(sorry, i bumped the 'enter' button and the thread posted before I was done with the title - the 'n is 'need')

I feel abortion is never "safe" in that a baby dies.  Whether a woman is physically and emotionally/mentally okay after abortion is another matter...but "legal" - yes, we can vote and yes there could be penalties, but to me that is not central as to why women feel they need abortion or want it in the first place.

i haven't been demanding repeal of Roe v Wade myself...I have been disappointed for years that there is even a reason for it. Even if abortion was illegal, as long as women are still seeking it to me there is a problem. Making/keeping 'drugs' illegal hasn't stopped people from using them has it? Prohibition of alcohol wasn't a raging success either. If people want something they figure out a way to get it regardless of whether the law/s say/s no or not. I am trying to go deeper into the reasons behind abortion - what is driving demand, etc.

Unplanned/'inconvenient' pregnancies/conceptions and folks' lack of coping skills/support I think are some of the main issues to deal with on this level. 

Whether my views come from religious dogma and whether or not it is my business or not, I am concerned and wondering why this epidemic loss of life goes on and what I and others can do about it.

I try to awaken people's conscience about respect for life from conception until natural death.  I try to encourage and support living wages, social justice, economic justice, poverty prevention/reduction/eradication and sexual morality/monogamy/marriage to help curb unintended pregnancies and to help parents choose life for their child/ren.  I stomp for more compassion and love of neighbor in society in general.  I think helping kids wait until they are adults to have sex is a good idea.  I think encouraging students to focus on and finish their education before working on being (first time) parents (having/engaging in sexual intercourse while completely trusting fallible - and possibly abortifacient - oral contraceptives/devices is practicing baby making to me) is a good idea.  I think supporting rape prevention presentations like "The Men's Program" www.oneinfourusa.org  www.oneinfour.org is a good idea. 

I believe in repairing the leak in the dam instead of trying to mop up a flood.  Reducing/stopping abortion means going to the source to me:  to women facing unsupported pregnancies and men who are helping make this happen.  Getting into discussions/debates about reproduction/reproductive rights and economic justice to me is very pertinent.  Talking about sexual and spiritual responsibility.

So preventing/helping prevent (as much as possible) unplanned unsupported pregnancies and supporting parents/vulnerable people more.

So regarding ourselves and others, how to
realize birth control methods aren't perfect/do fail and using them is risking pregnancy every time sexual intercourse occurs...

discourage sexual intercourse among folks who aren't committed to being pregnant, parents or to releasing a child for adoption (since pregnancy can and does occur even though attempts are made to thwart it)...

discourage/prevent rape...

value, encourage, support chastity, celibacy, virginity for those who aren't ready to be parents

value, encourage, support sobriety to help avoid less than consensual and sometimes unplanned/unwise sexual interaction

value, encourage, support wise behavior choices regarding being sexual, being in seclusion

value, encourage, support adoption programs, procedures, families/people who adopt

(sorry, i bumped the 'enter' button and the thread posted before I was done with the title - the 'n is 'need')

I feel abortion is never "safe" in that a baby dies.  Whether a woman is physically and emotionally/mentally okay after abortion is another matter...but "legal" - yes, we can vote and yes there could be penalties, but to me that is not central as to why women feel they need abortion or want it in the first place.

i haven't been demanding repeal of Roe v Wade myself...I have been disappointed for years that there is even a reason for it. Even if abortion was illegal, as long as women are still seeking it to me there is a problem. Making/keeping 'drugs' illegal hasn't stopped people from using them has it? Prohibition of alcohol wasn't a raging success either. If people want something they figure out a way to get it regardless of whether the law/s say/s no or not. I am trying to go deeper into the reasons behind abortion - what is driving demand, etc.

Unplanned/'inconvenient' pregnancies/conceptions and folks' lack of coping skills/support I think are some of the main issues to deal with on this level. 

Whether my views come from religious dogma and whether or not it is my business or not, I am concerned and wondering why this epidemic loss of life goes on and what I and others can do about it.

I try to awaken people's conscience about respect for life from conception until natural death.  I try to encourage and support living wages, social justice, economic justice, poverty prevention/reduction/eradication and sexual morality/monogamy/marriage to help curb unintended pregnancies and to help parents choose life for their child/ren.  I stomp for more compassion and love of neighbor in society in general.  I think helping kids wait until they are adults to have sex is a good idea.  I think encouraging students to focus on and finish their education before working on being (first time) parents (having/engaging in sexual intercourse while completely trusting fallible - and possibly abortifacient - oral contraceptives/devices is practicing baby making to me) is a good idea.  I think supporting rape prevention presentations like "The Men's Program" www.oneinfourusa.org  www.oneinfour.org is a good idea. 

I believe in repairing the leak in the dam instead of trying to mop up a flood.  Reducing/stopping abortion means going to the source to me:  to women facing unsupported pregnancies and men who are helping make this happen.  Getting into discussions/debates about reproduction/reproductive rights and economic justice to me is very pertinent.  Talking about sexual and spiritual responsibility.

So preventing/helping prevent (as much as possible) unplanned unsupported pregnancies and supporting parents/vulnerable people more.

So regarding ourselves and others, how to
realize birth control methods aren't perfect/do fail and using them is risking pregnancy every time sexual intercourse occurs...

discourage sexual intercourse among folks who aren't committed to being pregnant, parents or to releasing a child for adoption (since pregnancy can and does occur even though attempts are made to thwart it)...

discourage/prevent rape...

value, encourage, support chastity, celibacy, virginity for those who aren't ready to be parents

value, encourage, support sobriety to help avoid less than consensual and sometimes unplanned/unwise sexual interaction

value, encourage, support wise behavior choices regarding being sexual, being in seclusion

value, encourage, support adoption programs, procedures, families/people who adopt

Although as you know i support all available forms of BC including one that prevent implantation --- i agree with pretty much everythgn above, imho (and i've said this for years on a multitude of topics) if one helps support and educate everybody and improves underlying social problems than less suffering occurs, then key issues such as in this case abortions become reduced, sustainably so.

And possibly one area where everyone irrespective of label PL or PC can find some common ground on this issue is to put efforts into improving life opprotunities for all concerned and so on.

i have to say in all fairness from what i've seen about PP they do put in an inordinate amount of effort to speak for women's needs in these matters, abortion is peripheral to much of their advocacy.

i thought abortion was a rather integral part of PP menu options...

new year's resolution:  less 'harping'?  focusing on solutions more and head butting/polarity less

i like abstinence/celibacy/chastity/virginity to get 'equal time' - seem like bc/oc gets a lot of air time.

Unfortunately reducing the desire (not just the need) for abortion is a complex matter that will not be affected to any great extent by legislation.  We must decrease the sexual orientation of our current society.  No sex is not at all bad but it is very powerful and there is frankly no such thing as casual sex .. the consequences between pregnancy, STD's and emotional linkage are just too powerful.  At the same time expecting celibacy at 100% is also unrealistic ... history fails to reveal ANY society that achieved even the limited goal of celibacy until late teen marriage!  Still educating our young people of the dangers of sex as well as the pleasures and of ways to decrease the danger is appropriate.  By the same token educating young people especially women to see themselves as desirable beyound a sexual role is also needed.  Support of the unwed mother both during and beyond her pregnancy is needed but not mwerely financial support, emotional and social support is also needed.  Acceptance without stigma, a change from the option of many Fundamentalist groups. 

All of the changes that need to be made must be made one heart and mind at a time, they cannot be legislated.  It is this perspective that Christ took on His teaching mission, not to command the world as was fully in his power but to change hearts thus preserving free will, the sacred gift of our Heavenly Father