Are You Pro-Life?

Summary

The article criticizes the inconsistency of those who identify as "pro-life" for not supporting policies that improve children's healthcare, education, and safety, while advocating for anti-abortion laws.

Abstract

The author of the article argues that individuals and politicians who claim to be "pro-life" are hypocritical for not supporting comprehensive care for children after birth. The piece highlights that the United States, despite being wealthy, has high child mortality rates due to factors like gun violence, drug overdose, and suicide. It points out that conservative Republicans, who often label themselves as "pro-life," resist passing laws that would protect children's lives beyond preventing abortions. The article emphasizes the need for universal healthcare, mental healthcare, and education equality, and criticizes the lack of action on these fronts. It also notes the rise in mental health issues among children and the adverse outcomes for children in the U.S. compared to other high-income nations. The author calls for a re-evaluation of the term "pro-life," suggesting it is misused by those who prioritize religious beliefs over the well-being of children and mothers.

Opinions

The author believes that true "pro-life" advocacy requires support for policies that ensure the well-being of children beyond just being anti-abortion.
There is a criticism of the U.S.'s low rankings in healthcare and education for children, despite being a wealthy nation.
The article suggests that gun violence and suicide are significant issues affecting child mortality in the U.S., which "pro-life

Or anti-abortion…

So you say you’re pro-life, yet you live in a country that ranks #39 among other nations of the world in healthcare for children. The US ranks 37 among developed nation in the world for k-12 education for children. Published in the medical journal The Lancet, they ranked 180 countries based on a “child flourishing index” and the United States came in at 39.

You are a Republican politician who is pro-life, and yet you have done nothing to care for all these lives you believe you need to save. How can any person, any politician, call themselves pro-life and be against spending the money required for the healthcare, education, and safety of children whose lives you supposedly care about? You are not pro-life!

Let’s start here. The single biggest cause of death in the US, outside of accidental death (car accidents, drownings, falls) among children is gun violence. This is followed by suicide. Let those facts sink in.

Among five-year-olds, only one of twenty-five will reach their 40th birthday. Gun violence and drug overdose are the two main factors. Are there other factors? The one other main and as yet unmentioned factor in children's deaths is … drum roll … suicide.

Why do these factors even exist in the United States, the wealthiest country in the world? Where do I start?

Politicians, particularly Conservative Republicans, who oddly enough label themselves as “pro-life”, refuse to pass laws to protect the lives of children. They pass laws to force women to bring any and all pregnancies to term, but once these children are brought into the world … these same politicians turn their backs on kids.

But they are pro-life. So they claim. And that is a lie. They are anti-abortion. You see, one can not be pro-life, in favor of bringing a child into this world, and then be against gun safety laws, universal healthcare, mental healthcare, equality in education, and on and on. Life does not work this way. Only conservative Republican politics works this way.

Across the board over the past five years (2016 -2021) there has been a 20–30% increase in anxiety, depression and resultant behavioral problems among children. Our politicians offer nothing in return to combat these issues.

It is estimated by the NHICM that there are 70+ million children age 3 to 17 in the United States as of 2021. Of these, they estimate over 20 million have mental health disorders. And our conservative “pro-life” Republicans offer them nothing.

Compared to other high-income nations, mortality rates for US infants are higher and life expectancy at birth is lower. This will continue to worsen. Children in the US also have higher rates of injury, obesity, HIV infection, and adolescent pregnancy (and with safe abortions now illegal this will worsen) compared to children from peer countries.

There is an abundance of horror stories of young girls raped in the past year who were forced to have these children. That should make any normal thinking person sick.

I am not writing this to throw numbers at the reader, and there are plenty of them. I write this to point out the absolute hypocrisy of those who call themselves “pro-life” when, in fact, they are just religious zealots forcing their religious beliefs upon others. Pro-life my ass.

The term pro-life is used because it sounds better and looks better to these phony pretenders. They care not one bit about the life of a child or the mother. They care about forcing their religious beliefs upon their neighbors.

When these same phonies in Congress pass gun laws to protect children, pass laws providing mental healthcare for children, pass a national, universal healthcare law for all regardless of income/social status I will re-consider my stance on the anti-abortion squad.

When the voucher system for education is replaced with equality of education for all regardless of social status and income, and when gun laws are passed, making it safe for all kids in school, I may reconsider my stance.

The bottom line is, nothing will happen, none of these drastically need changes will come about, until those who publicly demonstrate waving flags claiming they are pro-life, vote for people willing to force these changes.