Baby Evans v. Frequent Flyer Miles

I often get into debates with folks over policy issues. Though I definitely have my own opinions, I try very hard to find some legitimacy on all sides of these debates.

I also know that when it comes to the abortion debate, the emotions involved are often very high, and some of the situations women find themselves in regarding this issue are very difficult. These women are in great need of help and compassion. As are many of the women who have chosen for whatever reason to undergo an abortion—and often the men who participate in these decisions.

However, I find it really, really difficult to see the legitimacy of the other side of the abortion debate as portrayed in this San Antonio Express-News article on abortion:

Because of a ruling by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, a provision in a new Texas law requiring abortion providers to have hospital admitting privileges took effect late Thursday — and the Austin clinic where [Marni Evans] expected to obtain an abortion was not in compliance.

On Monday, abortion-rights groups seeking to overturn the provision asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review the appeals court decision, saying women are being denied access to a legal medical service.

“I was devastated,” Evans, now seven weeks’ pregnant, said about hearing of the ruling Thursday that prevented her abortion.

She said she and her fiance cannot afford health insurance, much less care for a child.

“This was my decision to make, but I am still pregnant today because that decision was taken away from me.”

Because of the Texas law that went into effect this week governing the operations of abortion clinics, Ms. Evans cannot this week abort the baby she is carrying and that she and her fiancé conceived. They want to abort the baby because they “cannot afford health insurance, much less care for a child.” Now, because of Texas’ new abortion law, and because it is too much effort to reschedule the abortion at another Texas abortion clinic and do another ultrasound, Ms. Evans is going to use the frequent flyer miles she had been saving for her honeymoon to fly to Seattle to abort the baby.

According the the Express-News, abortion rights advocates say that Ms. Evans story “represents the fate of hundreds of women” as a result of Texas’ new restrictions on abortion.

Really? I mean, really? Is that the best the other side can do? A woman has to deplete her frequent flyer miles to fly to Seattle because she did not want to go through the hassle of rescheduling her abortion at another local clinic? To abort what appears to be a healthy baby that she and her fiancé conceived but now find too inconvenient to care for?

No rape, no incest, no coat hangers?

Just frequent flyer miles?

Of course, perhaps Ms. Evan’s decision to use her frequent flyer miles was based on something more than inconvenience. Maybe she did not want to have to see her baby again on the ultrasound before the abortionist takes his life.

I don’t know if that’s the case or not. But I do know that little Baby Evans does not have much longer to live. We should keep her in our prayers.