As we enter not only a new century, but also a new millennium, it is appalling how humans can have such an utter disrespect for the lives of their fellow humans. This lack of common decency for human life penetrates our daily routines. It's amazing how easily we fall into this mindset. It's amazing how we can harbor these feelings of indifference towards human life. It's amazing how we, being the imperfect, fallible beings that we are, can have the audacity to believe that we are special enough to judge who lives and who dies.
It is said that a civilization is gauged by the manner in which it treats the meekest of its people. We live in a society where the smallest, most helpless life form can be exterminated and then disregarded as easily as yesterday's garbage. Abortion has been presented to us as an "alternative". The problem started when someone, a while back, decided that if a child is not "convenient" at the time, then that unborn child might be put to death.
Many took up in arms to protest this atrocity; their position was met with the argument that a fetus is not really human. The next logical question would be: if it is not human then what is it? Is it a bird, or perhaps a dog? No, humans beget humans and nothing else.
We live in a capitalistic society, which urges us to strive hard so that we may get ahead to achieve a higher status in life, both on the corporate ladder and economically. It is in this view where we begin to lose sight of our reverence for human life. It is not wrong to want to get ahead in life, however, at what cost is this acceptable? For the sake of argument,
Abortion Argument
The essay is well-written as far as it goes. I'd like to make two points. First, if the author really means humans are not wise enough to determine who should live and who should die as the author says, the implications for the death penalty arguments are so obvious that either the point should be softened or the linkage should be made. Second, the focus is narrowly on the fetus, not on the cost to children of being brought into this world unwanted where not enough support services are in place for them causing needless suffering. A tough topic and a good effort by the author.
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