Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Forever Grateful: Why I chose to Be Pro Life

Most people who meet me would not consider me politically conservative. Based on the way I act and dress, this assumption makes sense. Nonetheless, I shock many when they discover that I am a member of groups which fall under the heading “conservative.” As to that, there is a reason for everything. Personal experiences shape our opinions and values. y reasons for joining a group such as GU Right to Life are extremely personal, but most of them stem from my mostly Catholic upbringing. My parents are both confirmed Catholics and I regularly went to mass on Sundays. I learned early on that Christian ethics most definitely support human rights at every level. Therefore, being pro-life was a logical conclusion for me from this exposure to Christian ideology. Last year, I learned of an even stronger reason to support this stance. I was preparing to give a speech in my senior year in high school. The speech I was giving was originally given by a Protestant minister and it called for morality in modern day politics. The speaker cited the issue of abortion as an indicator of the lack of morals in society and expressed that the answer to the debate over abortion was obvious to him. The message appealed greatly to me, and I practiced it one day in front of my mother for her input. She listened very calmly and then began to tell me a story, parts of which I already knew. My parents separated just a few months after I was conceived; it was a very nasty break-up. My mother then became a single woman, pregnant with her second child while trying to raise her one-year-old daughter, my older sister. She had no money and many of our relatives were not receptive to taking her in for awhile. Today it is very common for single mothers to raise a few kids and they are not really looked down upon. In 1978 it was not common, and these women were often treated badly, especially if they took the easy way out and went on welfare. My mother possesses an extreme work ethic and could never do that. Today, abortion is often considered a lifestyle choice. My mother could have aborted me and her life would have been that much simpler. Her pregnancy was a rough one and she remained in the hospital for weeks after giving birth to me. She could have overcome so many rough times and economic difficulties if I wasn’t around. Although I had heard the story of my birth before, I never knew until last year that she did almost abort me. y mother was raised Catholic in a very Catholic community. In her senior year of high school she considered becoming a nun. Despite this, as a single mother 25 ago, she almost made a choice that went against 25 years of ingrained morals. Something told her not to make that choice. I am so grateful that she didn’t. Our lives, and especially her life, have never been easy. Raising two kids on low wages is difficult, but even more so because she wanted to give us a good life, not just an existence. She sacrificed much for us and everyday she tells us how much she loves us. She has said time and again that she would do it all again because she has my sister and myself and a lot of love. My older sister is a college graduate and I attend Georgetown. Obviously, my mother did something right. The point is that you don’t have to take the easy way out. Hard work and suffering are necessary in life, but you certainly reap the rewards later on. My family proves that everyday. We have many friends and loved ones and we have made a difference to someone in this world. An organization dedicated to making such differences in lives, Right to Life, wants to help women through the hard times so they don’t have to make a choice that can ruin their lives. In the end, we do want an end to abortion so everyone can live the life they were intended to live. Jan-Michael J. Sacharko is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences.

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