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A Question of Life, Choice, and Consequence

Lately I find myself deeply confused and disturbed by the contradictions in our society, especially when it comes to how we define and value “life.” We’re told that life is so precious that a woman’s right to choose must be stripped away to protect the unborn. Abortion is treated as a moral crime – some would even call it a cardinal sin – because every fetus represents life and potential.

And yet, at the very same time, we elect leaders who slash funding for the very programs that support life after birth – Medicare, Medicaid, mental health services, school lunches and breakfast programs for children in need. How can we claim to value life while simultaneously gutting the systems that help children and families survive once that “precious life” arrives?

How can the same hands that claim to protect the unborn so quickly vote to send weapons into war zones – into conflicts
where civilians, including children, are being slaughtered? We justify these actions by calling them support for allies or defense of freedom, but too often it feels like blind allegiance to ideology. We ignore the nuance, the history and the lives caught in between.

Look at the suffering in places like Gaza or Ukraine. Where is the compassion then? Where is the same sanctity of life we preach so A Question of Life, Choice, and Consequence loudly in the abortion debate? We are so quick to take sides, to send arms, to choose war over dialogue. In doing so, we risk becoming the very monsters we claim to fight against.

We fight so hard to protect the unborn, yet we do so little to ensure that those lives –once born – are supported, loved and
protected. We should be teaching future generations the power of choice and the weight of consequence. Before making any decision, ask yourself, “Can I live with the worst possible outcome of this choice?” If you can’t, maybe think twice.

Women, especially, must reclaim their power and their role in this debate. We carry life, yes, but we also carry wisdom, empathy and strength. We are not incubators. We are creators, caretakers and citizens. If we’re going to talk about the sanctity of life, let’s talk about it fully – from womb to world.

I don’t know if there’s a single “right” answer. But I believe every human being has a right to make choices for themselves, guided by compassion, informed by consequence, and rooted in respect for others.

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Elaine B. Holtz is co-producer/host, with Ken Norton, of Women’s Spaces which airs on KBBF 89.1 FM Mondays 11 am and
replays on Mondays at 11 pm.

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