At the risk of starting some kind of political flame war, one could argue that pro-life, at its core, has next to nothing to do with preventing human suffering. One could argue that the movement happily accepts human suffering as a casualty to its cause. I feel I should now defend that position very very strongly, but it's Black Friday, I'm on mobile, my feet are tired, and I'm full of leftover turkey and wine. Still gunna try though.

You're probably familiar with the common arguments for 'life'. The baby deserves a chance. A woman should be made responsible for her actions. God forbids it. The last two are arbitrary garbage. The first one is a bit of a head scratcher and could keep one puzzling back and forth for some time. It's also pretty subjective and arbitrary. The baby didn't do anything wrong, sure. But is being born a 'right'? What implications does that have for the use of birth control as a whole? And does any child deserve to be born to a parent who doesn't want them? Because let me tell you, it sucks a lot.

And it sucks for the parents. We've all heard the story of a young couple who've fallen pregnant at a financially unstable time, got an abortion, and went on to better themselves and become financially stable, and then get to have kids on better terms, ensuring a bright future for everyone involved. Most of us personally know a parent or two who got pregnant at a financially unstable time, had the baby, and were never able to dig themselves out of that hole. And attached to many of those patents is a neglected and ill adjusted child whose parent is stretched to thin to give them the upbringing that every child arguably deserves (that was me. My shitty apartment block seemed to be almost entirely single-parent homes, full of threadbare adults and cringey, under-socialised kids).

Are there exceptions? Totally, all over the place. It's a very complicated situation with many varying factors. That calls for multiple options that people can tailor to their own needs. We all like to think everyone's using birth control, but even if they are, accidents do happen. Adoptions an option. Birth is obviously an option; for so many people, an unexpected child becomes a total blessing. But does that fact mean that a person for whom a child would be a nightmare should be forced to bear, and just be stuck with a kid that's holding them back financially, professionally, and socially? So the kid can grow up under all that guilt and loneliness, that neglect? I'm still kinda drinking and describing my childhood here, but the point is that a child should be a choice. Life is messy, folks only get one, and people deserve that choice. Abortion is one tool in the huge birth control toolbox of life. It spares a parent an 18 year, 400,000$ cost (if I remember my statistics), potentially spares a child of neglect, spares an overpopulated planet another mouth to feed, and spares society a potentially ill-adjusted, unwanted person. Not that all wanted people are a credit to society.

It's soooo complicated. But do you know what's not quite as complicated? Keeping your nose out of someone else's life, letting them sort out what's best for them, and working to spare already born kids more suffering instead, like your question sorta said. Donate to charities bettering children in poverty, trafficking, or domestic violence situations. Join City Year, Big Brothers Big Sisters, or act as a foster parent. Sponsor college scholarships and early childcare programs for at-risk children. Refuse to patronise businesses that tolerate overseas child labor in the production of their products. Vote for representatives in government with an emphasis in social services. It's amazing, but I hardly know any pro-life people who do any of these things. Its always pro-choice people. I want to make a point but ugh it's obvious, and I'm probably preaching to the choir. Not everyone would make a great parent, but most people, surely, want what's best for their offspring, even if they couldn't consistently provide it. In some cases, what's best may be not existing. But whatever, if I read this in the morning I'll probably delete it.

But if you see this, please consider joining one of the aforementioned charities or organisations. There are kids out there who need your help.