Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, March 15, 1993 TAG: 9303150570
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: WAYNE BRACKENRICH
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
`FREEDOM OF CHOICE' ACT WOULD ENCOURAGE MORE ABORTIONS
THE FREEDOM of Choice Act is making its way through Congress and may be up for debate this month or next. President Clinton has already made it clear that he will sign it into law. He and its proponents say that it will simply "codify" Roe vs. Wade, the Supreme Court decision making abortion legal in the United States.As a family physician, it burdens me that we will once again sit back and allow such laws to pass without cries of outrage and dismay. The passive attitude of Americans toward this subject reminds me of the German people of Hitler's day as millions of Jews were slaughtered, or even Americans in pre-Civil War days as they shut their eyes to the abuse and death of thousands of black slaves.
In both cases, the public claimed lack of knowledge, or worse, they were persuaded to agree with acts of horrible violence by seemingly logical and justifiable rhetoric from those in power.
Society will look back on this year and this legislation some day with the same scrutiny. What will they say about our role in the passage or defeat of such legislation? Will we, as in times past, claim "lack of knowledge" for our lack of zeal and compassion for these innocent unborn babies?
First, this bill will not simply keep abortion laws the way they are now, but will eliminate any and all state restrictions on abortions and allow abortions for any reason and at any time of the pregnancy right up to the minute of active labor and delivery.
Reasons abortions may be performed under this bill will include mental stress, too many children already, lack of finances to care for the baby, not a planned pregnancy, not a wanted child, not ready to start a family yet, and even lack of a father to care for the child. (President Clinton is a living example that this is not a justifiable reason, as he grew up fatherless.)
Sex selection could even be a possible reason. This occurs in India. One study showed that of the 2,000 abortions done for sex selection there, 1,999 were girls and one was a boy. Think about that one for a while.
Second, this new bill would make it the law in all states for 13- to 17- year-olds to seek counsel for and obtain an abortion without parents' consent or knowledge! Your child cannot take an aspirin at school, but she could have an abortion without your permission.
Third, our tax dollars would pay for all the counseling and abortions. Yet abortion clinics (where 98 percent of abortions are performed) under present law are exempt from many rules and regulations your local hospital surgery units have to follow, such as certified doctors, truly informed consent of what is to be done and its complications, and proper equipment for emergencies if they occur. Most times, the patient is never informed of the doctor's credentials and, in many cases, she never meets him!
Fourth, you need to know how abortions are performed. You generally must pay cash, choosing between the more expensive one with anesthetic or the cheaper one without it. Abortions are done, if the pregnancy is less than 12 weeks, with a suction device that is 30 times more powerful than your vacuum cleaner at home.
If greater than 12 weeks along, the skull and spine which have already formed must be crushed with a plier-like device before the abortion is performed. Even today abortions are done in Virginia and other states right up to the time of birth.
Occasionally, a botched abortion means a baby is born with an amputated leg or arm such as the one born in Kansas a few years ago. Yet if the abortion had been successful, no one would have even noticed and the doctor would still be successfully killing these precious babies in their mothers' wombs.
Last, you need to know some basic facts about that human being uniquely created through the miracle of life. His heart starts beating at 18 days. Brain waves come at 40 days, fingernails, eyelashes and fingerprints at 12 weeks. He starts moving at six weeks. He has all his organs functioning at eight weeks. He responds to pain by nine weeks.
These are things you need to know to help you in your decision on this bill. I know I will have my critics concerning this subject. Yet even they (I hope) will admit that abortion is a terrible thing. We need to do all that we can to decrease abortions, not pass laws that will encourage them. That's what this bill will do.
I do not mean in any way, shape or form to be critical of women who have had or are contemplating abortions. I have counseled many young women in my office about this very difficult decision, and I never attempt to be critical of their thoughts, ideas or ultimate decision.
One thing I'm confident of is that once a woman understands the facts concerning abortion, she will make an intelligent, thoughtful and prayerful decision about her life and the life God has created within her body.
Wayne Brackenrich is an osteopath with a family practice in Rich Creek.