Roe v. Wade at 30.......

Today was the 30th anniversary of the landmark Roe v. Wade decision by the US Supreme Court, which (if I remember correctly) legalized abortions in the United States.

And still the debate rages on, after all these years. Folks on the right wing -- the ones who label themselves pro-life but I think a more accurate label is anti-choice -- are trying to get the ruling overturned. Folks on the left wing -- the ones who label themselves pro-choice -- are trying to preserve the ruling. And both sides say there is no middle ground on the issue -- you're either for it or against it.

earlier today, browngirl referenced a post by almeda, who had a great opinion piece on the issue.

Personally, I think abortion is a horrible thing. It's heartbreaking to know that some mothers are killing their unborn children when I know couples who want a child but cannot conceive one. But at the same time, I know there were abortions long before the Roe v. Wade decision became the law of the land.

I'd prefer a more proactive solution -- don't get pregnant, use contraception, etc. etc. But sometimes, accidents happen. So do the crimes of rape and incest.

I am heartened that the number of abortions are going down. I'd rather see the demand continue to go down instead of the supply.

Yes, I'm a man, and will therefore never know what it's like to be carring an unwanted child in my body, and will also never know the agony of having to make such a decision -- to keep the child for myself, to give it up for adoption, or to terminate the pregnancy.

But if Roe v. Wade is overturned, it isn't going to stop the killing. We'd go back to the "good old days" of back-alley coat-hanger jobs, where the lives of both the mother and the child are at risk.