A great misconception exists surrounding the debate on issues of life - that abortion is a topic concerning solely women. Men, feminists would argue, have no justification to hold any legitimate position on abortion because it is an issue of their bodies and their choice and is therefore not a man's business. This feminist theory is as wrong as the sin being committed itself. Abortion is not a woman's issue; if it is an issue to have any gender identification, abortion is a man's issue.
Abortion is a problem that can only result when a woman becomes pregnant, an act which by nature requires the mutual actions of both man and woman. A woman cannot become pregnant or be placed in an abortion situation without the actions of a man. But far too many abortions occur due to pregnancies that occur out of wedlock, pregnancies that are unplanned, or pregnancies resulting from the irresponsible actions of men unable to control their natural urges. The mutual objective of the pro-life movement and those who advocate for the murder of the unborn should be the reduction of these unplanned pregnancies that result in some women's perceived need for an abortion.
President Bush is taking steps to lead a culture that promotes the necessary shifting in philosophy to allow these changes to take place. In his State of the Union Address this year, Bush announced plans to double federal funding for abstinence education, money well spent in developing a culture of morality and the cultivation of a more pure America. The central idea behind Bush's initiative should not be lost on college-age students too often lured by the evils of sex. Simply put, if you are not having sex, you cannot get pregnant and abortion is not an issue to be concerned with.
To solve our abortion crisis, and over 42 million lives lost since Roe v. Wade does indeed constitute a crisis, men must take be the ones to take the lead. It must be men who stop pressuring women for sex and place a stronger emphasis on relationships, courtship, and eventually marriage. It must be men who take responsibility for the lives they create. I refuse to believe that even the abortionists/sinners of the world are cruel-hearted people, perhaps misguided, but not cruel. If women had men who they could trust to stand by them unconditionally, they would feel less of a need to abort a child simply because it was conceived at an unplanned or inopportune time. We need men who will treat women like women, not like sexual objects they can abandon if anything goes wrong.
Men have an obligation to financially support the children they create and any male who fails to meet this responsibility does not deserve to be called a man. But the situation goes beyond that. Men also have an obligation to support a child's mother, who ought to be that man's wife. Furthermore, a culture of respect must exist between a mother and father in order to provide a child not only with life, but with the most meaningful life possible. Respect is more than words or symbolic actions; it is a state of mind and a sense of appreciation. And men have every reason to appreciate women in their roles as mothers because there can be no profession of greater importance.
Beyond abortion, a great problem of commitment exists today in America. Loyalty no longer means what it used to, and individuals in a relationship increasingly lack the willingness to stand together through tough times to make things work. Divorce is tearing this country apart, a lack of dedication to relationships is making "hooking up" seem commonplace, and a general lack of trust and commitment to marriage is destroying that institution. That lack of commitment carries on to abortion, a situation where two parents fail to meet their responsibility to stand by the human life they created.
No matter where individuals stand on the issue of abortion, all share collective responsibility. All must behave in a fashion so their actions will not lead to compromising situations where a woman is placed facing an unwanted pregnancy. And those who already behave in this fashion have a responsibility to lead by example for those around them so we may regain a culture of life and moral virtues. Too often people look at abortion only as the end result or as a legal question, and abortion is illegal, both under U.S. law and in the highest of courts. We must look instead at abortion's origins and address the social issues involved in what really causes abortion and the cultural decline we are currently experiencing. And we must never forget the central focus of all mankind should always be on defending the sanctity of every human life.
