Panel 1: Every Human Life Matters 
Most of us oppose injustices against vulnerable groups. The core principle that drives our fight against injustices is that human beings deserve human rights. What is the basis of human rights? The basis should be universal, something that cannot be lost or vary person to person, and a characteristic we all share equally. There is only one standard that fits: our shared humanity. The only thing a human being needs to be given human rights (the first of which is the right to life or the right to not be killed) is to be a human being.

Excerpt from Are Human Rights Universal? 
By Shashi Tharoor 

“Universality, Not Uniformity

But it is essential to recognize that universality does not presuppose uniformity. To assert the universality of human rights is not to suggest that our views of human rights transcend all possible philosophical, cultural, or religious differences or represent a magical aggregation of the world's ethical and philosophical systems. Rather, it is enough that they do not fundamentally contradict the ideals and aspirations of any society, and that they reflect our common universal humanity, from which no human being must be excluded. 

Most basically, human rights derive from the mere fact of being human; they are not the gift of a particular government or legal code. But the standards being proclaimed internationally can become reality only when applied by countries within their own legal systems. The challenge is to work towards the "indigenization" of human rights, and their assertion within each country's traditions and history. If different approaches are welcomed within the established framework—if, in other words, eclecticism can be encouraged as part of the consensus and not be seen as a threat to it—this flexibility can guarantee universality, enrich the intellectual and philosophical debate, and so complement, rather than undermine, the concept of worldwide human rights. Paradoxical as it may seem, it is a universal idea of human rights that can in fact help make the world safe for diversity.” 

Source: https://ciaotest.cc.columbia.edu/olj/wpj/wpj_win00a.html#:~:text=Rather%2C%20it%20is%20enough%20that,the%20world%20safe%20for%20diversity.  

Panel 2: Why Do You Deny Basic Human Right to Preborn Children?  
 
We know that human beings in the womb are a part of the human family so therefore possess the universal standard of human dignity: human nature. So why is there right to not be killed being stripped from them? There are a few main arbitrary standards that are used to "justify" abortion.  

To ensure that any standard we set applies to all humans we will compare standards based on human beings - born and preborn. We will explore the following: 
 
Ability? Should our right to not be killed be based on what we can do? Ability is something that is extremely variable from person to person and is something we can lose due to age, illness, injury. 
 
This standard is often used to justify killing preborn children who are differently abled: 60-90% of preborn children diagnosed with Down syndrome in the U.S. are aborted.

Source: https://www.jec.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/republicans/2022/3/down-syndrome-and-social-capital-assessing-the-costs-of-selective-abortion  
 
Family offered abortion 15 times after Down syndrome diagnosis. Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-51658631  
 
Most late-term abortions are committed because a child is diagnosed with a disability. 

Source: https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/03/25/what-the-data-says-about-abortion-in-the-us/#:~:text=Back%20to%20top)-,When%20during%20pregnancy%20do%20most%20abortions%20occur?,gestation%2C%20according%20to%20the%20CDC.  

Race? The idea that all human beings deserve equal rights drove the fights against slavery and segregation and drives the fight against racism today. Yet, the abortion industry has consistently targeted minority communities, often carrying out the legacy of the founders of their industry.

There are explicit examples of racism driving the abortion industry:

And although not always explicitly stated as above, the results of abortion on minority communities speaks for itself:

1 in 2 Black preborn babies are aborted in New York City. Source:
https://lozierinstitute.org/abortion-reporting-new-york-city-2016/

Abortion is the number one killer of Black Americans.

Heart Disease is the number one cause of death killing over 102,000 Black Americans each year. Abortion takes the lives of 405,000 plus preborn Black children every year.

Sources:

https://www.uchicagomedicine.org/forefront/heart-and-vascular-articles/heart-disease-and-racial-disparities

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7436774/#:~:text=6,many%20YPLL%20as%20Black%20homicides

Nearly 80% of all Planned Parenthood's abortion facilities are within 10 or 5 miles of minority communities. Source:
https://lifeissues.org/article/planned-parenthood-minority-targeting-goes-into-overdrive/

Planned Parenthood and the Abortion Industry have deep racist and eugenic roots. Source:
https://firstthings.com/systemic-racism-at-planned-parenthood/

Viability? This standard is used frequently to justify abortion; however, this is a standard that has moved over time with medical advancements and is dependent on resources/access to healthcare.

The world's most premature baby was born at 21 weeks in Iowa City. Source:
https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2025/7/nash-is-pure-joy-in-a-tiny-package-most-premature-baby-born-19-weeks-early-turns-one

Decades ago, he would not have been viable because science has advanced since.

Today, the greatest barrier to how early a child can be born is access to hospitals with advanced medical care (NICUs). This access can be restricted by the wealth/class level of the parents of the preborn child or location (more rural areas have less access to advanced medical care). No person's right to not be killed should be based on access to resources/wealth. Also, viability is a moveable needle and therefore should not be our basis for which humans deserve human rights.

Consciousness? This is the most over-used excuse for abortion that was made popular by YouTuber, Destiny. The general argument is that we consider permanently unconscious people (brain dead people) to be dead so we should not consider human beings in the womb prior to consciousness as "alive" or worth protecting. But upon further digging, this conclusion falls on its face.

First, let's define consciousness. This is a very difficult thing to do because even neuroscientists/philosophers have yet to agree on what constitutes consciousness.

Here are the top definitions:

• self-awareness
• response to stimuli
• sensory awareness
• capacity to feel pain.
• express emotions/build memories
• having the physical structures necessary for the above listed items
• capacity for consciousness - whether expressed or not

It used to be thought that the subcortex is necessary for “conscious experience” (which is not integrated until about 24 weeks in the womb) however, new research on fetal pain and the consciousness of non-human animals challenges this standard.

NIH Findings on Thalamus Development and Fetal Pain:

A comprehensive review titled Fetal Pain in the First Trimester (via PMC/NIH) outlines several key insights:

Thalamus development occurs as early as 7–8 weeks gestation. At this stage, fibers from the spinal cord begin to reach the thalamus, establishing foundational components of the pain processing pathway.

Cortical involvement starts later: Thalamic projections into the cortical subplate—a temporary brain layer—begin around 12 weeks gestation, supporting a more advanced processing possibility.

Source: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8935428/

Crucially, the review emphasizes that the cortex may not be necessary for the experience of pain, pointing instead to subcortical structures (e.g., thalamus, brainstem) as sufficient.

To help clarify where some of the field is on consciousness for non-human animals: According to the Cambridge Declaration on Consciousness

Source: https://fcmconference.org/img/CambridgeDeclarationOnConsciousness.pdf

Double Standard on Consciousness: Human vs. Non-Human Animals

1. What We Do for Animals: The Cambridge Declaration on Consciousness (2012) affirmed that many non-human animals (like mammals, birds, and octopuses) should be considered conscious beings, even without a neocortex. This led to:
   • Ethical protections, like bans on animal cruelty.
   • Legal considerations, including guidelines for humane treatment, lab testing, and animal slaughter.
   • Public acknowledgment that consciousness ≠ cortex — animals can feel without advanced brain structures.
2. What We Do to Human Fetuses: In abortion debates, however:
   • The bar for recognizing consciousness is often raised, requiring fully developed thalamocortical connections (around 24 weeks).
   • Even when fetuses have brains, nervous systems, reflexive responses, and possibly even pain perception (as early as 12–14 weeks), they are often denied moral status or legal protection.
   • Arguments are made that lack of current self-awareness or sustained consciousness justifies killing — a standard we don’t apply to animals or even unconscious humans.

Core Contradiction: We lower the threshold of consciousness to protect non-human animals, but raise it when considering the value of human embryos or fetuses.

This reflects a philosophical inconsistency:

If minimal neural structures are enough to grant moral concern to a pig or an octopus, then the same or greater neurological development in a fetus should also matter.

Yet preborn children (embryos and fetuses) — though biologically human, living, and often with signs of neurological function — are excluded from protection.

Why It Matters:

This inconsistency undermines pro-abortion arguments based on consciousness:

• It shows that consciousness is being used selectively, not consistently.
• It suggests that denial of fetal moral worth is not based on science, but on convenience or ideology.
• It exposes a form of “consciousness bias” where we dehumanize the most vulnerable humans while humanizing animals.

Summary Statement:

In defending animal rights, we accept minimal indicators of consciousness to grant protection. In defending abortion, we demand maximum indicators of consciousness to deny protection. This inconsistency reveals a troubling double standard — and challenges the moral logic of abortion.

Let’s jump back into the “brain dead” example and see if it actually holds water.

First, remember: for an analogy to work, it must be sufficiently similar to the situation it’s trying to explain. So, let’s dig into what brain death is—and whether it’s truly analogous to preborn children before consciousness develops.

A brain-dead person is often described as “permanently unconscious.” (Though it's worth noting that this has been challenged scandals have revealed cases of organ harvesting from patients labeled as “brain dead” who were later found to have shown signs of life.)

But here’s the real question: Are brain dead individuals simply unconscious or is there more to the diagnosis?

The answer is a resounding yes—there is far more to brain death than a mere lack of consciousness.

Definition: Brain death is the irreversible and complete loss of all brain function, including the brainstem. This results in legal and medical death. Brain death typically follows catastrophic injury, stroke, trauma, or prolonged oxygen deprivation. Once brain death occurs, the body cannot sustain vital functions without artificial support, and there is no possibility of regaining consciousness or brain activity.

In short, brain death is not just unconsciousness—it is bodily disintegration. The body begins dying alongside the total and permanent cessation of brain activity.

Now compare that to the pre-born child.

A preborn child, even before developing consciousness, is a whole, living, and integrated human organism. Far from disintegrating, the fetus is actively developing, with each day bringing greater complexity, coordination, and capacity, including the capacity for consciousness, which is on the horizon.

Consciousness itself is not binary, it’s a spectrum. It grows and fades throughout human life:

• It fluctuates during sleep.
• It’s impaired in coma, dementia, or illness.
• It’s immature in newborns.
• It’s undeveloped in early prenatal stages.

If we use consciousness as the standard for human worth, we’re left with an inconsistent and dangerous metric—one that varies wildly among individuals and over time.

And a standard that’s unequal by nature cannot be a just standard at all.

Panel 3: She Deserves Human Rights Just Like You!

Fetal Development Facts. Note these weeks are based on Last Menstrual Period (LMP), where our facts are based on Gestational Age. Source: Mayo Clinic

Baby Olivia Video: Watch Video

96% of biologists agree that human life begins at fertilization. Source: PubMed

Worldwide Abortion Disproportionately Affects Vulnerable Groups:

Women:

Sex-selective abortions have killed significantly more women than men. Sources:

PMC Article

CBHD: The China Syndrome

Son Preference. Source: Guttmacher Institute

Minorities. Source: Guttmacher Institute

Impoverished Families. Source: Guttmacher News Release

Panel 4: We Bet You Are More Pro-Life Than You Think!

Here is the reality: You cannot stand up for human rights & promote abortion violence. Preborn children are the most vulnerable members of the human family and deserve protection. If you value equality, join us in ending abortion. No matter what your worldview or political beliefs, if you stand against injustice, discrimination, and the violence of abortion, then you STAND for Life!