I taught Roe v. Wade in class this week and was shockingly objective. It’s really hard when you’re a pro-life Catholic teaching in a public school, being morally opposed to abortion as a form of birth control — I just think it’s sick. I felt like I needed a bath and confession afterwards. I NEVER say “fetus”; it’s always “little baby” in my lexicon outside of work. So it was a bit awkward for me, but it’s part of the job to give the kids the facts and have them decide for themselves on controversial issues.
Anyway, this morning I came across this article by Quin Hillyer at the American Spectator, in which he writes about how “monstrously anti-life” President Obama has been during his first months in office. Hillyer has never before written on the issue of abortion head on, but felt he could no longer stand by. In the process he links to this video by 12-year-old Lia Mills from Toronto, who posted her (at first rejected!) debate speech regarding abortion online:
Here’s a text of the speech. Here’s my favorite line, a quote from the elephant Horton who heard a Who:
“Even though can’t see them or hear them at all, a person’s a person no matter how small.”
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Lia and family,
I am encouraged greatly by your perspective on abortion. I pray that it along with others like us who believe that life is a gift from God will get the message out to the world. For the most part, abortion follows a careless regard for creation. From the beginning God gave the order to everything to be fruitful and multiply. All creation to this day obeys the command.
The trouble arises when the created tries to veto the Creator’s orders of nature. A person cannot alter the life giving process so they find a way to terminate it. They do so at their own regret. God will not be mocked or made of no worth. His rules are like
gravity. .. unalterable.
While He is forgiving to the repentant the consequences of the act of disobedience are
unavoidable. Abortion is no exception.
I applaud your determination and the wisdom of your verbal presentment. We all need
it so badly.
Love you,
Ken Burton
Hi Ryan,
Thanks for your opinion on this one. You seem to talk about giving kids the facts as if you’re afraid the facts don’t stand up under the language. It might be helpful to point out that “fetus” is just the scientific term for that stage of a PERSON’s life, much as “adolescent” or “geriatric” are terms for stages of human life. I would also say that you should check out some of the pro-life educational websites for wording that is both life-affirming and scientifically accurate. Remember, that just because the pro-abort side uses bigger words (e.g. ‘products of conception’ for fetus) it doesn’t mean they use unbiased language in the classroom.
Peace.
I’m completly amazed.
Just because they are fetus doesn’t mean they’re not persons! And we all have the right to decide if we want to live or not. Even fetus that don’t have a mouth to speak, have that right. We once were fetus too, and I’m sure that if fetus could choose, they would choose to live.
Continue defending your beliefs! The world needs more people like you Lia, thank you for your speech!