Unsurprisingly, one of the central topics addressed in the buildup to the 2024 United States (U.S.) presidential election relates to abortion—the termination of a pregnancy after, accompanied by, resulting in, or closely followed by the death of the embryo or fetus: such as:
· spontaneous expulsion of a human fetus during the first 12 weeks of gestation
· induced expulsion of a human fetus
· expulsion of a fetus by a domestic animal often due to infection at any time before completion of pregnancy.
Although I was unfamiliar with subtle nuances regarding the matter, I knew about abortion by the time I was in elementary school. My late mom used to physically and psychologically abuse me, often screaming, “I should’ve aborted you!”
She clarified for my unformulated concept of the issue that abortion meant death. In a blogpost entitled Intellectual Honesty and Integrity, I addressed various euphemisms often associated with abortion by stating:
I’m exhibiting intellectual honesty and integrity by stating truth – abortion is the killing of life. Whether or not you define human life as a featherless biped with broad flat nails is of no consequence to me. Even living featherless bipeds can be killed.
In childhood, I understood this concept. Aside from my mom expressing that she regretted not having killed me when in her womb; I enjoyed the music of rapper Doug E. Fresh who, along with other members of The Get Fresh Crew, released the track “Abortion” (1986). Lyrics include:
Girl, you must be crazy to kill a newborn baby
Sittin’ on your ass all day, so lazy
Say to yourself, “Look what this man done gave me”
Yellin’ for help, but sayin’, “Preacher, preacher, save me”
All of us were born into a life of sin
That’s something in the genes buried deep within
But to give or take life, you must pay the price
So that brothers and sisters, it’s not that nice
You were born into sin, so don’t sin twice
Doug E. Fresh would never give the wrong advice
About… abortion!
Although I’m fond of using hyperbole when making a point, there’s no need to mince words when it comes to abortion. Unless this procedure is conducted in a U.S. state that outlaws the practice, abortion isn’t murder—criminal homicide (unlawful taking of life by another person).
Nevertheless, abortion – as it’s colloquially understood – is the act of killing. Noteworthy, I’m not against killing. To add context to the proposition, consider that I befriended gangbangers in adolescence (some of whom may or may not have committed criminal homicide).
Likewise, not long after graduating high school, I joined the U.S. Marine Corps. At that time, Marines were prideful about being the only military service in the nation that didn’t have a peacetime mission. We were a branch of military service known for killing.
Also, when serving the role of military police (MP) when in the Corps, circumlocution alluding to the termination of life was often used. MPs didn’t shoot to kill, we discharged a service-issued sidearm to “stop” or “neutralize” a threat. In any other arena, that’s called killing.
Furthermore, and much to the dismay of the social worker who conducted my Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) post-service mental, emotional, and behavioral health assessment, I honestly reported about my life. In her note, the clinician wrote (grammatical errors corrected):
Does keep firearms, has had recent psychosocial stressors. Has lots of weapons and keeps them in every room, in the event he has to fight his way out of any point in his house. Feels this is normal for his background training.
I was honest with the VA clinician about my stance on killing – I’m not opposed to it. Additionally, I’m currently a licensed concealed carrier of a sidearm within Texas. I don’t exercise my natural right with a hypocritical moral and ethical stance in opposition to killing.
Unlike so many people on one particular side of the partisan aisle during election season, I don’t use cutesy names for the termination of life. Induced death is killing, simple as. By the same token, I don’t value euphemisms for the act of killing, as relating to medical care.
As an example, I don’t absurdly propose, “I was really stressed out by the situation! Therefore, I exercised my ‘right’ to healthcare. So anyway, I started blasting.” (And yes, I un-ironically used a clip form It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia that ostensibly mocks people like me.)
With all this stated, I don’t support abortion. I suppose it’s a good thing, too, because I’ll never get one. I’m a man (adult human male). While I don’t like that people kill the unborn, I understand the arguments associated with doing so. All the same, I don’t support the matter.
Make no mistake about what I’m expressing herein. I’m not unproductively demanding what others should, must, or ought to believe or do in regard to abortion. After all, I’m not the moral arbiter of the universe, and it’s probably best for everyone that I’m not.
Instead, I’m merely expressing a truthful claim: abortion is an act of killing. Perhaps if people within the U.S. could use a similar degree of uprightness about this matter, then we could at least begin the process of open, honest, and vulnerable communication needed for civility.
However, since that’s not the situation in which we find ourselves, I’ll leave the moralizing to Doug E. Fresh, the in-fighting to partisan actors, and I’ll continue practicing rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) as a means to unconditionally accept matters which are outside of my control and influence – unless I need to exercise my “right” to healthcare, that is.
If you’re looking for a provider who works to help you understand how thinking impacts physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral elements of your life, I invite you to reach out today by using the contact widget on my website.
As the world’s foremost hip hop-influenced REBT psychotherapist, I’m pleased to help people with an assortment of issues from anger (hostility, rage, and aggression) to relational issues, adjustment matters, trauma experience, justice involvement, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and depression, and other mood or personality-related matters.
At Hollings Therapy, LLC, serving all of Texas, I aim to treat clients with dignity and respect while offering a multi-lensed approach to the practice of psychotherapy and life coaching. My mission includes: Prioritizing the cognitive and emotive needs of clients, an overall reduction in client suffering, and supporting sustainable growth for the clients I serve. Rather than simply helping you to feel better, I want to help you get better!
Deric Hollings, LPC, LCSW
References:
Discogs. (n.d.). Doug E. Fresh and The Get Fresh Crew. Retrieved from https://www.discogs.com/artist/13876-Doug-E-Fresh-And-The-Get-Fresh-Crew
Frank Reynolds (Best of Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia). (2016, July 17). IASIP - Frank Reynolds on the gun controversy - So anyway, I started blasting [Video]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/AHzw4QvE2Do?si=5Nbq2UVgv9ROSLIF
Hollings, D. (2022, May 17). Circle of concern. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/circle-of-concern
Hollings, D. (2022, October 31). Demandingness. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/demandingness
Hollings, D. (2022, March 15). Disclaimer. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/disclaimer
Hollings, D. (2023, September 8). Fair use. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/fair-use
Hollings, D. (2023, October 12). Get better. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/get-better
Hollings, D. (n.d.). Hollings Therapy, LLC [Official website]. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/
Hollings, D. (2024, April 15). Intellectual honesty and integrity. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/intellectual-honesty-and-integrity
Hollings, D. (2023, September 19). Life coaching. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/life-coaching
Hollings, D. (2024, March 4). Mental, emotional, and behavioral health. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/mental-emotional-and-behavioral-health
Hollings, D. (2024, April 9). Moral arbiter. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/moral-arbiter
Hollings, D. (2023, October 2). Morals and ethics. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/morals-and-ethics
Hollings, D. (2023, September 3). On feelings. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/on-feelings
Hollings, D. (2023, April 24). On truth. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/on-truth
Hollings, D. (2024, May 17). Open, honest, and vulnerable communication. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/open-honest-and-vulnerable-communication
Hollings, D. (2022, March 24). Rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT). Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/rational-emotive-behavior-therapy-rebt
Hollings, D. (2022, October 7). Should, must, and ought. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/should-must-and-ought
Hollings, D. (2024, October 20). Unconditional acceptance redux. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/unconditional-acceptance-redux
Norf Man. (2020, November 9). Simple as. Urban Dictionary. Retrieved from https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=simple%20as
TheRealDougEFresh. (2024, February 8). Abortion [Video]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/Rja5JeKv9Bs?si=ZMtCicwiFDfnKLAA
Uipadmin. (2015, November 13). What’s the difference between a 3D and 4D ultrasound? Mother Nature Ultrasound. Retrieved from https://mothernurtureultrasound.com/whats-the-difference-between-a-3d-and-4d-ultrasound/
Wikipedia. (n.d.). Doug E. Fresh. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doug_E._Fresh
Wikipedia. (n.d.). It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It%27s_Always_Sunny_in_Philadelphia
Wikipedia. (n.d.). Oh, My God! (Doug E. Fresh album). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oh,_My_God!_(Doug_E._Fresh_album)
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