President Obama's statement on Roe v Wade anniversary

[ProSense]

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 22, 2014


Statement by the President on Roe v. Wade Anniversary

Today, as we reflect on the 41st anniversary of the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade, we recommit ourselves to the decision’s guiding principle: that every woman should be able to make her own choices about her body and her health. We reaffirm our steadfast commitment to protecting a woman’s access to safe, affordable health care and her constitutional right to privacy, including the right to reproductive freedom. And we resolve to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies, support maternal and child health, and continue to build safe and healthy communities for all our children. Because this is a country where everyone deserves the same freedom and opportunities to fulfill their dreams.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/01/22/1271646/-President-Obama-s-statement-on-Roe-v-Wade-anniversary

[SidDithers]

1. DU rec...nt

Sid

[frazzled]

2. The operative sentence is actually the last one

"everyone deserves the same freedom and opportunities to fulfill their dreams."

That means young women, for whatever personal reasons they may have, must be allowed to pursue the futures they want for themselves, unconstrained by society's demand that they bring an unwanted pregnancy to completion. Women are "human life," too, and they have the right to pursue their lives as they see fit, in private.

[theHandpuppet]

3. Well said!

Thanks much!

[jeff47]

4. Minor nit to pick

That means young women, for whatever personal reasons

Should just be "women", IMO.

"Young women" reinforces the stereotype that women getting abortions don't already have children. That is the basis for things like forced ultrasound and other "counseling" programs - the young woman just doesn't understand there is a baby in there!!

60% of women who get abortions already have kids. They are well aware of what's going on in there. (The remaining 40% are not so stupid that they don't realize what's going on in there.)

Women, regardless of their age and current family composition, have the right to pursue their lives as they see fit, in private.

[frazzled]

5. Totally agreed

With the proviso: everyone of childbearing age seems "young" to me, now that I am nearing official senior age!

I completely concur with you, however. I was already 23 years old by the time Roe v Wade was decided. The thought of getting pregnant before that was, of course, a terror. I was lucky not to have become pregnant, and I was married at 24. We chose not to have a child for another 7 years (well, actually 6, but I had a miscarriage the first pregnancy). I would have had a child had an accident occurred before that, but since it didn't, I won't speculate.

It was only after my second child that the thought of having an abortion not only crossed my mind but felt imperative me. Our first child was hearing impaired and needed lots of attention; our second child was the baby from hell who screamed night and day for the first year, and thus also needed a lot of attention (he's been an angel for the last 28 years!). We also didn't have a ton of money. I thought at that point that I absolutely could not have more children, either emotionally or financially. I also thought it would be unfair to the two I had. I further wanted to begin on the path to reentering a life of my own, as more than just a mother. I decided that if I were to become pregnant accidentally, it would be my firm and unquestioned decision to terminate the pregnancy.

It never happened, but nearly three decades later, I would still stand by my plan at that time, despite the 40 years of wonderful marriage to the same man and two wonderful adult children. I'm about to become a grandparent soon!

[jeff47]

6. Congrats on the grandbaby! (nt)

[PowerToThePeople]

7. It is a VERY strong sentence

And can also be used in the fight against inequality

"everyone deserves the same freedom and opportunities to fulfill their dreams."