I recently shared a post on Facebook regarding the abortion law in NY changing to allow abortion up until birth. I wrote it as a note to my FB friends. I feel I need to share it here as much of it comes from being the dad of a girl with a disability that could be seen as a 'health' issue - enough for her to be aborted up until birth. This makes me angry that society sees disability in this way and I need to say something. I am hoping it comes across less ranty and more helpful. If it changes one person's view on abortion then it is worthwhile. The original link that spurred this post can be found at the bottom of the page.
*I deleted the post on FB, the reasons why can be seen in the next post*
Dear friends,
I know I have varying views from many of you and some may even have unfollowed me for sharing opinions regarding abortion. I do hope you can at least agree that this new law in NY is terrifying. I hope you can take the time to read a bit of why I feel this way.
The linked post from a UK GP shares my concerns as to why the NY law is extreme and disgraceful. To use terms as vague as 'health' to justify killing babies up to birth in law is to highlight a massive problem society has with regards to the right-to-life and value of life that all humans have. It goes against science that many pro-choice/pro-abortion activists claim is on their side. It is scientifically accurate to state the child in the womb, no matter the stage, is human life. I hope that we can agree that taking a human life is wrong unless there are significant reasons regarding another human life being put in danger.
Our society has placed personal comfort as a priority over everything. I do not deny the difficulty disability and health issues bring to people's lives and the families around them. That said, under this law people like Rosalie would be aborted out of existence simply because 'health'. No cure would be found for Rett and the opportunities for others with genetic conditions would just be destroyed because of the discomfort that disability brings to families. We are already in danger of exterminating people with Down Syndrome (90% of those prenatally tested are aborted in the UK and similar stats in the US, Western Europe and Australia) as if they are lesser humans in the UK and other European countries have already gone further in doing so (100% in Iceland).
Our life as a family is different. It is tough. But it is so much more than the difficulty! There is beauty amongst the pain and Rosalie's laugh brings light to the darkest days. There are massively difficult decisions around disability and seeing your child in pain is brutal. But it is life. Life is not comfortable, even without disability! This myth that is pushed around, that happiness is found in comfort turns out to be a killer. Happiness and joy can be found even in the deepest pain if you know how to look for it - or who to look to for it.
This is not to negate the times where a child simply won't live or the mother needs to be saved at the cost of the child. The need to abort for 'health' reasons are the statistical rarity. This label of 'health' is becoming a coverall reason for sex-selective and disability abortions that are just plain murder - ending the life of a human being. There are clear statistics that state that the more lenient the abortion laws, the more girls are aborted. The irony is that pro-choice and pro-abortion are seen as feminist and pro-women ideals!
I can only share what I see as truth: a child is a child whether in the womb or not. I am currently living in a society that seems to accept that a child can be killed off before it has a chance to really live. Because of that, I cannot remain quiet. Please, re-evaluate your views on abortion - the grey areas are actually minimal and shouldn't be used to dictate policy.
Peace.
The original post by Dr Callum Miller can be found here: https://calumsblog.com/2019/01/26/yes-new-yorks-abortion-law-is-as-extreme-as-it-sounds-or-more
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