'Women's right to choose' robs babies' right to life

Editor,

It is the time of year when the leaves are changing, the weather is getting colder — and the abortion protesters are here.

It almost seems as if these groups plan their visit on campus based on the seasons. Yet, I always welcome their presence. While they may bring disturbing images and a rather depressing message, these vividly emotional presentations are only there to draw passersby into facts they would normally walk right past.

These organizations try to spread information about abortion’s reality and the incredible harm it does. Reading Human Life Alliance’s handout, some of the presented information came together to prove a point: A woman’s right to choose is not a significant reason to support abortion.

While a woman has rights over her body and what she does to it, there has to be a line drawn when it comes to pre-born babies.

At some point in time, the baby has to be considered alive. At that time, the baby then has a right to life that cannot and should not be determined by the mother’s desire. At the point when the baby is alive, it is no longer the mother’s choice to kill it. That’s called infanticide. So it comes down to a question of when the baby is a living being.

The baby is, by legal and medical definitions, “alive” by six weeks after fertilization.
The definition of life is stated as: having a heartbeat and brain activity. A baby’s heart starts beating 21 days after fertilization.
Shortly after that, brain waves are detectable at a mere six weeks. Once these two most important factors in human life are present at such an early stage of development, how can one possibly dismiss it as tissue in a woman’s body?

Since the baby is alive by six weeks, abortion anytime after that should be categorized as first-degree murder. Abortion is not only causing death, but those who perform them are doing so with “intent to kill.”

To support abortion is to support the taking of lives without just cause. This also does irrevocable damage, both physical and emotional, to the woman getting the abortion, as women who have had them will confirm. (See the article “Nightmares of Choice: The Psychological Effects of Abortion” on the Human Life Alliance’s website).

According to my knowledge of philosophy, this fits the definition of a logical fallacy. An argument is brought up to distract people from the real issue at hand.

Claiming this is a women’s rights issue is a simple attempt to avoid addressing the crimes committed in this act.
Please stop this insanity. Realize exactly what abortion is.

Cameron MacInnis
UNM student