t
Wednesday, August 29, 1034
Dally Nabraskan
Pago 5
Guest Opinion
Cohen speaks for "most" on abortion
I always get just a little bit nervous when
people purport to speak for "most Ameri
cans." Therefore, when Richard Cohen
informed the readers of the Daily Ne
braskan (Aug. 27) that "most Americans"
reject the view that "a fetus, no matter
how young, is always (sic) a person," I
decided to respond empirically.
In fact, Cohen is wrong. According to
the May 3 1 , 1 03 1 , Gallup Poll, most Amer
icans (54 percent) think human life beg
ins at conception. This view also accords
with biological reality because unques
tionably, from the moment of conception,
each unborn child is human, living and a
genetically unique individual who is defi
nitely not a part of his or her (yes, unborn
human beings have gender) mother's
body.
The real issue in the abortion controv
ersy is whether society should allow mil
lions of unborn children to be put to
death as a solution to a series social prob
lem (the social, economic, and emotional
burden of bearing an unwanted child).
The abortion problem is a tragedy, be
cause no matter which path we take,
someone will be left behind. But what we
must do to respond to the tragedy is seek
out humane solutions to the social prob
lems resulting from unwanted pregnancy,
and put a stop to the taking of human life
that is being done in the name of the
so-called "liberty" of abortion.
We must devote more of our resources
to making childbirth less burdensome
medical programs for pregnant women,
child care programs for working parents
and group homes for unwed mothers are
some examples. At the same time, we
must find a way to reverse the Dred Scott
decision of our times, Roe vs. Wade. The
state then must act immediately to pro
hibit abortion (with an appropriate ex
ception for life threatening pregnancies)
and to do what they can to help the par
ents of unwanted children cope with the
reality of their situation.
Actually, there are few truly unwanted
r-r-7
children. There are many children who
are unwanted by their biological parents,
but there are literally masses of childless
couples and individuals who are waiting
desperately for a chance to adopt a child
and give him or her a loving home and
upbringing.
In closing, I wish to remind Cohen that
supporters of the abortion liberty do not
have a corner on the market oFpersonal
freedom" those who seek to protect the
lives of unborn children do so selflessly
and out of a desire to enhance human
rights for everyone on the continuum of
life, from the moment of conception to
the moment of death.
Richard F. Duncan
UNL associate professor of law
t 7 xi Daily a
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