Dear Anti-Abortionist on Tumblr

I read your abortion argument from several months ago.

"You might have lost the best actor ever seen, the next president, to one who found the cure for cancer, the one who would have revolutionized the whole world, the one who’d invented the time machine, the next Steve Jobs, but, now we’ll never know"

Hey. You know where these presidents and scientists and revolutionaries usually come from? You know what pretty much 99% of them have in common? Let me give you a hint. OH THAT"S RIGHT, 99% OF THEM COME FROM PRIVILEGED AND HIGHLY EDUCATED BACKGROUNDS. What, you think that geniuses and presidents just arbitrarily pop up like sunspots? Let me give you this analogy. You're given a choice to plant a garden of flowers. You have two soil beds to choose from; one in the Saraha, devoid of water, with far too much sun. The other is a lush, moist, fertile plot of soil in say, fucking Maine. Which one would you choose? The one with the most resources, or the one where your flowers will wilt and die, with the one-in-a-million chance that perhaps one flower will survive?

We have smart criminals. We have dumb rich people. Usually the primary difference between the two is the availability of resources in their upbringing and background. That's why I say that 99% of these scientists and revolutionaries aren't actually arbitrary poofs of genius, but usually products of upbringing. JFK came from a family of millionaires. Ghandi and Einstein and Che Guevera came from highly educated and relatively successful families. That is not to say that only wealthy people can produce exceptional children, though they have an definite advantage; you'll read stories like Barack Obama who was, although poor growing up, also received the benefit of a great education, and could tell anecdotes later about his mother like the one where she would stay up late with him, night after night, to make sure her son was learning diligently. You'll have stories from famous actors who nearly break into tears when they talk about how much their mothers/fathers taught them and cared for them. And that's where parenting comes in. Behind almost every success story, you'll find that there's some kind of wonderful mentor, inspiration or parent involved.

And often the opposite is true - I'll read up on infamous killers or deranged cult members out of curiosity, and often I'll see the same goddamn heartbreaking story over and over again - tales of broken families, severe childhood abuse, appalling neglect and so much deliberate hurt and damage beyond belief.

You'll probably have children some day, and they'll probably turn out well. And that'll have something to do with genetics, but it will probably have more to do with the fact that you will probably love them, cherish them, care for them and teach them with all your heart. Judging by the fact that you consider yourself a writer, you'll probably ensure that they're well-educated. And that's why you need to stop talking about abortion like it's arbitrary. Few abortions are truly arbitrary, just like few "geniuses" and success stories are truly arbitrary. For many, the simple facts of love, care, and devotion are enough to dictate their choices, and make them decide whether they're ready to give the fragile being inside them the love and care it deserves. Because that's what being a mother is really about.