Markai Durham's No Easy Decision

Well the news wires are lighting up over MTV's 16 and Pregnant again. This time it isn't the show's so-called "glamorized" portrayal of teenage pregnancy or the filming of disturbing real-life domestic abuse.

Nope.

Somehow they managed to top all of those intensely loaded issues with another; abortion.

Markai Durham, already a mother to one child with her boyfriend, allowed the show to chronicle her gut wrenching decision to end her second pregnancy.

Now believe it or not, I am not here to get into a debate on abortion or even talk about whether I think she made a good choice or a bad one. I'm far more interested in the fact that the world is going crazy and second guessing her decision and turning it into a political maelstrom, which is exactly what MTV was hoping for. Hello ratings!

The first thing I thought of, when I heard about this episode, was the song What It's Like by Everlast;

Here is a pertinent excerpt;

Mary got pregnant from a kid named Tom that said he was in love
He said, "Don't worry about a thing, baby doll
I'm the man you've been dreaming of."
But 3 months later he say he won't date her or return her calls
And she swear, "G** d***, if I find that man I'm cuttin' off his b***s."
And then she heads for the clinic and
she gets some static walking through the door
They call her a killer, and they call her a sinner
and they call her a whore
God forbid you ever had to walk a mile in her shoes
'Cause then you really might know what it's like to have to choose

Then you really might know what it's like
Then you really might know what it's like
Yeah then you really might know what's it like
To have the blues

That's all I have.

I am just really saddened that so many people judge and feel self-righteous enough to hurl their opinions, when they aren't her and don't really know what she is having to deal with. Maybe we should all take a step back, swallow the first instinct of snap judgment and try to help.

Look at the part of the situation that offends you the most and try to help or fix it. You may not be able to help her directly, but maybe you can help out in your community and there are plenty of people all over the world facing really awful situations where there are no "good" decisions. Maybe you can donate those old maternity clothes and kids' clothes and equipment. Volunteer somewhere and make a difference in some one's life.

Do something rather than just run off at the mouth.