Major attitude shift needed on abortion

I believe there is an analogy with our society’s response to abortion and our country’s response that ended slavery 150 years ago and segregation 100 years later. Each began an epochal period in which every citizen had to take a stand to accept or reject. Slavery and segregation got resolved when society was able to acknowledge that the intrinsic evil involved was contrary to the natural law and common good.

The current issue challenging our country’s conscience is the aborting of unborn children. There is much discourse on both sides by good and well-intentioned people. As many people felt they were on the right side of slavery and segregation, many believe that destroying unborn children contributes to the common good. A case has to be made otherwise.

I am amazed that no dialogue is given to the pain unborn children likely endure as they are being destroyed. I am also amazed that no one has put forth the argument that since a child in the womb can be legally destroyed, a parent should not be held accountable for harming or destroying a child after being born. The one instance of allowing an abortion is to save the life of the mother. Taking one life to preserve another is a reasonable response that supports the common good.

Likely it will take a seismic event to cause a major shift in attitudes. It could be a group of abortion doctors giving up their practice out of guilt of conscience and publicly describing what really happens when they do an abortion. Or it could be a Hollywood movie, using advanced technology showing the whole world the squirming, screaming anguish as the death sentence is administered. Let’s hope we get to this point sooner rather than later.

LeRoy Kunkel

Palatine