NationStates Jolt Archive

It seems the state of Florida is has tried once again to enforce the "culture of life" at any cost. A 13 year old girl who was being taken care of by the department of children and families of the state of Florida became pregnant after running away from the shelter where she was housed. She wanted an abortion, but the DCF wouldn't allow her to have one. Luckily the ACLU and the courts made the right decision and prevented a 13 year old child from being forced to bring an unwanted child into the world.

1 What kind of care are these kids getting if they feel compelled to run away from DCF shelters? Are the shelters worse than the screwed up families the children were originally taken out of?

2 Why would anyone force a kid to give birth to a baby?

www.cnncom/2005/LAW/05/03/abortion.dispute.ap/index.html

Don't you know that if you have sex and get pregnant you have the responsibility to further destroy your own life and that of a as of now unexisting person?

Don't you know that if you have sex and get pregnant you have the responsibility to further destroy your own life and that of a as of now unexisting person?Whether or not a second person exists is subject to debate.

Point of information: Is carrying a child to term at 13-years-old life-threatening to the girl? I would assume that it is, but I don't have any data on-hand.

--The Democratic States of Cogitation

It's certainly not optimal. She may be able to conceive, but it must be a heck of a strain on her body -- especially considering it's no piece of cake for an adult. And, whether we choose to thing about it or not, it DOES have the potential -- though less given our level of technology -- to be life threatening.

Whether or not a second person exists is subject to debate.

Point of information: Is carrying a child to term at 13-years-old life-threatening to the girl? I would assume that it is, but I don't have any data on-hand.

--The Democratic States of Cogitation

Umm, for the larger part of Human history 12-16 was THE age for having Children. Consider Egypt who didn't even have a word for the concept of virginity and no even remotely effective birth control. I seriously doubt that the norm for centuries has somehow become lethal.

This is tragic certainly but in the perspective of scope, unfortunately insignificant.

Whether or not a second person exists is subject to debate.

Point of information: Is carrying a child to term at 13-years-old life-threatening to the girl? I would assume that it is, but I don't have any data on-hand.

--The Democratic States of Cogitation

Even if the fetus is in fact a person (I seriously don't want to argue that, I respect your opinion and will leave it at that) you cannot argue that there is a very good chance it will lead a good life. It will be born to a runaway 13 year old who doesn't want it. It is somewhat likely that it will die during or shortly after birth anyways, and even if it does survive, it will most likely be thrown into the same system that caused this poor 13 year old girl to be in such a bad predicament.

I know they did in the past, but it can't be good for the body.

Point of information: Is carrying a child to term at 13-years-old life-threatening to the girl? I would assume that it is, but I don't have any data on-hand.

--The Democratic States of Cogitation
In the case in question, a medical expert stated that her chances of dying in childbirth were something like 2 or 3 times her likelihood of suffering ill effects from an abortion.

Umm, for the larger part of Human history 12-16 was THE age for having Children. Consider Egypt who didn't even have a word for the concept of virginity and no even remotely effective birth control. I seriously doubt that the norm for centuries has somehow become lethal.

Please do remember that back in the days of 12-year-old mommies the most common single cause of death for women was death in childbirth. Think about that for a second.


This is tragic certainly but in the perspective of scope, unfortunately insignificant.
I strongly disagree. The very fact that ANYBODY was seeking to stop this young girl from choosing what to do with her pregnancy is beyond reprehensible, particularly given the medical and psychological risks to her. The people who were charged with the care of this girl utterly failed, and then compounded their failure by attempting to violate her fundamental human rights...I consider that a serious and major issue.

Umm, for the larger part of Human history 12-16 was THE age for having Children. Consider Egypt who didn't even have a word for the concept of virginity and no even remotely effective birth control. I seriously doubt that the norm for centuries has somehow become lethal.

(a) People are maturing slower and growing larger now because they can. Infants born are often much larger, again because of differences in lifestyle.

(b) Most women who had more than one or two children ended up dying in childbirth - often because of the strain put on her body during pregnancy and birth, a strain that would be worse in an underdeveloped (and a 13 year old is not yet fully physically mature) woman.

i am pro choice and always have been. however, i think there is something very wrong with florida.

first there was terry schiavo, now they refuse to hear a case about a 13 yr old girl having an abortion???? that is outrageous.

first of all, this girl should not be sexually active at that age. parents need to monitor her a little more closely, or get the girl birth control.

this should be the parents decision since this girl is a minor.

i am pro choice and always have been. however, i think there is something very wrong with florida.

first there was terry schiavo, now they refuse to hear a case about a 13 yr old girl having an abortion???? that is outrageous.

first of all, this girl should not be sexually active at that age. parents need to monitor her a little more closely, or get the girl birth control.

this should be the parents decision since this girl is a minor.
Read the story: the poor kid had no parents to speak of.

first there was terry schiavo,

So you are pro-choice, but don't think a person has the right to decide what medical treatment they will/will not refuse?

now they refuse to hear a case about a 13 yr old girl having an abortion???? that is outrageous.

It wasn't refused, according to the post. Apparently they allowed it.

first of all, this girl should not be sexually active at that age. parents need to monitor her a little more closely, or get the girl birth control.

(a) This girl was in a state-run home, so parents are not even in the picture.
(b) Considering that she got pregnant as a runaway, the sex was probably either forced or the girl was being pushed into prostitution.

this should be the parents decision since this girl is a minor.

(a) Again, no parents.

(b) Parents should not get to decide whether or not their children have abortions. At the very least, every state should have a way for a child to petition the state to allow it, regardless of what parents may say.