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Making Abortion Unthinkable: Can It Be Done?
All throughout history we’ve seen culture shifts. Things that were once very common, later become recognized as abhorrent. From public executions to slavery, we as human beings have progressed and shunned certain acts of inhumane violence that were once normal. Humans deserve to be treated fairly, with compassion and dignity. Abortion was once considered an evil practice, and it can be seen that way again; all it takes is an awakening among the masses. When people see the humanity of a developing human being, they conceive of the inhumanity of abortion. Truth and facts can evoke change.
Illegal is Not Enough
A big argument from those in favor of abortion is the concern that there will be an increase in back alley abortions, or illegal ones. Those against abortion find those equally unacceptable. Legal or not, abortion is a destruction of human life. It is a human rights violation against the most vulnerable. We want everyone to view abortion as something abhorrent, not just something illegal. Abortions will still happen until we convince the world of the truth - it needs to become unimaginable. We need to spread the moral reasons to shun abortion, not just the legal ones.
A Voice for the Voiceless
Frank Stephens, a man living with Down syndrome, has given many impressive speeches advocating against abortion and about supporting those looked down upon for living with Down syndrome. He said: “About abortion, I don’t want to make it illegal, I want to make it unthinkable. Politicians change laws. I want to change people’s hearts. I want to change people’s hearts by changing people’s minds and hearts together.” (Read here.)
The statistics for abortions being done after a Down syndrome diagnosis are staggering. In some places in Europe it is close to 100%. Imagine being a person with Down syndrome and knowing that fact. (Watch Frank’s powerful speech here.)
Senator James Lankford, a Republican Senator from Oklahoma has also made a number of moving speeches regarding abortion. In one such video he says plainly that he is working to make abortion unthinkable (watch here). Like many he sees the moral and ethical reasons abortion should be abhorrent to everyone. Senator Lankford is a man in a high position using his images and his strong voice of reason to try and help our country take notice that this atrocity needs to be seen for what it is. The more people learn about child development in the womb and what abortion procedures look like, the more their hearts and minds change. Giving humanity back to the baby is the only way to make the culture shift.
It Can Be Done
Child labor, child brides, slavery, and other evils were considered permissible and normal for long periods of time all through history. Even still today those things occur. But the progress we have made has only happened because of people who were willing to stand up and point out why they were wrong, why those acts should never be permitted. People showing the world why children need protection. Change doesn’t happen overnight but it happens when people care enough to make it so.
How can a society turn from morally reprehensible views and practices? Visual representatives and factual evidence. Live Action, one of the biggest pro-life groups, has a series of videos about abortion procedures (view here). Their videos, which simply teach what happens in an abortion procedure, are changing hearts and minds: they even show them to people on the street and watch their minds change as they see what abortion looks like (see this happen here). This is just one example of the fact that when brave souls get out there and defend what is right, we can make abortion unthinkable. Truth, logic, science, and morality are on our side.
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Frank Stephen's Speech | Sen. Lankford's Speech | Abortion Procedure Video
Sources:
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtS91Jd5mac&t=174s
3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLIZvo3Jlig