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Making Abortion Illegal is not the Only Option
- From Chris Korzen
By Chris Korzen - Executive Director, Catholics United
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Choosing to Do Good is Not Enough
The statement issued yesterday by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, which is available at usccb.org, expressly rejects Mr. Korzen's argument that as long as we think that a candidate will help the poor, we can ignore the candidate's appalling record on abortion.
The Bishop's statement makes clear that Catholics must try to help the poor, but must always fight against the intrinsic evil of abortion.
- BME
October 22, 2008 11:19AM
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Side: No
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If there is nothing wrong with abortion....
I have one simple question:
If there is nothing wrong with abortion, then why do we need to reduce its use? The Democratic Party has time and again defended not only the right to abortion, or rather the right to choose as they state, but have stated that abortion is not murder, but just another medical procedure.
If this is true, then why all the work to reduce abortions? If they truly believe that there is nothing wrong with it, what is the purpose of this new dedication to reduction?
I think it is just an attempt to placate voters and appease certain members while still raking the millions of pro-abortion donor dollars and glowing endorsements from the major abortion providers and backers.
- DominicSavio
October 25, 2008 10:26PM
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A thought...
He mentioned that many people who lobby for the pro-choice movement tend to be extremists, as is the pro-life movement. But most of us are somewhere in the middle of these extremist views. Just because the pro-life movement states that it is "just a medical procedure", doesn't make it any less heart-wrenching to those who get an abortion, therefore the pro-choice movement tries to reduce them.
- TwentySomethingAndSmiling
October 29, 2008 12:27PM
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Continued Abortion is not an Option
You are absolutely correct that making abortion illegal is not the only option. In fact, I would argue that it must not be. If we were simply to overturn Roe v. Wade and immediately pass a no exceptions federal ban on abortions now, the results would predictably look much like the days of Prohibition with disastrous results for countless women and babies. However, though I freely admit this point, to use this as a means of justifying continued unrestricted legal abortion is a cop out. As Catholics, our end goal should be no more abortions.
Since we agree that simply passing legislation is not enough, then we have our work cut out for us. First, it is important for each of us to understand that this fight is not about women's rights as the pro choice advocates claim. Rather it is about whether or not a human life, even an unborn one, is deserving of protection as a person under the law. To deny one group or another personhood, as Roe v. Wade does the unborn child, means they can be disposed of with impunity for any reason and by any means whatsoever. Allowing this to continue sets a dangerous precedent by which many people may be deemed nonpersons and disposed of. It is a person's humanity, not his utility, that should guarantee rights and protection under the law. These are the very principles our nation was founded on. It can be found clearly stated in the opening paragraph of the Declaration of Independence.
This said, one must also be concerned for these mothers who find themselves in desperate situations which might drive them to choose abortion. Obviously, as a nation we have failed these women. We have not provided them adequate support. That must change. If we are to turn the tide against abortion, these women need compassionate support, adequate health care, and options that enable them to continue their lives in dignity without putting their child to death. Many Democrats and Republicans, pro choice and pro life activists alike, have been working to engage in these kinds of services. However, this alone is also not enough.
So long as we deny the unborn child personhood, the unmitigated slaughter will continue, and we as a nation are guilty of grave sin. These little lives deserve the same protection as the rest of us, and it is here in the fight against abortion that we have the opportunity to guarantee the protection of law to all human beings, be they big or small, healthy or disabled, young or old. Anything less leaves us at the whim of judges, politicians, or the popular vote to decide who lives and who should die, a breeding ground for the likes of Hitler's Germany where large groups of people were targeted because of race, religion, genetic abnormality, and even such simple things as a less desirable hair and eye color. This cannot be allowed. We protect the lives of our pets, even stray animals, but offer nothing for our own children. Though other options can and even must be pursued, abortion must be made illegal, just as it is illegal to murder, to steal from others, or to beat and torture another because you disagree with his ideas. Directly causing his death is most certainly more a violation of the child's rights than carrying the baby to term could ever be for his mother.
- Debra C
October 27, 2008 11:41AM
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why make it illegal
No not for now it's need.
- countryboy
July 26, 2009 12:23AM
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