The country right now is in turmoil over President Trump and what he plans on doing with the country. The major issue right now is the debate over pro-life and pro-choice. The Women's March on Jan. 21st, was not only the biggest protest across the nation, but it was a world-wide effort. As a woman I was so proud of the march and how many MEN and women showed up to show their support for what they believe is for the common good of a country that they love to live in.

But I am not here to talk about what people already know about what happened. I am here to talk about what it is like to be both pro-life and pro-choice in a world where you have to be one or the other.

I fully believe that in certain circumstances that women do have the right to have the choice of what they want to do with THEIR own body. It does not matter what your religion is, someone cannot tell me what I am supposed to do with my body when I do not have the same beliefs as them. That is the issue that people are not understanding. We are a country that has a Separation of Church and State and now the lines are so blurred that we have no boundary anymore. What people are doing is basically placing a humongous stamp on my uterus and saying it is their property and not my own body anymore. I believe that a woman has the right to choose. A woman has many choices and not every person immediately thinks, "OH! I think abortion is the only answer!" No, that does not happen.

Women can choose whatever option they believe is best. Especially when they are the victims of rape. That is the most traumatic experience a woman, or man, can face. Forcing a woman to carry a child from the lowest point in her life for nine months, waking up everyday to that reminder, is a form of torture. Especially when they have to have a C-Section, then they will have that reminder for the rest of their life, and that is NOT okay.

I understand that people have their own beliefs and reasoning upon this issue, that is why we debate and not bash each other for their opinions. But do not throw your beliefs on me and make me feel like an awful person because I do not share the same beliefs as you.

When it comes to being pro-choice, I also have to believe in pro-life. Though, it comes with two sides. The first side is, again, on the topic of abortion. I believe that a woman has the right up until the point where I believe a baby becomes an actual human being. For me, that happens when a baby finally develops a fully functioning brain. This happens around ten weeks. Then that gives a woman around two months to decide if abortion is the right option. She can weigh her options and find the solution she believes is the best for her and the baby that she is carrying. Ultimately you cannot force someone to do what you want them to do.

The second side is based around the topic of being an advocate for the life of people. People need to have their voices heard and to not have them taken away because they are seen as less than. Refugees are the world's responsibility. Don't go saying that America should not take care of them when our entire country was founded on refugees coming here! The whole point of America is that it is the land of the free but then we are selective in who can come into the country? That sounds extremely hypocritical. Those of you are probably thinking, "The wall solves the problem facing illegal immigrant!" Well guess what if we had an easier system to become a citizen in this country that would solve the illegal immigration problem.

The process of becoming a naturalized citizen is to first qualify to become a citizen first takes five years of holding a green card and a residency. In order to get a green a green card, you need to apply for that and wait 90 days to see if you can even receive it, but even then you can still get denied for receiving a green card. BUT if you do get accepted, then an interview must take place, where you need to find an interpreter, if you do not speak English. But you need to know how to speak English to take the test and be involved in the interview. However, if you, for example the reader, were coming from a background where you did not learn a single word of the English language more likely than not you have to pay for classes to learn English with your own money, that you probably do not even have. To learn a language, if you have ten hours a day to spare, on the most basic level of learning the most difficult language in the entire world *cough cough ENGLISH* it would take three months. But even if you do not have the time it can take even longer, let us say around six months to a year. So for the people who are keeping track we are in between seven and eight years. Then you can finally can take your test, there is even a possibility to fail and only two chances to pass. So after eight years, spending your own hard earned money, that is if you did not get accepted for USCIS funding, you finally become a US citizen where you are left to fend for yourself and do not have any support or assistance and parts of the population that will hate you just because you do not look like them.

I do not blame people for wanting to skip the process and be able to provide for their family. I am pro-life for people because we need to make it easier for people to feel safe in the world. Just going around and saying that the military can protect or that they can protect themselves will not be enough.

Taking care of the common good is not just what you believe will benefit yourself and others who think like you, it is about taking care of the nation as a whole. When we say that we are the land of liberty and of the free we need to mean it. A wall does not say that, a wall is the equivalent of what happened in the Cold War and Berlin. Fixing problems is solved by talking out the situation and finding a solution that can be ATTAINABLE to the needs of everyone. Fighting solves nothing, listening does help. So does being closed-minded when it comes to others view points.

That is why I am both pro-life and pro-choice, there are benefits to each side, you just have to find the perfect solution. The question really is not are you one or the other, but why can't you be both?