13 year old girl denied abortion

[seagull]

Don't you think she's learned her lesson?!?!?

I don't think this case is about teaching anybody a lesson. I think it's about somebody not being forced to do something with their body that they don't want to have done. Or, rather, doing with her body as what she wants to do with her body. (She, meaning L.G.)

 

[The Voice of Reason]

I believe Druidus was being sarcastic.


TVOR

 

[DC85]

This is insane! Not only is she at high risk in health but the child(when it becomes one) is at high risk for birth defects...

 

[Melody]

She had no real guidance! And you blame her?!?!? That's disgusting! Have you ever thought that children at the age of thirteen might not be physically capable of giving birth without damage to their bodies? She should be allowed to have the abortion. Don't you think she's learned her lesson?!?!?

She deserves the right to choose in this situation. At her age, she might die from being forced to give birth!

No real guidance? I've not read anything that says she had little guidance, but did read that she'd already run away before. I don't know why she ran away and perhaps there was a reason, but I don't know that either.

Yes, she is only 13 but unless she's suffering from limited mental capacity, she knows that sex = possible pregnancy.

And if a medical professional would sign off on that fact that her health and life are at risk if this pregnancy goes to term, then it's a valid reason. But to use abortion as a convenient method of dealing with irresponsibility? No. Then again, I believe the "fetus" is a human infant and disagree with abortion except in life threatening circumstances.

 

[Melody]

This is insane! Not only is she at high risk in health but the child(when it becomes one) is at high risk for birth defects...

Yes, they told me my son would probably be born with Down's because of my age and the results of the tests. My husband and I chose to have him anyway because it didn't matter. We do not agree with abortion.

My son was born normal and he's a very intelligent (sometimes too much for his own good) little boy. Imagine if I had aborted him on the doctor's "95% guarantee that he'd have Downs."

 

[Lycan]

ok.... so this 13 yr old "child" who is not mature, guided, or old enough to have sex, know the conscequences of having sex, deal with the responsibility brought on by herself, have a baby, get a job, or support a child is mature, guided, and old enough to make the decision to have an abortion and thereby decide the fate of another life?????

 

[DC85]

ok.... so this 13 yr old "child" who is not mature, guided, or old enough to have sex, know the conscequences of having sex, deal with the responsibility brought on by herself, have a baby, get a job, or support a child is mature, guided, and old enough to make the decision to have an abortion and thereby decide the fate of another life?????

You decide the fate of another life every time you step on a roach... :tsk: MURDERER! Anyway lets make this simple when it doesn't have gills and other non-human features then it is human. You kill more human cells when you scratch your butt... Indeed it does have the potential to be a human... but it is not... Should this young girl risk her health and the health of this thing that may or may not become human?

Not that I think abortion is ok for everything... I mean I would be upset if my girl had one... BUT it is her body not mine...

 

[seagull]

...deal with the responsibility brought on by herself...

Herself? Did she go to a sperm bank and get injected?

 

[Pah]

She's not a woman. She is a thirteen year old girl!!!

I'm not diagreeing with you but she's also a reproductively mature female.

 

[Pah]

Yes, she is only 13 but unless she's suffering from limited mental capacity, she knows that sex = possible pregnancy.

And more than likely desirous of a loving acceptance. I would think that, rightly or wrongly judging a sexual relationship, she would take that opportunity much quicker than calculating a future. Even from a healthly environment, kids do that.

 

[DC85]

I'm not diagreeing with you but she's also a reproductively mature female.

Her hormones are running wild at this age... She is certainly not old enough to know how to deal with them without guidance.

 

[Lycan]

Herself? Did she go to a sperm bank and get injected?

no she opened her legs...

 

[Melody]

And more than likely desirous of a loving acceptance. I would think that, rightly or wrongly judging a sexual relationship, she would take that opportunity much quicker than calculating a future. Even from a healthly environment, kids do that.

Yes, we had this conversation on another thread as to whether juveniles really understood the consequences of their action since their brains are not mature until their early 20's. I guess that would apply here as well so I'll retract my statement about her understanding the consequences.

 

[Lycan]

You decide the fate of another life every time you step on a roach... :tsk: MURDERER! Anyway lets make this simple when it doesn't have gills and other non-human features then it is human. You kill more human cells when you scratch your butt... Indeed it does have the potential to be a human... but it is not... Should this young girl risk her health and the health of this thing that may or may not become human?

You are not getting my point.... If she is sooo immature and ignorant of sex and the decisions and conscequences surrounding sex then how is she mature and informed enough to make the decision to have an abortion?


Edit: I am not debating the "right or wrong" of abortion at the moment....

 

[DC85]

You are not getting my point.... If she is sooo immature and ignorant of sex and the decisions and conscequences surrounding sex then how is she mature and informed enough to make the decision to have an abortion?


Edit: I am not debating the "right or wrong" of abortion at the moment....

It isn't that she doesn't understand...(that may be the case though) It is that her body and mind are reacting different then an adult. Her hormones are new and intense without guidance she will not know how to deal with it

 

[Ceridwen018]

Yes, she is only 13 but unless she's suffering from limited mental capacity, she knows that sex = possible pregnancy.

I see what you're saying here, but I would have to disagree. For me, age 13 was a mere 5 years ago and I remember it quite clearly. When I was 13, my methods of thinking and problem solving were almost COMPLETELY different than how they are now. Its because I've grown and matured and gained experience, etc. I wonder where I'll be in 5 more years! For her though, knowing the consequences of sex was not enough. She was not mature enough to make smart decisions. Really, as a ward of the state, who the heck even knows what this girl thought about sex. For all we know, the father of this child could have fed her lies, etc.

This is off topic from the whole abortion discussion, but again: they screwed up when they let her get pregnant. Now she and this baby will suffer for their negligence and irresponsibility.

 

[jewscout]

Yes, she is only 13 but unless she's suffering from limited mental capacity, she knows that sex = possible pregnancy

at 13 i spent my time playing sega...sex wasn't in my mind at the time...just because she can engage in the activity doesn't mean she's fully away of the consequences...if she were 16 or 17 i'd be inclined to agree w/ you...but at 13 i have to look for the adult supervision in the case and say..."what the duece is wrong w/ you?!?!"

 

[Pah]

Her hormones are running wild at this age... She is certainly not old enough to know how to deal with them without guidance.

That too!! She's missing a lot of education

 

[jamaesi]

If you can't trust her with a choice, how can you trust her with a child?

The agency argued that the girl is too young and immature to make an informed medical decision.

So she she's old enough and mature enough to have a child and decide whether to keep it and have the ability to raise it or give it up for adoption?
I think not.

The girl told the judge that she does not want a baby. She said she is only 13 and can't get a job to support a child.

The human brain is not fully formed until the age of 20 or later (and unfortunately, it seems to be permenately stuck in the preteen stage for some people), I'm sure she didn't think terribly far ahead about this decision- how could she? It's also very easy to sit back and point fingers, especially when you are older.

If she wants an abortion, how hard is it to get her one? "Teaching her a lesson" is not worth harm to her or the fetus- she is very young. Unless you are perfect and never have made a bad decision ever in your life (and if you claim this, you are lying to everyone, not to mention yourself), you have no right to sit back and smugly say "well, she should have kept her legs together" or "now isn't she going to get what she deserves..."



I have to ask, why was she having sex? Seeing as she was a ward of the state, do you think she had the best situation or guidance or just someone to be there for her? Who was she having sex with? A peer, a man much older than her, someone who was malnipulating her? Did she get enough attention from anyone who lived with her? Did the person she had sex with tell her she'd have to have sex with him for him to love her and if she didn't he'd leave (and don't you dare tell me she could have just left him if he was abusive unless you have been in an abusive relationship, and then I'd expect a little more compassion from you)? Why did she run away so much? What was her fostor home like?

Can anyone here answer my questions?

The case pits civil liberties groups against Gov. Jeb Bush and conservative groups only weeks after the end of their polarizing fight over Terri Schiavo, a brain-damaged woman who died after her husband obtained a court order to remove her feeding tube.

Is Jeb not done trying to force his decisions of life on everyone else? The Terri case backfired on him, I hope this one does, too.

The state's only witness, child psychologist Francis Crosby, was called to testify about a disorder called post-abortion syndrome, which he acknowledged is not recognized by the American Psychiatric Association or the American Medical Association.

Research that he termed "questionable" indicates women with a history of psychiatric problems could be at higher risk for emotional harm after an abortion

I have said it before and I will say it again, the reason so many people regret their abortions or have negative side effects is not because of some made-up disorder, it's because they are told they are bad and horrible people who should regret their choice by unsupportive loved ones, family, friends, peers, spouses, and the people who have nothing better to do then harass people outside of Planned Parenthoods. If you get told 2 + 2 = 5 enough times, especially when you're in an emotionally charged situation, what are you going to think?


It's her body, her life, her choice.



(edited to pretend it looks like I know how to spell )

 

[The Voice of Reason]

no she opened her legs...

Lycan -

We can respectfully disagree with each other over the question of the morality of abortion, but I honestly cannot fathom holding a 13 year old girl, that is a ward of the state and does not have the benefit of a stable home responsible for these types of decisions. If we were talking about disciplining her for a bad choice of inappropriate clothing, I could agree with you. In this case, we are talking about a girl that had sex with a male without considering the long term consequences. At best, we can hope that the male was relatively close to her in age, and even in that case, she was still almost certainly pressured (to one degree or another) into her actions.

Thanks,
TVOR