So, in watching the movie "The Boondock Saints*" last night, I was inspired to write a blog. I think this quote from the movie is a good place to start. Basically, the McManus brothers are in catholic mass, and the monsignor is giving a sermon as the bothers are leaving. Here is what the monsignor was saying as they left:
"And I am reminded, on this holy day, of the sad story of Kitty Genovese. As you all may remember, a long time ago, almost thirty years ago, this poor soul cried out for help time and time again, but no person answered her calls. Though many saw, no one so much as called the police. They all just watched as Kitty was being stabbed to death in broad daylight. They watched as her assailant walked away. Now, we must all fear evil men. But there is another kind of evil which we must fear most, and that is the indifference of good men."
I won't ruin the movie for you if you haven't seen it, but basically the brothers are inspired by the monsignor's words.
So you have to be wondering at this point, where am I going with all this? Let's walk through a moral situation first.
You're walking down the street and you see a man beating his wife, and choking her. If you don't intervene, she'll definitely die. What would you do? Call the police? Physically intervene? Keep walking?
I think and hope most people reading this blog would physically intervene. If not, then the moral decline of this country is much further along than I ever imagined. This is a pretty clear-cut situation. So, how does this situation differ from abortion, more specifically late-term abortion?
After 23 weeks, up to one out of three fetuses can survive outside the womb and after 24 weeks up to three out of four will survive [1]. Obviously, there are some extraordinary cases where the fetus wouldn't be viable outside the womb (i.e. the baby's brain didn't develop, etc.), but that's not what I'm talking about here.
I can honestly say I have absolutely NO CLUE what I would do in one of those extraordinary circumstances, and I don't think anyone else does unless they have been through it. I believe that the right thing to do would be to carry the baby full term no matter what and trust in God to take care of the rest. Just because it is the right thing to do, doesn't necessarily mean my faith is strong enough to carry me to do it.
I know one thing for sure: If my wife's life was in danger if she carried our baby full term, I'm sure the terrified look on her face would make me want to do whatever is necessary to protect her.
Just to be clear, my overall point is NOT to condemn those who have had an abortion.
Unfortunately, there is little to no information concerning late term abortions and the reasons mothers choose to have them. California doesn't even report any of their abortions to the CDC, so really, how could there be good information out there. Why is the practice of late-term abortions so secretive?
Is killing a human that would otherwise survive qualify as homicide? I contest that the answer to this question is yes.
The definition of homicide: the killing of one human being by another [2].
Recently in the news Dr. Tiller, an abortion doctor, was murdered. It's estimated that his clinic performed more than 400 abortions per year on fetuses that were 24+ weeks into the pregnancy [3].
Interestingly enough, the doctors who perform late-term abortions say over and over again that they are helping women who would otherwise have no way of ending their pregnancy. According to those same doctors, those patients have a valid need to end their pregnancy.
I wonder if Dr. Tiller and his associates had shared with the world all the great things he was doing for his patients whether he still would be alive? I also wonder if Dr. Tiller really was only doing all those wonderful things that his associates and some of his former patients have said he was doing [3]?
Unfortunately for the unborn, many of the laws out there aren't real clear on what should or should NOT be allowed. I find the "Born Alive Infants Protection Act of 2002 [4]" to be a sad state of affairs. Basically, this act protects infants that survive an abortion from being murdered by the doctor once they are out of their mother's womb. Wait! Is it just me, or does this just sound CRAZY!?! As long as you kill the baby in the womb, it's okay, but if you kill the exact same baby just after it has been extracted from the womb it's murder?
Obviously, the United States population can't decide whether abortion is bad or a necessary evil. I believe no matter what, it's homicide.
Some people call it Karma. I simply believe "you reap what you sow".
I should clarify one last point: I'm not condoning or condemning those who take radical actions to stop abortion doctors from performing abortions. I believe the loss of any human life is a tragedy.
One thing that I know and hold to be true is: "the indifference of good men" will never accomplish anything. It is obvious that we need definite, strict, and unambiguous legislation concerning abortion. It is sad that too many people are too indifferent on the subject to make a difference.
Scott Roeder is man man who killed Dr. Tiller at a Lutheran church in Wichita, Kansas. What do you think, Saint or Murderer?
[1] http://www.answers.com/topic/prenatal-development
[2] http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/homicide
[3] http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/04/AR2009060404267_pf.html
[4] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Born-Alive_Infants_Protection_Act
* DISCLAIMER: The Boondock Saints is NOT a family movie. It is filled with violence and profanity, so be aware.
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