When the election of 1988 loomed, I was 26, my wife 25, and our daughter ten months. We were very much self-involved with our own little family tribe of three and not much interested in the election between George H.W. Bush and Michael Dukakis. But we decided to watch one of the debates and discovered that Dukakis was pro-choice and Bush pro-life. That alone decided us for Dukakis. We knew nothing of the intricacies of abortion law, only that in New York abortion was available and we wanted it to stay that way. We also knew that we wanted our daughter to have that freedom of choice when she grew up and that her future freedom was the thing that was most important to us as voters.
Agree. The Roberts solution was a reasonable solution to a moment fraught with the potential to further aggravate an America that is already badly enflamed. Those who applaud the ruling because it is consistent with the idea that these issues are best resolved by the states are tragically mistaken in their belief that somehow or another wisdom will emanate from the local level. The moral and ethical questions of ending a pregnancy are so complex and so particular to the specific people and circumstances in question that even a democracy as great as ours is not capable of producing legislation that can rightfully decide for all women and all pregnancies. Let each woman decide for herself. And if it is true, as many argue, that some women will decide cavalierly, is it not also true that the odds of a pregnant woman deciding cavalierly, are no greater than that of state legislators, more and more prone to extreme- wing positions, deciding cynically and disdainfully?
Thank you for including the NYT link for ways to help women seeking abortions. Very helpful. And thanks for remembering Dukakis.
As a psychologist who has treated women and/or their partners for over 50 years, I can say that I have never encountered anyone who has/have been “cavalier “ about making the decision to undergo an abortion. It is a heart wrenching decision most often accompanied by post procedural grief, and, many times, long term. There is a handmaiden implication that women who engage in sex are “sluts” and that sex should be for procreation. Why is the court whispering about banning contraception?
Lost a lot of sleep over the past week’s Court’s decisions and expect the decision over voting procedures being moved to state and local levels will produce more agita. Your next substack?
Agree. The Roberts solution was a reasonable solution to a moment fraught with the potential to further aggravate an America that is already badly enflamed. Those who applaud the ruling because it is consistent with the idea that these issues are best resolved by the states are tragically mistaken in their belief that somehow or another wisdom will emanate from the local level. The moral and ethical questions of ending a pregnancy are so complex and so particular to the specific people and circumstances in question that even a democracy as great as ours is not capable of producing legislation that can rightfully decide for all women and all pregnancies. Let each woman decide for herself. And if it is true, as many argue, that some women will decide cavalierly, is it not also true that the odds of a pregnant woman deciding cavalierly, are no greater than that of state legislators, more and more prone to extreme- wing positions, deciding cynically and disdainfully?
Thank you for including the NYT link for ways to help women seeking abortions. Very helpful. And thanks for remembering Dukakis.
As a psychologist who has treated women and/or their partners for over 50 years, I can say that I have never encountered anyone who has/have been “cavalier “ about making the decision to undergo an abortion. It is a heart wrenching decision most often accompanied by post procedural grief, and, many times, long term. There is a handmaiden implication that women who engage in sex are “sluts” and that sex should be for procreation. Why is the court whispering about banning contraception?
Lost a lot of sleep over the past week’s Court’s decisions and expect the decision over voting procedures being moved to state and local levels will produce more agita. Your next substack?