Editor,
Sen. Barack Obama is having a difficult time stating his position on abortion in a clear and consistent manner. He always votes in favor of abortion and often speaks in favor of abortion, but he also speaks against abortion.
Obama is either a standard politician who says what he thinks his current audience wants to hear, or he is conflicted on the issue of abortion. Abortion-rights groups such as NARAL and Planned Parenthood state that Obama has a 100 percent voting record for keeping abortion legal. Obama stated that abortion is a fundamental women's right. He has repeatedly said he supports Roe v. Wade and will appoint judges to the Supreme Court who will keep it legal. In the Illinois Senate, Obama voted against a bill requiring medical care for babies who survive the abortion procedure.
Obama has also spoken against abortion. He stated that he is anti-abortion. He stated that each and every abortion is a tragedy. He said he wants to decrease the number of abortions. He also said that if he had been in the U.S. Senate in 2002, he would have voted in favor of the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act, signed into law by President Bush. This law provides protection to babies who are born alive during an abortion.
A few questions and observations come to mind when examining Obama's contradictory statements on abortion. First, what about abortion makes Obama consider it a tragedy? I too consider abortion a tragedy because basic science confirms that abortion ends the life of a newly created, living and developing human being. Tangible proof of this is some people have survived the abortion procedure. Some of these people travel the world to speak against legalized abortion.
Second, if abortion is indeed a tragedy, why does Obama want to keep it legal? It seems more natural and logical to oppose what one considers a tragedy. Does it make sense to say I am anti-slavery but I think it should be kept legal? Third, I find it odd Obama is willing to call something a right that is not in the Constitution and also a tragedy. The anti-abortion community simply states no one has the right to end the life of an innocent human being, and this right is not in the Constitution. Obama is literally stating there is a tragedy written into the Constitution. I always assumed the Bill of Rights guaranteed to people rights that are inherently good, not bad.
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In summary, Obama states he is anti-abortion but also abortion-rights. He thinks each and every abortion is a tragedy, but it should be kept legal. He agrees with Roe v. Wade but wants to decrease the occurrence of abortions. He said he would have voted in favor of a bill in the U.S. Senate, but he voted against a similar bill in Illinois. Why does Obama state his position on abortion in such a confusing and contradictory manner?
Benjamin P. Sanchez
UNM alumnus
