up an interesting aspect of
today's society: the attitude
toward pregnant women and life
in the womb. Jeremy Sloan
describes the unkind treatment
that a pregnant teenager faces and
suggests that it might be less
painful for her to abort the child
before anyone finds out. He
blames this unkind treatment on
those who hold all life sacred.
Then Jeremy brings up the
notion of “possible harm to the
pregnant woman” by not having
the abortion.
These statements to me just
show the ignorance of society
toward pregnancy in general.
You see, I am a college student
who is pregnant with her third
child. I wish to tell Jeremy
Sloan that every woman who is
pregnant faces pain and
suffering. First there is physical
suffering: nausea, vomitting,
inability to sleep, being tired,
backaches, stretch marks and
then labor itself. Having a child
Letter
is never easy. Why do we tell
young women that it will be?
Next there is one degree of
emotional trauma—especially
with the first child. Every
woman questions what this new
child will bring. I was married
and wanted my first child, but
still the questions I had were
endless. What will the kid be
like? Can we be good parents?
Can I handle the pain of labor?
There were times that I was
scared about the future and I
cried. Wouldn't it have been
easier to take the quick way out?
The pregnant woman faces a
tidal wave of hormones that can
put her on an emotional roller
coaster. During the second
pregnancy the body adjusts much
more rapidly and the woman is
more stable. But if the woman
aborts the baby, the body never
has time to adjust The abortion
to end the emotional trauma is
self-defeating.
And third, I have suffered
abuse from others. My own
mother (brainwashed by the
world’s materialistic views) told
me that having Joseph would
ruin my life. She said that I
would never go back to college
or go anywhere with my like.
What a crock! lam pregnant
with my third child and I
managed a 3.93 GPA last
semester. Joseph has not ruined
my life but rather both of my
sons have enriched it greatly.
I suffered abuse from others as
well. I carry my babies big and
I show early in the pregnancy.
There is no hiding for me. 1
worked in a popular bookstore
with Joseph and so I was
surrounded by people asking
about my due date. When I told
them how far along I was, the
response was almost always
cruel. “You’re huge!” “Are you
having triplets?” “You poor
thing! How do you manage?” I
would go home, look in the
mirror and cry. All I could see
was fat. It was so hard to
remind myself that my growing
to the
stomach was filled with a tiny
child eager for the chance at life.
I did have a friend. Her name
was Elizabeth. Elizabeth was a
teenage mother. Her daughter
Brittany was a beautiful child
and always reminded me of an
angel. Elizabeth took the time
to encourage me. (My husband
tried but was really confused by
my mood swings.) She took off
from work to visit me while I
was in labor. My labor was 36
hours of hell. But Elizabeth
took my hand and told me that I
could make it. To this day, J am
forever grateful to Elizabeth for
believing in me.
Elizabeth was one person.
Most of society does not
encourage pregnant women in
their struggles. We are all too
busy looking out for ourselves.
How can anyone treat a young
(SHEW
pregnant woman with respect
unless we first realize that she is
carrying within her womb a
precious baby and not a “sin,”
“mistake” or “problem”?
I would argue that the abortion
movement has set all women
back. Even when you do want
the child you will get no respect
from society. When 1 tell my
story I get silenced because pro
abortionists don’t want to tell
young women the truth about
pregnancy. They don’t want
women to know the truth so
they can truly make a choice.
They say that women can never
amount to anything, can never
go anywhere in life if they have
a child. Pro-abortionists put
pressure on the woman and
humiliate her so she will have
the abortion. The pro-abortion
movement has devalued the life
of the baby and the mother.
That attitude has carried on to
the rest of society.
It has not been the church, nor
the pro-life movement that has
caused young teenagers carrying
a baby to be treated like dirt.
We give money to causes like
the Women’s Care Center in
Erie. They have just opened a
editor
home for struggling mothers
that have been abandoned by the
rest of society. I helped in the
fund-raising for another home in
Girard for pregnant women. The
women are received with
compassion and forgiveness.
They are taught about fetal
development and taught skills to
help them succeed in life,
whether they opt for adoption,
keeping the baby or having the
abortion. The pro-choice
movement claims to care about
women but has done nothing to
help them succeed regardless of
the choice that they make.
To any woman who is facing
an unplanned pregnancy, I would
suggest that you find out all of
your options and not rely on the
feelings that are distorted by the
rising tide of hormones. It’s ok
to be scared! The options for
your life are much greater than
you could ever dream possible.
When I finally got to hold my
newborn baby in my arms, it
just took my breath away. I was
stunned by the miracle of the
baby who was just a few
minutes old. Young woman,
hang in there! If you have the
courage to endure the pain, you
will And that in the end, the
sacrifice was worth it. And I can
say for certainty that things will
not be easier if you have an
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Thursday, February 24, 1994
abortion. You will think about
that child for the rest of your life
because the baby is already a part
of you. Give him or her the
chance to show you all the joys
in life! I have never regretted
having either of my sons and
neither will you regret a choice
made for life.
Shelley Gardner
6th semester
Bus Econ major
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