New York State had a reputation for being a relatively “easy” place to obtain an abortion, but actually allowed abortion only up until 20 weeks of a pregnancy, and also required that the abortion be performed by a doctor.
Earlier this month, the New York State legislature passed and the Governor signed a law, the “Reproductive Health Act,”which legalizes abortion at any time during a pregnancy, including, believe it or not, immediately before birth; furthermore, the new law allows non-doctors to perform abortions, and for all practical purposes allows abortion not only at any time but also does not require a medical reason, but states that “every individual who becomes pregnant has the fundamental right to choose to carry the pregnancy to term, to give birth to a child, or to have an abortion.”
New York State does not execute murderers, no matter how heinous the crime; but now it does authorize the killing of a baby in the womb – at any time, for any reason, or for no reason at all. What can be said about a society that places greater value on the life of a deranged psychopathic killer than on that of an unborn baby? One, even though he may be a violent degenerate, has the legal presumption of innocence; the other, although he has never had the ability to have performed any illegal act, is considered disposable and not deserving of protection.
It has been pointed out that babies in the womb have undergone successful heart surgery and other complicated operations and have received blood transfusions before birth. How marvelous that medical science has advanced to that stage, and yet, in the eyes of the law in New York, that baby in the womb that is the subject of those marvelous medical advances can just as easily be discarded if “unwanted.”
There are municipalities in New York state that grant sanctuary to people who illegally have entered the United States, and that sanctuary is given whether the person has committed a violent crime or not. New York has laws that provide public defenders for those accused of crimes but are unable to afford legal representation, yet does not advocate for the unborn, even in the last minutes before birth. New York protects the mentally ill, even allowing them to live on the streets if they choose to do so, but it does not protect the unborn – and does not care that they will never have a choice about where they live or anything else.
We are not arguing against any of those laws that protect any of those groups of vulnerable people – but we wonder, why does the state of New York not advocate for the group that is absolutely the least capable of protecting itself – babies in the womb.
We believe that the issue of abortion is the most fundamental division between groups of Americans. It is an emotional issue for everyone, and each side can relate instances in which the other showed cruelty, indifference, lack of understanding or compassion for unborn babies or for those in crisis pregnancies, for women who do not want to have a child, or families that have behaved terribly toward their daughters when they are most in need.
Since the Roe v. Wade decision, the social fabric of America has been torn more than it had been since the issue of slavery and the Civil War, and it has helped to make our political differences more bitter and more permanent.
But this column does not ask that New York outlaw all abortions – but wonders why the legislature and the Governor placed such importance on being able to do away with babies in the womb older than 20 weeks, many of them viable, all of whom are no less worthy of protection than any of the rest of the groups and classes that are covered by special laws.