Abortion: More Questions Than Answers

Abortion is one of the most dangerous issues anyone in America can attempt to discuss.  There are radicals who rely entirely on emotion sprinkled with a few facts, opinions or distortions and lots of emotion on both sides.

In fact, I expect a few “I’ll never read your paper again.”  This will be in spite of the fact that I will be stating facts and asking questions.  

There are two extremes.  One is that a fetus isn’t a baby until it is born (and sometimes after birth) and can be terminated anytime.   The other is that from the moment of conception a baby is a baby and cannot be terminated for any reason.   Others include “except in the case of rape, incest or the life of the mother. “

Let’s indulge in some critical analysis of these positions.

If a baby isn’t a baby until after birth, why stop there?  The only difference between a late term pregnancy baby and a newborn or a one-year-old is the container they are in and how they get their food and oxygen and dispose of waste.

What magic happens during birth or C-section that that confers personhood?   If a fetus is born prematurely and is able to live and thrive it is considered a person. But if that fetus remains in the womb it can be killed.  

If a baby isn’t a baby until birth, how can someone be charged with homicide for killing an unborn child?  How can a mother be convicted of child abuse of a fetus for taking drugs while pregnant?  

If it is child abuse to give a child drugs in utero, it is certainly abuse to dismember it in utero. 

How can supporters of late term abortions have “baby showers?”  Shouldn’t they have “fetus showers?”

Perhaps the most ridiculous abortion excuse is “I did it for the baby.”  

These critical questions should make half of you mad; now I’ll upset the rest of you. 

If a baby is a baby from conception and has personhood, how can there be ANY exceptions?  Is a baby somehow responsible he or she was conceived from rape or incest?  Is it reasonable to kill one person for the sins of another?

Along the same lines, is it reasonable to force a woman to carry the child of a rapist to full-term? 

Is it reasonable to kill one person to save the life of another?   If so, would it be reasonable to deliberately conceive a child and abort it to provide a transplant for another child? 

Some people believe life begins at conception. Some believe that even if that conception is done in vitro it is still a life and should not be destroyed.  They say plenty of people are waiting to adopt.  This is true BUT there are also many children waiting to be adopted, those who are older or are less than perfect.  How many children have these people adopted?

Historically and until the last century or so quickening (feeling movement) was considered the beginning of life.   Frankly I have no idea when life begins.  I haven’t received a stone tablet inscribed by the finger of God. I don’t know.  But the fact is neither do you. 

I do know that it shouldn’t take eight or nine months to realize you are pregnant and to decide if you want to give birth.  

According to federal law sea turtle and eagle eggs are protected from the moment they are laid even though they are still technically a fetus.  Is a human fetus less than a turtle fetus?

If you believe life begins at conception (according to your religion) then of course it does for you. But does that give you the right to force anyone else to comply with your beliefs? 

  I also know that we are who we are because of our brain functions.  Brain function begins before birth.  

 Surely there must be some middle ground that criticaly thinking people can reach some sort of compromise. 

One wise person I know says, “Make abortion legal for the first three months, absolutely illegal for the last three months and continue fighting about the middle three months. “