No More Bin Laden

[kandrathe]

Well, I didn't try to say that. I said (or meant to say) I was suspicious of abortion policy in the US, because of the results tend to disproportionately target young black women. It might be that it's been with the best of intentions, where due to socioeconomic factors they are the recipients of this "aid".

Altering the US policy on abortion (making it illegal) means that those same pregnant, young, poor, under-educated girls are going to seek out alternatives. I think you and I both know where that leads.

That is one common argument. Drugs are still going to be used, so why not make it legal? People are going to do X, so let's make X cheap and very accessible. But, maybe, if we focused on effective contraception, or adoption, or making single parenthood less onerous/scary, and make those choices more accessible, then we wouldn't have (as many) abortions. It is a terrible form of birth control.

I'm careful not to draw causality from correlations. If you look at the demographic statistics, you'd think that one group were being targeted. Maybe they target themselves, but I tend to look at things systemically. Somewhere, the system is broken, and maintaining the status-quo will only result in more of the same.

I do NOT agree with your usage of the term "targeted". That makes it seem that the "abortion policy" (I dislike this term, but I am using it because you used it first) has a bull's-eye planted directly on the uteruses of blacks.

The system is broken not because of the US "abortion policy". The system is broken because an overwhelming number of young black females in the US are poor and under-educated. Throw in the conservative party mindset of "we don't talk about sex, and any form of birth control is immoral" leads to what you have now.

Teens with raging hormones will have sex, which without proper knowledge of how to prevent pregnancies will lead to a whole lot of young, poor, scared girls being pregnant.

I think in some cases, the "system" allows the bullseye, for example, the recent Planned Parenthood scandal where fund raising recordings were leaked of a conversation where a wealthy donor specifically wanted their donation used to prevent minority births. It allows for those with a racist or eugenics mindset to devote their economic power in a particular direction. Often those with "power" are apathetic to the plight of those disadvantaged, and so do not see or look for misuse. And, those who are most affected have little voice, power or influence at all. I'm saying the deck is stacked against minorities. There is still enough power exerted by racial bigotry in the US to tip the scales more heavily against them.

If we cared, then we'd address the problem. It continues to erode, ergo, as a society we don't really care, or our caring is ineffective. And, by problem, I mean the socio-economic gap, the achievement gap, and the disparity in access to the mechanisms of success and social mobility.

*edit: I might as well go farther on this.

If you want to change the current US policy on abortions (making them illegal because they take a life), are you also ready to prosecute anyone participating in an abortion for 1st degree murder?

You would need to begin by the government making performing it an offense, but it would be unfeasible and counter productive to switch drastically (e.g. Romania). You wouldn't(or shouldn't) just pass a law one day and make drugs legal either, you'd think about supply and distribution. We should ensure that all the other prevention measures are implemented, and then perhaps the more drastic choice of abortion would become a historical footnote, much like the recent societal changes regarding smoking habits.