Are You Pro-Life or Pro-Choice? What About Stem-Cell Research?

There is an interesting dialog on the issue of Pro-Life, going on at BlogHer. Shannon has written a post titled Why I’m Pro-Life (there are already over 50 comments).

I wasn’t always pro-life.

In the early ’90’s, I was a card-carrying, sign-waving, Clinton-campaigning pro-choicer. I held to the notion that a fetus couldn’t fully be life, since it was dependent entirely on another for its existence. And I believed the notion that abortion is unfortunate, but it wasn’t any of the government’s business.

I wish I could point you to a specific point on my journey where my views shifted entirely. There was no dramatic morning where I woke up suddenly pro-life. My thoughts on the subject have meandered down many roads before winding up where they are today. I’ve been asked to tell you why I believe the way I do. — read full post at BlogHer

This is how I feel about the subject…

I’m pro-choice. And one of the things that makes me the most confused about the pro-life movement is - Their lack of outrage over the destruction of human embryos. Most people who are pro-life, are against embryonic stem cell research. But, every year 350,000 embryos are just thrown out with the trash at fertility clinics, because they can not be used for research. They can’t be used for research, because the pro-life movement considers them “life”…but yet they allow this “life” to be tossed out in the trash. It seems hypocritical to me. Why is this “life” only worth saving under certain circumstances? It’s like a mother who would want to donate a child’s organs to help save someone…Why can’t the parents of these embryos decide whether or not they are used for research?

Here is a quick video (from a post I did for BlogHer) of what I am talking about…

The other issue that is confusing to me, is the lack of desire to help these children once they are born. The republican/conservative movement, is against funding for single mothers, family planning, WIC, Medicare, Medicaid, housing, education, and other programs…And when these programs are cut or eliminated (as they have been with the Bush administration), this leaves more and more children hungry, homeless, unhealthy, and uneducated. How is this justified? Shouldn’t the life of the unborn child be protected even after it is born? It seems to me this “life” should be even more important after it is born…this child now “knows” it’s alive, and it “feels” hungry, and it “suffers” without healthcare, and it “shivers” in the cold. Where is the outrage over this???

Also See:

Marie Niles of BlogHer has just posted “Why I’m Pro-Choice“