I'm recycling this old articleI wrote....
The debate is not about abortion. Or even the right to life.
Just about every liberal calls it the debate "over abortion". Pro-lifers say it's about the value of human life. But an analysis of the true heart of the issue is not about either. It's about the equality of the unborn child.
Almost everyone who does not consider the unborn child an equal favours abortion to one extent or another. And the vast majority of those who favour some legal protection of the unborn allow for certain exceptions. Yet the debate persists. Even if some legal protection were offered to the unborn child, to a point where the vast majority of the population would be happy, the debate would continue. Because ultimately, the issue of the morality of abortion and the "right to life" raises the issue of whether or not the unborn child is an equal.
It's really too bad that pro-lifers have not made this realization earlier. Any time the debate focuses on the morality of abortion or whether or not the unborn child is worthy enough to merit legal protection, it sidesteps the real issue. In the case of the abortion debate, the discussion pits the mother versus the child. In the case of the "right to life" debate, the issue becomes "how worthy is an unborn child" as if human beings could be categorized according to how valuable they are.
Those who support the full legal recognition of the unborn child must change the parameters of the debate. The pro-lifer must not be satisfied with advocating for the criminalization of abortion. In fact, in focusing so narrowly on this particular aspect of Fetal Equality, he is shooting himself in the foot, because he is giving the impression that an unborn child only matters when the abortion issue is involved. The pro-lifer must work, not towards the criminalization of abortion, but for the full legal recognition of the unborn child. We must become Fetal Rights Advocates instead of pro-lifers.
The pro-life label confuses people. People wonder why pro-lifers support war and the death penalty, yet favour criminalizing abortion. The public has failed to understand the mission of the pro-lifer. Part of the blame can be ascribed to the liberal media and our secular liberal education system. But part of the problem is that the label "pro-life" can be open to so many interpretations. Consider the people who label themselves "pro-life" but against the criminalization of abortion. Or those who think "pro-life" means being in favour of socialized health care.
To dispel the confusion, pro-lifers must become and label themselves Fetal Rights Advocates. This way, there is no confusion. The smarmy liberal who thinks that opposing war is more "pro-life" than fighting abortion can no longer invoke the authority of the Catholic Church to pretend that they are equal issues. The Church must no longer put "life" issues at the head of important issues, but "Fetal Rights".
