Abortion Basics
When it comes to the abortion debate, I think there are a few important things that should be considered. There are things that should be discussed even though they are emotional and uncomfortable.
Sometimes we must discuss things we don’t really want to because finding resolution outweighs any objections we might have.
Over the course of my lifetime the advances in medicine and healthcare have been nothing short of miraculous. Life expectancy has increased 19% since 1965 and if not for the opioid epidemic it would still be rising. People are living longer, happier, more productive lives than at any time in human history.
The medical advances may be most notable in reduced infant mortality rates.
The survival rates of fetuses that have had 24 weeks of gestation is above 90%. When the gestation has reached 26 weeks the viability of the fetus is near 95%. It continues to rise with every passing day. That means by 30 weeks of gestation the viability of a fetus is better than 99%. At what point do you believe that ‘clump of cells’ becomes a human child?
No civilized nation on earth allows for full-term babies to be terminated. The nations that do allow third trimester abortions include China, North Korea and Iran. I am quite sure when it comes to civil rights these are not the nations Americans want to be in league with.
Personally, I am quite happy my mother didn’t ‘choose’ to abort me. I am just as pleased my wife’s mother didn’t opt for an abortion either. We both arrived under less than preferred circumstances and yet we contribute to the world in a positive way each day.
My guess is that when all the posturing ends and all the yelling dies down we will end up very near where nearly all EU nations are in regards to abortion- 12 weeks. Abortions would be allowed up to 12 weeks of gestation and even though I may not think that is appropriate, I can live with that.
However, the idea of elective abortion up to the moment of birth is barbaric and not in line with the vast majority of Americans. You may want to review the HarrisX poll from last week- that poll found 55% of Americans actually agree with cutting off abortions between 6 and 8 weeks.
Those on the far left would like to lecture the rest of us all on subjects like women’s rights, reproductive rights, morality and everyone’s moral compass. That is a bit disturbing considering these same folks would have you believe that a full-term baby is a “clump of cells.” Anyone that would consider a full-term child nothing more than something to be removed and disposed of—has no moral high ground to claim.
Maybe I have been too harsh in my assessments of those that denigrate anyone who opposes abortion. Maybe I should take a bit longer to hear what they have to say. Maybe they need more information to come to a more reasonable conclusion. So if I was rash at first I apologize.
For believing that terminating kids at 30, 35 or 40 weeks of gestation is murder, I do not.
The simple truth is there is no medical situation that would require the termination of a fetus above 30 weeks to save the life of the mother. None. If the mother is in jeopardy it is far less invasive to do a C-section and remove the child. Furthermore, there is no logical argument for withholding medical care to a child born alive following a failed abortion. If there is a ‘live birth’, that is by definition a human being. In this country, human beings have human rights—at least they used to and liberals used to care about such things.
In America we give medical treatment to those in need of emergency care. That even includes those little souls that have the audacity to survive their mother’s confusion of thinking their little body was somehow still hers.
I can assure you of this- if the eventual candidate for President for the Democrat Party supports the idea of legal late-term, third trimester abortion, it will cost them hundreds of thousands of votes. It may be the difference in the 2020 Election.