Finding common ground on abortion: Part 2

Des Moines Register columnist, Kathie Obradovich, attempted to identify common abortion-related principles upon which we can all agree in her May 22nd opinion piece: “How do Iowa and federal lawmakers fail pregnant women and mothers? Let’s count the ways.” 

She succeeded in some and missed the mark on others. If you missed it, here are common principles covered in part one of this series. Now here are a few more-honest common principles:

Humanity is a scientific fact at the instant of fertilization. Embryologists tell us human life begins when the sperm and ovum, neither of which can sustain life or direct growth by itself, come together at fertilization. For the first time the new life has all 46 chromosomes and all the directions (DNA) it needs for the rest of life. The sex of the baby, the color of the hair, everything is already fixed. Humanity is fixed., and personhood is fixed, as if there were even a distinction.

It is a class B felony in Iowa to kill a person in the womb without the consent of the pregnant person. This leads to the next critical common principle:

Killing an innocent human being is always wrong. Morality is not determined by who does the killing, but upon who is killed. Is it okay to kill a woman but not a man? No, both are immoral. Is killing acceptable if the killer is a doctor, but not if he’s a car salesman? No, both are immoral. Is the killing moral if the person is unwanted, but not if she’s wanted? Of course not.

Check back for more common ground on abortion principles.

[The early bird registration deadline for IFL’s Annual Banquet closes on June 15th. Register now and $ave!]