Imagine being a 14-year old girl in a crisis situation: pregnant and yearning for some help. You take a little trip to the website of the world's largest abortion provider - Planned Parenthood - in search of some assistance.
Upon landing on the site, you turn to the Abortion section. With fear and anxiety running through your mind, the following words catch your attention: "¨Parental Consent and Notification Laws." Under this section, Planned Parenthood insists on making it clear that if you are under 18, you can avoid involving your parents in the abortion decision in three ways: 1) by asking a judge to excuse you, 2) by finding a legal guardian to be notified in place of your parent, or 3) by proving that you are independent of the care of your parents.
My question to you: does this information protect or harm the minor who finds herself pregnant and alone? Suppose I am a 14-year old girl who is pregnant and in shock...does my "freedom" to have an abortion without consulting my parents allow me to make the best, most informed decision?
There are cases where a pregnant girl is abused or neglected by her parents - in this situation, the presence of another caring guardian or school counselor should be enforced with even greater emphasis. However, Planned Parenthood's website is not helping minors to find the assistance they need...it is giving them bad advice and a false sense of security by encouraging the pregnant child to come to the abortion clinic in secret, without an adult. After this, she will have to bear the painful decision she made for the rest of her life.
I remember myself at age 14. I was a lot more impulsive. I made decisions based on my emotions- if I felt happy in the morning, I went out for a walk. If I felt sad and lonely, I'd eat chocolate and watch T.V. Were it not for the help of my parents, I'd probably still be engaging in those unhealthy habits...I wouldn't be who I am today because no one would have been there to nag me about the consequences of my actions and teach me how to respond with courage to life's difficulties.
Whether we like it or not, our parents shape our decisions. Without them, a child simply does not have the guidance necessary to make the best choice. So why does Planned Parenthood insist on conveying to minors that they do not need to involve their parents in the abortion decision? It looks like this baby-killing enterprise does not really want what is best for their underage clients - rather it seeks to push any parental input as far out of the decision as possible...so is Planned Parenthood really trying to "advance the right and ability of individuals and families to make informed and responsible choices"? I think not.
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