ProChoice JW Teenager Speaks Out In Newspaper

by West70 15 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  West70

  I don't believe this has been posted:
  

  A teenager claiming to be a JW speaks out about about abortion.

  Favors "pro-choice"; use of morning-after pill, and against parental notification:

  http://voice.paly.net/view_story.php?id=3374
• 

  kid-A

  Though Dunbar personally did not choose to have an abortion, she does not condemn the practice. "I think it is up to a woman," she says. "If that's what you want to do, then go ahead, I'm not going to stop you. It's her body. Let her do what she wants to do."

  Whoa.....shocking story. She is gonna be disfellowshipped so fast her head will be spinning! She must have already been disfellowshipped on fornication grounds....

  I have a feeling she is not going to be interviewed for any upcoming "Young People Ask" articles...LOL
• 

  sf

  http://voice.paly.net/view_story.php?id=3374

  Paly students' views on abortion and one student's decision not to have one

  Posted Mon Oct. 24, 13:46:36 PDT 2005
  By Loretta Shen and Mollie Javerbaum of Verde Magazine

  Kaela Fox Paly junior Jami Dunbar

  W hen junior Jami Dunbar became pregnant during the summer before her sophomore year, she faced a daunting dilemma: whether or not to abort her pregnancy.

  On the one hand, she knew that the baby's father, who already had one child, did not want to have another. She also knew that he would be away for the majority of the year. On the other hand, aborting her pregnancy would conflict with her morals and religious beliefs.

  Although her situation was unusual, she is not the only Paly student who has experienced it. Of 192 female Paly students polled in a mid-September Verde survey, seven female students, or four percent, indicated that they have had abortions. The poll was administered by Verde staff to 415 Paly students in 16 social studies classes, four per grade.

  The topic of pregnancy and abortion has been heavily debated throughout history. However, the issue has recently garnered more attention due to developments within the Supreme Court and state legislatures.

  An example of the controversy surrounding abortion is the speculation concerning the possible overturning of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, which established a woman's constitutional right to an abortion. The resignation of moderate Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and death of the late Chief Justice William Rehnquist makes it possible for President George W. Bush to have a significant impact on reshaping the Court's balance of opinions.

  Following the confirmation of John Roberts as Chief Supreme Court Justice, Bush has nominated Harriet Miers, whose views are relatively unknown, to take O'Connor's place. O'Connor historically was a swing voter who favored abortion rights. If Miers opposes abortion and is confirmed, it is possible that the Roe v. Wade decision might be overturned to make abortion illegal in much of the country.

  Though California's 2003 Reproductive Privacy Act, which amended the state constitution to protect the right to abortion, makes it unlikely that California would be affected, this act could be repealed.

  "A ballot measure could overturn the right to abortion," says Tracy Weitz, MPA, director of Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health, University of California San Francisco. "The federal government could pass a law to make abortion illegal and then the fight would be at the Supreme Court level. Abortion is safe in California for now, but it is not a guarantee."

  Dunbar seriously thought about all her options. "I consid-ered it [having an abortion]," she told Verde in an interview last month."After thinking about it for a good long while, I decided to keep [the baby]." Like Dunbar, 56 percent —109 out of 195 female students polled — would also consider having an abortion if they faced the same decision in the future, while 44 percent — 86 out of 195 — said they would not consider having an abortion.

  "If I got pregnant right now, I would definitely have an abortion," senior Kelly Cox says. "I'm still trying to raise myself, and I don't need to be worried about raising someone else. It's just not realistic. It's not that I'm insensitive; I just don't think it's fair to the mother or the baby to put them in that situation."

  Religion was an important factor in Dunbar's decision to keep her baby. "I am a Jehovah's Witness," she says. "I go to religious services twice a week. It's just a religious thing; [you] don't abort a baby. They didn't do anything to you, so why would you just go ahead and kill it?" The results of the Verde survey indicate that religion affects other students' opinions of abortion as well. Of the 86 female students polled who considered themselves religious, a majority of 58 percent — 50 out of 86 — would never consider having an abortion. This contrasts with the response from the 110 female Paly students who labeled themselves non-religious. Among these students, a minority of 33 percent — 36 out of 110 — indicated they would never consider abortion.

  Dunbar was also guided by her morals and conscience. "Morally, I think it's kind of messed up," she says. "You're willing to kill some-one just because you're not ready for that kind of responsibility yet. I considered [abortion], but I don't think I could take killing something." Similar to Dunbar, 17 percent — 70 out of 401 — of Paly students polled said that abortion is morally wrong, while 65 percent — 260 out of 401 —said that it is morally acceptable. These results contrast greatly with the results of a national Gallup Organization poll given to teens aged 13 to 17.

  This poll showed that 72 percent of the nation's teens said they believe that abortion is morally wrong, while 26 percent of the nation's teens said they believe that abortion is morally acceptable. The discrepancy between the beliefs of Paly teens and the nation's teens suggests that the Paly community is more liberal than the rest of the country.

  Though Dunbar personally did not choose to have an abortion, she does not condemn the practice. "I think it is up to a woman," she says. "If that's what you want to do, then go ahead, I'm not going to stop you. It's her body. Let her do what she wants to do."

  Consequently, Dunbar does not believe that Roe v. Wade should be overturned. Of the Paly students polled, 45 percent —188 out of 415— share Dunbar's opinion that this decision should not be overturned. Thirty-seven percent —153 out of 415— disagree and hope that the decision is overturned, while 18 percent —74 out of 415— have no opinion. Unlike the issue of the morality of abortion, Paly students' opinions on Roe v. Wade were more conservative than Americans who took the national poll. Sixty-eight percent of those polled by Gallup said they do not want to see Roe v. Wade overturned, while only 29 percent of those polled by Gallup said they would like to see this decision overturned.

  Proposition 73 is another example of a current controversial issue concerning abortion. This proposition, which will be voted upon in California's November fall special election, proposes to amend the state consti-tution to require parental notification and a 48-hour waiting period before any minor is provided with an abortion, unless it is an emergency or is overridden by judicial bypass. This proposition also defines abortion as causing "death of the unborn child, a child conceived but not yet born," according to the Proposition 73 official summary. Dunbar does not feel that Proposition 73 would have affected her choice to not have an abortion because her parents did not figure significantly in her decision. "My mom was really cool about [my pregnancy], and she let me make the decision [of whether to have an abortion]," she says. However, she acknowledges that other girls facing the same predicament may have more difficulties when dealing with their parents. As a result, Dunbar does not support Proposition 73. "If the girl was getting an abortion, I'm pretty sure it's because she doesn't want her parents to know," Dunbar says. "It doesn't make any sense for her to have to tell her parents. That's ridiculous."

  Cox also opposes the proposition. "I don't agree with this proposition at all," she says. "Your parents won't be raising [the baby], it [will be] your child, not theirs and if you can't raise it, you can't. You're creating the life; your parents aren't."

  The sentiment among Paly students echoes Dunbar and Cox's stance, with 48 percent - 197 out of 413 - students polled in opposition of Proposition 73, 25 percent —105 out of 413— in support of the proposition and 27 percent —111 out of 413 —who are indifferent.

  Dunbar has never taken the morning after pill, another debated form of birth control, but she condones its use. "It's good if you're worried about being pregnant," Dunbar says. Cox agrees. "It's much easier and safer than having to go through an abortion and it's a good alternative for people who have moral or religious problems with abortion," she says. The morning after pill, an emergency contraceptive taken after sexual intercourse rather than before, has been forced into the spotlight due to the question of whether it should be available over the counter.

  Although this topic is controversial, fewer Paly students take issue with emergency contraception than with abortion.

  Sixty-nine percent —or 277— out of the 399 Paly students polled say that the morning-after pill is morally acceptable and nine percent —33 out of 399— say it is morally wrong. This differs with the students' opinions on the morality of abortion where 17 percent —70 out of 401— of those polled indicated that they believe that abortion is morally wrong.

  Unlike her friends, when Dunbar comes home from a long day of school, she cannot look forward to athletics practice, watching her favorite TV show or even having time to finish her homework. Her mother does not welcome her home with an after-school snack, but meets her instead with Dunbar's five-month-old baby, Devonne, in her arms.

  Looking back on her experience, Dunbar reflects on the amount of responsibility that has been added to her life. "Before you have a kid, there is a lot of responsibility that you have," she says, "but when you have a kid there is even more responsibility because you have to think of their needs." However she adds, "I'm happy with my decision to keep my pregnancy."

  This story originally appeared in Verde Magazine on October 24, 2005.

  Related feedback
  

  ---

  Date:	October 25, 2005
  Name:	Sherrie Schneider
  Age:	55
  Subject:	Paly's perspectives on abortion Paly's perspectives on abortion
  Comment: Given the fact that the main character in this abortion article is a Jehovah's Witness, I would have thought that the author(s) would have found it interesting to mention that "Jane Roe", the plaintiff in Roe v. Wade, was also reared as a Jehovah's Witness. I also found it interesting that this Jehovah's Witness supports abortion rights for others; supports use of the morning-after pill; and is against the proposed state law which would require parental notification before a minor could get an abortion. The Jehovah's Witnesses certainly have become more liberal and progressive in their theology in the past few years. Maybe I will buy their magazines the next time they knock at my door.

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• 

  LDH

  "Home of the Palo Alto High School journalism programs"

  OK, so this chick got pregnant the summer of her freshman HIGH SCHOOL year.

  How typical, to spout off about being religious because you go to two meetings a week. Her mom was "cool about it."

  Must be the "new and improved" JW!
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  Aude_Sapere

  ...interesting to mention that "Jane Roe", the plaintiff in Roe v. Wade, was also reared as a Jehovah's Witness. (Emphasis added.)

  Really?? Can anyone confirm this?

  -Aude.
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  horrible life

  Can't confirm, but I have heard of this before. HL
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  avishai

  Here ya go!!!!
• 

  avishai

  She told the audience about being raised as a Jehovah's Witness and running away from home to smoke marijuana. She also mentioned having tried to kill herself numerous times in her life.
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  Aude_Sapere

  WOW.

  I remember presenting the Roe v Wade decision to my class for current events. As I recall my parents had just started studying with the witnesses. It was just a current events article but I remember standing before the class full of 9 year olds and explaining what abortion was and why the case was important.

  There is so much in that article that I have not heard. I didn't realize her name wasn't really Roe (why would it be??). No inkling that she was raised JW and never would have thought that she flip-flopped on her view. (Oh. well... that must be the JW in her...!)

  Thanks so much for posting that article, Avi. I really enjoyed reading it!

  -Aude.
• 

  avishai

  She also mentioned that she had never met a woman who had had a "back-alley abortion," an abortion performed by someone other than a doctor who does not take safety precautions for the mother's health.

  Yeah, and I've never met anybody from Liechtenstein. does'nt mean they don't exist. Faulty reasoning.....