Why A Woman's Right to Choose Should be Protected

First no woman wants to have an abortion. I mean think about it who wants to have any medical procedure. NOBODY, right!!!!!!

Now there are a lot of anti-choice people out there that insist on calling a medical procedure murder and spreading a bunch of lies misinformation about abortion. They usually wind up using their religious beliefs to justify their position. Thankfully we live in America where we are guaranteed religious freedom something the anti-choice people seem to forget in their zeal to force their religious beliefs on the rest of us.

There are many factors that may lead a woman to seek an abortion, in the final analysis it is her life and it should be her choice

Some things to consider

Mental Health Risk

Having an abortion does not increase the risk of mental health problems, but having a baby does, one of the largest studies to compare the aftermath of both decisions suggests. Results were published in Thursday's New England Journal of Medicine. (Wednesday, Jan 26, 2011)

Abortion does not harm mental health, study says

Cancer Risk

From the National Cancer Institute

In February 2003, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) convened a workshop of over 100 of the world’s leading experts who study pregnancy and breast cancer risk. Workshop participants reviewed existing population-based, clinical, and animal studies on the relationship between pregnancy and breast cancer risk, including studies of induced and spontaneous abortions. They concluded that having an abortion or miscarriage does not increase a woman’s subsequent risk of developing breast cancer. A summary of their findings, titled Summary Report: Early Reproductive Events and Breast Cancer Workshop, can be found at http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/ere-workshop-report.

NCI regularly reviews and analyzes the scientific literature on many topics, including various risk factors for breast cancer. Considering the body of literature that has been published since 2003, when NCI held this extensive workshop on early reproductive events and cancer, the evidence overall still does not support early termination of pregnancy as a cause of breast cancer. To view regular updates on this topic, please go to http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/prevention/breast/HealthProfessional/page2#Section_280.

So having an abortion does NOT cause mental problems or increase your chances of developing breast cancer as some anti-choice propaganda states.

After being brutally raped no woman should be forced by a repressive government to carry the fetus of her rapist to term. No woman should have to sacrifice her physical or mental health in order to carry a fetus to term. A woman who is unable to support a child or who does not wish to have one should not be forced to carry an unwanted fetus to term.

If the anti-choice crowd truly cared about women and their off spring they would

• Provide free health care to all women and their children.
• Provide free day care so women could continue their schooling or seek employment.
• Provide free housing/reduced housing to low income women and their children
• Provide free nutritious food to women and their children.
• Value Motherhood and acknowledge the contribution Mothers make to society.

Alasandra's Reading List ~ January

1. A Nose for Justice by Rita Mae Brown -  (Thumbs down) I found this book tedious. There are several important social issues mentioned in the book the main one being water, how we use it and who has the right to control it (water rights) and the other being The Fly Girls (Women Airforce Service Pilots) who are still considered civilians and therefore not entitled to the pay and benefits given to the men who served in WWII. Ms Brown's desire to educate us on these issues interrupted the plot. She also had a lot of extraneous characters who were not necessary to the plot and did not spend much time on character development. And as a dog lover I found her use of King (German Shepherd mix) and Baxter (wire-haired dachshund) troubling. I just hope if any dog haters read the book they will remember this is a work of FICTION.
2. Night Shield by Nora Roberts - Boyd Fletcher  busted 13 year old Jonah Blackhawk for running an unlicensed gambling establishment, but instead of sending him to juvie, Boyd took an interest and turned Jonah's life around. Now a successful businessman with his own chain of clubs Jonah will do anything for Boyd. Including allowing Allison Fletcher to work undercover in his club, but Jonah never planned to fall for the charming cop.
3. Night Moves by Nora Roberts - Maggie moves into a fixer upper in a rural area and hires Cliff Delaney to help with the landscaping. Everything is going great until a skeleton is discovered when Cliff digs out a gully on the property to create a pond.
4. A Place to Call Home by Deborah Smith ~ you can read my book review here. Excellent book I highly recommend it.
5. Bad Blood by John Sandford - When Bobby Tripp discovers who murdered his friend Kelly Baker, he takes matters into his own hands and kills Jacob Flood. But before he can reveal why Deputy Crocker kills him. Before Deputy Crocker can be questioned it appears he committed suicide but Virgil Flowers suspects he was murdered. Soon Flowers begins to suspect the deaths are connected to "The Church" (World of the Spirit) all the victims except Tripp attended.
6. Storm Prey - When the leader of a motorcycle gang plots to rob the hospital pharmacy with one of the doctors he never imagined that one of the gang would accidentally kick one of the pharmacy workers to death, or that his brother would be spotted by Weather. In an attempt to limit the number of people who can tie him to the robbery he hires a skinhead to take out two of the robbers and Weather. Now Lucas and Virgil are on his trail, but the body count just keeps getting higher. 
7. The Inheritance by Louisa May Alcott 
8. Happy Ever After by Nora Roberts - Parker's plans for her life go out the window when she fall for bad boy Malcolm Kavanaugh, but then she realizes he is just what she wants.
9. Animal Magnetism by Rita Mae Brown (autobiography) - An amusing look at her life. I doubt I will read any more of her work. I just don't like her writing style.
10. The Freemasons by Jasper Ridley - Enjoyed the book. You can read my notes here.
11. Dead or Alive by Tom Clancy - an enjoyable yarn although the book is rift with errors. Mainly using the wrong persons name. I am also miffed that he unnecessarily killed off one of the good guys.

Kids & Swings

When my kids were little they loved playing on their swing set. If you have young kids and are looking for a swing set check out CSN Stores, Swingsets and More.com they also have bikes, trampolines, slides and lots of other things for you to check out.

The Inheritance by Louisa May Alcott

Written in Boston when Alcott was only seventeen, Alcott's first novel shows her promise as an author. The heroine of the book, Edith, is a noble lady living as a governess with Lady Hamilton and her family. The hero, Lord Percy, is an English gentleman who recognizes Edith's noble character in spite of her poverty. He of course falls deeply in love with her, but believing she will not marry him because of the differences in their stations resigns himself not to speak of his love. Conniving Lady Ida attempts to discredit Edith in order to win Lord Percy for herself, then a mysterious stranger arrives with documents that change Edith from a penniless governess into a wealthy heiress.

A Place to Call Home by Deborah Smith ~ Book Review

I believe this book has a place in Classic Literature, so I am including it in my list of books for the Classics 2011 Reading Challenge. A Place to Call Home is about one boy's search for a home and family of his own and his enduring love for the girl who gave it to him.

The book opens with five year old Claire Maloney defending 10 year old Roanie Sullivan against the unjust accusations of her cousin Carlton. Related to half the town and the product of the two oldest Southern Families joining together Claire is the acknowledged princess of the town, while Roanie is an outcast, son of the town drunk. When Claire's family takes the young boy in, it is a dream come true for Roanie, but when the family he loves sends him away his heart is broken along with Claire's. Vowing never to forgive her family for sending Roanie away Claire leaves home after college and finds work as a reporter, until a tragic accident forces her back home.

For twenty years Claire has wondered what happened to Roan, now he is back in town for her and confronting the family that sent him away as a young boy.

Claire: My horror was that no one would say a word, that this was beyond words.

For twenty years Roan has kept a Maloney family secret that threatens the family he holds dear. Clair has to find a way to heal the scars from the past so everyone can move forward together as a family or choose between Roan and her family.

This book tears at your heart strings and has you laughing one moment and crying the next. For anyone who grew up in a small Southern town the foibles of the town will be all to familiar. Smith captures the charm of the South and the enduring love of Family in her novel.

Getting started on The 2011 Classics Reading Challenge

Aesop - I love Aesop's Fables if you haven't read them I encourage you to do so.

Louisa May Alcott - I have read Little Women, Little Men & Jo's Boys. Since I enjoyed them I shall choose one or more of her books I haven't read for the 2011 Challenge.

I loved  Anna Karenina by  Leo Tolstoy and may look into reading more of his work.

I didn't care for The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka.

I am joining The Classics 2011 Reading Challenge

This sounds like a fun challenge and one I should enjoy. For more information click here. At least some of the books I read must qualify as classics right?

You can find some authors here and a classic reading list here.