Abortion debate: All the wrong questions

WASHINGTON - JANUARY 23: Pro-life activists use a bullhorn to interupt a vigil held by the National Organization For Women outside the U.S. Supreme Court on January 23, 2012 in Washington, DC. The vigil was held to mark the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

Now that we've hopefully calmed down a bit over the recent incident where an abortion debate led to a legislator being silenced for using the word "vagina." I'd like to offer some prospective on the topic.

When you make laws regarding abortion, you're coming up with all the wrong answers because you're asking all the wrong questions. The real question and the real answers start to come when you take a compassionate look at the desperation and pain leading to abortions.

Ensure that those who can't afford birth control can get it. Compared to previous times, birth control access in the most developed nations on Earth is pretty good, but it could be much better. 

Keep working on your nonprescription birth control options rather than just putting the same synthetic hormones in different forms.

Protect women and children from domestic violence. No woman should fear for herself or potential children. 

Empower women during pregnancy and childbirth. Doctor and hospital protocol mean nothing when compared with a woman's instincts. There is so much fear surrounding one of life's greatest miracles, and there shouldn't be.

Make motherhood sacred. All mothers, birth mothers and adoptive mothers, are special, just as every child is special. Whatever circumstances brought a woman to motherhood, there is no shame, only love. If you want to make laws, then make open adoption legally enforceable so that agreements to share a child's life are honored.

Create socioeconomic opportunity for every potential mother. Give every woman the education and career resources to meet her full potential. Make sure child care and emotional support are available to all mothers. Don't ever leave a woman to consider the terrifying prospect of raising a child alone. No one should ever feel they have nowhere to turn. 

Compassion doesn't make moral judgements or claim its rights above anybody else's. The point is to create better options instead of trying to limit them.