The Constitution does not address the difference between robbery and burglary, nor between murder and homicide, because those are not topics germane to its purpose. The silence means exactly nothing. And so it is with abortion law.
The point is that birth has not, until recently, been the divide for purposes of law throughout the nation. The salient qualifier is "at all times, in all places", as if birth were an obvious "bright line".
There is no suggestion that the sperm and the egg are themselves human organisms, since they lack the requisite number of chromosomes. Until conception, a human organism does not exist.
On your account, opposition to infanticide would be just as much a "religious" position. After all, there is no person, that is, an infant has no personality, we merely respect the fact that something has occurred that should not be undone, regarding the fully formed infant as a person, even though lacking elementary self- awareness or discernment of its environment, or the ability to act with true volition. Indeed, we generally consider it more horrible to kill a baby than to kill an adult, even though the adult has more actually to lose, because the baby is so innocent and defenseless.
"Parasite" vs breathing has nothing to do with the question of whether it is human. It only has to due with means of respiration and ingestion. Or do you think that we cease to be human if we put on scuba gear, because it alters somewhat our method of breathing?
I do not think all of the other choices are arguable. I have no "give" except when it is a question of the first trimester. I think that people who support late term abortions, absent a serious health crisis for the mother, are incapable of serious moral reasoning.
Kissing etc. is irrelevant to the question of when to regard the pre- born as a human being.
I told you, I am in no position to impose anything, I can only persuade a significant number of people to vote a certain way. But even if I were imposing, I have no more qualms about that than I would imposing my view of personhood as regards slaves on the South......... |
