Protecting our children, Promoting our Parents
We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.”
― Elie Wiesel
Elie Wiesel was a Jewish survivor of the Holocaust, and a leader in the post-WWII investigation of war criminals. He speaks from experience of the complicity of silence with evil to produce the most horrific conditions and consequences. His experiences, and that of millions, thunders aloud the responsibility of members of a society to advocate for victims of injustice and against individuals, groups, laws, institutions, and systems that create and sustain injustice.
Part of the problem with fulfilling the moral mandate to advocate for justice is understanding and identifying what constitutes injustice. Additionally, prioritizing which injustices demand our attention is a difficult task for groups as each injustice can extract differing convictions and burdens.
In my medical practice, I had the unfortunate experience to meet a early adolescent who after learning she was pregnant, for the 3rd time informed me that she planned to go and have the pregnancy terminated "just like the other ones". I inquired about her parents and encouraged her to discuss a decision of such magnitude with her parents. She informed me that her father has never been involved in her life and that her mother works two jobs (6 days/wk) and that her pregnancy is "none of her business". She told me that she is going to a local agency where she will have the termination and that her mother will never know. I inquired about how she will pay for the procedure and she informed me that medicaid will pay for it. I felt overwhelmed with pain for her.
It is incredible to me, that in the state of New York, a 14 yr old can not open a bank account, can not drive a car, can not consent to the superficial coloring of the skin (i.e. tattoos) but we feel that they can give informed consent for a surgical procedure. In New York, a 14 yr old can not only have an abortion without cost, but there is no obligation for parental consent or notification.
I want to argue that the laws meant to empower adolescents actually encourages violence against them. Sidestepping the volatile debate of whether fetus represents life, the idea that most minors can truly give informed consent to an invasive procedure is highly doubtful, which is why all other elective surgical procedures require parental consent. Parents, who are undoubtedly the best advocates for their children, must give schools written permission for the school to give Tylenol to their children, but the State feels that the parental input is not necessary for surgical intervention. Without specific parental advocacy, minors are at risk for exploitation, battery, manipulation, and a variety of other types of violations.
In the state of New York, we must protect our children. Offering pregnancy termination for adolescents without the advocacy of parents is immoral. It is an act of injustice. I would ask that we consider:
1. Take time and consider the morality or immorality of elective abortion in the first place.
2. Advocate for our children by insisting that the informed consent and parental consent is absolutely essential for all elective medical therapies.
3. Talk to your state senators and representatives regarding the use of taxpayer funds for elective terminations.
4. If you are a parent, to advocate for your child by intensive involvement in your child's life and interests.
I pray that you will not remain silent!
God bless,
Pastor M Traylor
― Elie Wiesel
Elie Wiesel was a Jewish survivor of the Holocaust, and a leader in the post-WWII investigation of war criminals. He speaks from experience of the complicity of silence with evil to produce the most horrific conditions and consequences. His experiences, and that of millions, thunders aloud the responsibility of members of a society to advocate for victims of injustice and against individuals, groups, laws, institutions, and systems that create and sustain injustice.
Part of the problem with fulfilling the moral mandate to advocate for justice is understanding and identifying what constitutes injustice. Additionally, prioritizing which injustices demand our attention is a difficult task for groups as each injustice can extract differing convictions and burdens.
In my medical practice, I had the unfortunate experience to meet a early adolescent who after learning she was pregnant, for the 3rd time informed me that she planned to go and have the pregnancy terminated "just like the other ones". I inquired about her parents and encouraged her to discuss a decision of such magnitude with her parents. She informed me that her father has never been involved in her life and that her mother works two jobs (6 days/wk) and that her pregnancy is "none of her business". She told me that she is going to a local agency where she will have the termination and that her mother will never know. I inquired about how she will pay for the procedure and she informed me that medicaid will pay for it. I felt overwhelmed with pain for her.
It is incredible to me, that in the state of New York, a 14 yr old can not open a bank account, can not drive a car, can not consent to the superficial coloring of the skin (i.e. tattoos) but we feel that they can give informed consent for a surgical procedure. In New York, a 14 yr old can not only have an abortion without cost, but there is no obligation for parental consent or notification.
I want to argue that the laws meant to empower adolescents actually encourages violence against them. Sidestepping the volatile debate of whether fetus represents life, the idea that most minors can truly give informed consent to an invasive procedure is highly doubtful, which is why all other elective surgical procedures require parental consent. Parents, who are undoubtedly the best advocates for their children, must give schools written permission for the school to give Tylenol to their children, but the State feels that the parental input is not necessary for surgical intervention. Without specific parental advocacy, minors are at risk for exploitation, battery, manipulation, and a variety of other types of violations.
In the state of New York, we must protect our children. Offering pregnancy termination for adolescents without the advocacy of parents is immoral. It is an act of injustice. I would ask that we consider:
1. Take time and consider the morality or immorality of elective abortion in the first place.
2. Advocate for our children by insisting that the informed consent and parental consent is absolutely essential for all elective medical therapies.
3. Talk to your state senators and representatives regarding the use of taxpayer funds for elective terminations.
4. If you are a parent, to advocate for your child by intensive involvement in your child's life and interests.
I pray that you will not remain silent!
God bless,
Pastor M Traylor
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