I’m writing in response to Brian Deinstadt’s “Most Abortions Should Be Morally Condemned.” The discussion about legal abortion is an extremely important one, as it directly affects the lives of hundreds of thousands of women in our country each year. According to a Gallup poll from 2015, only 34 percent of Americans were satisfied with current abortion policies, the lowest recorded satisfaction rate since 2001. We will not make progress on this issue unless voices from all sides are heard, considered and debated.
While I understand his beliefs, I cannot accept them. Mr. Deinstadt presents his views as self-evident: abortion of a developing fetus at any stage of pregnancy is equivalent to murder; murder is morally wrong. Therefore, over 1 million abortions performed per year are morally condemnable acts allowed by a misinformed government and its citizens.
Mr. Deinstadt defends these beliefs by unduly simplifying a matter that is utterly complex on biological, moral and emotional fronts. Saying that women choose to “[kill] someone simply out of convenience or as a method of birth control” minimizes the extremely difficult decision that women face when considering getting an abortion. Out of respect for these hundreds of thousands of women, let’s take the time to consider the complexity of their decisions rather than calling upon sweeping condemnations.
In order to do so, we must consider when the abortion is done. In the U.S., 65.9 percent of abortions in 2011 happened before or during the first eight weeks of gestation, when the embryo is less than three-quarters of an inch large. By the end of this time period, the brain has separated into different lobes, yet does not have enough connections to experience human consciousness or pain.
The next 25.7 percent of procedures in 2011 happened between nine and 13 weeks of gestation. The embryo is now classified as a fetus, as all of its organs have started to develop.
The remaining eight percent were performed before 24-26 weeks, after which abortion becomes illegal in most states. After 24 weeks, the fetus is determined to be “viable,” that is, able to exist without the mother. The cortex of the brain, however, is not fully connected to the periphery and it is thought that the fetus cannot feel pain or experience consciousness.
The science of consciousness and pain perception is adamantly debated, often with questionable science. Some conservatives subscribe to studies that the fetus can perceive pain after 20 weeks. Still, fewer than 3.3 percent of abortions were performed after that time period.
Regardless, the embryo or fetus is not functioning on the neural level of a human being during at least these first two trimesters. Ending the growth of such a life is not morally wrong if it does not induce suffering of the baby, thus it should be permissible under law. From there, it should be the right of the woman to decide.
Mr. Deinstadt quotes Ben Shapiro, who says that the argument for abortion is exactly the same as the one for slavery. Shapiro compares women who deem their own fetuses inhuman to those who dehumanize slaves. This argument is nothing short of disgraceful and ignorant.
The tragedy of slavery was the brutal oppression of conscious human beings who had thoughts, relationships, feelings and aspirations. Such rhetoric comparing slaves with developing embryos and fetuses only goes to degrade the humanity of slaves and vilify women. This kind of argument is unfairly emotional, designed to guilt women who are already facing the most difficult decision of their lives.
Yes, life is beautiful and complex. The biological miracle of birth is incredible and life should be treated with our utmost respect and awe. We should value the quality of life of all human beings. The correct way to do this is by granting a woman the right to choose if she wants an abortion based on her personal morals, not ours. She can examine the complex scientific evidence, along with her own values, to determine what is ultimately her decision.
Let us not prioritize the potential life of an unborn child over the current life of a woman.