Bodily damage to another person is a crime. When our body is damaged we should go to a doctor. The doctor has taken an oath to do no further harm. When I was an EMT Basic, I too was instructed to do no further harm. In one of our EMT training classes we were asked a hypothetical question. “You come upon an accident where there is extensive damage done to a pregnant woman, do you try to save the mother or do you try to save the unborn baby?” After a rather interesting discussion the teacher told us the protocol we were to follow. “We are to take care of the mother so she can take care of the unborn baby.” That idea is how I look at the abortion argument. It has nothing to do with how long the woman is pregnant. The health of the mother comes first so she can take care of the unborn child.
I have little time for the moral argument that killing is a sin according to the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments are for you and your behavior. Not for you to judge someone else’ behavior. The First Commandment is: “You shall have no other Gods.” Anyone who thinks they have the right to condemn someone else is pretending to be the God of Judgment. They are breaking the first Commandment.
In government we are concerned with the common good. What does a woman having or not having an abortion have to do with the common good? If your faith says you cannot have an abortion, don’t have one. Freedom of religion is an important part of the Constitution. If you care about the woman having an abortion, you may reach out to her and help her financially to help raise the child. You can help her with medical bills. You can take her into your own home and offer her food, clothing and shelter. These are all things you can do to prevent an abortion. If you choose to impose your personal religion on her and call her a murderer that is not something I consider Christian.
The State of Wisconsin has an 1849 law making it illegal to have an abortion. The 1849 law in Wisconsin is the last legislation on the issue. In 1849 bloodletting was an accepted medical procedure. Our Attorney General has publicly gone on record stating his office will not prosecute any case involving the 1849 law.
We keep data on how many women die in childbirth. That is because sometimes women die in childbirth. A woman should have the best medical services available to her during pregnancy and child birth. That is what Democrats believe. After the child is born that child should have access to the best medical care available. The child has access to the best nutrition available. If the parents cannot care for the child the government will rescue it and find a home for it to become a strong and healthy adult.
The decision to have an abortion is always painful one. It should be the decision of the woman and her Care Giver. It should always be safe. The self righteous and the government should not interfere with that decision.
Kristin Lyerly is a Gynecologist. She is a member of The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Their website is www.acog.org. She is also a contributing member to this website. She has firsthand knowledge of how the 1849 law affects the women of Wisconsin. I value her insights and opinion. Check out what she has to say on the subject.
Pregnancy is not a disease, but there are health issues involved with it. We should not remove any options modern medicine has at its disposal. The decision should rest with the woman and her doctor. The government should not get involved.
Richard Pulcher
Richard Pulcher, a longtime resident of Lublin, WI since 1990, is an Augustana College alumnus with a B.A. in Economics. He is deeply involved in his local church and community, driven by a steadfast passion for fostering positive change and development in his local area. Richard's insights reflect his commitment to community enhancement and his rich experiences in Lublin.
