Planned Parenthood

Planned Parenthood has been in the news a lot recently.  Unless you're living under a rock you've seen the undercover videos which depict a rather heartless view of PP.  There are people talking about harvesting baby organs and crushing their bodies.  There are videos showing a pretty cavalier attitude regarding harvesting baby body parts for sale.  All in all it's pretty disturbing.

But like lots of things in our media, it's difficult to figure out where the truth lies.  The organization that did the undercover work are being attacked.  The defenders of PP are coming to the rescue.  The pro-life zealots are demanding action.  Congress is making noises about defunding the organization.  It's a mess!  George Will has an article that provides a pretty good overview of the situation.  You can read it here.  But of course he has a particular perspective.  Take it or leave it.  Or go find someone who you agree with.  But it's pretty hard for me to come up with a justifiable position on this.  

Abortion is a dicey subject.  Ever since Roe v Wade, it has been legal.  Okay.  I don't really agree with the decision in that I don't see it as a right codified in the Constitution.  But like other decisions, it is what it is.  No going back.  Of course, the problem is that some people turn into zealots.  They see only their position.  There is no middle ground for many.

For me...the older I get I guess I just see life as more and more precious.  Not something to be easily sucked away.  No matter what the reason.  I've evolved to the point that I agree with Bubba.  I believe abortion should be SAFE, LEGAL, and RARE.  I hate the idea of abortion.  But I am smart enough to know that sometimes it's the best choice.  But it should be an agonizing choice.  Not a birth control choice.  There are other aspects of this whole thing that make it difficult...very difficult.   One of those is the issue of "viability".  When can a baby live after being born.  There are general rules and then there are cases, miracles really, of baby's living after being born extremely premature.   For me, when it looks, acts, and breathes like a human being, sucking it's brain out to kill it just because it's a baby is barbaric.  Simple as that.  Another is is the issue of the detection that something is wrong with the baby.  When is the decision to abort in that case okay.  I guess in those and other cases I come down on the side of the parents, and really the mother.  Like I've said on many issues, general stereotyping is dangerous.  In these cases, all you can do is look at individual circumstances and support the decision of the woman.

Now...what happens to PP.  I think nothing.  The politicians will bloviate.  The anti-aborttion zealots will demand defunding which won't happen.  The pro-abortion zealots will continue to harp on the fantasy called the "war on women".  It will all recede from the front pages.  The media will move on. And we will continue to kill an unprecedented number of babies.