By Ann Cowan, Guest Commentary
On Nov. 2, 2010 Voice for Life held the annual Cemetery of the Innocents memorial. The memorial was made up of rows of little white crosses. Each cross represented ten abortions for a total of 3,770 abortions – the average per day in this country. I think that this memorial is often misunderstood. To many people, this memorial draws a clear line between the pro-choice and pro-life sides on the abortion issue. This is not the case. Instead, this memorial is meant to unify the two sides in spite of their differing opinions. This display is meant to press upon us how abortion permeates our society. Everyone has been affected by abortion. Everyone has either had an abortion themselves or has a loved one who has experienced this event. I myself have had a family member who has had an abortion. Her experience has not only affected her life, but mine as well. Whether you are poor or rich, male or female, non-religious or religious, you have been touched by abortion in some way.
Of the people that I have talked to who consider themselves pro-choice, many of them see abortion as a necessary evil. In other words, they understand the seriousness of the issue. However, they think that women need to be able to choose that option if they have no way to feed the baby, no way of going to school with a baby, or if they have been raped. Many people who consider themselves pro-life agree that poverty and rape are serious issues and that no one should have to experience them. A quote from Feminists for Life states that, in the abortion issue, women are pitted "against our children, but lack of financial and emotional support is the real enemy…women should not be forced to sacrifice their children for an education or a career."
In other words, Feminists for Life, as well as others in the pro-life movement believe that abortion is not a necessary evil. We believe that the issues that cause people to resort to abortions can be solved in other ways, such as helping single women to continue school after having a baby. People who are pro-choice and people who are pro-life are also unified in that they are both coming from the same core values. Both sides are concerned with human rights and quality of life.
If these two sides have so much in common, why do they not get along? The difference between the two sides can most likely be traced to the question about whether or not abortion kills a living human being. According to my freshman biology textbook, a unique human life is formed at conception that not only has its own set of forty-six chromosomes but is also growing and developing. Most pro-life advocates accept this science as the core of their position against abortion. However, some, but not all pro-choice advocates also acknowledge this fact. Whether or not abortion kills a human being is the only concept that drives these two sides apart.
I think that we spend too much time trying to paint the people on the other side of the issue as horrible and ignorant. Instead we should be more willing to talk to each other and focus on the fact that we are not actually very different. We all care about our fellow human beings and their right to have good and meaningful lives. Let us together celebrate life.
Ann Cowan is a junior nursing major and can be contacted at cowan12@up.edu.
