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Los Angeles native Jana Coke responds from the heart to the controversy of the blue vs. red debate and the Pro-Life vs. Pro-Choice battle of abortion.

The final presidential debate brought up the yesterday and today fight of Roe Vs. Wade, the 1973 landmark decision by the United States Supreme Court on the issue of abortion which gave women the right to make their own decisions concerning the matter.

Hilary took the approach of speaking from women’s experiences; ones she’s met on the campaign trail by stating, “I have met with women who toward the end of their pregnancy get the worst news one could get, that their health is in jeopardy if they continue to carry to term or that something terrible has happened or just been discovered about the pregnancy. I do not think the United States government should be stepping in and making those most personal of decisions. So you can regulate if you are doing so with the life and the health of the mother taken into account.”

Donald Trump spoke from “a place of scare rhetoric”, as Clinton put it, stating, “I think it’s terrible. If you go with what Hillary is saying, in the ninth month, you can take the baby and rip the baby out of the womb of the mother just prior to the birth of the baby.” He made mention of ripping the baby out of the womb several times.

This part of the debate struck the heart of Los Angeles native Jana Coke, as she stated, an abortion is nothing but a term for a medical procedure. I went through a full delivery and got to hold my baby…that was my Choice. Anti-choice people use fear and control.”

While the two candidates’ rhetoric on the subject was less informative and more entertaining, Jana was reminded of the power of the CHOICE that Roe Vs. Wade provided for her and her doctor as she faced a life threatening situation and the darkest and hardest time of her life. Coke took to Facebook and posted after the debate:

“At 19 weeks pregnant, I received the most devastating news. The child in my womb had a condition that is not compatible with life. Additionally, continuing to carry him in my womb puts my life at danger. I was advised to terminate my pregnancy immediately. Because I had a CHOICE in my medical care, I decided to continue with my pregnancy. Since my OB had a CHOICE he discontinued treating me because I did not accept his advisement. As death was knocking at my door, I had a “late term” abortion at 25 weeks. My labor was induced and I went through a full vaginal delivery. This was my CHOICE. If the medical procedure known as abortion were not legal, I would not be alive today. This is why I am adamantly Pro-Choice.”

In This Corner Pro- Choice

The organization Planned Parenthood (which celebrates 100 years of service this month) was a subject of contention during the debate, the reason, Planned Parenthood is the nation’s largest abortion provider.  Planned Parenthood has been around since 1916, when Margaret Sanger, her sister Ethel Byrne, and Fania Mindell opened the first birth control clinic in the U.S. It was at the forefront when the food and drug administration approved the sale of the original birth control pill, and it played a dominate role in creating a movement for the reform of abortion laws in the United States before Roe Vs. Wade.

Ever progressive in its movement, Faye Wattleton became the first African American president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America in 1978. Under her leadership, Planned Parenthood grew to become the seventh largest charity in the country, providing services to four million clients each year through its 170 affiliates, whose activities were spread across 50 states.

While Planned Parenthood provides variety of care options for women and now some services for men, abortion is what keeps republicans wanting to stop its funding and pro-lifer’s protesting at their doors.

In This Corner Pro-Life

The pro-life movement includes a variety of organizations, with no single centralized decision-making body. The groups have no agreement on when life begins. Some pro-life advocates also oppose certain forms of birth control. A vast number of these Pro-Life organizations are conservative Christian groups and the Catholic Church.

Violent incidents directed against abortion providers have included arson and bombings of abortion clinics, and murders or attempted murders of physicians and clinic staff, especially the doctors that provide abortions. Advocates generally argue that human life begins at conception and that the human or embryo or fetus is a person and therefore has a right to life.

Republicans take a more moral fiscal approach by, “opposing the use of public funds to perform or promote abortion or to fund organizations, like Planned Parenthood, so long as they provide or refer for elective abortions”. The government is the largest source of Planned Parenthood revenue; it receives roughly $500 million a year in government funding.

While the rumble between Pro-Life, Pro-Choice, democrats and republicans continues throughout the country, Jana Coke is thankful for her CHOICE for her and her physician’s as she shares, “I want to put an end to the lies told of late term abortion. I’ve learned, that experiences are testimonies meant to be shared. It’s a joy to share my story.”

Statistics

Planned Parenthood reports say that 3% of its services make up abortions. The conservatives say not so, abortions make up 95% of its services and the government should not be paying for women to have abortions as a form of contraceptive in most cases, its reported less than 3% of abortions are for medical reasons.

According to the Pew Center, America is bending towards Pro-Choice:

Race and ethnicity Legal in all/most cases Illegal in all/most cases

White, non-Hispanic 57% 40%

Black, non-Hispanic 57% 40%

Hispanic 48% 50%

Gender Legal in all/most cases Illegal in all/most cases

Women                                         55%                                           41%

Men                                               57%                                          40%

Age Legal in all/most cases Illegal in all/most cases

18-29: 62% 36%

30-49: 57% 40%

50-64: 55% 43%

65+: 52% 43%

Level of Education Legal in all/most cases Illegal in all/most cases

High school or less: 50% 47%

Some college: 55% 42%

College grad or more: 66% 31%

Religious Affiliation Legal in all/most cases Illegal in all/most cases

White evangelical Protestant: 29% 69%

Black Protestant: 52% 43%

Catholic: 54% 42%

White mainline Protestant: 66% 30%

Unaffiliated: 78% 21%

Source: Los Angeles Sentinel