Utah’s removal of pro-choice

This archived article was written by: David Rawle

What happens when the choices we make are taken away from us? When we no longer have a say on what we are allowed to do. Just imagine what our life would be like in a dictatorship where we no longer had choices, and the few we did no longer mattered. I know what you are thinking, “this is the United States of America,” and “there is no way this can happen here.” You don’t see this is happening now. Last week, Utah’s Gov. Gary Herbert attempted to do just this. He decided to defund the Planned Parenthood program. Before a firestorm of arguments on what you think is right begins, take a second to listen to what I have to say.
First, the argument that this is good or bad is happening, and will probably continue to happen throughout the century. There are arguments for both sides. What Herbert seems to have forgotten, one of the U.S. goals is to have the opportunity for all of their citizens to choose. Freedom of choice is one of the most important aspects this country stands for. This is why these debates can and will happen. We can’t remove someone’s right to choose, it’s unconstitutional, and against our basic and unalienable human rights. The simple fact that we can debate this topic is proof enough.
What is happening, however, is just as important. Right now Planned Parenthood is suing the Utah governor for requiring state agencies to discontinue their contacts with the women’s healthcare providers. I believe that this is the right action for them to take. Even if I were to push my beliefs aside, the governor can’t just decide our choices, especially when it comes to dealing with a program like Planned Parenthood. These programs are created for the betterment of society. It was created to give women the ability to choose what would happen to their body. Choices again are the most important thing that we have, that everyone has.
We keep forgetting everything they do; we just focus on the abortion aspect of their program. According to Planned Parenthood, they provide lifesaving healthcare and education to everyone in Utah. One of the biggest things though, is an STD test for rape survivors. These rape kits saved many lives. Planned Parenthood is the program that helps with all of this. When a family doesn’t have insurance and their daughter is raped left with nowhere else to go, they are there for her. One of their biggest things they stand for is to prevent sexual assault and to help even minors get through sexual violence and abuse from others when they have no one else to turn to.
Keeping it running is key for their safety. Even if you don’t believe that it is safe. Think about what these people will do. Whether Planned Parenthood stays or not, people will still attempt to choose what happens to their bodies. Those who don’t have a choice are forced into a life they aren’t prepared for. Victims of rape will have no one to turn too. What will they do if they contract an STD? They’ll be lost in the sand. The alternative is life threatening. Think about it for a second before you just brush that idea away. People buy and sell organs off the black market; people try to do “self-patch up” jobs when they are panicking, that leads to infections or in the most extreme cases cause the loss of a limb or even death. These are things that people are doing today. Do you actually think these people aren’t going to look for any other way?