It seems as if there are certain subjects that always have controversy surrounding them. Some of the discussions about those subjects might even get heated on a regular basis. After all, people tend to take a stand on one side of the line or the other and will not budge. That is the case with abortion and all of the controversy that surrounds it. This issue came to the forefront in a recent case when an abortion clinic in Alabama performed an abortion and is now in the middle of a debate of fetal ownership.
Ryan Magers’ girlfriend went to the clinic at Madison County, Alabama to have an abortion. He is now coming up against the clinic in a case because they did not have his consent before performing the abortion. It isn’t just the issue that you see on the surface. The court is recognizing that the unborn fetus is an individual and has rights under Alabama law. That is why the judge allowed the 19-year-old to go ahead with the case.
Magers’ girlfriend was at the clinic more than two years ago to have the procedure done but he still wants his day in court. He is fighting for the rights of all men to be involved in that decision, regardless of the feelings of the woman.
He said the following to a local news station: “I’m here for the men who actually want to have their baby. I believe every child from conception is a baby and deserves to live. I just tried to plead with her and plead with her and just talk to her about it and see what I could do, but in the end, there was nothing I could do to change her mind. Even though there’s nothing I can do for the situation I was in, there is something I can do for the future situations for other people.”
His girlfriend took two pills to abort the fetus when she was approximately six weeks pregnant.
J. Brent Helms is the lawyer representing Ryan, who claims he was ready to be a father.
“Ryan was all about family. He took on extra jobs to be able to pay for the birth of Baby Roe,” he said. “He doesn’t know why she didn’t want to go through with the pregnancy. He’s not giving me a definitive answer to that question.”
The lawyer is defending Ryan but thinks that the court should also be on Ryan side. If it goes that way, it could have an effect on both men and women when an abortion is considered in the future.
Helms said: “I think the answers to a lot of these questions will have to play out in the future depending on what the court rules. There could be a situation where a father has to give consent to an abortion, also, our Alabama legislature could carve out exceptions. It’s almost too early to tell.”
