Middle of Nothing

I have always considered myself to be a "middle" person. Growing up I was the middle child, middle class, middle of the alphabet - you get the picture. As I've gotten older that "middle" syndrome has continued. When it comes to politics and religion and life in general I am still very much in the middle, however it is getting harder and harder to stay that way. I haven't changed, my views haven't changed, but the world is trying to squash the middle out of me and make me choose sides. And quite frankly I don't want to!

Most people I know fall into the middle class, but somehow the middle class is rapidly disappearing. We get strapped with the most taxes, we don't qualify for assistance of any kind even though we mostly live paycheck to paycheck, and we aren't represented anywhere. No one cares what happens to us here in the middle.

I find this to be most prevalent in politics. There are issues where I tend to agree with one side, but rarely am I completely, 100% one way or the other. I truly believe there can be a middle ground to all issues. Currently the issue pissing me off the most is abortion. I've always considered myself pro-choice but as more and more information comes out about shady doctors and malpractice it's really hard to align myself with that movement. But the super crazy pro-choice activists make it nearly impossible to agree with them. I think before 13 weeks abortions should be legal for whatever reason, and possibly up to 20 weeks. I think women should have the right to terminate a pregnancy when either the mother's life is in danger or the baby has life threatening complications. I don't think it's ok to terminate a pregnancy at 38 weeks, for any reason at all. There is nothing you find out at 38 weeks that you couldn't have known at 20 weeks. You shouldn't be able to change your mind in your 3rd trimester, because even though your boyfriend told he loved you and he pinky promised he would be there for you he left anyway. If a baby can survive outside of its mother body (which I think is around the 28 week mark but I could be wrong) I really don't support terminating it. I am still pro-choice. I still believe there are benefits and it needs to be a viable option. But I can't support either side. I can't support taking away all abortion rights like Republicans want, but I sure as shit can't support partial birth abortions because a 30 year old woman suddenly realized at 7 months pregnant that she wasn't ready for it. I also can't support tax dollars paying for each and every abortion. I support my tax dollars being used to educate about safe sex, but if you can't pay attention or be bothered to go to Planned Parenthood and pick up a bag of FREE condoms, I shouldn't have to pay to correct your mistake. If insurance companies want to cover it they should be allowed to, they should also be allowed to not cover it. If you buy your own insurance rather than having group insurance they don't cover maternity care so why the hell would they have to cover abortions?

The other aspect of the pro-choice movement that I cannot ever support is that there are people out there who actually think that all unplanned pregnancies should be terminated. I have had several people, some pretty close to me, actually ask me why I kept my 1st child and didn't have an abortion even though I was only 21 and not married. My response to those buffoons? "It never occurred to me." I've never been on welfare, I've never asked for help, and I've never been a single parent. Maybe Charming Husband and I weren't married at the time, but we weren't any less committed to each other and our family than we are now. Unplanned and unwanted are two very different things. Just because I have never sat down and planned the exact day I wanted to get pregnant doesn't mean that my children are accidents or that I love them any less. I don't plan what I'm going to eat for dinner, but I still eat dinner every night. Abortion is an option, but it isn't the only option. Not even close.

I am frustrated with this all or nothing mentality. I'm not fighting against either side yet I feel like I can't choose one side to be on. I think what's on the books already is perfectly acceptable, we don't any more or any less legislation. It's not even worth having an opinion anymore because I am going to have people from both sides yelling at me because I don't agree wholeheartedly with their view. I just want to be allowed to be smack dab in the middle, where I have always felt that I belong.

*Side note: This is not an open forum to bash me on my opinions. I know a lot of my readers are against abortion and I respect their opinions. I will tolerate any hateful comments or comments that attack me and my point of view. You are welcome to disagree, just do it respectfully.