All rights depend upon the right to life

The Catholic Church in the U.S. designated each October as Respect Life Month. Since the appalling 1973 Roe v Wade decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, the killing of the baby in the womb is legal in this country. We as a nation have killed more than 60 million innocent lives through abortion. This horror cries out to heaven and God does not sleep.
There are many issues which we as a country face but the American bishops, in our statement issued last November, have made clear that abortion is the “preeminent” issue for us to address. All other rights we enjoy depend upon the right to life.
Without life, no other liberties are possible.
There are many issues which are of great importance and which demand our attention as individuals and as a nation:

• Helping families and children to overcome poverty and have access to education of their choice

• Providing health care that respects human life and dignity

• Eradicating racism

• Promoting peace among nations

• Safeguarding religious freedom and freedom of conscience

• Upholding marriage a life-long union of a man and a woman

• Achieving comprehensive immigration reform

• Abolishing the death penalty in civil law

• Protecting the environment

But none of these matter to a person whose life was aborted and was denied ever having a birthday.
The fact is that abortion is based upon lies, two lies in particular. The first lie is that the flesh in the womb is just a blob of tissue. It was easier to convince people of that lie in 1973 than it is today. Young people today are part of the most educated generation in the country’s history. They have seen images of the baby in the womb. The images clearly show that the baby in the womb has arms and legs, a head and body. At 3 weeks the baby has a heartbeat. At 6 weeks the baby has brain waves. Yet even today many people are unaware of what the baby in the womb looks like.
It is striking to me how many mothers who are considering an abortion change their minds once they see the ultrasound of their baby. They see the fact … there is a baby in their womb, not a mass of tissue.
The second lie is that the baby in the womb is part of the mother’s body. Pro-abortionists argue that a woman should have control of her body. Yes, women should control their bodies. But the baby in the womb is not a part of the mother’s body. An appendix is a part of the body, so are tonsils or a gall bladder. These organs may be removed from our bodies for a good reason.
But a baby’s body is a distinct body from the mother’s body. The baby has its own DNA, its own blood type, its own fingerprints, its own heartbeat, and brain waves, all distinct from the mother’s. The baby may be totally dependent upon the mother, but dependent human life is still human life.
Pro-abortionists would like for the rest of us to be quiet and accept abortion as the law of the land. Never. The lie of abortion is a lie for anyone who chooses to see.
Science makes clear the reality of the human life in the womb. There are those who may choose to close their eyes to this truth; there are none so blind as those who will not see. But for us who see the truth, we must speak out and continue to struggle to call our nation to once again respect the dignity of life.