Issues and Events (Opinion)

Why Choice Matters by Arwen Elliott

“Fight about the things you care about, but do it in a way that others will join you.”  - Ruth Bader Ginsburg 

This matters to me so much. Choice and fighting for what you believe in is something I try to model my life around. And then I saw this law in the news one afternoon on a damp spring day. It was called the ‘Abortion Law.’ I then read more about it like one does when curious. I was horrified by what I saw. People controlling women’s bodies? Creating rules and procedures they have to follow? Letting both young and old people die? What has our country become? What has the world come to be?

But you may be asking why does this matter so much to a 12 year old girl? Because it makes me mad when prestigious, high-paid, out of touch politicians think that they can make decisions about what happens to women's bodies. That  these out of touch politicians can change the rights and freedoms we've fought over decades to protect, is so very wrong!  Women are independent thinkers, equal to men, and we deserve our own way in the world. We deserve that. We deserve at least the rights we had up to this point. And then, regardless of precedent, the Supreme Court believes they can reverse all of the progress we've made to have control over our own bodies, lives, and futures. I hope they can eventually come to realize this is wrong and educate themselves on how to make it right. This Abortion Law is horrid. Our bodies aren’t an object that can be branded or controlled. Women are living, breathing people who can think for themselves. Forcing decisions of this significance on others is just plain wrong. 

Although some men and women don't believe in abortions, that's their choice, and of course no one wants to get an abortion. Their choice to not get an abortion is something I respect deeply. They should honor their faith and not get an abortion if it would be harmful to them and/or their religion. I understand that people feel passionately about this. And even if you don’t agree, you should still listen to their thoughts and ideas. But that’s the thing. They get to choose what they believe. Everyone deserves to have their beliefs respected and their choices protected. 

I hope this piece made a difference in the way some people view this problem. I hope it’s inspired others not to wait around for the solution to show up at our doorstep. Become part of a protest or contact your local political representatives about this problem. Even getting the word out is also so valuable for the sake of the future of this country. Everyone has a role in this struggle against injustice, and now it’s your job to do something with it.