1. ~JJG~ wrote:

“Federal underfunding of adequate family-planning programs and lack of access to inexpensive, readily available contraceptives certainly play a role.”

Is it the federal government’s responsibility to provide, “adequate family-planning programs?” Just asking.

Additionally:

“…lack of access to inexpensive, readily available contraceptives certainly play a role” Really? Can’t you go to any state health department and get “inexpensive, readily available contraceptives” ? I don’t buy this argument. Many of the health departments are in urban and low-income areas. Black women need to take responsibility for their reproductive rights prior to conception. I am sure by now, that everyone has heard about the 29 year-old man that has 21 children. So are you telling me none of these women had access to “inexpensive, readily available contraceptives” ?

2. Clif Soulo wrote:

JJG, I think the government should help and provide information and programs to help families in their planning for a new child. I also agree that women should take more responsibility if sexually active. We also should have better educational programs to help teach them and provide information of the possible outcomes (and even consequences for having unprotected sex).

In my opinion though, it’s not “black” women who are at risk, its women as a whole (in regards to this abortion issue). I just don’t agree on the banning abortion thing.

3. DCI74 wrote:

Indeed Clif. I don’t quite get where the author was going with this and as I was reading was expecting to hear specifics about how the abortion debate and talk of overturning Roe v. Wade is a larger issue for African-American women as opposed to all women in general. I think you raise a solid question JJG, I don’t think the government should do anymore than what has already been done regarding the tons of programs available for expecting mothers. I have also been a part of, seen and headed up countless fatherhood initiatives in my area and beyond over the years so I can’t see how even more governmental intervention will help. At some point we all have to be responsible for our own ignorance. When I see these disgusting displays of parental foolishness on Maury it truly blows my mind when I juxtapose those clips with an article like this. Those idiot men and women willingly have sex with no thought of being responsible, so when a woman is on the show for her 12th paternity test are we really expected to believe that the first 11 times she somehow had no idea she should’ve used a condom? And the idiot men should face that same question too when they’re being brought on the show by 8 women all claiming him to be the father. The government should not pacify willful ignorance and irresponsibility.

4. ~JJG~ wrote:

“We also should have better educational programs to help teach them and provide information of the possible outcomes (and even consequences for having unprotected sex).” Clif I think a lot of women are fully aware of the consequences of having unprotected sex. I don’t think it’s the lack of quality educational programs that cause people to make irresponsible decisions.

DC, I’m with you. I really don’t think this is a “black” issue. The right to choose is battle for all women, regardless of race. Article’s like these annoy me, because it does not address personal responsibility. I think women do have access to inexpensive, readily available contraceptives.” It is up to the woman to find these resources and us them. Free contraceptives are available for women in low-income areas.

5. Clif Soulo wrote:

JJG, I’d have to disagree. But then again, everyone is different, with different experiences. JJG and DC is, you two both talk about personal responsibility, and I definitely agree that people should have more individual respsonsibility for their actions, but do you guys think/agree that it’s more much complicated than just one person taking responsibility?

Because As I read the response, i take it as you guys think “if they would protect themselves, it wouldn’t be a problem”, as if it’s just that simple. So I was wondering if that’s what either of you meant and why you thought that?

6. ~JJG~ wrote:

Cliff, can you expound on why you disagree? I want to get a more clear understanding of your viewpoint.

When I am discussing “individual responsibility” I am primarily referring to the author’s claim that there is a “…lack of access to inexpensive, readily available contraceptives…” As stated previously, I don’t buy this argument. I believe that the resources are there and it is the responsibility of the individual to use the resources available. And it bothers me that authors is even arguing that this is a civil rights issue for black women. This is a rights issue for all women.

7. Mario wrote:

I think that the gov’t can have educational programs, but I really do not believe that these women or men will be learning anything new. We know the risk of unprotected sex and that there are risk even when people do use contraceptives. In my opinion for the Black community at least, the real education needs to come from our Grandmothers, Big Mamas, and church mothers that have held our community together with their experience and wisdom. I grew up living with my grandmother and I really don’t think that my mom and I would have made it far without her. I am a believer in grassroots efforts over gov’t anyway. I really believe that we need to work on getting these kids growing up with 22 year olds as the oldest person in the neighborhood connected to our elders to learn from and be mentored by them. I think that is when we can see a difference in our community.

8. Clif Soulo wrote:

Ahh ok. And I’m sorry. I disagree that alot of women are fully aware of the possible consequences of having unprotected sex. But I believe that is a much bigger problem than just the government providing information.

9. Carol wrote:

Women should take care of themselves and protect themselves if they don’t want to have a child. Women know their bodies. Abortion is murder. I am sorry that Tiller is dead, but just think about how many were saved.late term abortion are really wrong and people should go to prison. waterbroading is not okay but abortion is okay. this is carzy people thinking

10. R.oB. wrote:

I think the silence comes from the fact that black folk are not monoliths. Plenty are pro-life. But their commitments are complex. My parish voted overwhelmingly for Obama (including a white Sister of Mercy!) despite being staunchly pro-life.

11. R.oB. wrote:

Oops, I forgot that some of the political ideology surrounding abortion can be offensive to black sensibilities. I remember hearing this in a year when David Duke was running for office:

* aborting black unborn babies is the path to equality
* abort black unborn babies because they are essentially better off than living the shitty life they’d be condemned to

and sometimes this came from black lips. Personally, that completely turned me off to the pro-choice movement for most of my college years. I saw them as the liberal version of David Duke.

12. DCI74 wrote:

Cosign #6 JJG, my sentiments exactly.

Clif, I have worked with a lot of young people over the years and none of them were clueless regarding the consequences of unprotected sex. We give out condoms to all of our participants, we also have a drop-in center for residents with HIV/AIDS and our kids have to pass it by on the first floor every time they come to work. I have brought in countless guest speakers to talk to them about the dangers of unprotected sex, people I know with full-blown AIDS who appear perfectly healthy to challenge the myth that you can tell by looking at someone if they have a disease. They have spoken to people with HPV, herpes and others incurable STD/STIs as a reminder that HIV/AIDS isn’t their only concern. Right now there is an exhibit in our art gallery showing how women in South Africa have coped with and educated others about AIDS and it’s impact in their country, so they have a local and very worldly perspective of this issue.They know all the stories of young boys and girls who had to defer their dreams because of a baby yet despite all of this some of them still ended up in situations where there was a pregnancy but it certainly wasn’t because they were uninformed. Many of them are from single parent homes so they know firsthand the financial impact of raising a child. Are there other issues at play? Of course but I don’t believe that there are as you say “a lot” of women who don’t know the consequences of unprotected sex, not in 2009. Granted women who are uninsured or underinsured certainly have issues regarding prenatal care but that is a completely separate issue from being clueless regarding the impact of unprotected sex. But if you have some numbers to support your statement I’d love to see them,

13. MMH wrote:

Yes, personal responsibility is is an important factor of people’s sexual health.

But at the end of the day, the whether-abortion-is-legal issue has absolutely nothing to do with that. It has to do with what options of self-determination a woman has after they find out they are pregnant..

Especially in cases under 18 weeks (which I know the most about), it is an issue of whether a safe, simple, outpatient surgical or medical procedure should be legal or illegal. Whether the state should dictate that decision.

And just like the wreath beside Dr TIller’s casket read, I say simply “Trust Women.”

14. james wrote:

jjg, do young women in low-income areas have free access to birth control pills? is this access widely promoted? and does a young girl need parental consent to begin taking the pill?

15. Nate wrote:

Do you all not see the small problem with abortion that you are missing? A vast majority of the clinics are in poorer African-American neighborhoods. So, by claiming this is a civil rights issue of a woman’s body, you are missing the bigger picture of eugenics. You think it’s by accident that the white American doctors and politicians placed the clinics in these neighborhoods? They placed them there to control the African-American population. Not only that, but since they are in the poorer neighborhoods they are where more young women are attacked and raped and thus you are not solving any issues with crime and criminals complaining about your supposed women’s rights while you really give away all your civil rights by allowing abortion to continue in these low rent areas and not going after real criminals.

16. Clif Soulo wrote:

Well, I was only reflecting on my experiences growing up, so I have no updated frame of reference, and even my reference point was only of my neighborhood/community, so I don’t have any concrete data to support my opinion. I just believed that it’s not even possible for young teens to be “Fully” aware of the dangers/consequences and responsibilities that can come with unprotected sex, but I guess I’m wrong on this one.

But I’m interested in what you think the solution, or maybe not a solution, but a better way to get thru to young women about this?

17. ~JJG~ wrote:

James,

Yes, women in low-income areas do have access to free birth control pills and condoms (from my experiences). They can get these items from their local health department. When I was an uninsured college student I got my feminine care needs taken care of at my local health department. As a part of the service, I was given a little brown bag with condoms and birth control (if I wanted birth control, but I was required to take the condoms). I know many women who have utilized this state service. As a mentor for my sorority’s GEMS program we have held several workshops on safe sex and pregnancy prevention. It’s to the point that my mentees tell ME to use a condom, because I have told them so many times to do so (it’s kind of funny). From what I hear, the age is 13 (in my state) that a young girl can go to the state health department and get free birth control pills and condoms.

18. james wrote:

jjg, thanks for your response, if i may pry a little further, what was your experience prior to college? how did you become aware of the contraceptive services available to young ladies?

19. DCI74 wrote:

Clif, there are a range of solutions I think can aid in the prevention of teenage pregnancy but to me it starts with addressing it as an issue that is about young men and women, we must move away from the stigma that teen pregnancy is a teen girl problem. Other than those things I mentioned previously comprehensive mentoring programs, exposure to a wider range of extra-curricular activities and certainly if at all possible as much family support that can be given can also help serve as protective factors. I have seen how those things working in concert can yield positive results over time but as time goes on other factors come into play that can either encourage or discourage pro-social behavior and critical thinking skills among teens. I’ve seen how some young girls’ self esteem is positively impacted by a strong female mentor but for other girls a different strategy must be employed and the same goes for boys. But I agree with you so let me clarify by saying that a teenager cannot become fully aware of the far reaching ramifications of unprotected sex but they are far from naive to at least the ones they see within their lives daily.

20. ~JJG~ wrote:

James, when I was in high school I was aware that I could go to the health department for that particular service. In the latter part of my high school years I was able to go to my primary care physician for those services (I worked in a doctor’s office so I got free services…I’mma hustler, I’mma hustler homie…lol) and I was on Medicaid. The availability of such social welfare programs are general knowledge for many of the people I know/knew. It is similar to knowing that a family can apply for food stamps, Medicaid, WIC, and other Waiver services. When you are from the struggle, it’s something you just know.