I find it interesting that the anti-abortion groups have co-opted the term "pro-life" , and placed it in opposition to the term "pro-choice'. By definition, being pro-choice means that one supports the right of the woman to choose her own destiny. So - how does that mean that opposition to life? That does not follow. With respect to the decision of a woman to carry a preganancy to term or not, this is a decision that impacts her life in a profound way. Pro-choice is exactly that. Supportive of the woman's choice, whatever it is. Pro-choice advocates work with women and girls to assist them in an informed choice, whether it is to carry the pregnancy to term and give the resulting child up for adoption, to keep the child, or to abort the pregnancy. Anti-abortion advocates would remove that choice.

Being anti-abortion can in fact mean that one is anti-life, as is shown by the many bombings and other violent acts carried out in the name of the "pro-life" movement in the US and elsewhere. What is clear is that they ar opposed to abortion, as well as to the woman's right to determine what happens with her own body. So - anti-abortion or anti-choice would be a much better name for this movement.

Who are these people who appoint themselves MY guardians and think they have the right to make MY decisions for me? They think that I should not have a choice in determining my life, my future. I notice that many of them are men, who aren't the ones at risk, whatever the choice. They don't go through the pregnancy, they don't have the risk of toxemia, high blood pressure, hemorrage; they don't go through labour, they aren't around to raise the child. Why should they have the right to decide for me? There is a lot of talk about adoption. How many adoptions are there annually, compared to children left in the care of the State? How many of these who are purporting to decide for me have adopted children? How many assist the prospective mother through the pregnancy, with doctor's bills, living expenses, school fees, psychological counselling and other support?

I saw on the TV 6 program Morning Edition, a male representative of the recent march talking about a woman who went through with a pregnancy that was the result of rape, and she was glad. That's good for her. She was in the US, where she had a choice. If she chose not to live with a reminder of a violent attack on her person, she could have. If she chose to have the child, that's her choice. Unfortunately, here we don't have a choice, and there are people actively working to keep us that way.

The same gentleman also mentioned that childbirth was very safe nowadays. WHO statistics graphically contradict him on this point. Childbirth and pregnancy are some of the leading casues of death for women and girls worldwide, even today. We must also consider the number of women and girls who die becasue of illegal abortions, and the resultant cost to the society. Here, if you have the money, you can have an abortion done safely. If you're poor - you may die.