A Different Kind of Fork In The Road

(photo courtesy of AP image)

12th and Delaware, a documentary currently broadcasted on the HBO network, discusses the two sides of abortion also known as pro-choice and pro-life . Although there have been various controversial discussions concerning the popular debate, none of them compare to the street corner of 12th and Delaware; where the realty of abortion has never felt more consequential.

Picture this, a pregnancy care center on the left and a small abortion clinic on the right. Then imagine yourself to be a young woman unexpectedly expecting and completely unprepared in all aspects of life standing right in the middle of it all. Whose life is more important you ask yourself--- mine or the baby's?

On your left is a community believes that you can take care of this baby. No, rather it is your moral obligation to give birth despite your short-comings. Without hesitation they show you what your fetus looks like on the day of your visitation and provide ultra sound copies with phrases such as, "Hello Daddy and Mommy." When they leave you to think things over, a swarm of anti-abortion pamphlets surround you chanting quotes like, "Abortion causes breast cancer." Did I mention that they buy you lunch?

(On a personal level, I was truly bothered by their propaganda. Let it be known that there is no evidence proving that an abortion causes cancer.)

Now on your right is a small abortion clinic run by a married couple who tell you it's your body and no one else can take away your rights. They calm your anxiety and promise that the extraction of the fetus does not hurt and is not anyway a "bloody mess," like the picketers depict on their posters. They may not buy you lunch but they do offer discounts depending on the age of the baby and financial status of the mother.

(I thought, do they really care about you or are they just trying to make a dollar?)

Note, some of these unexpected mothers-to-be or in this case, not-to-be are at least 15 years old. It is interesting to witness the emotional trauma they experience as they are confronted by two institutions who have mastered the power of persuasion.