CARLTON FLETCHER: The act of childbirth is the domain of women

I stood on the fence and I yelled at the house, “What gives you the right?”

— Five Man Electric Band

I have absolutely no question that there are people who are truly concerned about the lives of unborn children in this country. They are the ones who do everything in their power to see that every child — every woman who faces a pregnancy — understands every facet of the decisions they face about their baby.

But there are others who are hypocrites, who throw out the term “right to life” as if it’s some kind of sacred badge that, by wearing it, they can claim to be on the side of righteousness.

I decided a long time ago that, when it comes to childbirth, men — and, yes, even the brightest men, men who have trained and delivered hundreds and even thousands of babies — have no say in that arena. The right — and, if I may use a worn cliche — the miracle of childbirth was granted to women. And it’s they who should have the ultimate say in the life of their children.

If there is some kind of moratorium held and the majority of women say that abortion should be outlawed, then I believe abortion should be outlawed. Until such a moratorium is held, though, I believe — and I’ve heard no argument that’s swayed me — that women should have a say over matters of birthing babies.

Because this is what I’ve heard from so many hypocrites — and, yes, these are men and women: When a woman is pregnant and is considering having an abortion, these people call her a murderer and ostracize her to hell. Some women have been intimidated by such tactics and have decided to have their baby rather than face the wrath of detractors. When their baby is born, though, it becomes a “welfare baby” and the mother — usually one too young to have had the child in the first place — is ostracized as a “drain on society, using the welfare system to have ever more babies so that their check increases.”

Which begs the question: How do you sleep at night?

The so-called Right to Lifers say “life begins at conception, and no woman has the right to end that life,” even if she were raped, molested, has a severely handicapped fetus that would have no quality of life, or even if the woman’s life is at risk if she carries the child to term. They harangue the woman until she either has the child or she’s made to feel shame for not meeting the standards of this group.

Unfortunately, for many in that group, life may begin at conception, but it virtually ends at birth. After that, the mother — and her child — is on her own. “That’s what happens when you don’t use proper precautions,” they say, and then use almost as much energy as they used fighting for the baby to be born fighting for the mother to be punished for having a baby and not being able to support it.

So these people condemn abortion and the women who have them, and they push for anti-abortion candidates — men typically — many of whom may say they’re Pro-Life but they’ve had to spend a little dough along the way maybe to take care of one of their own mishaps or that of a daughter, son, niece or nephew. And they keep pushing to make America the great country it once was, when many women died at the hands of butchers who called themselves abortion doctors because they knew they couldn’t afford to raise a child, but they also knew no licensed physician could do the procedure.

Maybe they’ll get their wish with the new “conservative” pick being rushed through hearings so that she can take her place on the Supreme Court before the presidential election Nov. 3. And maybe abortion will again be illegal. I hope this newly remade great country is prepared for: a huge increase in people either applying for and getting welfare or a soaring crime rate when desperate people try to feed the child they didn’t want. Oh, and imagine the hell all those unwanted children face as they’re welcomed into a system that protected their right to live right up until the time they were born … and then left them and their mothers to fend for themselves.

Abortion is a decision that should be made by women. And no gathering of old men, no matter how much time they’ve spent living off the taxpayer, should ever be trusted to make such a decision. Because for them, it’s about convenience … only for them.