Recently student Sandra Fluke spoke out for women: “Many women are shut out and silenced. So while I’m honored to be standing at this podium, it easily could have been any one of you. I’m here because I spoke out, and this November, each of you must do the same.”

I thought about unplanned pregnancies. Women are told many things: It’s only cells; it’s not a person; you’ll embarrass your family; you don’t need to saddle yourself with a child; you have your schooling first; there’s plenty of time for kids; your spouse /boyfriend doesn’t want a child; we can’t afford it; you’re too young/old; you can’t do it alone; it has serious problems; or an adopted child will likely be dysfunctional and given to bad parents. We are shut out, silenced, coerced, berated and pressed to believe we are wrong to want the child already in our bodies. We are told we have no other choice; we then believe it. 

Please, no more lies! The after affects of abortion are deep and very scarring. In a nation that was founded on an unalienable right to life, endowed by our Creator, 3,300 die every day in the U.S. from abortion. I was told I was too young and unprepared, that my life would not be impacted by my “choice” to “stop my pregnancy,” which really meant, to kill my child. I was counseled continuing my unplanned teenage pregnancy would ruin my life, advised to have “it” removed, go back to school and forget it ever happened. But you don’t. My child would be 36 today. My great loss.