Can you endure one more discussion about abortion?  Well, if you'll bear with me a bit, I'll try to explore this topic from an approach you may not have encountered or thought of before.  You see, as a recently retired board-certified obstetrician/gynecologist, I know a little bit about this subject.

Right off the bat, I'll admit to rolling my eyes and doing a facepalm whenever I hear pro-abortion people describe themselves as "pro-choice."  It makes for a great talking point because gee, who isn't in favor of choice?  It sounds so very noble and all-American!  So let's lay some groundwork by first talking about choice as a general concept or principle.

Whenever we make a free will choice, consequences follow.  The word "consequence" is actually a neutral term.  Wise choices usually bring positive consequences — rewards, if you will.  Foolish choices typically bring negative consequences that can be uncomfortable if not downright painful.  With this in mind, I hope we can all agree that in a just society, the person making a free will choice would be the logical person to experience whatever consequences follow.  For example, it would be unjust and wrong if a person making a wise and prudent choice were robbed of the subsequent rewards from making such a choice.  On the other hand, it would be equally unjust and wrong if a person making a foolish choice should shift the negative consequences onto someone else who had nothing to do with the choice. 

So, in summary, the fundamental correct principle of free will choice is this: the person making the choice should be the one who bears responsibility for the outcome of that choice — whether positive or negative.

Let's apply this principle to abortion.  Whenever someone champions abortion by proudly proclaiming to be "pro-choice," my response is, "How many choices does one get before finally accepting responsibility for the outcome of those choices?"  Because here's the important aspect of the issue that self-proclaimed "pro-choice" folks will never talk about: a pregnant woman desiring abortion has already made two free will choices! 

First, she made the free will choice to engage in sexual intercourse.  Engaging in sexual intercourse is not a biological imperative.  It's simply a choice.  Second, she made the choice not to use genuinely effective contraception, which is more readily and widely available now than at any other time in human history.  So, when she finds herself pregnant, she has already made two free will choices. 

Properly understood, and when viewed in the light of correct principles of free will choice, elective abortion is the attempt by one person, who made at least two unwise choices, to shift the negative consequences of those choices onto another innocent human who had nothing to do with the choices and yet must pay the consequences by sacrificing his very life!  That is simply not a just scenario.  It's not right.  If the pro-abortion crowd were honest, they'd characterize themselves not as "pro-choice," but rather as "anti-accepting-responsibility-for-choices-already-made"!  This label is longer, more awkward, and not nearly as snappy, but it's far more truthful and realistic.  Clearly, the real solution to the unwanted pregnancy issue is to make wiser choices to begin with.  Perhaps we should all be "pro–good choice"!

I acknowledge that the greater burden of responsibility in preventing pregnancy often lies with the woman and less with the man.  I wish it were not so, but I can't change biology.  The female of the species is the one who conceives.  But an honorable and responsible man would expect of himself to bear at least half of the responsibility...which brings up the point that we could spend another entire discussion talking about choice as it applies to wisely choosing a romantic partner!

Before someone worries about the cost to society of unwanted children, I can promise you the number of wonderful infertile couples eager to adopt children is easily sufficient.

Bottom line: Quite bluntly, I view the elective slaughter of innocent unborn children as the great evil of our time.  So please don't be deceived by the oh, so virtuous-sounding but false trademark of "pro-choice."  It's a total corruption of the correct principle of free will choice.