What freedom of choice really means

Her father had wanted a son, so her parents named their unwanted daughter Stanley.

At the age of 18 and in her first semester of college, Stanley became pregnant. Three months pregnant and less than a year after they had met, Stanley married the father of her child, who was of a different race than she.

She dropped out of college. Before her son's first birthday, her husband left. Yet with hard work and her parent's help raising her son, she was able to finish college and eventually earn a PhD.

Stanley's son (let's call him Bob) was very bright, and became a successful man. Speaking of his own daughters, Bob said, "I am going to teach them first about values and morals, but if they make a mistake, I don't want them punished with a baby."

With today's freedom and choices, Stanley would not have had to endure the punishment of her mistake.

In fact, Stanley's parents could have avoided having her altogether, and opted to wait for the boy they really wanted. They could have really enjoyed retirement, instead of spending it raising Bob.

If we adhere to the logic of Bob's statement, the struggle and the story could have been avoided entirely. No Stanley, no Bob, no Bob's daughters to speak of.

An Illinois politician, famous for freeing our country from the bondage of slavery, paraphrasing scripture said, "A house divided against itself cannot stand."

If Bob's mother had followed the path he suggests for his daughters (and yours), there would be no Bob.

Eric Carver

Palatine