by Anna Gagne
On Feb. 11th the Vermont House of Representatives introduced H248, a bill declaring that an unborn baby, beginning at 24 weeks gestation, is a legal person.
Due to the miracles of modern medicine, babies have survived at even earlier than 24 weeks. At the end of 2019 and the beginning of 2020 triplets at 22 weeks gestation were born at UVMMC to the McShane family. Cian, born 12/28/19, weighed 1.08 lb.. Declan, born 1/2/20 weighed 1.47 lb. and Rowan, born 1/2/20 weighed 1.08 lb.. These three babies were discharged from UVMMC on July 15th, 2020 after reaching normal milestones in growth and development.
Vermont is one of only 12 states that rejects fetal personhood for reasons of homicide, fetacide or being a victim of crime. A few years ago, Bennington, VT twins, Kaleb and Harley Blair, at 24 weeks gestation, were killed in a car accident. Their mom, Patricia Blair, is still seeking damages.
Vermont law places no restrictions on abortion at any age of gestation. Preemies cared for in the NICU are no different biologically than those of the same age who are aborted. One infant is cared for and another condemned to death based solely on the fact that the 1st is wanted and the 2nd is not. It is a tragic indictment of our society that we base the value of a person on whether or not they are wanted.
The elderly and ill do not fare better in Vermont. In early Feb., Bill S74 was introduced in the Vermont Senate to remove some of the safeguards on abuse of Act 39, (Vermont’s aid-in-dying law) which is already an abusive law.
How have we become so shallow and callous? Sure it is work to care for a vulnerable person. But sacrificing for someone else gives life meaning and purpose. We need to be loving examples to our young people many of whom have given up on life. Inspiring them to treat all life as sacred will give them hope that we believe that their lives have meaning and value. When some lives are dispensable we are all diminished. When we treat all lives as sacred we will flourish as a society again.
The author is a St. Albans Town resident.
Categories: Commentary
This bill, tragically, will NEVER pass in VT. The radical, extremists who falsely & laughably proclaim that THEY are the “party of science” – throw the SCIENTIFIC undeniable DNA evidence that PROVE that a fetus is (but of course) a living human being right out the window because THAT science doesn’t fit their agenda.
As a woman myself, it is unbelievable that other women can buy into the diabolical concepts that murdering one’s own progeny is a “feminist” cause…..wonder how many future “feminists” lives were ended by torturous chemical burns or the tearing apart of limbs in utero?
As an aside, the VT legislature is now convincing women that prostitution can ALSO be “empowering” & a feminist pursuit as well!
Women: YOU are being duped big time, and it’s high time you stand up for your TRUTHS!!!
We all know this legislation will go absolutely nowhere in the predominantly marxist Vermont Legislature but it serves to highlight the denial and hypocrisy of the Left. When it comes to a viral pandemic or to climate change, we hear the call to FOLLOW THE SCIENCE. Any qualified, objective biologist defines the beginning of a new life as when there is a viable, full complement of DNA resulting from the union of gametes to form a zygote. It is one thing to be pro-choice (as I am) as far as “man’s law” goes, but to deny the personhood of a human at an early stage of development for legal convenience is the epitome of science denial. Let’s just admit that at ANY stage, the killing of a human being by another human constitutes a homicide (not necessarily a crime) in legal terms. Just as we legally allow and justify the killing of another human in times of war or in cases of self-defense or defense of others, an aborted pregnancy is a
justifiable homicide of a living PERSON. The use of the terms “embryo”, “fetus” and “tissue” are useful embryological descriptors but dont tell the whole story.
Perhaps if the above discussion weren’t so partisan I wouldn’t have entered the discussion. However….“Denial and hypocrisy of the left” Rich Lachapelle. Why do you stop at zygotes? For men who use birth control, What is their defense to those that believe every sperm is sacred therefore to use birth control is murder or, at a minimum, hypocritical? We will never all agree where the line is so the question is “ who gets to decide?” The decision is deeply personal and a blend of science and belief that only the mother, with information from her trusted sources, should make. The distinction of “twinkle in the eye”, zygote, or other is interesting in that it blends philosophy and science but is it relevant to lawmaking? This bill is unsupportable because it is a transparent attempt by anti- choice activists to erode the laws protecting Choice.
And to Kathy Henry, who views protection of choice as a “feminist” agenda: would you give up your right to vote, hold office, own a home, have their own bank account, drive a car? Where do YOU draw YOUR line? I draw it here: By wanting to deny women choice it makes all women second class citizens in eyes of the law. Science, spirituality, and circumstances:they are all factors if a woman chooses to dwell in the gray areas of informed decision-making. We get to choose for the twinkle in the eye, the zygote, the embryo, or the fetus.
NO ONE is “denying” anyone their choice but whether you like it or not, there remains RIGHT and WRONG in this world and intentionally ending the life of another distinct & separate individual is morally, ethically, and (yes…wait for it…) spiritually wrong. DUI? WRONG. STEALING? WRONG. INFLICTING PHYSICAL OR EMOTIONAL ABUSE? WRONG. Should your radical left friends proclaim otherwise? WRONG.
Women have PLENTY of choices. First, they have the right to CHOOSE to be intimately involved with a man or not. Next, the woman has the right to choose to utilize easily accessible, low cost, or often free) birth control as does her partner. Thereafter, well, the democrats ever-favorite: “follow the science” comes into play as your choices now cease, and BIOLOGY begins – women may become pregnant.
This is NOT and NEVER has been a women’s right’s issue, for it is nothing less than a HUMAN right’s issue. Are you old enough to recall when pro-“choice” advocates used to claim that no one knew when a human being’s beginnings began in the womb? Well, thanks to our reminders to “follow the science” – SCIENCE now dictates that human life INDEED begins at conception with completely unique DNA there immediately. A fetus (as described in the Dictionary as an: “unborn baby”…..) has brain waves, heartbeat, & feels pain after but a few weeks. This is life and life is NEVER ours to destroy except in self-defense or in this instance if the life of the mother is in imminent danger. The REALITY that a distinct life begins & is nurtured within a woman’s body is science. It’s how you came to be and it’s nothing less than celebratory that your mom didn’t use her “right to choose” as you so advocate for – years ago, regarding your life.
In terms of my answer to your query as to where I personally draw the line. I draw the line with MURDER. Last I checked, my right to drive, vote, own a home, etc. NEVER infringe upon anyone else’s right to survive & live.
When is the right of that unborn baby taken into account who is currently very much alive inside the mother’s uterus?
You’ve bought the bait. I’ve been an avid feminist since I was a child & I have fought in federal court against men (justifiably) accused of sexual harassment and gender discrimination and worked in an industry that had long been male dominated. But murdering one’s own progeny is NOT a “feminist” cause.
Wow, It jumps right off the page, “It is a tragic indictment of our society that we base the value of a person on whether or not they are wanted.”
I have never heard legalized abortion called, “justifiable homicide’ before. Real feminist have never supported legalized abortion as a choice. Real feminist know equality will never be obtained by killing your own pre-born baby.
Short & sweet, but 100% correct! Thanks, Dorothy.