Roe
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Audio Recording by George Hahn
Florida is now one of the most restrictive states in the country for abortion rights: The state’s supreme court reversed its own precedents on April 1 and upheld a ban on abortions after six weeks. Women in Florida, as in many states after the reversal of Roe v. Wade, now face harsh limits on their fundamental rights.
The same day, the court also allowed a proposal enshrining abortion rights in Florida’s constitution to appear on the ballot this November. There is a good chance it will pass, but it will be close — 60% will have to approve the amendment, and last fall, a poll found 62% of voters planned to vote for it. Nationwide, between 60% and 80% of Americans support a woman’s right to choose, depending on how the question is asked. The rest of the world is expanding the right of women to decide when and how they get pregnant and give birth. Yet in many states, a minority of Americans continue to impose their views on the rest of us. I say “us” because while this right is unique to women, it affects all of us. The right to terminate an unwanted pregnancy changed the course of my life, and my mother’s, even though I didn’t understand it at the time.
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An earlier version of this post was originally published on October 12, 2018.
“D and What?”
On a late summer afternoon, between my junior and senior years of high school, I was in the passenger seat of my mom’s lime-green Opel Manta on the way home from work. Mom had secured me a job in the mailroom of her employer, the Southwestern School of Law, where she managed the secretarial pool, and we carpooled back and forth. Headed west on I-10 (the Santa Monica Freeway), between the La Brea and Fairfax exits, she told me about her plans for later in the week.
“I’m having a procedure called a D&C on Wednesday and won’t be home that night. Are you fine to stay alone?”
I was 16, and only really heard the part of her question suggesting I wasn’t old enough to spend the night solo in our condo. “Yeah, sure.” I didn’t ask what a D&C was, but I had the sense it had something to do with the great unknown, women’s health, and didn’t ask for details. My mom likely wanted to have a meaningful conversation with me, but that didn’t happen. Meaningful dialogue with teenage boys happens … just not when you expect. The question must have found some purchase in my consciousness, as I remember exactly what I was wearing: brown Levi’s corduroys, a Bruce Springsteen concert T-shirt, and top-siders. Not Sperry top-siders, but knockoffs. A pair of real Sperrys cost $32.
I was 16, my mom 46. I loved her because she loved me, completely. But that’s not what this post is about. I also loved the U.S. because it, too, loved us — me and my mom — completely. My mother was a single immigrant raising her son on a secretary’s salary. But this isn’t a sob story. We had good lives. Sure, money was definitely a thing, but we lived in a nice place and took vacations to Niagara Falls and San Francisco, ate at Junior’s Deli every Sunday night, and went some weekends to the beach in Santa Monica, where parking was $2 for the whole day, just behind lifeguard station No. 9.
Our nation welcomed my mother with open arms. Despite her having no education or money, we helped her out in between jobs and loaned her money so she could go to night school and become a stenographer. The state of California loved her son: The vision and generosity of the regents of UCLA and California’s taxpayers gave her unremarkable son (this isn’t a humblebrag, I was seriously unimpressive) a remarkable opportunity. I received a world-class education at little cost: UCLA (my B.A.) and UC Berkeley (an MBA) for a total cost (tuition) of $7,000 for all seven years.
More than just affordable, it was accessible: UCLA had a 76% admissions rate when I applied, and Berkeley’s Haas School of Business accepted me with an undergraduate GPA of (no joke) 2.27. America is about the opportunities it provides the unremarkable, not the manufacture of a superclass of billionaires from the pool of preordained remarkables.
But the ultimate expression of our nation’s empathy and love for a single mother, in my view, was to grant, and protect, her domain over her reproductive system. In the U.S., 59% of women getting abortions are already moms. Twenty-four percent are Catholic, 17% mainline Protestant, 13% evangelical Protestant. Over a third of pregnancies in the U.S. are unintended.
Men and women create unwanted pregnancies. However, it’s often men’s lack of manhood that’s behind abortions. Half of women seeking an abortion cite the lack of a reliable partner as a reason for their choice. In many cases the partner is abusive. Among all abortion patients, 95% report that abortion was a good choice — they remain relieved several months after the procedure. Violence toward women declines precipitously after an abortion, because they can break ties with their abusers. The leading cause of death for women who are pregnant or have just given birth, by a factor of 2x, is homicide.
Alt Control
What is going on here? In my view, it has nothing to do with “life,” as the most staunch advocates of the “pro-life” movement are the first to advocate for cutting the child tax credit, executing criminals, or putting a pregnant woman in danger when a pregnancy becomes a health risk. Many argue that these folks are not obsessed with life, but birth. This also misses the mark — the same groups do not favor economic policies that would encourage people to have children. This is about control or, more specifically, retaking control and power back from women.
I write a lot about how far young men have fallen in America over the past several decades. Even more striking is the ascent of women, globally, over the same period. Women now outnumber men in tertiary education enrollment worldwide; and the number of women elected to parliamentary positions has doubled since 1990. Women’s wealth is growing faster than overall wealth. A static feature of a modern economy is women outpacing men in education and income growth.
However, this has stirred the ghoul that haunts the world … posing a greater threat to society than any autocrat or virus: extremism. The parabolic progress of women over the past several decades has inspired a gag reflex among the most conservative wings of many religions. The radical wings of Christian, Islamic, and Jewish sects have weaponized politics and blurred the lines between religion and legislation. In America, where there used to be a sharp distinction, as outlined in the Constitution, we’ve witnessed a first: the rollback of citizens’ rights with the overturn of Roe.
The backlash among Christian nationalists has been speedballed by the other great threat: loneliness. Two-thirds of women under the age of 30 have a romantic partner vs. just one-third of men the same age. Men have fewer friends than they once did. Unfortunately, men’s loneliness can turn toxic, as they have weaker social networks and consequent guardrails. Lonely young men are more prone to conspiracy theories, nationalism, and misogynistic content. In sum, they risk becoming shitty citizens. The most striking, and frightening, data re the abortion debate is the group that registers the least support for a women’s right to choose: Gen Z men (age 12 to 27). Do you think this reflects their love for the unborn, or resentment of the living (women) … who they feel shunned by? It’s simple: Radicalized and lonely American men want uppity women to sit down.
The weapon of choice among these groups is economic warfare. To deny someone bodily autonomy is analogous to defunding them; they lose power. The Turnaway Study followed 1,000 women who sought abortions (some successfully, some not), compiling over 8,000 interviews over five years. The women in the study who were denied an abortion on average had higher debt and a greater risk of bankruptcy, and they were more likely to be in poverty years after giving birth.
2nd Order
How did you get to where you are now? People tell themselves a story that credits their character and grit for success, while blaming outside forces for their failures. But small twists of fate, errant decisions, and sheer randomness put you in this place, at this moment. I’m in tech because I fell in love with a woman and followed her to the Haas School of Business — I’d initially enrolled at the University of Texas. It’s more likely, graduating in 1992 Austin, I would have ended up in the energy sector or back in banking vs. the clear and present choice of tech in (wait for it) Silicon Valley.
But going further back, if my mom, at 46, hadn’t had access to affordable family planning, our lives would have been changed dramatically. Not only did we lack the funds or connections to figure it out (a rich friend who knew a doctor or the resources to travel far and have the procedure), but we also didn’t have the confidence. Just as I didn’t apply to out-of-state colleges — only rich kids did that. A lower-middle-class household headed by a single parent, neither remarkable, puts both of you on your heels instead of your toes.
If Roe v. Wade hadn’t been the law of the land, things could have been much different for me and my mom. An unwanted child at 46 would have been financially ruinous for our household. There was no maternity leave for secretaries in the eighties. I likely would have done what my father and mother did when their families were in financial distress, and left school to help out. I wouldn’t have enrolled at UCLA. Instead, I would have stayed in the job my father had secured for me after high school, installing shelving at $18/hour — a lot of money for us at the time.
Without my mom having that choice, there would have been no UCLA, no Berkeley grad school, no tech startups, no tens of millions in taxes paid, and … fewer children. I have always been worried about money and did not especially want kids. There’s no way I’d have opted for kids, later in life, if financially strained. We see evidence of this today, as a younger generation is having fewer children because they can’t afford them. My mom’s right to choose not to have a child she couldn’t afford gave me the choice to have children I could. All unbeknownst to me, at 16 years of age.
America is a mix of opportunity and acceptance, each being a force multiplier for the other. The reversal of Roe is about extremists and people who feel shunned trying to recapture control from a group that’s increasingly less suppliant to religion or men. The result is a lack of prosperity and a dangerous regression in the U.S., which used to illuminate a path forward for other nations. The suppression of abortion rights is yet another transfer of wealth from the poor to the rich — no child of a private equity partner is going to lose her right to choose. The economic assault against women, specifically poor women and their families, cripples opportunity and acceptance. It is wrong and un-American.
Life is so rich,
P.S. This week on the Prof G Pod I spoke with journalist Fareed Zakaria. My last conversation with Fareed is our most popular episode ever. Listen to the latest here.
P.P.S. Join Section’s free Intro to AI lecture to get your hands dirty with generative AI. You’ll learn prompting tips, use cases, and workflow audits in one hour.
If anyone watched Bill Mahr on Real Time last week, he admitted that you have to be honest with the abortion debate and acknowledge abortion is murder. (scientifically it is so)
He is fine with it because of overpopulation. Though, as a society, we need to reckon with whether or not we are OK with allowing murder and it being a subjective choice based on one’s circumstance.
Very thoughtful post. And, for me, sad (it’s a long story). But at the risk of being incinerated on the spot, here goes: In 70 + years I’ve swung between being a total abortion opponent to the following: every woman should be eligible for two state funded abortions – anytime, anywhere. But after the 2nd abortion they will get their tubes tied (I know, harsh). Where am I now? Time will tell. IMHO, Roe was always a really bad law. Of course, depending on Congress to pass a reasonable law will never happen because of Reasons.
This hit home. Less than a year after Roe v. Wade became the law of the land, I found that I was pregnant at 23. I had just started a great career, and one night I went out and partied myself into bed with, obviously disastrous results. Having watched members of my family lose their ability to make choices, and control their destinies because of an unwanted pregnancy, I made what for me was a hard, but necessary decision. It changed the trajectory of my life.
There but for the Grace of God go I. This must be an absolute heart wrenching decision.
I do believe that there should be a fund available for all those below a certain income level who cannot access an abortion. Everyone is quick to want the child to live, but forgets very quickly what kind of a life the child has to live often in abusive circumstances (either physical or substance abuse). There needs to be a whole welfare network set up so that children born in these circumstances have the type of life that is envisioned by those who vote for them to be born. In other words, these children must have access to a stable home, food, proper education and a supportive community.
Hi, I am a long time listener, a former student of yours at Stern, and I take a lot your business advice and practiced them at my business here in NYC. I just finished listened to this column regarding Roe and was taken aback by your notion that the opposition to abortion came from a place of wanting to control of women. My wife and I, both of us MBAs (hers at Columbia, mine, see above), and raising two boys ourselves, oppose abortion on the grounds that it violates two moral foundations, popularized by your colleague Johnathan Haidt (and my business ethics professor): Care/Harm and Sanctity/Degradation. Care and harm of not harming the weakest and most vulnerable which is a unborn child and making something as sacred as “Thou shall not murder”, the most fundamental value that underpins society, into a subjective choice or a right. Based on those moral foundations, we view abortion as a terrible tragedy, necessary in the most awful situation (rape, incest, health of the mother) and nothing to do with “controlling uppity women”. (I’m surrounded by them, believe me)
My question is: have you seen the abortion debate in this perspective and what are your thoughts on it?
Interesting post Scott as always. What I don’t understand about the abortion argument in states that have complete bans, is why do the WOMEN in those states allow it? Women in those states have to be at least 50% of the voters? It would seem that the majority of women in those states support the ban, which is also their right. And yes, that is unfortunate and unfair for the minority of women, many of whom might be poor, and no longer have access to reproductive support. But something is also happening with those WOMEN that I don’t think can be attributed to males being lonely. They have their own agency. Perhaps your next post?
Thank you!
Fatal flaw in your argument is to say that “it has nothing to do with “life,”. It makes your bias very clear. What Christian friends who are Pro-Life have you even spoken to about this to have an honest discussion rather than just fanning the flames of division and blaming everything on a different issue of white-males being the rejected social class of the 2020’s.
Both can be true, but you oversimplify it to push a narrative rather than have real conversations.
I enjoy reading your content even when its biased so long as its not harmful to people groups. This one I can’t say that about. It reads like “I have that one black friend so I know everything about their opinions”.
Excellent overall analysis
I’m so sad for your little brother. Or sister, speaking of women.
Rest in peace.
This is exactly what I hope to see from more men. Thank you for having the cojones to speak openly, vulnerably, and rationally on this issue.
It’s telling that every woman in the comments is thanking you, and that your detractors seem to see this as some kind of theoretical issue, and particularly one that doesn’t seem to factor in the pregnant person into the equation.
Thank you for practicing what you preach; defending the human rights of women is a boble exercise of masculinity that ought to be lauded.
Please check out the website, preconcievedfilm.com, of an award-winning documentary about crisis pregnancy centers who are the foot soldiers of the anti-abortion movement.
@Heather, you misspelled the name of the website/film about crisis pregnancy centers. It’s https://www.preconceivedfilm.com/ Thanks so much for bringing this to our attention.
Kind of turned into your own sympathy story. I find it fascinating that libs want women to have the freedom to choose, but in the same breath tell them exactly what is good for them.
Kind of knew it wouldn’t take more than a couple of posts to turn this into a Maga hate-fest.
Women must also take responsibilty for their actions. Your truth serum might go a little dry if you searched for how many females are habitual clinic patients. Be honest with yourselves, first and foremost.
i am a child of holocaust survivors. i attended UCSF ,less than $1000/year tuition. what a deal.
i recently finished reading “displaced person”
i think you would enjoy this book
i enjoy reading your stuff, almost always
thanks
Thanks Scott – our family was just impacted by this last week, and we were lucky to have people and services that support us here in SG – and that we encountered those that understood the situation and how to give support, love, care and empathy. As you rightly say, this truly is an issue that we must give support – not judgement – in cases where healthcare and reproductive rights cause huge impacts on a personal and community level. I am grateful for your words and leadership on this subject and as a man in a house full of 5 women, they are as well.
Extreme polarization due to radical political thinking and religious bigotry is not conducive to a truly functional egalitarian society ! The” MAGA “ crowd is an extreme radical , white superior , misogynistic anti democratic anti civil group with no positive ideas for making the country “ great” !! The true effective change will come in November when their shenanigans are exposed and their so called “ leader “ go to jail ! Cheers.
I almost always agree with you – but not so much this time.
It is unfair to assume pushback on abortion is more about male inferiority and the desire to dominate women than concern about life. The vast majority of the public supports contraception. The issue, be it unintended or not, is defining life. No matter your reasons for supporting abortion – there has to be an intentional determination about when a fetus becomes a human being. In turn, that informs the practice of abortion as either a minor outpatient procedure or taking the life of a child. That is as fundamental to society as improving the status of lonely, aimless young men. Further – Roe had to be overturned. The Constitution does not contemplate abortion. Since the issue is so hotly contested, the body politic should decide the issue rather than twelve unelected judges.
Finally, as you point out regularly, luck (fate?) plays an under apprectiated role in all of our lives. You presume your life turned out better due in part to the choices you were able to make and in part to your mother’s access to abortion. Who knows – you may have attended school in Austin and helped invent/fund the next great source of clean energy. I submit that the access to family planning your mother had was only one factor among a multitude of planned and random events leading up to who you are today. Cheers.
Your article was inspiring!
DemLabs created this online calculator to add up the cost of being forced to travel out of state for an abortion. Overlaid with the poverty level by county to see how many women and girls would be hurt by MAGA forced birth policies. And the Senators, Congressional reps and Governors responsible for the cruel policies in that state. The app is intended to help hold MAGA religious extremists accountable for their cruelty.
StoryMap: https://thedemlabs.org/2024/04/06/cost-of-traveling-out-of-state-for-an-abortion-calculator/
Calculator: https://form.jotform.com/240961599966073
This was an amazing read. And so, so true. Thank you.
Three points your post.
First – you love the US and California because it loved you back. It loved you back because it was a country ran by the Greatest Gen who fought Commies & Nazis and put Big Business in their place. Now we are operated by Nasty Boomers Locust that admire ex-Commies, Nazis and sold out to Big Business.
Second – Envy beats Greed. Is a big feature of failing societies and cultures and spreading here fast. What do you think powers MAGA?.
Finally – the good news is the main power push for all these changes is coming from dying soon Envious Self Righteous Baby Boomer and older GenXrs channelling their inner Alex P Keaton like Alito and Leonard Leo that are ardent integralist catholics. Integralist catholics want to put the pope back in control over politics, and they love boys lol, which goes into another point -where are these sick bastards pedophiles going to get the kids to molest like in Ireland and Chile if there are no orphanages full of unwanted kids.
I usually don’t comment on things but damn. This is so clear and true I just had to thank you. I am a former US immigrant who now lives overseas. This thick haze of male and conservative discontent has been building up for years and it’s sad to see how far its reach has gone…. It’s one of the main reasons I moved overseas and I feel very lucky to have done so. I hope the folks that need some understanding read this … fingers crossed?
Really excellent post and bang on the money about the causes of the bigotry surrounding the ongoing assaults on women’s rights. Sad to see how many of your commenters remain unpersuaded; usually men, rather proving at least one of your points.
Scott, as usual, your post is thoughtful, informative and well-written. Thanks for having the courage to do it.
Love your Podcasts and posts as well as the points made in this article about why women terminate pregnancies and the fight for control of women. As an OB-Gyn I would say that at 46, your mom more likely had a D&C for abnormal bleeding in the perimenopause which is very common. Same procedure to diagnose and treat those issues as an abortion for the most part (a little different but same title). Unless she told you she had an abortion, there is no way to know why she had a D&C. However, if she had an abortion, I am glad that was an option. Pregnancies at that age, if they don’t spontaneously miscarry as most would, are very risky for both moms and fetuses. Most people who do not practice obstetrics have no idea what goes into these decisions and how much anguish sometimes occurs in the process of making them. So many pro-lifers are only pro-lifers in specific situations. Keep doing what you are doing.
Your weakest dispatch in a while. Sounds like you didn’t have anything worth writing about, and so relied on the same tired UCLA/Haas/$7k/Secretary imagery (only now enhanced with all new Bonus Immigrant Status!) in search of some timely point. Missed. On both counts. Neither timely nor a point. For a guy who relishes poking one-sided extremist echo chambers, it’s surprising how oblivious you are to the one you’re currently striking. one remarkably lacking in nuance or opposition. Wowzers. Here’s a thought: Next time you’re empty of timely ideas, simply say less. Give yourself a richly deserved week off. Just cause it’s friday, doesn’t mean you have a point. No Malice. Keep up the otherwise very good work.
You seem like a guy with an even bigger axe to grind, which is ironic as I don’t ever recall reading something worthwhile from you.
Thanks Prof., your insightful article was enlightening; perhaps the male contributor to the un aborted child should be made to equally care for the child both physically and economically (or face prison).
Another excellent, thoughtful post. Thank you.
Thanks Prof., your insightful article was enlightening; perhaps the male contributor to the un aborted child should be made to equally care for the child both physically and economically (or face prison).
Sometimes you are spot on, not this time. The preaching by a non believer like you is tiresome.
Thanks Scott for your spot-on post…
Thank you. I love the many unexpected turns your argument takes and the illuminating insights. I feel hesitant to focus on one trivial detail but the D&C that your mother underwent at age 46 was not necessarily an abortion, unless she told you it was at some point. D&C’s are done for several reasons, both diagnostic and therapeutic. At age 46 she might have had abnormal bleeding and her gynecologist may have recommended the D&C to rule out a neoplasm. Of course, an abortion is often listed on an operating room schedule as a D&C. It’s ambiguous as far as the purpose is concerned.
I liked the post. But have never been any good at math re: “Two-thirds of women under the age of 30 have a romantic partner vs. just one-third of men the same age.” Are half of the womens’ romantic partners over 30, same sex, or with men that don’t think of the relationship as romantic?
Had the same reaction- are the women dating older men?
Thank you Scott–for the personal story and for connecting it to the universal. If we don’t have basic control over our bodies, there is no freedom. And these rules (like so many) have the not-so-apparent impact of oppressing particular groups of people. Personal and religious values are fine…..up to the place where they also enforce rules on others.
People need to learn to make good decisions!
Bad decisions cause bad things to happen…if you choose to have unprotected sex then reap what you sew!
Thank you for bolstering the argument that men who duck out on their parental obligations should be herded into labor camps to pay for their offspring.
“sow”. Unless you’ve been doing some fine needlework and not reading your bible.
It’s incredible that someone can read an article like this and still post a comment like yours. God forbid that you should ever be persuaded, coerced or make a mistake that will lead you to a potentially life threatening situation, or life long impoverishment for you and someone you have no choice but to take responsibility for. But that wouldn’t happen if you’re a man. People do need to learn to make good decisions, and one of those would be when they have a right to decide how other people live their lives.
Because no woman ever got raped, or plied with alcohol/drugs, or plain buffaloed at a weak moment, right? And all those men stepped up and provided for their new happy families, right? Attitudes like yours are the reason many distrust/dislike religious conservatives spouting their “holier than thou” dribble.
When all those who believe an ovum is a life stop eating eggs for breakfast, they will get a moral leg to stand upon. Until then, shut up and work on your veganism.
I enjoy your articles and insight although I frequently disagree with you.
This is another disagreement. How you framed your “should abortion be legal?” question as “should a lawmaker decide or…?” is clearly disingenuous phrasing so congrats on that move.
I’d say…so instead of having a living 1/2 brother you ended up with a great tech career.
Does anything about that resonate with you?
I appreciated your article. It’s another example of how one seemingly small choice can have significant results, (Frost’s poem of “two paths diverged in a yellow woods and I took the one less traveled by and that has made all the difference). The loneliness of young men and the haunting search for power seems to.capture the imagination and energy of those who are mesmerized by the hollow promises of those who cannot make good on their promises!
Being pro-life is all about evangelical Christians foisting their beliefs on everybody else. If it was up to religious conservatives all contraception would be illegal. An old college history professor once defined a Puritan as: a person who was terrified that somebody, somewhere was having a good time.
Wow. Now that is deep. ^
One doesn’t have to be evangelical to be pro life!
It’s a choice that I have decides on my own accord to follow… I am neither a Christian or evangelical
Wonderful insight, Scott. When you lose control over your body, you just become another vulnerable person. Many women I’ve known have had D&Cs and, in some cases, an abortion. These decisions were not made easily but, in some cases, necessary ,such as sexual assault. There are certain freedoms that we have to maintain, or we become a very destructive society.
more attacks on women, discussions re: USSC repeal of birth control decision, and a minister promoting the idea of removing women’s right to vote. On the flip side, as an old submarine sailor, I’m happy to see women now on submarines. Feature this, 16 officers in the wardroom on an American submarine, 10 of the officers are women! (Source: Naval Submarine League Submarine Review March 2024) The Navy CNO is a woman and is not a “ring knocker” (source: Naval Institute Proceedings Naval Review issue 2024) (A “ring knocker” is Navy slang for a Naval Academy Graduate). The question is Why is the Navy enlisting more women for submarine duty? Simple, more women stem college graduates than men, more women college graduates than men duh! You go LADIES!!!
I gonna take a guess you have no faith component in your life.
If he does, be happy that he’s not trying to foist it on you.
I really appreciate this vulnerability and open communication about everything. I had to let a pregnancy go. It was not working out and it was with a partner who was emotionally abusive and I have no regrets.
You need to examine your morals, ethics, and humanity. There is never an excuse for killing babies except in the most extreme circumstances! And those circumstances do not include the whims and irresponsible behavior of individuals who lack morals, ethics, and respect for humanity.
So interesting that all the comments piping up against abortion are men (at least judging by screen names.) I think that speaks volumes.
Well spotted – but lets not make the mistake to believe that this speaks for all men, and thus increase the divide.
Likely those challenging the arguments made by Scott belong to the 10-20% of men that feel challenged by this article – and rightfully so. The “other 80-90%” of men wants to move forward, not backwards, and I hope we dare to speak up more about with the help of Scott logic. At least I will.
Absolutely wonderful post. Your story demonstrates the real life issues that women face every day. BTW George Carlin did a wonderful skit on abortion that actually raised several of the points in your article. (however he was a lot funnier!) Thank you for sharing!
Roe was an argument fabricated on a bogus read of the 14th amendment. Letting the states decide puts it back where it belongs. Women can vote in the states where they live, can’t they?
“ America is about the opportunities it provides the unremarkable, not the manufacture of a superclass of billionaires from the pool of preordained remarkables.” Pure gold. Well done.
This was wonderfully written, and I appreciate your willingness to share your story.
We have about one million abortions a year in the U.S. that is 2m a year getting themselves in a situation that is easily avoided. Perhaps education and promoting male responsibility would be better than slaughtering the innocent
Very well elaborated argument. Thank you!
I’m glad you included your gpa, cost, and other opportunities because the reader should realize those opportunities do not exist for unremarkable teens(your words not mine). Berkeley and UCLA are extremely selective and santa monica is extremely expensive. If you were born 15 years later it would’ve been community college, living in Lancaster or public housing. Spam and ramen noodles for lunch and dinner.
…a point Prof G has made repeatedly in this blog.
You fuzz the issue like all Democrats the issue by being silent on any restrictions. Ror had trimesters, Casey had no undue burden, yet Democrats seem to want an absolute right to do as they want. Most Americans oppose this. This is why there can’t be a proper discussion of the issue. It’s 100% politics. Zero percent women.
Adoption is a viable alternative! Abortion is not the only answer. Decisions have consequences. Imago Dei!
Thank you for sharing. I too am very grateful I had a choice and at eighteen, I was also grateful to have my mother’s support although it was not necessary. It saddens me, especially in this time, that some women are being forced to forgo their health and forced to give birth, both private matters, that should be between a woman and her doctor. Not the politians, the public, or anyone else. It amazes me that some people have to stick their noses where they don’t belong while inflicting their self ritious beliefs on others as they continue to stir the pot of poison.
Your opinion on abortion does not matter and neither does mine. The founders of this country guaranteed us freedom from religion not freedom of religion. To assume that a fetus is a human being at conception depends upon you accepting as fact a certain set of beliefs that are based upon the premise that there is a superior being that has created us all.
That belief is not universally accepted and therefore no one has the right to tell a woman she cannot end a pregnancy should she choose to do so up until the time which the fetus would be viable outside of the womb.
I loved this article as I have discovered I do with everything you write. (Don’t let it go to your head.) I also agree with it. Hmm, well, however, I don’t think that many 12 year olds in Gen Z probably fit the description of “Radicalized and lonely American men [who] want uppity women to sit down.” But, putting that aside, I was demonstrating on a college campus for a “woman’s right to choose” before most people reading this were born. And I remember celebrating when Roe v Wade was decided. On the other hand I remember saying to friends, ” I can’t imagine that the Constitution says, or even ever contemplated, that the privacy right therein conveyed a right to an abortion. This is going to be problem for a very long time.” I had no idea the “very long” meant “forever” at that point. We should have shortly thereafter Roe was decided, and should still, codify that an abortion is a medical decision decided between a woman and her doctor like any other medical procedure. That codification could be a lot like what most of Europe has done, 15 weeks and then “medically necessary” thereafter, if that is what it takes to get it passed. I think well over 80% of U.S. adults would find that an acceptable solution.
Well put. Having and raising a child should be a personal decision not one imposed by the state. There are many ways the state can encourage and support births child rearing. Making it mandatory does not need to be one of them.
Imagine, if you will, that you were, instead of the teen, the in utero sibling. No UCLA, no Start ups, no millions of taxes paid. No rich life at all. Contraception was affordable and available in the ’80’s. Glad it worked out for you. Not sure how a FL law will change CA policy. But you an out-of-state minority are seeking to impose your moral choices on another state? How does that jibe with your pseudo-libertarianism?
Charles, we’re watching you from abroad and we can’t believe how the likes of you are readily imploding their own country.
Imagine, if you were a single mom with nothing to lean on economically, no one to count on for emotional support and still you were forced to become two people suddenly – and some Charles was talking about some UCLA dreams stolen while you’re trembling with the thought of how you both will now remain hungry. Would you Charles take that mom in, help her out? I don’t think so.
@Charles. You are correct that contraception was available. But pregnancies still happened. Maybe you want to pay for the upkeep of all the children born although their parent(s) made a rational and difficult decision and were not allowed to have an abortion.
Evidently reading comprehension skills are not as highly developed abroad as they are, or were, domestically. The original author of the piece, not I, offered that his life would have been woefully diminished had he not been able to attend UCLA, business school, and the like. Here’s a cheeky thought, maybe the father could have taken in that mom and child, helped her out? Perhaps by court order? I am not trying to diminish said author’s article, but it smacks of hubris to suggest, in essence: “Gee, if Mom had delivered another child, perhaps a little brother or sister, my life would have royally sucked,” and that is the reason that all states should adhere to my notions of reproductive rights because in my economic analysis, it makes more sense for me to have the chance to succeed than me and my sibling to have to struggle and perhaps not have the same opportunity. “I’m in the rescue chopper, pull up the ladders!” Life should not be discarded so casually. What’s next? “Gee, I could buy a nice condo in Van Nuys if I didn’t have to pay so much monthly for Memory Care..anybody have a big feather pillow? Because economically, it totally makes sense”
drop mic and walk away…
1-2-3…10! It’s over! Winner and still champion by knockout in the reply round CHARLES !
Hey Charles, if you want a general blueprint for how it goes when abortion is not available, look at the inner city – 80% of children born out of wedlock, single parent homes, poor educational and socioeconomic outcomes, elevated crime/murder rates. You want more of that? I guess that gives you an even higher soapbox from which you can expound on your moral superiority
I like all of Scott’s essays, but this one leaves me utterly gobsmacked. This is the most personal, introspective, and thoughtful essay I can remember reading from anyone, and it’s tied in with an incredibly relevant topic that will figure prominently in this indescribably critical election year. I’m sending this to all my friends and family as mandatory reading. Thank you for writing this Scott!!
its a good thing this issue shouldn’t be political, right? But just in case your non-political feelings aren’t heard, you’re going to contact all your friends with mandatory reading? Do you and those friends know the Berlin wall fell?
What an amazing post! Thank you for sharing!
Right on, Scott. Your voice is clear, convincing, and very needed. Thanks.
Btw, this is not really a religious issue, but a moral one.
I agree with the last bit, Life is so rich.
Outstanding- I think your points are spot on. As my mother says, “civilizations come and go…” It’s hard not to feel like ours is going…
Very much appreciate the panoramic view of the issue. The only thing not mentioned is the considerable risk to the health of a 46 year old women bearing a child.
This issue is always presented in a slanted light, depending on which extreme one leans toward. The consensus compromise is that abortion should be legal and rare. This means the right is encoded in law, but so are the restrictions, and decisions within those boundaries should be made by patients and medical professionals. A 15 week restriction and exemptions for certain causes such as rape, incest or threat to health, seems to be the equilibrium between the two extremes. This is also not a SCOTUS decision in the US, but rather left to the people of the states through their legislatures. If citizens disagree with their state legislators, the correct strategy is to replace those legislators through the ballot box, not to appeal to the SCOTUS. This is how our democracy works and in time it will deliver the comprised equilibria that can change over time as politics and culture change. For the nation as a whole to be divided by polarizing into extremes is merely destructive of our free society.
Was going to reply but Mr. Harrington took the wind right out of my sails. A masterclass response.
Scott you are a bit too reductive on this topic. Your “just so” story may seem effective, however, there are just as many stories of children (like me) who likely wouldn’t be here on this planet to write this response if 20-30 week abortions were allowed (without just cause/exceptions). I thank my lucky stars for that.
Roe was law since 1973…. This argument about relying on the democratic process seems kind of neither here nor there when activist judges take it upon themselves to overturn 50 year old precedent….
Further, the whole push to overturn Roe relied upon the democratic process (ie electing assholes who will seat radicals) so I don’t think what you said is relevant.
I think you meant “Roe was bad law for over 50 years.” And damn tht Warren court for overturning “established law” that was enforceable for over 50 years. Those activist judges really upset the apple cart in that Brown v. Board of Ed decision. Dobbs on the other hand, just kicked the decision back to the states, where career-conscious Congress people can shy from the third rail. Again, concensus can agree on a sensible standard, but “a-hole activists” demand abortion on demand, because anything less is caving in to some sense of moral order and they can’t have that.