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Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Unplanned



About the Book:
Abby Johnson quit her job in October 2009. That simple act became a national news story because Abby was the director of a Planned Parenthood clinic in Texas who, after participating in her first actual abortion procedure, walked across the road to join the Coalition for Life.

Unplanned is a heart-stopping personal drama of life-and-death encounters, a courtroom battle, and spiritual transformation that speaks hope and compassion into the political controversy that surrounds this issue. Telling Abby's story from both sides of the abortion clinic property line, this book is a must-read for anyone who cares about the life versus rights debate and helping women who face crisis pregnancies.

My Comments:
I haven't read this book yet but it sounds like a real winner.  I just don't get why, for so many people, the litmus test of whether you are for women's rights, is whether you support a woman's right to kill her child.  Needless to say, I don't. Does that mean I don't support the rights of women to be equal to men in the public sphere?  Of course not.  I wonder how many abortions there would be if men had no say in that decision--in other words, I wonder how many abortions happen because the man who impregnated the woman suggests abortion as the "solution" to their problem?  I wonder how many happen because someone's father doesn't want to be embarrassed with a pregnant teenager?  I wonder how many babies wouldn't be killed every year if all the involved men said "It is your choice, you can have the baby or abort, and I'll stand behind you financially and emotionally either way".  It really would be an interesting subject to study.  Is abortion about a woman's right to choose, or about a man's ability to escape responsibility?

1 comment:

  1. "It really would be an interesting subject to study. Is abortion about a woman's right to choose, or about a man's ability to escape responsibility?"

    Really good question! It's just as convenient for the man. If there weren't abortions, the man would have to face consequences for his actions and "be a man" so to speak and help take care of the child. If we want men to have more of a role in fatherhood then we have to change our attitude about leaving it to the woman if she gets pregnant. It's both of their child but with abortion it's easier to pretend that the man has nothing to do with it and he does escape his responsibility doesn't he? And because we have a "choice" if the woman decides to keep the baby, a deadbeat dad could say, "Well, you decided to keep it so it's your responsibility. I want nothing to do with it..."

    Well, I heard about this book and I don't know if I'll be able to read it. I hope it produces a tidal wave of support though and is an agent for change. Maybe I'll have to skip the part where she witnesses the poor baby getting killed.

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