Pro-life or Pro-choice: You Decide EDITORIAL Lynn Abraham speaks to the Cabrini Community

In America, 50 percent of all pregnancies are unexpected, and half of these are terminated by abortion. When finding out one is pregnant, about 1000 thoughts go through a woman’s head. “Can I afford having a child, can I still work if I have a child, am I having problems with my significant other, and most importantly, am I mature enough to take care of another human being?”

Fifty-two percent of all United States women undergoing abortions are younger than 25 years old. That’s mostly college-aged women and younger. Scary thought that possibly one night of fun could result in a life forming in a woman’s body.

That one statement ‘life forming in a woman’s body,’ is a major debate among people worldwide. Does life begin at the moment of conception, or does it become a life after it is no longer called a “fetus”?

Those who are pro-life believe that life begins at the moment of conception. That no matter how far along in the pregnancy, a woman has a living organism within her body growing and getting nutrients from her.

Pro-choice on the other hand believe that we are always trying to gain more independence, especially in making decisions. It is in that belief, that those who are pro-choice feel it is a woman’s ultimate decision whether or not they are going to keep their baby.

Yet another argument stems from what happens in the case of rape or incest? Statistically, 300,000 women are raped every year and 25,000 of them become pregnant from their attackers. Out of the 12 percent of women who do become pregnant from rape, half of those end in abortion. Pro-choicers believe the woman has every right to abort the child. Pro-lifers believe that if you carry the baby full-term, that there are other options for when the baby is born, such as adoption.

The Catholic Church believes that the moment of conception is when life officially begins. A fetus’s heart starts beating at five weeks, yet people are still having or are starting to have abortions at that point.

Our editorial staff is split straight down the middle when it comes to the decision of whether a woman should have the right to choose. For those who are pro-life, they feel that if you are not ready to accept the consequences of having sex, then you need to stop. Abortion is an easy way out for a woman’s irresponsibility and heartlessness towards the situation; it’s not the baby’s fault for their parents’ careless mistakes.

The other half of the editors feel that no one has the right to tell a woman what to do with their bodies. They believe that if a condom breaks or birth control doesn’t work properly, the woman should have a choice because she was practicing safe sex. A woman should not be forced into motherhood if they’re not ready.

In the upcoming 2008 Presidential Elections, all of the candidates will be questioned on their views towards abortion rights. Although candidates will technically be labeled as “pro-choice” or “pro-life”, most candidates straddle the line when it comes to being completely one hundred percent pro-life or one hundred percent pro-choice.

Make sure not to base your decision on who to vote for on if under their name it says prochoice or pro-life because most candidates aren’t for abortion but believe in the right for a woman to choose what happens to her body.

Although abortion is not the biggest issue that will be discussed in the candidates’ campaigns, it will absolutely be questioned and considered a critical factor in some voters’ decisions as to who to vote for.

Ultimately, regardless of which side you connect with, abortion steals away the life of an innocent human being who is not given the opportunity to live and experience the beauty of life that we ourselves do everyday.

LIZ GARRETT STAFF WRITER EGG722@CABRINI EDU

Learning how to obtain leadership skills requires a combination of effort and a strong personality. “I don’t recommend how I did it to anyone, it just worked for me,” Philadelphia District Attorney Lynne Abraham said, as she shared her opening thoughts with those present at Cabrini College’s Leader Lecture Series on Monday, Sept. 17.

“How Elected Officials Can Become True Leaders—I Did It My Way,” was an explanation of Abraham’s past experiences that led her to the position she holds today.

Lynne Abraham is both a former judge and assistant district attorney for the city of Philadelphia. She became district attorney in 1991 and has been reelected four times; She has held the office longer than any individual in Philadelphia’s history. The year 2010 will mark the conclusion of Abraham’s current term.

Challenging and prompting authority has been Abraham’s forte since her days in grade school. Her curiosity to question people above her definitely paid off during her time in law school, at Temple University. “I have always been inquisitive, perhaps too inquisitive,” said Abraham when describing to the audience her tendencies in risk taking and stepping “outside of the box.”

Abraham said she enjoys having an opponent disagree. She said she does not believe in the stereotypes of how leaders are supposed to be. “I’m not rich, I’m just a wage earner,” Abraham said, seeking to explain that real people can rise to high positions.

Abraham said leaders must have a “high degree of energy” in order to do well. Abraham also said that she contributed a lot to the criminal justice system, such as making juvenile courts available to the common public. According to her, it takes an extremely strong and determined individual to do this type of career work.

Abraham said leaders need a certain edge, as well as courage to make appropriate decisions.

“If you can’t get the job done, you’re a daydreamer,” Abraham said, to support her principle. Leaders must also have “tremendous passion.” In Abraham’s eyes it is vital for a person to be convinced of their views, so that others will be inspired. Near the end of her speech, Abraham introduced an online program to the audience called “I Lead,” which she and her peers have worked on. It is designed to help grass-roots citizens become community leaders through a combination work-study plan. Participants can acquire an associate’s degree once the program is concluded. Abraham pointed out that this program is implemented in 17 cites across Pennsylvania. The program may be found at I-Lead.org Abraham elaborated on her interest in creating opportunities for those who are eager to learn, “opening doors to people who are really thirsting for it.” Abraham said her father was the most influential person in her life. He instilled in her the idea to live life dependently.

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