UPDATED [3-23-2016 see bottom] and reposted from 3-16-2011:
For those who are to young to be aware of it, the wire coat hanger in the closet was the tool of choice for performing abortions back when it was illegal. It was used by back ally abortionist and by those foolish enough to try and and perform their own abortions.
The term "back alley abortions" come from two practices, one being that you never wanted to be seen going in the front of a suspected abortionist residence. These abortionist were seldom doctors. In the case of people who had connections that could obtain an abortion from a legitimate doctor also wouldn't go during business hours because it was still illegal. In both cases you would come in through the backdoor from the alley. The second practice was that when the procedure went wrong, and it did so often, the body of the child, mother or both would be dumped in an alley. This was true even if the mother, child or both were still alive. The illegality led to unsanitary conditions, death, infection, mutilation, and a vast array of medical problems for the survivors. WHEN PROBLEMS OCCURRED THE LAST THING THE ABORTIONIST WAS GOING TO DO WAS INCREMINATE THEMSELVES BY TAKING THE PATIENTS TO THE HOSPITAL. Finding mothers who had bled to death was not uncommon. In that environment, then a part of American culture, the abortionist was usually part of the criminal underbelly comparative to pimps and drug pushers.
I believe abortion is wrong, but I believe a return to back alley abortions is 'wronger'. The reversal of Roe v. Wade would settle nothing. If you are not prepared to settle the questions of cradle to the grave social issues, or to deal with the financial consequences of single motherhood, or the stigma of single motherhood, or the choice of life or death then you are not ready to solve the problem.
It is within this context that I support a women's right to choose.
| Don't believe that we would go back to back alley abortions? Don't believe that there is still a stigma attached to teen or unwanted pregnancies? I heard a story on the news earlier today, sorry details didn't register, about a girl who was crowned queen of something at her high school who has been criticized as 'unfit' to hold the position because she is a mother. Would they prefer she had an abortion? No, those who are criticizing her are probably the same 'abortion is murder' contingent. “One of the leading causes of death amongst teenagers is suicide. The Centers for Disease control report that it is the third leading cause of death, behind accidents and homicide, of people aged 15 to 24. Even more disturbing is the fact that suicide is the fourth leading cause of death for children between the ages of 10 and 14.” “There are as many as eight to 25 attempted suicides to one completed suicide - with the ratio even higher in youth.” So the threat is even higher. These are kids with futures who are killing themselves because they dented their fathers car, got a 'C' on a test, got dumped by a boyfriend or girlfriend, where bullied, depressed, parents divorcing, victims of abuse, couldn't deal with the stigma of their homosexuality, or suffered from unrequited puppy love! They are choosing suicide in frightening numbers for ridiculous [to us] reasons.
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When Sarah Palin’s daughter Bristol got pregnant and ‘chose’ to have her baby she was applauded for ‘doing the right thing’. Did she really choose to do anything? What dilemma did she face? She had:
- successful parents
- a strong family structure
- the support of complete strangers [a political party who set aside their constant call for the promotion of shame]
- access to ‘nanny care’
- and sudden notoriety from her, her mother’s and her baby-daddy's shenanigans.
As well as the wealth these things have brought her. SO what was the big choice she had to make? Holding that poor girl up as a shining example of doing the right thing just ignores the real choices that most women face. What if she wasn’t who her momma was? What if she was from a broken dysfunctional home, a violent drug infested home, was kicked out of her home, was a victim of spousal abuse or incest, lived in a drug invested crime ridden neighborhood, had no access to pre-natal care or basic health care, had no diploma, no skills, no employment future and no life skills for dealing with a very scary and most uncertain future for her and a child she would very much like to love and raise? These are the factors Bristol Palin and many women never have to deal with, but they are the factors that overwhelm many women leaving them seeing very few options. Their choices unfortunately become a dismal future for themselves and their child, suicide or legal abortion. Where some kids kill themselves irrationally over getting a ‘C’ on a test an unwanted or unplanned pregnancy becomes a no brainer since they see no good choice. Making abortions illegal will not help them make the right or best choice it will just drive that already irrational behavior back into the ‘back alley’. We can only solve this problem when we start making more and better choices available to those who have too few options now.
Glenn D. Littrell
3-23-2016: The coat hanger abortion is back, and that’s scary for all women
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