“… legal abortion could “once again†be banned in the U.S., and that it could happen “in our time.†-- Vice President Michael Pence (Feb. 2018)
Okay Mike, hold that thought. This ironically implies that “illegal abortions†will NOT be banned… only legal ones. This produces a challenging social, legal, and yet another ethical issue. At a minimum, nearly 1,000,000 abortions are performed in the U.S. each year. Let’s be conservative and assume that HALF of these women will not be deterred and will seek out some form of “illegal†abortion.
Without legal, controlled and safe environments (clinics) now being available, nearly 500,000 women will revert to self-abortions or utilize the services of illegal backroom abortionists. From a legal perspective, who will be responsible for policing such actions? In which jurisdiction will these cases be tried federal or state courts? What will be the sentence for these women and their abortionists? Murder in the 1st degree? Perhaps the death sentence in certain state jurisdictions? Irony prevails.
As the author of EQUITY of EVIL, my intentions here are to simply ask the questions to flush out possible solutions for the sake of humanity, not for any particular side of this argument or political position. However, this controversial novel does the same by revealing the consequences of trying to find a medical and possible business solution.
Before our political leaders can make such horrendous claims and bold statements, they need to provide the public with answers and solutions to these basic issues. Pregnancies will continue to be voluntarily terminated — for a variety of right and wrong reasons. Is it the right of our government to identify what is “right and wrong†for the individual woman? Or should we leave it to the woman and perhaps her personal religious, moral or spiritual guidance?
The question of when life begins, and whether-or-not early-stage abortions are an act of genocide — is still a long-standing debate between our medical and religious leaders. Again, is it the right of our government to intervene and supersede the opinions and recommendations of these icons of our society? If so, how will changes in government administrations impact these decisions following every electoral turn? If legislation changes based on the succession of a new party, how will it impact those who may have been incarcerated for their prior offenses under the old law. This “ping-pong†effect will instill turmoil and create a deeper divide in our society.
Hundreds of thousands of born, unwanted children will be a result of such a ban. How will we establish and fund a better foster-home system to care for them? Will the government subsidize those parents who eventually adopt and care for these unwanted children? Will the same administration that banned such clinical procedures provide approval and funding of those LBGTQ parents to adopt as well?
Come on Mikey… we just want answers and possible solutions to the unavoidable turmoil that your words and actions WILL create. Nothing more.
Mike Pence Suggests Legal Abortions in U.S. Could End ‘In Our Time’ (Feb. 2018)
https://www.yahoo.com/news/mike-pence-suggests-legal-abortions-103923231.html
US Abortion Statistics: http://www.abort73.com/abortion_facts/us_abortion_statistics/