To the Editor:

How did the killing of unborn babies called abortion become legal in America?

The US Declaration of Independence was adopted by the 2nd Continental Congress http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Continental_Congress on July 4, 1776. The text of the 2nd section of the Declaration reads: “We hold these truths to be self-evident http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-evidence , that all men are created equal http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_men_are_created_equal , that they are endowed by their creator http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creator_deity with certain inalienable Rights http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_and_legal_rights , that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” The same way slavery was made legal – the Supreme Court got it wrong! In both cases, the unborn (Roe vs. Wade, 1973) and blacks (Dred Scott decision, 1857) were not considered to be persons or citizens.

Let us examine the unborn. A person begins day 1 of his/her life within the mother’s body at conception (or fertilization), when a male sperm from the father unites with a female ovum (egg) of the mother. These each carry 23 chromosomes and combine to form a new 1 cell human being containing 46 chromosomes called a human zygote.[1] The zygote is already genetically an individual [2] human being and a “he” or a “she.” [3]

All human development from fertilization to birth and beyond is a continuum. From the beginning, the zygote in a human being complete with its entire genetic make-up. We simply grow and develop for 9 months in our mother’s womb. All through this period of development, this new person is unique whose right to life is sacred.

If an abortion happens whether by contraception prior to implantation or by surgical or chemical abortion, this small baby is killed (life ended). This is the crux of the pro-life position.

[1] Bruce M. Carlson, “Human Embryology and Developmental Biology.” (1994) page 31; William J. Larsen, “Human Embryology.” (1993) p. 13; RonanO’Rahilly and Fabiola Muller, “Human Embryology and Teratology.” (1994) p.19

[1] Larsen, 1993, p. 1; O’Rahilly, 1994, p.20

[1] Carlson, 1994, p.31; Larsen, 1993, p.4-5.

Chris LaRose

Potsdam