Obama, Abstinence & Abortion

[Dr. Shane]

Obama's Budget Proposal Undermines Goal of Reducing Abortion

In the President’s budget proposal for Oct 2009 through Sept 2010, all funding for effective abstinence education has been eliminated, bringing critical programs across the nation to a halt. In its place is more than $164 million dollars of federal funding for contraceptive-only programs.

According to the National Abstinence Education Association and Dr. Stan Weed, expert on sex education and president of The Institute for Research and Evaluation, more than 40 studies on abstinence education programs have indicated “significant success in predicting and/or showing positive behavioral change,” however no contraceptive-only program has “demonstrated compelling evidence of decreasing STDs or teen pregnancy, nor of increasing consistent condom usage among students for a meaningful time period.”

In addition to eliminating abstinence funding, the President’s proposal urges Congress to lift the ban on direct taxpayer funding of abortion in the District of Columbia, home of the nation’s highest abortion rate.

“If the President’s ultimate goal is to reduce abortion, it goes against reason to promote free abortions at the taxpayers’ expense instead of promoting alternatives to abortion and pregnancy support,” said Delahoyde. “The main reason why there is such a high demand for abortion in urban areas is the lack of support provided for alternatives. That’s why pregnancy centers are seeking to ensure that women in urban areas have access to support services, not just abortion. The President’s proposal makes our work that much harder to achieve.”

[text taken from link]

[Dr. Shane]

When President Obama says he wants to reduce abortion I think what he is saying is that he wants more unmarried people that have sex to use birth control and avoid getting pregnant. That ideal is as unrealistic as teaching abstinence and hoping everyone will wait until marriage.

There are many ways to reduce abortion and each avenue to do so reaches a different segment of society. All avenues should be employed so that the most number of people are reached.

Abstinence education when taught with contraceptive use works. Those that are taught that abstinence is ideal and also taught how to use contraceptive if and when they decide to have sex do wait longer before they have sex and are more likely to use contraceptives when they do.

Giving away free contraceptives also promotes their use and takes away the taboo of using them. In high schools, counselors and nurses should be able to give away free contraceptives to students that ask for them. They should also counsel those students in safe sex practices and the emotional impact of having sexual relations. In college campuses, contraceptives should be given away to any student by simply picking them up at the school clinic without having to meet with anyone. On certain days these contraceptives may be given out from a booth in the student union to raise awareness.

Abortion should be limited. Abortion should only be allowed the first 12 weeks of pregnancy except in cases where the mother's health requires it. A 24-hour wait period should also be required as well as mandatory counseling not provided by the abortion provider. Parental notification should also be law with an exception for those receiving a judge's waiver.

Adoptions should be promoted. Pregnant women that choose adoption should automatically qualify for programs such as WIC, food stamps and medical assistance regardless of their income. If they later decide to keep the child they should have to pay back a portion of what they received to be determined by their income.