I see a number like 55,000,000 and my heart either breaks or is enraged (depending on the day).
55,000,000 abortions in America alone in the 4 decades since Roe v. Wade.
Imagine completely filling up Broncos Sports Authority Stadium every weekend for nearly 14 years. Imagine every single one of those individuals --- dead. 76,000+ seats, 52 weekends per year, 14 years.
Let's make the following assumptions. (I think I'm being VERY generous with these):
For the sake of argument, let's say 90% of those 55,000,000 abortions were done in the first few days before the fetus was anything more than a few hundred thousand rapidly dividing cells.
Let's also say 90% of the rest were done prior to their being a beating heart.
Finally, let's say 90% of the rest were legitimate cases of life-threatening endangerment to the mother or the result of rape or incest.
That still leaves 55,000 lives taken for no other reason than the parent's (mother AND/OR father) refusal to take responsibility for their choices, even though the life that was taken was the one life in the whole messed up situation who was unquestionably the one life that was completely innocent of any wrongdoing. The baby was NOT the one who was immoral, irresponsible, selfish, made a bad choice, or lacked self-control.
There is such a thing in a civilized society as right and wrong. The innocent among us should be protected. If a child is +1 minute old, they have all the rights of any other human being. A child who is -1 minute old or -1-month-old deserves those same rights. They are just as much a living human being as those who are a minute old. The only difference is whether they are receiving their oxygen through their lungs or through their umbilical cord.
55,000 potential doctors, lawyers, scientists, teachers, politicians, missionaries, athletes, engineers, inventors, etc. 27,500 young men of all races and 27,500 young women of all races who were given NO CHOICE and who's RIGHTS were irrevocably, inhumanly, and unconstitutionally DENIED --- permanently.
You will not find more than a handful of liberal democrat politicians who will compromise on even one restriction on abortion. Those who do claim to have a conscience about such matters don't have the guts to stand up for it. Yet it's conservative republicans who are blasted for being unyielding, uncompromising, dogmatic, partisan, and anti-women's rights.
Years ago, pro-choice candidate for Governor of Colorado Roy Romer said - and I'll paraphrase: "When it comes time when a woman has to make that terrible choice, it's already a tragedy." Although I agree with that statement, I could not disagree any stronger with his conclusion - that because the pregnancy was already a tragedy, abortion was an acceptable remedy. One tragedy does not justify a second tragedy. Science is continually showing that pre-born babies are viable and capable of surviving outside the womb earlier and earlier during their gestation. I prefer President Reagan's analysis much better. Again paraphrasing: "Until science can prove beyond any doubt exactly when "life" begins as a person; the benefit of the doubt should go to the one whose life is in question: the baby."
55,000 children. Over 40 years, that's approximately 26 children per week. Can you imagine the justifiable outrage if we had to endure a Sandy Creek every single week? Don't 55,000 deaths create any outrage at all? Add 3 more zeros.
Here's my "pro-choice" position. Choose to keep your pants on if you can't or won't choose to be responsible for your choice.
