Next week in class we will discuss abortion, as well as equal rights under the law. So this week, when I heard a popular radio show discussing abortion in the African-American community, I knew I wanted to blog about the issue. To be honest, I’ve never really thought about abortion in terms of race. Abortion is controversial enough on its own. However, consider these staggering statistics:
• More African-Americans have died from abortion than have died from AIDS, accidents, violent crimes, cancer and heart disease combined.
• African-Americans comprise 13% of the population, yet African-American women have 35% of abortions in this country.
• The African-American abortion rate is three times higher than the national average and four times higher than the rate for Caucasian women.
• Since Roe V. Wade 17 million African-American babies have been aborted, reducing the potential African-American population by a third.
• Almost as many African-American babies are aborted as born.
Called modern-day genocide by some, many say African-American abortions are higher because organizations that offer abortions are mainly located in African-American neighborhoods. For example, Planned Parenthood has 80% of its facilities in minority neighborhoods, making it easier for some to access abortion doctors. Others say these young men and women need to take responsibility for their own actions. Just because abortions are available, shouldn’t make the need for one increase.
So my question to you this week is “Why do you think abortions are so much higher in the African-American community? Do these abortion clinics provide a needed service, or do they encourage stunted African-American population growth?” Answers are due no later than Thursday, March 11th, 2010.
P.S. Recently, I was asked to make the blog questions more controversial. I won’t call you out by name, but you know who you are. This one’s for you!
To start off, I would like to first state that I am not racist and if any of my statements seem to be that way, they are not and I apologize. As for the genocide problem, that is extremely upsetting that those statistics are so harsh and I believe that it is important to make pro-active action to fix this problem. As for a solution, I don't have one at the moment. In sociology, we learned that a lot of African American families are in the low or middle class area. Now what makes sense is that low and middle income classes would get more abortions because they would not be able to support a child and feel that an abortion is a better option. Coming from a low to middle class income household, I know that if I were to get pregnant now or even in High school, I would not have been able to support it and would have considered either abortion or giving it up for adoption. Now as for the question pertaining to if the clinics are providing a service or assisting in a genocide, I believe that, as any other institution, it is simply providing a service that people can choose whether or not to use it. If a service is there, that does not mean people have to use it. It does not help anything that they are there, but it is simply the person's choice and situation.
ReplyDeleteoh. I forgot to post:
ReplyDeleteKati Melcho
Friday Night
I'm not quite sure why abortions are much more higher in the African American community then in any other. Possibly because poverty is so high among blacks and the families and or people do not have the money to support another child. And the abortion clinics could be singling out black women, seeing as the poverty rate is so high.
ReplyDeleteThis is Howard Jones from Friday class
I think abortion is terable and I am aginst that 100%. I not sure why it is higher in african american communities then others, but maybe it poverty. But to me povertey or not that is not excuse to kill a baby. To me I see it a murder with anyone who kills alife. Its not that babies foult, but the parent who doesnt us pertection or just dont do it all untill they know they can have the finaces to have a baby.
ReplyDeleteIt seems it 's a mix of poverty and lifestyle and a mixed mindset of male and females that makes the abortion rates higher in African Americans. Not to sound racist but the lifestyles that are portrayed in rap music has a huge influence on African Americans on the poverty line.....one of the messages in this music is disrespect to woman and treating them as desirable objects. This mindset causes males to seek out sex for the thrill and have no committment to the woman. Then if the woman gets pregnant then she doesn't have a man to support the baby and her family can't support it either, then she would turn to having an abortion. These are just observations, but it seems to be a very shared fault between male and female. On the population issue I tend to believe the reasons are 50/50, half for service and half for population control. I do know that Bill Gates gives tons of money to Planned Parenthood and he has been known to be a supporter of population control.
ReplyDelete-Grant Monson Friday 6pm Class
I do not believe there is some scary tactic or anything behind those statistics. African Americans might be the highest race to have abortions but Caucasians and Hispanics are not far behind. By the GuttMacher Institute research [ http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/fb_induced_abortion.html ] they found that 37% percent of abortions occur to black women, 34% to non-Hispanic white women, which is only 3 percentage points lower. So i believe it really all comes down to poverty, and not race. I believe women who are living in hard situations or are not wanting to have a child yet are those who have abortions, not just african americans because planned parent hood is on the corner in a african american community.
ReplyDeleteI believe Abortion clinics do offer much needed services. The reason why a woman chooses to have an abortion is her own business only, and the reasons can be from life threatening situations to just not being mature enough. Regardless, in my opinion a woman's body is her own and hers to do with whatever she wants with it. And until one is placed into that situation i do not believe they will fully understand the complexity of that decision and how it will affect them.
tatjana mccart
saturday morning
I do not believe the clinics are participating in another genocide tactic. They are offering a service to a woman who chooses to go there. It's not like they are going around door to door asking if women want an abortion or even forcing women to make that choice. Why the abortion rate is higher in African-Americans I don't know- maybe they just get pregnant more??? Or their rate could be higher because they choose abortion over adoption and possibly other races are choosing adoption more. My biggest question is, why are they getting an abortion? What is the reason behind their choice? Answering those questions would then help us figure out why their abortion rate is so high. I would also be curious to know out of those percentages, how many of the African-Americans are teenagers- that also plays a role on the abortion rate.
ReplyDelete~Kyndall Friday night
The fact that African Americans are having more abortions is likely a result of having more pregnancies. After reviewing Tatjana's link, I confirmed the fact that African American's have almost 70% of the nation's unplanned pregnancies. To me, that would explain the higher abortion rate. However, I believe the high instances of poverty among African American is a major variable in this statistic as well.
ReplyDeleteTo call abortion murder or genocide is completely against what I believe. Democrat or Republican, Catholic or Jewish, or any or all of the above, or any other combination, A woman's body is a woman's body. If people have the right to bear arms and free speech, they have a right to do whatever they like to their body. I firmly believe that people are capable of making and dealing with the life decisions that surround choosing an abortion. If you cannot afford a baby or do not wish for a baby, it is your choice to make and your consequences to deal with. I feel people are too interested in judging others for their choices. If a woman chooses to be sexually active, she is capable to make the decisions surrounding a child.
Sarah Cason Friday Night
First of all, this stat is a little surprising to me. I wouldn't think that Affrican Americans would be having the majority of abortions because it seems a little bit more "accepted" to be having a child at such young ages than in other races.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22689931/
http://www.abortionno.org/Resources/fastfacts.html
These web sites as well as many others tend to support a different theory. That white women are the majority of abortions not black women. Although a black women is 3 times more likely to have an abortion, the white population is larger than the black population. So unless every black woman is having an abortion, there is no way that black woman can be having the most abortions overall. Anyway. Let's say that the radio show you heard is right and black women do have the majority. I believe this is probably because of the lower incomes amoung this group. It's an easier decision to make when you don't have the means to support a child. No one wants to bring a child into the world that will never be able to have the things it needs to be a healthy and loved child. These clincs are obviously put in these neighborhoods because these woman are more likely to consider the option. It doesn't make much sense to put an abortion clinic in a rich and successful area. People in these areas are less likely to have an abortion because they have the means to take care of a child. An other theory is that they're are higher crime rates, such as rape, in a lower income area than others. So this might also be a reason as to why these clincs are placed where they are. Lower income groups also aren't as educated when it comes to forms of birth control, and might not have the financial means to support it. Although, a condom costs like 50 cents. There are lots of reasons why people have abortions, and we could go on for ever about this. But I will say that it is a women's choice to do what she wants with her body and having sex and being sexually attracted to someone is human instict and our bodies tell us that we have a desire and need for sex when we go through puburty, but this dones't mean that we are ready to have children during this stage. It is however our responsibility to use some form of birth control if we are not able to have a child at that point. Abortion should not be used as a form of birth control.
Carolyn Carden Friday night
I think the reason why is that blacks are targeted! some black commities are poor enviroment,there are liquior stores at every corner. There are gun stores in every corner. Now are planned parenthoods in every corner. Tell me that the black neighborhoods arent being targeted! Its a shame that African Americans are letting this happen to them. I cant under stand why they cant say no to the way there neighborhoods are going. African Americns need better education to learn family values. They need to learn more about protective sex. Its wrong to take a life,it bothers me.
ReplyDeletesigh...
ReplyDeleteOk before I start this post please note that I am not a woman and I am not a African American. So I really don't have any facts to support any of the stuff mentioned in this blog. It is all from heart...
Before I pull out my soap box and stand on it and say what I would like to say, I would like go a little further in time before this survey was taken and ask one thing - How much sex ed was taught in Jr. High school and in High School?
Education should be just that - something that is learned. We need to educate EVERYBODY about the do's and don'ts of Sex. Especially at a young age. I think that the people who took this survey should also take a survey of how many classes in our younger and developing lives are about and or around sex? We tend to learn about it from our friends and neighbors and not in an educational since. Which ends up as not being properly educated.
Abortion - Geesh Miss Stephanie when I asked for a harder and more in-depth subject you go for the mother-load don't you? Ok my views on Abortion is this. I am not a woman and I believe that it is something that a woman should decide on. It is her body she will be ultimately destroy. I don't have the hormones that ladies have, so I cant really make a true judgement about abortion. I only support the thought of abortion if some lady was raped or had sex not under her will and got pregnant. It is not her fault and she should not have to live with the hassle of people bothering her about abortion. She has gone through enough pressure already. It in the long run should be her choice. Any other cases I do not support the thought of abortion.
While still on my soap box I have to say one thing. I don't care if you are Black, White, Pink, Yellow, Purple, or any other color. Humans are humans. I think that the sexual drive is very strong in everybody. Personally I think that the whole survey was biased. I would also like to see a survey on 4 other races and just not focus on one race. I also feel that there should be a new survey based off of how many single parents are trying to raise kids alone; and ask those kids what they think about abortion. Or parents that are alcoholics that don't give a crap about their kids; and ask those kids what they think about abortion. If you bring it down to a race, it then becomes an issue, when it should become a HUMAN issue.
I hope some of this made since and I am not being taken wrong.
Stepping off my soapbox.
Dave Brown ~ Sat morning class
Im not so sure on the whole black women thing, but I do however I think that they have to many places that are willing to abort babies. I go back in forth with this issue. Meaning that somtimes I go with the whole its your body do what you want with it. Then other times I look at it like this is a life you are getting ready to take away. But I can remember when I pregnant about a year ago, I was telling my mom that I didn't think I was ready for a baby. ((I was thinking abortion because I was scared..... and at that moment I had become a hypocrite.)) I had always talked about "BABY KILLERS" & how they were wrong to throw away a human life. So at that point in time my mom sat down and asked me these questions, "Are you under the age of 17, Are you homeless or jobless, Were you rapped, and are you mentally handicap or ill? All those were no for me. So I had no reason for not wanting to give birth to my baby girl. So at that moment I stopped thinking about myself and starting thinking like a mommy. I just feel that many women do it just because it does not interfear with what they have going on at that time. I think they should have limitations on abortions. Other reason are what will my parents think or im not married yet, or peoples religion. People just need to practicing SAFE SEX and they would be having babies to kill.
ReplyDeleteAaron Ford, Saturday Morning
ReplyDeleteWell, the only people who get abortions are the ones who need them, specifically people who chose not to be safe in bed and got pregnant. This can happen to anyone, but I think that those who live in poverty and can't afford to raise a child make the choice to abort. Abortion clinics don't advertise, "Hey, go get pregnant and come see us," or "Hey minorities, you all need to abort your babies." The fact that more clinics are in the lower class areas of town is that is where the sevices are needed, so that's where they set up shop, not the other way around.
That's just my view. I believe abortion is wrong, and someone should'nt abort just because they don't feel like raising a baby. I believe that 2 people should be married before they have a child, because a child deserves to have a mother and father.
Maybe it's higher their because don't people start having sex at a younger age, and have arranged marriages at a younger age. maybe im wrong. Im not sure. but maybe they are now realizing that they can't take care of a a child so they think abortion is best. Maybe they thnk they cant even take care of them self there is no way they can take care of a child. Or maybe they were forced upon having sex and didn't want to do it and ended up being pregnant. I dont think clinics pressure people to get an abortion. I think they are just there for people who need them. They are there to listen to people's scenario and help them make a decision, maybe not even that, just tell them what they think. I just think they are there to help. I'm neither for or against abortion, it's someone's choice, they can do what they want. I'm not going to be mad if someone decided to get an abortion because they got rapped, or because they were young and dumb. It was their choice, they are humans, humans make mistakes, they can do what they want. It's not a big deal to me. But those statistics were quite shocking...
ReplyDeleteJessie Buechler Friday night
Anna Wilson
ReplyDeleteFriday Night
I feel that abortion clinics are needed regardless of where they are placed. They provide a service that is necessary at times. The reason why African Americans might be the ones that use the clinics more than other people could be because they have easier access and information to them than any other race. However, African Americans are also unfortunately the "lower income" majority of population as well. Therefore, they would be more likely to not be able to financially afford a child. There could be different situations occurring as well such as health problems that are preventing a child from being born.
2 things off the bat.
ReplyDeleteAbortion, as a whole, is indeed genocide.
Also: I still feel safe as a white person using the word "black" as appose to "African American". The majority of my friends my entire life have been black and not once have I heard any one of them refer to themselves as African American. I'm not saying this in defiance of you Ms. James, not at all...just an explanation of my blog entry. I feel like we as white people use that phrase often times as a buffer between ourselves and the all powerful race card. But I digress...
Why is abortion genocide? Because, looking at it as the social movement it has become, it's been the cause of death for millions of people (babies are people). When people say things like "Women should be empowered to make decisions regarding their own body", I agree fully. However, a child to be born inside a woman's stomach is a seperate body, not her own. Any way you slice it, murder is murder. M-U-R-D-E-R. There, I spelled it. Ok, so I'm an asshole. Anyway, the fact remains. I've heard many say that if we take away this right, people will still do it in garages with coat hangers and the like. Going by that philosophy, why don't we just have adult murder clinics where a simple lethal injection can painlessly send an inconvenient human to the afterlife; that way we wouldn't have to worry about people getting drowned in bathtubs. Here's some food for thought: Any and every time a baby is aborted, it is the consequential occurance of one self appointing themselves as the judge of that child's right to live. In other words - God. Abortion, along with many things (war, death penalty, etc.) is a testament to the arrogance of the human race, as we have decided that ourselves, rather than our creator, are the supreme judges of whether life shall be saved or destroyed. With everything said, I can and will not cast judgement on any woman who has had an abortion, because I've never been in that position.
pt 2 below...
As far as the black community is concerned: From what I've experienced, in addition to some obvious statistics, black families have a dwindling number of male role models. I can name one black friend of mine who was raised by his father, and even then, his mother died when he was two. What Dave said is absolutely right: sexual drive transcends all racial boundaries. However, the more time I've spent time with black friends the more I've found that sex with multiple partners, along with infidelity, is viewed much more casually in many communities. Did I mention I was white? I don't want to get too far ahead of myself here. Anyway, if a 16 year old black female is faced with the option of having a baby and dropping out in 9th grade with no source of income, or killing her child, it can become an extremely stressful turning point that a young person should never have to go through. A 16 year old will almost never have the same wisdom of someone who is 26. In many lower income communities exists a large cloud of hopelessness that engulfs every day life. I think many women feel like they'd be sinking deeper into a pit of desperation by having an unwanted child.
ReplyDeleteGrant made an excellent point about rap music. Although there exists an inspiring, artistic side of the genre, there is also a collective mindset that women were created for sex. When words like "bitch, hoe & slut" are repetetively used to describe women, it not only subconsciously affects a man's view of a woman, but also a woman's view of herself. It's unfortunate to see how not only black women, but women of all races have let themselves be disrespected to such an extent; many of them playing along just to get attention. If women as a whole had more respect for their bodies nowadays, there would undoubtedly be less unprotected sex with less partners, thus reducing pregnancies.
It isn't just a black thing, it's an American thing. A woman's body is her own, unless it's another body. Stop the killing.
I guess my main question is, what individuals are calling it a genocide? I don't really know enough on the topic to really say if this is as huge of an issue as it's being made out to be or not. Perhaps abortion amongst that community isn't as nearly taboo as it is amongst perhaps a catholic family. Maybe its playing a significant part in our population control. Better yet, the best reason being. Why would you ever want to bring a child into this world that was not only unwanted, but improperly cared for and neglected (i.e. orphanages). There are so, SO many abandoned and unwanted children in the world that are struggling to be taken care of as it is. Why make it such a huge deal to lessen that burden? So is it genocide, or is it common sense?
ReplyDeleteNicole Welty
Friday Night
To be honest I think the African-American population isn't the only one being offered these services. Just because there are abortion clinics in these "minority" areas doesn't mean it is a predominately African-American area. I've been through and know people that live on every side of town and I know of a lot of these clinics. I want to agree with Sayrawh that the more abortions are significantly due to more pregnancies. I am the last person to be racist in this world. I was actually picked on for multiple reasons pertaining to the color of my skin whether it be asking if I am biracial as far as African-American and Caucasian to being called names referring to being part Hispanic. However, my reasoning for stating that was the comment that I am about to make. Perhaps the lack of use of contraceptives could play a role in the pregnancies and abortions of these African-American women. A small though tat comes to my mind though is if these women can pay for an abortion why can't they pay the, I don't know, 1/20th of that for a box of condoms or a possible small fee monthly for birth control. No it's not always going to work but I'm pretty sure there is at least a 90% chance there would be less pregnancies.
ReplyDeleteit is evident that abortion will be more rampant among minority groups because of their different living conditions and educations. i do not believe that everyone is always ready to have a baby but am not necessarily agreeing with pro choice. for me that subject hits very close to home and it is a very difficult decision for me to make. abortion should not be viewed as a much needed service or way to keep the african american population down. to me it is simply another way of people hurting themselves and each other. just my opinion, would never force it on anyone else.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI have no idea why African-Americans have a higher percentage of abortions, but maybe the government isn't giving them the support and funding's to help them get started with their pregnancy so they just abort the babies. The clinics are accessible to them in their home areas so they just go there. However, my personal opinion on abortion is that sometimes women find themselves in situations where they can't personally take care of the baby. I don't know how they got themselves in that situation and that you should never kill someone, but if they can barely take care of themselves and don't know how they can care for another human being then they have to make that decision for themselves and no one else, financially, physically, emotionally, mentally, and for the babys well being.
ReplyDeleteI have never thought of abortion in terms of race either. It may seem rude to assume that abortions among this race are higher because they think they will be unable to support the child once it is born, but maybe that is the problem. Mind you, I am not saying African American people are poor and can't raise children. I am simply saying that maybe there are more African American people that don't have the means to raise a child than there are white/Caucasian people that don't believe they will have the means to raise a child. I don't think that the placement of abortion facilities impact the rates in different races, however. White and other races are going to go to those "lower income" neighborhoods to those facilities if they want to have abortions just as soon as African American people would go to a higher income neighborhood to receive these services if that was the only place they were offered.
ReplyDeleteCarina Street
Friday Night Class
Rachel friday night,
ReplyDeleteI think that the abortion rate is higher in african american comunites beacuse in most cases the mothers come from poverty stricken areas or families. I don't believe that these clinics provide a needed service. A needed service is not abortion it is education on preventing unwanted pregnancies. I do beileve that these clincs are stunting the growth of the african america comunities beacuse they make it so easy to recieve abortions in areas that have a greater population of poverty stricken african americans.
Alot of times it comes down to money. With women being so young when they get pregnant now days, they can barely support themselves let alone a baby. Other times it just comes down to irresponsibility and women not caring enough to try to prevent pregnancy from even happening. Thats when things like abortion clinics and the "Plan B" pills become enablers.
ReplyDeletePersonally I believe it has more to do with economic class than race. Statistically there are far more unplanned pregnancies in lower income households. It is simply an unfortunate side-effect that minorities tend to make up a larger number of these lower income families. From a business standpoint it makes sense to build your facilities within reach of potential customers. I believe, like loan agencies, abortion clinics are targeting the economic group and not the ethnicity of these people.
ReplyDeleteMichael Moore
Saturday Morning.
I think that the reason that the abortion is so high in the African American population is due to the low poverty.It is sad to say that one race seemingly has that image put on them but i think that is why the abortions are so high. People in poverty are already scared and have to make sure they can even live and eat. but i don't agree that abortions are the right answer there are plenty of provision for people not to get pregnant. And i think that they should take the responsibility to making sure that it just doesn't keep happening and that abortion isn't just always some way out.
ReplyDeleteZazzetti
Saturday morning class
I think the reason is also poverty. I am surrounded by African American friends and some have had abortions, and even though I personally wouldn't i don't judge them because that's their choice and their lives. They all did it for different reasons but a lot did for the poverty reason. I also feel like that is just the easy way out and they are so many ways to get it and so many resources that i guess is hard for some to just not do it.
ReplyDeletePopulation control may play a part as to why African-American women have abortions but it is definately not the only reason. These days, the age at which girls are having sex keeps getting younger and younger. I am turning 34 next week and I did not start having sex until after I turned 18. I have heard stories about how girls as young as 9 and 10 are getting pregnant. Lack of an education and poverty are both,in my opinion, are reasons as to why they have so many abortions.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I do not agree with abortions but I am not against it. Women should have the right to choose, especially in those situations where a child was conceived out of rape or incest.
I think abortion clinics do provide needed services as well as possible encouragement towards stunted African-American population growth.
Off subject, but in all seriousness, I began making this post at 11:45 and twice now had lost everything that I had posted and had to start all over from the beginning. Main reason being our sorry excuse for wireless internet. Third times a charm, minus some interesting info that has well been forgotten.