The Partial Birth Abortion Ban was signed at last, and a judge has already put a temporary restraining order on the law, affecting doctors in New Jersey, Nebraska, and several states.
The more I've read about abortion, the more convinced I am that it is not just a religious issue, it boils down to the right to live. There was a time in our history when we viewed African-Americans as less than human, and used that idea to justify slavery. Now some think of an unborn child as non-human and use that idea to justify snuffing out the life of a child.
David Hogberg confronts the criticism that this bill puts the government in a position of playing doctor. He says they never criticized it before when the government got involved in Medicare or other government programs.
This argument can be extended, too. Do we want the government to be playing the role of financial advisers? Yet Senator Jon Corzine wanted to put restrictions on how our 401K contributions can be invested. Do we want the government to be playing the role of management in my company? Yet they do that by numerous regulations designed to promote ethics, diversity, and public safety. It's beside the point whether all these laws are good. Many surely are, and some probably cross the line into over-regulation. The point is: Every industry in America is regulated by the government - why do groups like Planned Parenthood, NOW, and NARAL think the abortion industry should be immune? Gun control advocates push for gun-control in the name of safe and reasonable restrictions. It's time for us to treat abortion the same way: in view of the likelihood that our nation will not overturn Roe vs. Wade immediately, let's at least stop thinking that abortion is alright at any time for any reason, and put some reasonable regulation on the abortion industry.
(David Hogberg's link via Jason Steffens Antioch Road)
Posted by joelfuhrmann at November 5, 2003 08:19 PM