By Kristan Hawkins, SFLA President
Being “pro-life” means that at the moment of fertilization you believe an unique whole, living human person is created. Thus abortion, no matter what the tragic circumstances, is always wrong because it is the deliberate killing of an innocent pre-born human being.
The abortion industry agrees that almost all abortions are performed because of spousal or partner pressure and a perceived or real lack of resources to parent. Abortions because of rape or incest are the extreme minority – 1%.
As pro-lifers, we believe that all human life should be treated with dignity and respect, no matter what your parentage may be. If my father goes out today and commits an act of mass murder, does that justify someone killing me? Because the child conceived during a rape may remind a mother of the horrific act of violence she has endured, does that justify the killing of the child? If the rapist is caught, should she be allowed to kill him? If the mother chooses to carry her child through her pregnancy and then decides at age 2 that the child reminds her too much of the rapist, should she be then allowed to kill the toddler?
Pope John Paul II wrote,” Social justice cannot be attained by violence. Violence kills what it intends to create. Violence and war can never resolve the problems of men.” It is insensitive to say to a woman who has been raped that the horrific violence of rape can be eased or erased by simply aborting the child convinced during the rape. One act of violence cannot erase another.
I believe pro-life politicians today feel they must say abortion should be legal in cases of rape and incest because of the 15-second media culture we live in. Talking about the horrific violence of rape and the personhood of all human beings in a way that is compassionate and sensitive to all cannot be achieved in a 15-second sound byte. Our movement must do more to educate Americans about the personhood of all human beings, only then will politics follow.
Listen to Kristan Hawkins debating the “rape exception” on the BBC Your World Today Show.
Students for Life of America has postcards that counteract the rape/incest exception available in our store: https://secure.donationreport.com/productlist.html?key=FUMKL7C7M5CP
