A New Mexico man who believes that his ex-girlfriend aborted his child (she won’t say) has reportedly spent $1300 to take out a billboard to shame her. It's got a picture of him (I think) holding something hard to make out as if it were a baby and reads:
This Would Have Been a Picture Of My 2-Month Old Baby If The Mother Had Decided To NOT KILL Our Child!
Apart from the pro-life wackery and the dramedy of this couple’s court battles, this story brings a few serious thoughts to mind:
- It's interesting how cleverly one can frame the abortion issue using language. Let me be clear, I am pro-abortion (yes, you read that correctly), but I found it conspicuous that the article described abortion as a “terminated pregnancy.” It’s too bad the language has become so loaded that we can no longer talk rationally about this issue.
- Again, I don’t agree with this guy’s reaction at all. I think he should be happy, or at least relieved, but his plight does point to the fact that men have ZERO rights regarding what happens subsequent to an unintended pregnancy. I accept the natural, physiological reasons for this… my complaint is that men don't also have a proportional amount of responsibility. If they have no (or significantly less) say in the decision, why should be held accountable for it?
- In light of #1 and #2, can we please untangle the terms “pro-life” and “fathers’ rights.” It would be nice if we could talk about a man’s rights and obligations without calling him a father prematurely. Thank you.
